An Eye In The Glass On The Parquet Floor

I still think of The Creatures as relatively recent, but in October it will be twenty two years since Siouxsie and Budgie released their fourth and final album, Hái!

October will also mark twenty seven years since the release of 2nd Floor, the lead single and opening track of third album, Anima Animus.

A remix of the song popped up on my random shuffle and a subsequent YT search unearthed the promo video, which I'd never seen before. Monochrome (mostly), make up and manic moves make for a compelling four and a half minutes. Then again, I need little motivation to watch a performance by Siouxsie Sioux, she is superb.

The promo 12" and CD single came with an extended version, labelled the 'Album Mix', by Siouxsie, Budgie and album co-producer Warne Livesey. Ultimately this was ditched in favour of the single version, so it remains a relative obscurity.

The flip side of the promo featured 2nd Floor (Siouxsie, Budgie And Warne's Club Mix). I've not been able to track down the original 9:43 version, but I have found a 5:24 edit by Erasercuts, synched with the promo video.

Another promo 12" single featured a further remix by Girl Eats Boy aka one half of The Drum Club and Slab, Lol Hammond...

...whilst the regular single release featured a 2nd, very similar Girl Eats Boy remix.

In 1999, The Creatures released Hybrids, a compilation of previously released and newly commissioned remixes. One of the latter was a fresh take on 2nd Floor by the mysteriously named Vito Bonito. 

Apartment door

Is left ajar

An eye in the glass

On the parquet floor

All the guests

Have left and gone

But I'm still here

On the 2nd floor

Aftermath

In an amber glow

A vodka bath

For this shipwrecked soul

Seconds fly

As the years flow by

But I don't care

I'm on the 2nd floor

2nd Floor

And I still want more

2nd Floor

Coming back for more

Why fear death

When death never hurt

No one

2nd Floor