Man with Tie – Jean Phillippe Laurent
(Photos by Alf Solbakken, Svein Kruse and Per Fronth)
Reading Ingo Biermann´s post on one hundred albums from the 80´s, my immediate respond was to start listing albums of that decade. Albums that are not necessarily fully formed as such, more that each album had a few songs here and there that in one way or another had captured my attention, and I guess also may have influenced my own work.
Putting down names and titles on that list made me think of an old friend and painter I met at the time and became my friend in 83. His name was Phillippe Laurent, a striking figure that brought a fair amount of cosmopolitan attitude and the zeitgeist of the time to the sleepy town of Kristiansand. Phillippe painted powerful images on large canvases using any given or stolen paint he would find. Often the paint used was double-coated industrial paint that would harm the skin when touching.
Phillippe created gorgeous and shocking happenings i.e. placing military tanks made from painted lawnmowers outside the Parliament in Oslo. On each side, a pile of burning rubber wheels and himself armed with a motor chain, screaming. Within minutes it was all over. He would run off into the streets before the police and fire department would enter the scene.
Installation outside the Parliament in Oslo 81-82.
His paintings – primitive, but strikingly beautiful made a huge impression on me. I used to hang around Phillippe and visited his atelier and still recall the smell of industrial paint and the large-scale paintings placed on the asphalt in the backyard. His father, an ex-military working at Charles de Gaulle commuting between Paris and Geneva. During Phillippe´s frequent trips to metropolitan cities, he would pick up vinyl records and record them onto tapes that suited as a soundtrack to his prolific paintings of that period.
A mixtape of Phillippe would be something like the following:
- 23 Skidoo – Kundalini (82)
- C-Cat Trance – Dalbouka (87)
- Chrome – Tribes (83)
- Chris & Cosey – Shivers (85)
- Kowalski – Der Arbeiter (83)
- DAF – Goldenes Spielzaug (81)
- Spliff – Das Blech (82)
- John Foxx – On the Plaza (80)
- Blancmange – Feel Me (82)
- Blancmange – Game Above My Head (83)
- Schriekback – My Spine is the Bassline (82)
- Yello – I Love You (83)
- Cabaret Voltaire – Dream Ticket (83)
Man With Tie (Phillippe Laurent). Image taken from the video “Jean Phillippe Laurent”
By the end of the decade his psychoses became more prominent. He was constantly laughing as if his own laughter would put an end to his nightmares. A strong character and a powerful imaginative painter with an impeccable sense of colors. A film about Phillippe Laurent was made in 2009 by Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen and with Punkt photographer and painter, Alf Solbakken as narrator.
101 albums: 1980 – 89
- Viriginia Astley – From Gardens Where We Feel Secure (1983)
- 23 Skidoo – Seven Songs (1982)
- David Bowie – Baal (1982)
- Michael Brook – Hybrid (1985)
- Paul Simon – One Trick Pony (1980)
- Working Week – Working Nights (1985)
- Chris & Cosey – Techno Primitive (1985)
- Arvo Pärt – Tabula Rasa (1984)
- Smiths – The Queen is Dead (1986)
- Laurie Anderson – Big Science (1982)
- Phil Manzanera – Primitive Guitars (1982)
- Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (1982)
- Fun Boy Three – Self Titled (1982)
- Frank Sinatra – She Shot Me Down (1981)
- Brian Eno – On Land (1982)
- Flying Lizards – Fourth Wall (1981)
- Talking Heads – Remain in Light (1980)
- Jon Hassell – Dream Theory in Malaya. Fourth World vol.2 (1981)
- Judy Mowatt – Black Woman (1980)
- Roxy Music – Avalon (1982)
- Grace Jones – Living My Life (1982)
- XTC – Skylarking (1986)
- Thomas Dolby – The Flat Earth (1984)
- David Sylvian – Brilliant Trees (1984)
