The Virgin Prunes — I will never forget when I saw them. I believe it was the third, I know it was April, and the year was 1983.
It was at the 9:30 club in Washington, D.C. Yes, it was April 3rd, because my birthday is on April 10, and The Birthday Party played at the 9:30 the night of my birthday, exactly one week after the Virgin Prunes. By this time, I had been going to the 9:30 to see shows almost every night for 3 years (I saw almost every band you could imagine, and never, ever, experienced anything like this.)
If I Die, I Die had just been released, and their show was, if I remember correctly, the songs of this album in cabaret. Gavin Friday and Guggi were the most captivating performers I had ever seen; I just wanted to go away with them into their world, and never come back. It was haunting, yes, but in the most deep and prolific way. The theme was yin/yang, Guggi the passive, feminine, negative force, and Gavin the active, masculine, positive force.
I became completely and totally enveloped by the Virgin Prunes, purchasing whatever I could by them. (If I Die, I Die, The 78rpm boxed set, Heresie , the 78rpm (this alone said alot about them), A New Form of Beauty 2 , the album set A New Form of Beauty 1-4 and Dave-Id is Dead on 45rpm.) I even dressed as Gavin Friday when I saw him. ( A long, black skirt with a white petticoat, fishnet hose, black lace-up boots), and hair and make-up followed.
This obsession finally waned after a year or so, because living in Washington, D.C., unfortunately, you’re forced to snap back into its reality. When The Moon Looked Down and Laughed was released, it was ethereal, yet intense. It was obviously the finale.