With influences that include Edward Gorey, Screaming Lord Sutch, Joe Meek, and the Cramps, the Horrors craft a grimy, goth-tinged kind of punk rock that's almost as campy as it is catchy. The big-haired, black-clad quintet -- which features singer Faris Badwan, bassist Tomethy Furse, guitarist Joshua Von Grimm, drummer Coffin Joe, and keyboardist Spider Webb -- formed in the summer of 2005 and quickly gained notoriety around London for their look, sound, and brief but frantic live shows. Loog soon signed them, and the Horrors released their official debut single, Sheena Is a Parasite/Jack the Ripper, in spring 2006. The buzz around the band reached a peak that summer, with the Horrors DJing at the Troubled Minds club night, having to reschedule in-store appearances because of crowd concerns and releasing their second single, Death at the Chapel. They also reissued Sheena Is a Parasite as a limited-edition DVD single. The song's startling video was directed by Chris Cunningham and featured actress Samantha Morton as Sheena. Late that summer, the band signed to Stolen Transmission in the U.S. and released a self-titled EP that fall. They also issued the Count in Fives single in the U.K. around that time. The Gloves single arrived early in 2007, heralding the release of the Horrors' full-length debut, Strange House, which arrived in the U.K. that March and in the U.S. in May. For 2009's Primary Colours, the band opted for a very different sound, mixing shoegaze, post-punk, and goth; the album was released by XL that spring. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
