Ghost Dance

Formed in Leeds in 1985, Ghost Dance coalesced around Anne-Marie Hurst, formerly of Skeletal Family, and Gary Marx, former guitarist of The Sisters of Mercy, directly in the wake of the 1980s British gothic scene. Ghost Dance developed a sound between gothic rock and post-punk, with taut guitars, a prominent bass, dry rhythms and Hurst's vocals, more direct than theatrical. Early discographic landmarks arrived quickly with the singles "River of No Return", "Heart Full of Soul" and "The Grip of Love" in 1986, followed by the EP A Word to the Wise in 1987 and the compilation Gathering Dust in 1988. After a stint with Chrysalis, Ghost Dance released Stop the World in 1989, the only album of their first period, before splitting up the same year. The name reappeared in 2019 around Anne-Marie Hurst with a new lineup, first on stage and then with new material. This second phase materialized with the singles "Falling Down" in 2021 and "Jessamine" in 2022, followed by the album The Silent Shout in 2023. Since reforming, Ghost Dance have played regularly in the United Kingdom and on European goth and post-punk stages.