Peter Martin Christopherson (27 February 1955 – 25 November 2010), also known as Sleazy, was an English musician, music video director, commercial artist, designer, and photographer. He was best known as a member of design agency Hipgnosis and a co-founder of the bands Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, and Coil. He also directed the Nine Inch Nails short musical horror film Broken (1993). After his relocation to Thailand in 2005, he embarked on a solo career under the name The Threshold HouseBoys Choir.
Early life
Peter Martin Christopherson was born in Leeds on 27 February 1955. His father, Derman Christopherson (1915–2000), was a professor of engineering who became master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. After school, Christopherson moved to Buffalo, New York to study computer programming, theatre design, and video at the University at Buffalo, where he developed an interest in performance art and the work of photographers such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Arthur Tress. Following Throbbing Gristle's 1981 split, members Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti formed Chris & Cosey, while Christopherson and the band's other member Genesis P-Orridge formed Psychic TV.
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 Balance's rehabilitation from alcohol dependence, while the second, "All Possible Numbers", appeared eleven years later on Autumn Blood (Constructions) released on Fourth Dimension Records.
In 2005, following Balance's death at the home he and Christopherson shared in Weston-super-Mare, Christopherson relocated from England to Bangkok, Thailand and founded the solo project The Threshold HouseBoys Choir. Black Antlers, ...And The Ambulance Died in His Arms and The New Backwards
Throbbing Gristle also reformed for a few concerts in 2004 and announced a new album called Part Two. The group announced several additional concerts in 2007 for the promotion of the album before disbanding again in 2010.
Other musical projects
In 2007 Christopherson released the debut album of The Threshold HouseBoys Choir. The album, Form Grows Rampant, consists of five "parts" or songs, and includes a DVD of the album set to video footage of Thai rituals in Krabi, Thailand. One tour promoter who organized a Threshold HouseBoys Choir concert described it as "easily the most shocking thing I have ever experienced".
In 2009 Soisong recorded their first full-length album xAj3z, the release of which was followed by a European Reunion Tour and a worldwide campaign in search of the band's missing virtual vocalists featured on the record. In 2010 Soisong declared a "Split Phase 2010", during which all of the members would concentrate on their personal work; however, two independently recorded solo EPs, both entitled Soisong, were scheduled for release. Christopherson never finalized his work for the release, but Soisong Split was eventually published in September 2012, nearly two years after Christopherson's death. The release consists of a CoH Soisong EP by Pavlov, originally recorded in 2010, and a collection of four unpublished sketches by Christopherson that were made available on the band's website.
In 2010 Christopherson started collaborating with Hirsute Pursuit, featuring Harley Phoenix and Bryin Dall, via email. They finished two songs together, "One Sleazy Night in Bangkok" and "One Sleazy Night in New Orleans", for the album Tighten That Muscle Ring. The album was signed to Cold Spring Records, but Christopherson died prior to its release. Writing for the Quietus online publication, Luke Turner claimed that the album was "the most sexy and perverted album of 2012".
Also in 2010, Christopherson was sent an iPad by musician Trent Reznor that contained music for a potential collaboration. Reznor had asked for his blessing to use the moniker "How to Destroy Angels" for a musical project that Reznor was creating with his wife (Christopherson had used the phrase in 1984, as the title of the first recording released by Coil). Christopherson responded amenably, suggesting that they could potentially collaborate as part of the project. Christopherson explained that Reznor was a "perfect gentleman" in regard to the way in which the matter was negotiated; however, Christopherson died before he was able to resend the iPad back to Reznor with his contribution.
Visual art
Prior to his musical projects, 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, such as those of Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here) and Peter Gabriel (first three albums). He also designed the logo of UK fashion label BOY London. He filmed and directed the Threshold HouseBoys Choir DVD that was filmed in Thailand,
Influence
thumb|right|Christopherson in 2008
Writing for The Guardian, Dave Simpson credited Christopherson with using samplers on-stage before the Fairlight CMI popularised sampling.</blockquote>
Death
On 25 November 2010, at the age of 55, Christopherson died in his sleep at his Bangkok home. The cause of death was never made public.</blockquote>
Peter Gabriel paid tribute in a post on his website the day after Christopherson's death. Trent Reznor told Quietus in a February 2014 interview, "[Coil's] 'Tainted Love' video remains one of the greatest music videos of all time [...] if it's not immediately obvious: [Coil's album] Horse Rotorvator was deeply influential on me. What they did to your senses. What they could do with sound. What Jhonn was doing lyrically [...] Peter was a lovely guy. We had a respectful relationship."
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)
- "Time Machines II" (posthumously released in 2014)
- "The Art of Mirrors – Homage to Derek Jarman" (posthumously released in 2015)
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)
- Soisong Octagonal COH CDEP / free download Sleazy EP from www.soisong.com (2010)
With Psychic TV
- Force the Hand of Chance
- Just Drifting
- Dreams Less Sweet
- Berlin Atonal Vol. 1
- Berlin Atonal Vol. 2
- N.Y. Scum
- Mein-Goett-In-Gen
Other contributions
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! 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
|-
|1996
|
|Who Can I Turn to Stereo etc
|Nurse with Wound
|guest
|-
|2000
|"Silence Is Golden"
|Vox Tinnitus
|CoH
|vocals
|-
|2001
|"My Angel (Director's Cut)"
|Love Uncut
|CoH
|vocals
|-
|6 August 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
|-
|2012
|"One Sleazy Night in Bangkok"
|Tighten That Muscle Ring
|Hirsute Pursuit
|collaboration tracks with Harley Phoenix and Bryin Dall
|1 of the last 2 tracks recorded before his death.
|-
|2012
|"One Sleazy Night in New Orleans"
|Tighten That Muscle Ring
|Hirsute Pursuit
|collaboration tracks with Harley Phoenix and Bryin Dall
|1 of the last 2 tracks recorded before his death.
|}
Album artwork credits
<blockquote>
"I [Peter Christopherson] 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."</blockquote>
- A Certain Ratio – To Each...
- Dave Ball – In Strict Tempo
- Leather Nun – Slow Death EP
- 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)
References
Further reading
External links
- Coil official website
- Throbbing Gristle official website
- Last-ever video appearance of Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson (November 2010)
- Peter Christopherson obituary on BBC Radio 4