RIP Sleazy
November 25, 2010 6:51 AM Subscribe
Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson, formerly of the bands Coil, Throbbing Gristle, and Psychic TV, passed away in his sleep last night at his home in Bangkok.
In death, he joins former bandmate and lover Jhonn Balance. Pictures from his last tour with X-TG. His personal and label sites are dressed in black.
In death, he joins former bandmate and lover Jhonn Balance. Pictures from his last tour with X-TG. His personal and label sites are dressed in black.
How awful. I wouldn't normally speculate, but in Peter's case, I can't help wondering if drugs were involved. RIP. A remarkable life and plenty of amazing music.
posted by stinkycheese at 7:18 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by stinkycheese at 7:18 AM on November 25, 2010
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posted by ryanshepard at 7:20 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by ryanshepard at 7:20 AM on November 25, 2010
This is heartwrenching. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to sit and share words with Peter and Jhonn while it was still possible.
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posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 7:58 AM on November 25, 2010
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posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 7:58 AM on November 25, 2010
Reposted from the Brainwashed mailing list:
"In his own words:
"we are all only temporary curators of our present bodies, which will all decay, sooner or later. In a hundred years or so ALL the humans currently alive will have died. I take great comfort in knowing, with certainty, that thing that makes us special, able to enrich our own lives and those of others, will not cease when our bodies do, but will be just starting and new (and hopefully even better) adventure...
If we don't get to meet in this Life, maybe in the next you can buy me a beer! ,-)"
- Peter Christopherson, July 31, 2010, in response to his interview in The Quietus
"
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:02 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
"In his own words:
"we are all only temporary curators of our present bodies, which will all decay, sooner or later. In a hundred years or so ALL the humans currently alive will have died. I take great comfort in knowing, with certainty, that thing that makes us special, able to enrich our own lives and those of others, will not cease when our bodies do, but will be just starting and new (and hopefully even better) adventure...
If we don't get to meet in this Life, maybe in the next you can buy me a beer! ,-)"
- Peter Christopherson, July 31, 2010, in response to his interview in The Quietus
"
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:02 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
That's a major bummer. I didn't like everything he did, but anything he was involved in was at least interesting and worth hearing.
I never knew he was a former member of the Hipgnosis design agency and worked on some Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel covers. Although based on this bit from WikiPedia I get the impression some of his contributions are disputed:
This from Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson himself: "I worked as a free-lance photographer and contributor, then promoted to an assistant to Hipgnosis before becoming a partner, and continued to act also after I officially left the organization. So my contributions range from attempted but rejected artwork or design work, to partial contribution in either/both as an assistant, to being fully responsible for all design and artwork, such as the Peter Gabriel LPs. What you wish to document is up to you."
I'd like to see more of design and photographic work.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:03 AM on November 25, 2010
I never knew he was a former member of the Hipgnosis design agency and worked on some Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel covers. Although based on this bit from WikiPedia I get the impression some of his contributions are disputed:
This from Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson himself: "I worked as a free-lance photographer and contributor, then promoted to an assistant to Hipgnosis before becoming a partner, and continued to act also after I officially left the organization. So my contributions range from attempted but rejected artwork or design work, to partial contribution in either/both as an assistant, to being fully responsible for all design and artwork, such as the Peter Gabriel LPs. What you wish to document is up to you."
I'd like to see more of design and photographic work.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:03 AM on November 25, 2010
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posted by azarbayejani at 8:07 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by azarbayejani at 8:07 AM on November 25, 2010
Cool, now I have an excuse to get drunk and listen to Coil all night.
posted by Ted Maul at 8:09 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Ted Maul at 8:09 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by brundlefly at 8:14 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by brundlefly at 8:14 AM on November 25, 2010
Wise words from the departing
Eat your greens, especially broccoli
Remember to say "thank you" for the things you haven't had
By working the soil we cultivate the sky
We embrace vegetable kingdom
The death of your father, the death of your mother
Is something you prepare for
All your life
All their life
posted by munchingzombie at 8:15 AM on November 25, 2010 [5 favorites]
Eat your greens, especially broccoli
Remember to say "thank you" for the things you haven't had
By working the soil we cultivate the sky
We embrace vegetable kingdom
The death of your father, the death of your mother
Is something you prepare for
All your life
All their life
posted by munchingzombie at 8:15 AM on November 25, 2010 [5 favorites]
Well that settles it.
Fuck giving thanks, I'm gonna be fasting and making industrial all day.
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posted by idiopath at 8:31 AM on November 25, 2010 [7 favorites]
Fuck giving thanks, I'm gonna be fasting and making industrial all day.
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posted by idiopath at 8:31 AM on November 25, 2010 [7 favorites]
I'm a longtime fan of all things TG and Coil related, and this is very sad news.
posted by metagnathous at 9:10 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by metagnathous at 9:10 AM on November 25, 2010
Wow, such sad sad news :( I felt he had many years left to introduce people to his experimental sonic machinations. Soisong was a wonderful album. He and Jhonn will both leave a legacy that very few people I feel will be able to continue.
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I remember the first time I listened to Coil's music, a late night in my friends basement, being amazed and confused at some of the sounds of Worship the Glitch that was produced by the 5.1 Surround stereo we used. My friend followed that up by Baby Food on Unnatural History III, and then Love's Secret Domain. I was hooked.
