He was one of the original members of the Industrial Records band, Throbbing Gristle. After Throbbing Gristle he participated in the foundation of Psychic TV along with Geoffrey Rushton, aka John Balance. After his short time in Psychic TV, Christopherson formed Coil along with Balance, which lasted just under 23 years, until Balance died of a fall in their Weston-Super-Mare home. Christopherson participated in the reuniting of Throbbing Gristle and he composed an album for his solo endeavour The Threshold HouseBoys Choir.
(27 February 1955 – 25 November 2010[1])
Biography
Prior to his musical career, Peter Christopherson was a commercial artist, designer, and photographer. Notably, he was one of the three partners of the album cover design group Hipgnosis, which was responsible for many notable album covers of the 1970s. Christopherson remained involved with commercial art through his later musical career as a director of music videos and television commercials.Born in Leeds, Christopherson was a founding member of Throbbing Gristle who are credited with creating the industrial music genre before disbanding in 1981. Throbbing Gristle members Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti formed their own group while Peter Christopherson and TG's other member Genesis P-Orridge formed Psychic TV along with other musicians. John Balance met Christopherson as a Throbbing Gristle fan and the two became partners. Christopherson worked on the first two Psychic TV albums, Force The Hand Of Chance and Dreams Less Sweet, joined by Balance on the second one. The two performed live several times with Psychic TV then formed their own project, Coil. Along with Chris Carter, Christopherson has personally documented on his MySpace blog (with photographic evidence) of having played a custom-made (for him) keyboard-triggered sampler before the first sampler (Fairlight) was available in UK. While not the first sampler, this was a major step towards the use of samplers in live performance, as noted by Christopherson himself.
Despite Christopherson's long and extensive history as a musical artist, he only released two tracks under the name Peter Christopherson. The first, "In My Head A Crystal Sphere Of Heavy Fluid", appeared on the compilation Foxtrot, a benefit album for former partner John Balance's rehabilitation from alcohol addiction while the second, "All Possible Numbers", appeared eleven years later on Autumn Blood (Constructions).
In 2005, Christopherson relocated from England to Bangkok, Thailand and undertook the project The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir. He also released the final Coil CDs: The Ape Of Naples, The Remote Viewer, Black Antlers, The New Backwards, and reissued Musick To Play In The Dark Vol. 1 and Musick To Play In The Dark Vol. 2, which were formerly being manufactured in England.
2005 also marked the reuniting of Throbbing Gristle for a few concerts. Throbbing Gristle announced a new album Part Two. The group announced several additional concerts in 2007 to promote the album.
In 2007 Christopherson released the debut album of his solo effort The Threshold HouseBoys Choir. The album, Form Grows Rampant, is broken down into five "parts" or songs, and includes a DVD of the album set to video of Thai rituals in Krabi. He was a guest and jury head of the 2007 Melbourne Underground Film Festival.[2]
In 2008 Christopherson and Ivan Pavlov (aka COH) started a new project called Soisong. The band officially premiered in Tokyo on 9 March 2008 and later toured Europe with several shows, having self-released their debut EP. In April of the same year Christopherson and Pavlov, alongside David Tibet, Othon Mataragas and Ernesto Tomasini, performed a live soundtrack for Derek Jarman's The Angelic Conversation in Turin, Italy.[3]
