LiLiPUT were a Swiss female post-punk/new wave band active from 1978 to 1983.
Contents |
The group formed in 1978 under the name Kleenex, and soon made a name for themselves, until the threat of legal action by Kimberly-Clark in 1979 prompted a change of name to LiLiPUT (Kleenex being a proprietary brand in Switzerland). Their initial line-up consisted of Regula Sing (vocals), Marlene Marder (guitar), Klaudia Schiff (bass) and Lislot Ha (drums), and in the late 1970s the band recorded a number of successful singles prior to Sing's departure.
In 1982, after playing together for four years, LiLiPUT released their first self-titled full-length LP on Rough Trade.
In 1993, Swiss label Off Course Records released a 46-track double-disc CD collecting Kleenex/LiLiPUT's 1978-83 releases. In 2001 it was re-issued in the USA by the Kill Rock Stars label.
In 2010, Kill Rock Stars released a 24-track CD/DVD set Live Recordings, TV-Clips, and Roadmovie.
LiLiPUT's exuberant sound combined spirited thrashy post-punk with unconventional vocals and lyrics, both in English and German. Their music featured husky or squealing female vocals, ramshackle drums, scratchy and twanging guitar, thick funky bass, saxophone and occasionally flute, violin, or other instruments. The cut-up surreality of their lyrics and energetic sound put them in a league with bands like The Raincoats (frequent tour partners), Delta 5, The Slits, Essential Logic and Bush Tetras. The band's sound developed throughout their career, due in part to line-up changes; the earlier recordings are more noisy and energetic, while the later songs are more complex and haunting.