- Roger Eno – Voices (1985)
- Style Council – Our Favorite Shop (1985)
- Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (1985)
- Peter Gabriel – Birdy (1985)
- Mathilde Santing – Too Much (1985)
- John Cale – Artificial Intelligence (1985)
- Jan Garbarek – All Those Born with Wings (1987)
- Harold Budd – The Pearl (1984)
- Manu Dibango – Melodies Africaines vol.2 (1984)
- Jon Hassell – Aka Darbari Java (1983)
- Talking Heads – Speaking in Tongues (1983)
- Philip Glass – Glassworks (1982)
- Brian Eno – Apollo (1983)
- Gwen Guthrie – Portrait (1983)
- King Sunny Ade – King of Juju (1983)
- Chrome – Raining Milk (1983)
- Instrumental Music From the Kalahari San (1982)
- African Head Charge – Environmental Studies (1982)
- Thompson Twins – Quick Step Side Kick (1982)
- Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden (1988)
- Gwen McCrae – Self titled (1981)
- Rip Rig and Panic – I Am Cold (1982)
- Daniel Lanois – Acadie (1989)
- Donna Summer – Living in America (1982)
- Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982)
- Kid Creole and the Coconuts – Tropical Gangsters (1982)
- Joao Gilberto, Caetano Veloso & Giilberto Gil – Brazil (1981)
- Brian Eno / David Byrne – My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)
- David Sylvian – Secrets of the Beehive (1987)
- Police – Ghosts in the Machine (1981)
- Scientist – The Scientist Rids the World of the Evil (1981)
- David Byrne – The Catherine Wheel (1981)
- David Bowie – Scary Monsters and Super Creeps (1980)
- Grace Jones – Nightclubbing (1981)
- Richard Horowitz – Eros in Arabia (1981)
- Cure – Head on the Door (1985)
- The Jones Girls – Get As Much As You Can (1981)
- Sun Ra – Love in Outer Space (1980)
- Earth Wind and Fire – Faces (1980)
- Roxy Music – Flesh and Blood (1980)
- Jon Hassell / Brian Eno – Possible Musics. Fourth World vol.1 (1980)
- Black Uhuru – Sinsemilla (1980)
- Maze – Joy and Pain (1980)
- Ryuichi Sakamoto – Riot in Lagos (1980)
- Laura Spiegel – The Expanding Universe(1980)
- Unlimited Touch – Searching to find the one (1980)
- Specials – More Specials (1980)
- Norman Harris – The Harris Machine (1980)
- Michael Franks – One Bad Habit (1980)
- Indoor Life – Contre Nature (1980)
- Scott Walker – Climate of Hunter (1984)
- Simple Minds – Empires and Dance (1980)
- George Benson – Give Me the Night (1980)
- Linton Kwesi Johnson – Bass Culture (1980)
- Daryl Hall & John Oates – Private Eyes (1981)
- The Durutti Column – LC (1981)
- Nico – Camera Obscura (1985)
- Susanne Vega – Self titled (1985)
- Neville Brothers – Yellow Moon (1989)
- Marc Almond – Mother Fist (1987)
- Jennifer Warnes – Famous Blue Raincoat (1987)
- Susann Deyhim & Richard Horowitz – Desert Equations (1986)
- Peter Gabriel – So (1986)
- Arthur Russell – World of Echo (1986)
- Laurie Anderson – Home of the Brave (1986)
- David Byrne – The Knee Play (1986)
- Le Nimba de N´ Zerekore – Gön Bia Bia (1980)
- Terry Riley – Shri Camel (1980)
- Holger Czukay – Der Osten is Rot (1984)
- John Foxx – Metal Beat (1980)
- Grace Jones – Nightclubbing (1980)
- Pablo Moses – A Song (1980)
- Heaven 17 – Penthouse and Pavement (1980)
- Robert Wyatt – Nothing Can Stop Us (1980)
- Pasteur Lappe – Pop Makossa (1980)
- Philip Glass – Songs from Liquid Days (1986)
- Prince and the Revolution – Parade (1986)
17 Kommentare
flowworker
Jan, can that film be seen somewhere? I mean, in the web, a streaming platform – NOT on a Thursday afternoon in a remote Oslo archive?😉
Looking at your 80’s time travel, it is clear how rich that decade was musically apart from Duran Duran:) ..l and looking at the list a second time. It becomes clear that you might always miss something brilliant. I never heard from a person named Gwen McRae, and I never stumbled upon instrumental music from the Kalahari San.