Christopherson died in his sleep on November 25, 2010.[4]
Discography
Further information: Coil discography and Throbbing Gristle discography
Solo as Peter Christopherson
- "In My Head A Crystal Sphere Of Heavy Fluid" on Foxtrot (1998)
- "All Possible Numbers" on Autumn Blood (Constructions) (2009)
Solo as The Threshold HouseBoys Choir
- ...It Just Is compilation contains the track "Mahil Athal Nadrach". (CD) (2005)
- X-Rated: The Dark Files compilation contains the track "So Young It Knows No Maturing". (CD) (2006)
- Form Grows Rampant debut album. (CD+DVD) (2007)
- Brainwaves 2008 compilation contains "Cap Rot Taxi" (CD) (2008)
- Amulet Edition limited release (200 pcs) 4 mini-cds in Amulet package (CD) (2008)
With SoiSong
- Soijin-No-Hi Octagonal CDEP / free download EP from www.soisong.com from March (2008)
- xAj3z Octagonal CD housed in fold out custom sleeve with colour inlay (2009)
With Psychic TV
- Force The Hand Of Chance
- Just Drifting
- Dreams Less Sweet
- Berlin Atonal Vol. 1
- Berlin Atonal Vol. 2
- N.Y. Scum
- Thee City Ov Tokyo/Thee City Ov New York
- Mein-Goett-In-Gen
Other contributions
Date of release | Song title | Released on | Group name released under | Musical role |
---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | "First/Last" | Something For Nobody | Monte Cazazza | featuring (technical supervision) |
1982 | Seven Songs | 23 Skidoo | featuring (production) | |
1992 | "First/Last" | The Worst Of Monte Cazazza | Monte Cazazza | featuring (technical supervision) |
1993 | "The Apocalyptic Folk In The Nodding God Unveiled" | The Nodding Folk | performer | |
1996 | "Videodrones; Questions" | Lost Highway soundtrack | Trent Reznor | production |
1996 | "Driver Down" | Lost Highway Soundtrack | Trent Reznor | production |
2000 | "Silence Is Golden" | Vox Tinnitus | CoH | vocals |
2001 | "My Angel (Director's Cut)" | Love Uncut | CoH | vocals |
August 6, 2001 | The Michel Publicity Window E.P. | Thighpaulsandra | album artwork design | |
2002 | "Autumn" | Seasons | CoH | uses field recordings by Christopherson |
2005 | "Unhealthy Red" | A Nature Of Nonsense | Aural Rage | written by |
2008 | "I'm In Black Out" | The Zsigmondy Experience | Sion Orgon | uses field recordings and vocals by Christopherson |
Filmography
- Music video as director
- The Almighty - "Wrench"
- Marc Almond - "Waifs and Strays", "Stories Of Johnny", "Love Letter", "A Woman's Story", "Ruby Red", "Tainted Love '91", and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye '91"[5]
- Ash - "Girl From Mars"[6]
- Bad Company - "Shake It Up"[5]
- Bassomatic - "One With The Oil Rig"[5]
- Big Big Sun - "Stop The World"[5]
- Björn Again - "A Little Respect"
- Blue Mercedes - "Love Is The Gun"
- Bomb The Bass - "Love So True", "Winter In July", "Air On The Train"[5]
- Jerry Cantrell - "Cut You In"
- The Christians - "Forgotten Town"[5]
- Coil - "The Wheel", "Tainted Love", "Windowpane", "The Snow (Answers Come In Dreams II)", "Love's Secret Domain"
- The Crystal Method - "Comin' Back"
- Danzig - "Until You Call on the Dark"[7] (alternate version)
- Erasure - "Chains of Love", "A Little Respect", "Stop"
- Deon Estus - (track unknown)[5]
- Fairground Attraction - "Find My Love"[5]
- The Firm - "Radioactive", "All The King's Horses", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Live In Peace"[5]
- Gavin Friday - "Falling off the Edge of the World", "King Of Trash"[5]
- Filter - "Welcome to the Fold"
- Front 242 - "Rhythm of Time"
- Diamanda Galás - "Double Barrel Prayer"
