Nov. 25: Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson of Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, Coil and The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir died today....

... he was 55 years old, and died in his sleep.





Peter Martin Christopherson, a.k.a. "Sleazy" was a musician, video director and designer, and former member of the influential British design agency Hipgnosis.

Throbbing Gristle

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 (Geoffrey Rushton) 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.

 

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.

Despite Christopherson's long and extensive history as a musical artist, he has 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 Krung Thep, Thailand to manage The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir. Since Christopherson's relocation he 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.

Also in 2005 Throbbing Gristle reunited for a series of concerts. Soon after, Throbbing Gristle announced a new album Part Two. In 2007, the group toured to promote the album.

The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir

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.

In 2008 Christopherson and Ivan Pavlov (aka COH) started a new project called Soisong.

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.

In 2008 Christopherson and Ivan Pavlov (aka COH) started a new project called Soisong.

Recommended (Links to Amazon):