Bela Lugosi's Dead released OTD in 1979

158 points · submitted Aug 2026 by u/TheBloggingGoth · Anniversary

It all began on this day in 1979 when Bauhaus released their debut single, "Bela Lugosi's Dead".

A nine and a half minute epic with dub and reggae roots, it was an anthem to the vampire star actor Lugosi and made a household name of baritone singer Peter Murphy. Nothing would be the same again!

9 comments · 100% upvoted · source · other discussions

comments

Read-only. Use the arrows to collapse threads.

Barbafella 5 points · Aug 2026

Still my favorite Goth track, it’s perfect in every way, a true original.

permalink

Xylene999new 4 points · Aug 2026

A friend pressed a cassette into my hand, recorded from John Peel's radio show, with the words:

"You have GOT to listen to this!"

And here we are. Loved it then, love it now.

permalink

Twatatron 2 points · Aug 2026

Interesting point to note, putting music aside, Pete Murphy became known to the wider public outside the goth scene in the UK due to him appearance in a Maxwell audio tape TV Advert.