- Galliano - "Twyford Down"[8]
- Gemini - "Another You Another Me"
- Barry Gibb - "Now Voyager" (long form made-for-television music film)
- Hanson - "I Will Come to You"
- Nona Hendryx - (track unknown)
- Kyosuke Himuro - "Misty", "Shuffle"[5]
- Hue & Cry - "Labour Of Love"[5]
- K's Choice - "Not an Addict" (live version), "Everything for Free"
- Nik Kershaw - "Nobody Knows", "Radio Musicola"[5]
- Thomas Lang - "The Happy Man"[5]
- The Law - "We Are the Law"
- Level 42 - "To Be With You Again"
- Magnum - (track unknown)
- Masters of Reality - (track unknown)[5]
- Paul McCartney - "Going Home (From Rio to Liverpool)"
- Ministry - "N.W.O.", "Just One Fix", "Over the Shoulder"
- Nine Inch Nails - The Broken Movie ("Pinion", "Wish", "Help Me I Am in Hell", "Gave Up"), "March of the Pigs" (two versions: one officially released, with clips of the scrapped version available on the Closure DVD), Unreleased concert footage at The Forum (6/24/94)[8]
- Pink Floyd - "Us and Them" (1994 version)[8]
- Robert Plant - "Tall Cool One", "Heaven Knows", "Calling To You", "I Believe"[5]
- Rage Against the Machine - "Freedom", "Killing in the Name", "Bombtrack", "Bulls on Parade", "People of the Sun"
- Chris Rea - "Road To Hell"[5]
- Vic Reeves - "Abide With Me"[5]
- Rollins Band - "Illumination"
- Vasco Rossi - "C'è chi dice no", "Liberi Liberi"[5]
- Scorpions - (unknown concert film)[5]
- Senser - "Age of Panic"
- Sepultura - "Refuse/Resist"
- Silverchair - "Pure Massacre"
- Stabbing Westward - "Lies"
- Curtis Stigers - "This Time", (another unknown track)[5]
- 10cc - (track unknown)
- Helen Terry - "Black Floor Job"[5]
- The The - "Infected", "The Mercy Beat", "Heartland"
- Therapy? - "Stories"[8]
- The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir - "Mahil Athal Nadrach", "So Young It Known No Maturing", and other videos from the album Form Goes Rampant.
- 3 lb. Thrill - "Something Will Come"
- The Wildhearts - "Suckerpunch"
- Van Halen - "Don't Tell Me", "Can't Stop Lovin' You"
- Van Morrison & Cliff Richard - "Whenever God Shines His Light"[5]
- Jah Wobble - "Becoming More Like God", "The Sun Does Rise"
- Yes - "Owner of a Lonely Heart"[9]
- The Young Gods - (track unknown)[5]
- Television commercials as director
- AA Insurance - 2 commercials (1991)[5]
- Best Magazine (1988)[5]
- Coca-Cola - "Tall Cool One" feat. Robert Plant (1988)[5]
- Phil Collins & Richard Branson (1989)[5]
- Gilette (1987)[5]
- Konica (1987)[5]
- Max Factor - "Le Jardin" feat. Jane Seymour (1983)[5]
- McDonald's - "Space" (1987), "Submarine" (1987)[5]
- Miller Lite (1989)[5]
- NEC (1988)[5]
- Nissan - "Ali Baba" (1988), "Snow Queen" (1988), "Cinderella" (1988)[5]
- Pan-Am - "Ready" (1986), "Club" (1987), "Leisure" (1987)[5]
- Prima Magazine (1988)[5]
- Toshiba - "Idea" (1988)[5]
Album artwork credits
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."- A Certain Ratio - To Each...
- Dave Ball - In Strict Tempo
- Pink Floyd - A Nice Pair - "contributed photos as an assistant to Hipgnosis but did not do the design" – PC
- Pink Floyd - Animals (credited on LP and CD cover to Hipgnosis)
- Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (credited on LP and CD cover to Hipgnosis)
- Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel, aka "Peter Gabriel I" or "Car" (credited on LP and CD cover to Hipgnosis)
- Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel, aka "Peter Gabriel II" or "Scratch" (credited on LP and CD cover to Hipgnosis)
- Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel, aka "Peter Gabriel III" or "Melt" (credited on LP and CD cover to Hipgnosis)
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