And and i surely never cracked the magic code of that Simple Minds album….back in the day, i thought, what a shame Ray Davies lost his great love Chrissie Hynde to the that singer…😂
Around ten years ago I discovered the subtle excellence of Richard Horovitz’s Eros In Arabia. I never came across this album til it was reissued. By the way, the first ever interview of mine was with Richard Horovitz and Sussan Deyhim in Dortmund, where they presented a heavilly – or should I say heavenly – BDSM-inspired duo concert / performance. Lucky Richard – Sussan was terrific in all her peculiar ways. I asked my questions on Richard’s work with Jon Hassell, and on the Horovitz / Deyhim killer album „Desert Equations“.
Michael E
Jan Bang
Dear Michael,
According to Alf Solbakken, the film is not available anywhere. Anyway, I can send you a copy in a separate email. It is in Norwegian with Polish subtitles.
I met Richard and Sussan after a performance in Royce Hall at UCLA with Jon Hassell. Richard called our performance „… like a prism, slowly moving…“. Desert Equations was a distant relative to Jon´s work. This is only natural as they were all friends sharing thoughts and ideas and playing together. Listening to Richards Elephant piece, others must have listened, surely Peter Gabriel and his soundtrack to the Alan Parker film, Birdy.
flowworker
Thx. Will look on a quiet hour after the productions of the two radio shows with Sidsel’s and Eric’s forthcoming albums…. Henning and I will post a series of texts on Sidsel (Sidselliana) in the days before Punkt, probably.
Here another kind of singing, Pastoral English Ambient style…the first on your list…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNYW276VxPQ
Mrs. Virginia Astley
Olaf Westfeld
It is probably the same Gewn McCrae who did the „For Your Love“ Album, that has the amazing „90% of me Is You“ on it? I think she was married to George McCrae („Rock your Baby“, great song, also a great album).
I discovered „Eros In Arabia“ through the Klanghorizonte, bought the reissue… well, probably 10 years ago – was blown away. A completely different alley compared to Gwen McCrae, but equally rewarding. And I am waiting for a repress of the Virginia Astley Album – the original is too expensive for me. Discovered it only three years ago through this text: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/virginia-astley-from-gardens-where-we-feel-secure/
Jan Bang
Hi Olaf,
„90% of me“ by the same Gwen McCrae is just a beautiful and seriously funky song. Not far from Aaron Neville´s Hercules which has the same type of swing. „90% of me“ was written by Willie Clarke, a producer and songwriter from Miami responsible for a string of soul and funk tunes by Betty Wright, Jimmy Bo Horne, Timmy Thomas and working alongside Miami producer and songwriter Clarence Reid.
Jan
Jan Bang
I just learned that Richard Horowitz has died on April 13 2024. A beautiful man and a wonderful, visionary musician. He travelled to Sahara and Marocco for many years and was Artistic Director in the primer years of the Essaouira Gnawa Festival in Marocco. RIchard died in Marakech and is survived by his wife Sussan Deyhim.
J.Bang
flowworker
Oh, man, i was telling a story about my first ever interview with this couple obviously in deep love, we’re talking Eros in Arabia, and then this sad news. So sad.
Olaf Westfeld
Yep, seriously funky indeed – southern funk. Will keep an eye out for that self titled album.