Within a few years later I had collected the majority of Coil's catalog on CD. I wish i could get the vinyl releases, the only one was as a gift to the same friend for Xmas: Hellraiser on pink wax.
Coil was the group that showed me that I could become an experimental musician, with a fuck-all attitude to what music IS. They truly did enlighten, challenge, and inspire me to produce something wonderful and dark. I did share a few tracks on Mefi Music.
I wish now I had written to Sleazy. I'll never know what he might have told me.
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RIP Sleazy.
posted by Vicarious at 9:34 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
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I remember the first time I listened to Coil's music, a late night in my friends basement, being amazed and confused at some of the sounds of Worship the Glitch that was produced by the 5.1 Surround stereo we used. My friend followed that up by Baby Food on Unnatural History III, and then Love's Secret Domain. I was hooked.
Within a few years later I had collected the majority of Coil's catalog on CD. I wish i could get the vinyl releases, the only one was as a gift to the same friend for Xmas: Hellraiser on pink wax.
Coil was the group that showed me that I could become an experimental musician, with a fuck-all attitude to what music IS. They truly did enlighten, challenge, and inspire me to produce something wonderful and dark. I did share a few tracks on Mefi Music.
I wish now I had written to Sleazy. I'll never know what he might have told me.
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RIP Sleazy.
posted by Vicarious at 9:34 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
Coil was the group that showed me that I could become an experimental musician, with a fuck-all attitude to what music IS. They truly did enlighten, challenge, and inspire me to produce something wonderful and dark.
I wish now I had written to Sleazy. I'll never know what he might have told me.
Vicarious, my story is a lot like yours, except I did write to Sleazy. He was friendly, charming, and encouraging. I never would have gotten an album off the ground if it wasn't for Coil.
posted by Jairus at 9:45 AM on November 25, 2010 [5 favorites]
I wish now I had written to Sleazy. I'll never know what he might have told me.
Vicarious, my story is a lot like yours, except I did write to Sleazy. He was friendly, charming, and encouraging. I never would have gotten an album off the ground if it wasn't for Coil.
posted by Jairus at 9:45 AM on November 25, 2010 [5 favorites]
I'd like to think that he's excited to now, finally, find out exactly how it sounds...
posted by googly at 9:47 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by googly at 9:47 AM on November 25, 2010
I used to get Christmas cards from him, after I wrote to him when Jhonn died. He and his work have been a huge inspiration to me on a personal level as well as a musical one.
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:02 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:02 AM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
[the "Nova Express" link from this post yesterday has a lot of Coil and Throbing Gristle to hear for those interested]
posted by Hoopo at 10:50 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by Hoopo at 10:50 AM on November 25, 2010
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posted by spinifex23 at 10:51 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by spinifex23 at 10:51 AM on November 25, 2010
Wow.
posted by pinothefrog at 11:07 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by pinothefrog at 11:07 AM on November 25, 2010
I have been a huge Coil fan for as long as I can remember. I've never been one to get into the celebrity of something or even the musicians at all. I just play the music. This is literally my first exposure to this man as an artist.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:14 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by cjorgensen at 11:14 AM on November 25, 2010
To me, fair Friend, you never can be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eyed
Such seems your beauty still.
posted by byanyothername at 11:45 AM on November 25, 2010
For as you were when first your eye I eyed
Such seems your beauty still.
posted by byanyothername at 11:45 AM on November 25, 2010
Damn. I hope that if he's right and he's starting a new adventure, that he and Jhonn are raising hell and raising glasses together.
Mad, brilliant, twisted geniuses they were/are/will forever be!
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posted by Zack_Replica at 11:50 AM on November 25, 2010
Mad, brilliant, twisted geniuses they were/are/will forever be!
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posted by Zack_Replica at 11:50 AM on November 25, 2010
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posted by alltomorrowsparties at 11:52 AM on November 25, 2010
posted by alltomorrowsparties at 11:52 AM on November 25, 2010
So very sad. Clearly he still had so much more to give to everyone.
posted by williampratt at 12:07 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by williampratt at 12:07 PM on November 25, 2010
"The Snow" was one of my first electronica purchases and the one I played the most while I DJ'ed from '92-'95. Rest in peace.
posted by pashdown at 12:35 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by pashdown at 12:35 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:36 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:36 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by velvet winter at 1:58 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by velvet winter at 1:58 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:21 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:21 PM on November 25, 2010
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(I think he also collaborated on some Current 93 and Nurse With Wound releases)
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:28 PM on November 25, 2010
(I think he also collaborated on some Current 93 and Nurse With Wound releases)
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:28 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by Joakim Ziegler at 3:20 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 3:20 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by SageLeVoid at 4:27 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by SageLeVoid at 4:27 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by Sticherbeast at 5:26 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:26 PM on November 25, 2010
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Very sad.
Recently watched this wonderful TG interview on ubu web.
posted by stagewhisper at 8:42 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
Very sad.
Recently watched this wonderful TG interview on ubu web.
posted by stagewhisper at 8:42 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by susanbeeswax at 8:52 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by susanbeeswax at 8:52 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by inpHilltr8r at 11:41 PM on November 25, 2010
posted by inpHilltr8r at 11:41 PM on November 25, 2010
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posted by lakersfan1222 at 6:24 AM on November 26, 2010
posted by lakersfan1222 at 6:24 AM on November 26, 2010
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posted by klapaucius at 7:54 PM on November 26, 2010
posted by klapaucius at 7:54 PM on November 26, 2010
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