| Viv Albertine | |
|---|---|
Albertine opening for The Damned at the O2 Arena in Bristol, November 2011. |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Viviane Katrina Louise Albertine |
| Born | 1 December 1955 |
| Genres | Punk, post-punk, New Wave |
| Occupations | Musician, television director |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1976-present |
| Associated acts | The Slits The Flowers of Romance New Age Steppers 49 Americans |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gibson Les Paul Jr. Fender Telecaster |
|
Viv Albertine (born Viviane Katrina Louise Albertine, 1 December 1955, Australia[1]) is a British singer and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for the influential, all-female English punk group, The Slits.
Albertine was born in Sydney to a Swiss mother and a French father.[1] She was raised in North London, attended comprehensive school in Muswell Hill, and at seventeen enrolled in the Hornsey School of Art.[2] After completing a foundation course at Hornsey, Albertine went to the Chelsea School of Art to study fashion and textile design. In 1976 while still studying at Chelsea, she helped form the early punk band The Flowers of Romance.
Albertine was amongst the first "inner circle" fans of the Sex Pistols, and was close friends of both Mick Jones and Joe Strummer of The Clash. Albertine joined The Slits as the band's guitarist, after founding member Kate Korus left in 1977. The Clash's 1979 song, "Train in Vain" has been interpreted by some as a response to "Typical Girls" by The Slits, which mentions girls standing by their men. Songwriter Mick Jones split up with Albertine shortly before he wrote the song.[3] On 5 October 2010 Albertine confimed in an interview with Cerys Matthews on BBC 6 Music that the song was written about her, describing how Jones would travel by train to visit her in her squat.
While continuing as a key member of The Slits, Albertine contributed guitar and vocal work to The 49 Americans 1980 album E Pluribus Unum.[4] She also became part of Adrian Sherwood's dub-influenced collective, New Age Steppers, and played on their self-titled 1981 debut album.[4] She appeared as a guest guitarist on Singers & Players 1982 album, Revenge of the Underdog.[4]
After The Slits disbanded in 1982, Albertine studied film making in London. She worked as a director, mostly for television, throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. Her freelance directing work included stints with the BBC and the British Film Institute.[5]
In 2009, Albertine began performing as a solo artist, playing venues around London showcasing new material. She performed her debut gig on September 20, 2009 in The Windmill, Brixton with Get Back Guinozzi and Little Eris supporting. In March 2010 Albertine released a four-song debut solo E.P. titled Flesh on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! label.
Albertine recorded a cover version of David Bowie's Letter to Hermione for the Bowie tribute album We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie which was released on September 6, 2010.
Albertine's debut solo album is scheduled for release in 2011. The album is currently a featured project on Pledgemusic.[6]