Sad news about Richard Horowitz.
flowworker
Changes / Klanghorizonte with Richard Horowitz… so, at this point in time, the 80‘s are building the frame of this hour. And, Jan and all, we all loved Bass Culture – but missed Song Of The Notherland… that one album of Shabaka Hutchings‘ father brings Nyabhingi to England, and another spoken word finesse! Freshly from dusted archives…. Not just interesting, but elevating. P.S. You, Jan B, will have an appearance (woth ghostly soznds in this program on the track In A Station Of The Metro from Erik Honoré‘s forthcoming September release Triage. Erik will get three questions soon:)
Ank Anum: Song of the Motherland (1985)
Arushi Jain: Delight
Saru l-Qamar: A Lily*
Julia Holter: Something In The Room She Moves
Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan: Your Community Hub
Erik Honoré: Triage
Bill Frisell: Orchestras
Beth Gibbons: Lives Outgrown
Pan American & Kramer: Reverberations Of Non-Stop Traffic on Redding Road
William Parker & Ellen Christi: Cereal Music
(In dear memory of) Richard Horowitz: Eros in Arabia (1981) (or Desert Equations, by Richard Horowitz / Sussan Deyhim)
flowworker
Anybody who missed Jan Garbarek’s underestimated solo album (really a solo album) ALL THOSE BORN WITH WINGS is kindly invited for a stroll back to 80’s.
This album is a pure and wild delight.
From that decade of Mr. Garbarek, i love to return, every once in a wile, to three of his band albums, ITS OKAY TO LISTEN TO THE GRAY VOICE, WAYFARER, and PATHS, PRINTS. John Kelman would agree🥁
And, he was part of two stone cold classics in that decade:
– the best Gary Peacock album ever: PARADIGM – VOICE FROM THE PAST
– CARTA DI AMOR from Gismonti / Haden / Garbarek
(michael e.)
Jan Bang
„All those Born with Wing“s was my introduction to the work of Jan Garbarek. I loved the constantly transposing small theme and his saxophone playing, so full of life and beauty and originality. Jan once told me he stripped the album down into the bone. I guess this is also what was appealing, at least to myself. Very pure, and coming out of one mans thought.
Jan
flowworker
My very first Garbarek album experience was 1971 or 72, Sart. Incredible. I can still listen to it deeply, being bathed in that sound. It is a tremendous work and was factually inspired by Jan G and some of his guys listening to electric miles in NYC. That I call a transformation.
Even though on Sart Garbarek hadn’t yet developed his famous sound signature – nor had Terje Rypdal – Sart was a deeply personal statement from both of them. No rip off from anyone or anything.
m.e.
Olaf Westfeld
I visited the „Völkerschlachtdenkmal“ in Leipzig today. It is an absurdly gigantic monument, deeply shaped by German nationalism of the early 20th century. When I entered the ‚crypt‘ – a very large vault – I heard familiar sounds. After a few seconds, I realised that the music of Jan Garbarek w/ The Hilliard Ensemble was floating through the structure. I have no idea why that music was chosen… Wagner would have been more fitting. Very strange. And a welcome relief since the atmosphere in that building was oppressive.
Jan Bang
Apparently, John Potter the former tenor of Hilliard Ensemble for 18 years sings better these days than ever. Years ago, before a duo concert in York with Arve Henriksen, Arve and I were invited to their beautiful York home. Later that day I met with electronic musician Ambrose Field at the University of York were Arve and his wife Anna Friman and myself gave a lecture to their students.
I once asked Jan Garbarek how he managed to navigate and continuously making records of such distinction. He responded „I try to keep my path clean“. I thought that was an inspiring thing to hear, and it makes sense how he has never looked back nor let his own vision be blurred by others.
Jan
Michael Engelbrecht
On a sunny afternoon to come, in a romantic Ray Davies mood, i will sit down and write my 101 records list spanning 1970-1979. the rule: no looking for other lists, just improvising on memory, only checking i’m not strolling through the wrong decade. And as every list that comes from heart and not from calculatuon, one will find a mix of iconic albums and personal choices. All gates open!
Here an appetizer, showing my extreme diversity of taste😉:
Brian Eno Another Green World
Brian Eno Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
Brian Eno Discreet Music
Brian Eno Here Cone The Warm Jets
Brian Eno Music For Films
Brian Eno Music For Airports
Keith Jarrett & Jack DeJohnette: Ruta and Daitya
Jan Bang
ah, nice challenge! I might take you up on that..
Jan
Michael Engelbrecht
Deal.
I will be the first to shoot.
The „advantage“ on my side: you are in early childhood territory:)