Bauhaus formed in Northampton, England in 1978, and their nine-minute debut single Bela Lugosi's Dead (1979) is widely considered the founding text of gothic rock. In the Flat Field (1980) and Mask (1981) are the essential albums, and original 4AD and Beggars Banquet pressings are goth-collection cornerstones. Dig into Bauhaus vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Bauhaus formed in Northampton, England in 1978 with the lineup of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J (David Haskins), and Kevin Haskins (David's brother). Their nine-minute debut single Bela Lugosi's Dead, released by Small Wonder in 1979 and reissued by 4AD, is widely considered the founding text of gothic rock. The band released four studio albums on 4AD and Beggars Banquet before splitting in 1983; Murphy pursued a solo career and the other three formed Tones on Tail and later Love and Rockets. Bauhaus has reunited multiple times (1998 tour, 2005-2008 active period including the album Go Away White, 2019 onward live performances).
Bauhaus's sound combined post-punk, gothic rock, and glam rock with theatrical performance, dub-influenced bass, distorted and atmospheric guitar work, and Murphy's commanding baritone vocals. Their work drew heavily on Bowie, T. Rex, and other glam influences alongside the developing post-punk vocabulary, helping to establish the visual and sonic codes of gothic rock.
Original 4AD and Beggars Banquet pressings of the Bauhaus catalog are foundational items in goth and post-punk collecting. Multiple anniversary reissues have been released across the catalog, including The Bela Session EP (2018) and box sets of the four-album core catalog.
Listeners new to Bauhaus typically start with In the Flat Field (1980) or Mask (1981). The 1979 single Bela Lugosi's Dead is the iconic single track.
