Peter Christopherson

Infobox musical artist
Name = Peter Christopherson


Img_capt = Sleazy in Thailand, self-portrait (2005)
Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Peter Martin Christopherson
Alias = Sleazy
Born = birth date and age|1955|02|27
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Macintosh Computer Synthesizers Electronics
Genre = Industrial music Electronic music
Occupation = Musician Songwriter Music video director
Years_active = 1975 – present
Label = Threshold House, Eskaton, Chalice, Industrial Records
Associated_acts = The Threshold HouseBoys Choir Coil Throbbing Gristle Psychic TV
URL =
Current_members =

Peter Martin Christopherson, a.k.a. Sleazy (born February 27, 1955) is a musician, video director and designer, and former member of the influential British design agency Hipgnosis.

He was one of the original members of the infamous 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 London home. Christopherson has participated in the reuniting of Throbbing Gristle as well as composed an album for his current solo endeavour The Threshold HouseBoys Choir.

Music

Before Coil

Born in Leeds, Peter Christopherson was a founding member of Throbbing Gristle who are credited with creating the genre industrial music 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 on 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.

olo projects and TG reformation

Despite Christopherson's long and extensive history as a musical artist, he has only released a single track under the name Peter Christopherson. The song, "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.

In 2005, Christopherson relocated from England to Krung Thep, Thailand and undertook the project The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir. Since Christopherson's relocation he has released the final Coil CDs; "The Ape Of Naples", "The Remote Viewer", "Black Antlers", 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 has 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 Krung Thep. He is guest and jury head of the 2007 Melbourne Underground Film Festival. [http://muff.com.au/sleazy.htm]

Musical discography

olo as Peter Christopherson

*"In My Head A Crystal Sphere Of Heavy Fluid" on "Foxtrot" (1998)

olo as The Threshold HouseBoys Choir

* "...It Just Is" compilation contains the track "Mahil Athal Nadrach". (CD) (2005)
* "" compilation contains the track "So Young It Knows No Maturing". (CD) (2006)
* "Form Grows Rampant" debut album. (CD+DVD) (2007)

With Throbbing Gristle

With SoiSong

* "SOI-JIN-NO-HI" free download EP from www.thresholdhouse.com from March (2008)

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"

With Coil, Sickness Of Snakes, ELpH, The Eskaton and Black Light District

Other contributions

Live performances

:"See also Throbbing Gristle live and Coil Live

Music video director filmography

* Marc Almond - "Waifs and Strays", "Tainted Love '91", and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye '91"
* Bjorn Again - "A Little Respect"
* Jerry Cantrell - "Cut You In"
* Coil - "The Wheel", "Tainted Love", "Windowpane", "The Snow (Answers Come In Dreams II)", "Love's Secret Domain"
* The Crystal Method - "Comin' Back"
* Erasure - "Chains of Love", "A Little Respect", "Stop"
* The Firm - "Radioactive", "All The King's Horses", "Satisfaction Guaranteed"
* Gavin Friday - "Falling off the Edge of the World"
* Front 242 - "Rhythm of Time"
* Diamanda Galás - "Double Barrel Prayer"
* 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)
* K's Choice - "Not an Addict" (live version), "Everything for Free"
* The Law - "We Are the Law"
* Magnum - (track unknown)
* 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)
* Robert Plant - "Tall Cool One"
* Rage Against the Machine - "Freedom", "Killing in the Name", "Bombtrack", "Bulls on Parade", "People of the Sun"
* Rollins Band - "Illumination"
* Senser - "Age of Panic"
* Sepultura - "Refuse/Resist"
* Silverchair - "Pure Massacre"
* Stabbing Westward - "Lies"
* 10cc - (track unknown)
* The The - "Infected", "The Mercy Beat", "Heartland"
* 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"
* Jah Wobble - "Becoming More Like God"
* Yes - "Owner of a Lonely Heart" [http://www.clipland.com/Summary/944441710/]

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."Fact|date=October 2007

* A Certain Ratio - "To Each..."Fact|date=July 2007
* Dave Ball - "In Strict Tempo"Fact|date=July 2007

* Led Zeppelin - "Physical Graffiti" (credited on LP and CD cover to Hipgnosis)
* Led Zeppelin - "Houses of the Holy" - "no involvement on that project" --PCFact|date=October 2007

* Pink Floyd - "A Nice Pair" - "contributed photos as an assistant to Hipgnosis but did not do the design" – PCFact|date=October 2007
* 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)

External links

Official

* [http://www.thresholdhouse.com/ Coil]
* [http://www.brainwashed.com/coil Coil at Brainwashed]
* [http://www.lefthandpath.co.uk/ Left Hand Path]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thresholdhouse Myspace]
* [http://www.throbbing-gristle.com/ Throbbing Gristle]

Interviews

* [http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5456 Coil: The Million Dollar Altar] (August 29, 2006)