The Legendary Pink Dots

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The Legendary Pink Dots
LPD vocalist Edward Ka-Spel at an October 11, 2002 show in New York
LPD vocalist Edward Ka-Spel at an October 11, 2002 show in New York
Background information
Origin London, UK
Genre(s) Ambient, Avant-garde, Experimental, Folk, Goth, Industrial, Noise, Neo-Psychedelia, Rock, Synth-pop
Years active August 1980 – present
Label(s) Beta-lactam Ring Records
Terminal Kaleidoscope
Car Crash International
Flesh Eating Ants Records
InPhaze
PIAS
ROIR
Soleilmoon
Associated acts Mimir
The Tear Garden
Website Cloud-Zero.org
Members
Edward Ka-Spel
Phil Knight
Martijn de Kleer
Niels van Hoorn
Raymond Steeg
Former members
cEvin Key
Ryan Moore
Bob Pistoor
April White
Patrick Wright
Lilly Ak
"Macrobiotic" Bart
Marylou Busch
Rik Chevrolet
Tony Copier
Erik Drost
Sally Graves
Barry Gray
Vincent Hoedt
Ignit
Calyxx Ka-Spel
Lisa
Michael Marshall
Hans Meyer
Nienke
Elke Peucker
Jason Salmon
Mark Thrasher
Keith Thompson
Edwin von Trippenhof
Frank Verschuuren
Julia Niblock Waller
Patrick White
Graham Whitehead
Halekka Malaizhista

The Legendary Pink Dots (LPD) are an Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band formed in London in August 1980. Although far outside the mainstream (in terms of their music and career path), LPD have released more than 40 albums, have a devoted worldwide following, and tour frequently.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The Legendary Pink Dots formed in August 1980 in London. In 1984 the band transplanted itself to Amsterdam which led to a shift in the original lineup, the original bassist Roland Callaway leaving at this time.

The core members of the group are vocalist/songwriter/keyboardist Edward Ka-Spel and keyboardist Phil Knight. Many others have passed through the group over the years. As of 2007[1] the group is comprised of:

  • Edward Ka-Spel - vocals, keyboards, songwriter
  • Phil Knight (a.k.a. The Silverman) - keyboards, electronics
  • Martijn de Kleer - guitars
  • Niels van Hoorn (a.k.a. Niels Van Hoornblower) - saxophones, clarinets, flutes, MIDI wind controller
  • Raymond Steeg - live sound engineer

The story behind the band's name is a source of speculation because Edward has given multiple explanations behind its origins. The most plausible and common explanation traces back to the mysterious pink dots on certain keys of the bands main recording studio piano named "Osbert", the dots that can be found at either end of the keys do not make any particular chord or scale pattern and the reason for them remains unknown to this day. The piano itself is still owned by one of the founding band members April White, and can be found at her home recording studio in Cambridgeshire.

Their music touches on elements of neo-psychedelia, ambient music, electronic music, tape music, industrial, psych folk, synth-pop and goth rock, with a distinctly experimental/avant-garde bent; their sound has evolved over time and remains distinctive, making it difficult to place the group into a concise style or genre. The groups overall sound combined with Ka-Spel's distinct lyrics and singing have earned comparisons to Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett[2]; the group has also been compared to classics Seventies deranged bands as Can [3], Faust, Brainticket, Magma or Neu! (whose "Super" they covered on the 1999 tribute album "A Homage to NEU!").

[edit] Related bands

The Pink Dots also collaborated with Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key, forming a side project named The Tear Garden. Key also appears on the 1994 LPD album 9 Lives to Wonder. Others groups related to present and past pink dots members are: Strange Atractor, Mimir and Minizza.

Ryan Moore, whom provided drums on studio and live performances for the Legendary Pink Dots, departed to work on his own musical outlet the Twilight Circus Dub Sound System. He has found notable success with Twilight Circus in the Reggae/Dub genre. He even wrote and produced new albums for grammy-award winning singer Michael Rose of Black Uhuru, and has worked with other notable Reggae figures such as Sly Dunbar, half of one of the most influential partnerships in reggae music, Sly & Robbie.

[edit] Bands influenced by the Pink Dots

  • Christus and the Cosmonaughts (beta-lactam ring records)
  • La STPO (beta-lactam ring records)
  • Orbit Service (beta-lactam ring records)
  • Un Festìn Sagital (beta-lactam ring records)
  • Brunnen (beta-lactam ring records)
  • Thanatoloop (templosagital)
  • The Dresden Dolls (roadrunner)
  • Halbes Vakuum (hotel-encore)
  • Pètalo Bisturì (templo sagital)
  • Nessie & Her Beard (Orchestral Colour Records)

[edit] Recurring themes

There are many concepts and words that recur in Pink Dots lyrics. Some of these include:

  • Premonition: (song examples: "Premonition 13," "Premonition 11," "Premonition 12," "Premonition 5," "Premonition 18," "Premonition 2")
  • Lisa (song examples: "Lisa's Christening," "Lisa's Party," "Lisa's Funeral")
  • Tower (song examples: "Tower 5," "Tower 1," "Tower 6," "Tower 4")
  • Hotel (song examples: "Hotel Blanc," "Hotel Noir," "Hotel X," "Hotel Z")
  • Gladiator
  • China Doll
  • 834
  • Tarot

[edit] Notes on recurring themes

  • Lisa: Has been identified by Edward Ka-Spel as "his alter-ego trying to get a little attention. Tried to spare the world by killing her off a few times but she always bounces back."

[4]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Primary Albums

[edit] Experimental Releases

[edit] The Chemical Playschool series

  • (1981) Chemical Playschool 1+2
  • (1983) Chemical Playschool 3+4
  • (1995) Chemical Playschool 8+9
  • (1997) Chemical Playschool 10
  • (2001) Chemical Playschool 11+12+13

[edit] Live albums

  • (1988) Dot-to-Dot
  • (1997) Live '85-'88
  • (1997) Live 89
  • (1999) Live at the Metro
  • (2000) Goodbye, Milky Way

[edit] Collections

  • (1981) Kleine Krieg
  • (1981) Dots on the Eyes
  • (1985) Prayer For Aradia
  • (1988) Stone Circles
  • (1988) Traumstadt 1
  • (1988) Traumstadt 2
  • (1988) Traumstadt 3
  • (1988) Traumstadt 4
  • (1989) Traumstadt 5
  • (1989) The Legendary Pink Box
  • (1991) Greetings 9+Premonition 11/It's Raining in Heaven (1991/1996)
  • (1996) Canta Mientras Puedas
  • (1996) Lullabies for the New Dark Ages: The First Four Albums
  • (1997) Ancient Daze
  • (1997) Under Triple Moons
  • (1997) Stained Glass, Soma Fountains
  • (1999) Poi Poka Mozhesh
  • (2000) A Guide to the Legendary Pink Dots Vol. 1: The Best Ballads
  • (2002) El Kaleidoscopio Terminal
  • (2003) I Did Not Inhale
  • (2003) A Guide to the Legendary Pink Dots Vol. 2: Best Psychedelic Tracks
  • (2004) Singe Wahrend du Bist
  • (2004) Crushed Mementos

[edit] Singles & EPs

[edit] References

  1. ^ LPD: official "Cast of Characters"; URL accessed February 3, 2007
  2. ^ Mason, Stewart: "Your Children Placate You from Premature Graves", Allmusic.com review; URL accessed February 3, 2007
  3. ^ Mason, James: "A Perfect Mystery", Allmusic.com review; URL accessed February 3, 2007
  4. ^ Interview with Edward Ka-Spel , November 2007

[edit] External links