RIP Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson; for always lingering music

Since the very beginning of Throbbing Gristle i am a big  fan. Their music is so inspirational for making music  myself but also for my art. Their music, and later on the other projects like Chris & Cosey, Psychic TV and Coil, is a part of my life. It's always there somehow. Today i just read on the blog of Chris Carter that Peter Christopherson, also known as Sleazy or Unkle Sleaz, yesterday passed away in his sleep. I was and am so sad to read this. I have seen him perform several times with Throbbing Gristle and once with Coil. And performing with Coil was so very intense and very, very impressive. I've seen lots of concerts and most concerts fade during the years. But some concerts will remain and linger forever. The concert of Coil is such a remaining and lingering experience.  It was dark on stage, only one bulb on a long cord and Peter playing with the bulb, giving it a swing. The musicians all in white. I cannot describe this performance very well, it'll look silly i think describing what was going on. You had to be there. But i still see Peter standing in the middle on the stage, he looked so tiny and yet so great and while the lightbulb was swinging around and the music was getting louder and heavier and louder, Peter ran again and again against a glass (?) wall. And as i thought oh my God this is so intense i can't stand it any longer, the music stopped as a bomb of silence. As i said a very impressive performance.

Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson was a great musician and he sure will be missed but his music remains forever. To bring confusion, intense emotions, hope and joy.

First an interview with Throbbing Gristle from last year.

A live video from Throbbing Gristle, i don't know where this is recorded but i saw that performance as well.

And one of my favourites from Coil: Where are you?

And his latest projects: Soisong and The threshold houseboys choir.






Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson • 1955 - 2010

Mist * strange and twisted popmusic

We have to go back to the beginning of the early nineties.  Then guitarist Kers and hometaper Monica began to play and write songs together. First the two used a drumcomputer but they didn't like that. So they were looking for a drummer. They did find a drummer and also some other musicians. That was the beginning of the rockband The Hairdo's. Mist disappeared to the background. Until 1993. The Hairdo's had a concert and Femke was a visitor. She talked with Kers and Monica and there was a click. Femke plays drums.  So Kers and Monica decided to set up Mist again.  Mist don't do lot of concerts. There must be time and also it has to be a special opportunity to play. Like special events, parties and playing as support act.  To share the stage with  the American lofi-band Half Japanese is such a special event for the three musicians. This unregular system doesn't have any consequences for writing songs. If there's an upcoming concert you can find the three in the rehearsel room, working hard. And most of the time it also leads to new songs.

Mist isn't stuck on one style. There are lots of possibilities in their music. Mist (meaning fog) is hazy, they say. But miraculously this intangible concept works. Keep in mind  is a delicious , rattling popsong á la The Slits, with two-voiced harmonies. The hypnotic All is loneliness with a digeridoo player has some Velvet Underground influences. This song is based upon a drumgroove from Femke. Monica: "We also wrote a song for only a little musicbox en two voices. We played in a punk concerthall. In the beginning there were lots of noises, but in no time there was silence and the people listening."

A part of the interview by Hans Walraven: De Gelderlander 09-05 1998.

Mist  *  Kers; guitars, (alt)vocals, sighs, toy instruments.  Monica; leading (high)vocals, sighs, screams and whispers, toy instruments, bells. Femke: drums, vocals, sighs, toy instruments.

During our excistence the group of people who were fans was growing steadily. As i listen now to our music it begins to itch, i wanna play music with them again. Who knows?  The song All is loneliness was a tribute to the great musician/composer Moondog. The soundsculptor Karel van der Eyk played the didgeridoo. This song lasts 7 minutes, but there's only 4 minutes on it, without the voices. :-s I don't know why, i'll try to fix that.

This was a rough demotape of the songs. I don't have the finished tape. The sound quality also could be better, but this is all i have left from Mist. I recommend to use headphones so you better can hear all the sighs and noises. ;-)  The sound engineer was Eppie.

 I soon also will upload music from The hairdo's and some of the electronic music i did alone. I hope you enjoy it!

Music Playlist at MixPod.com