With its unmistakable playful xylophone intro, “Hong Kong Garden” was hugely innovative, a punk classic beyond the three-chord sensibility. Relentless guitar and Siouxsie’s distinctive vocals bring urgency and build tension which is released in oneresounding blow of an orchestral gong as the song concludes.

Named after a Chinese takeaway in Siouxsie’s hometown of Chislehurst, “Hong Kong Garden" was first aired on a John Peel session which led to the band being signed by Polydor. Originally not written as a single, the song was an established live favourite and its release was much anticipated through the summer of 1978. Following months of music press speculation on August 18th 1978 it was released; it went to number seven in the UK charts selling 400,000 copies and arguably became one of the mostimportant singles of the post-punk era in the process.

The record was single of the week in the NME, Melody Maker and Record Mirror. Melody Maker underlined: "The elements come together with remarkable effects. The song is strident and powerful with tantalising oriental guitarriffs."Record Mirror described the effect the record had as "accessibility incarnated... I'm playing it every third record. I love every second."

NME hailed it as "a bright, vivid narrative, something like snapshots from the window of a speeding Japanese train, power charged by the most original, intoxicating guitar playing I’ve heard in a long, long time."

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