Originally called "Kleenex", this Swiss post - punk band had to change their name in order to avoid legal trouble with the tissue manufacturers. During the punk rock era of the late '70s, there
were three bands comprising women who made some of the best, most adventurous, most exhilarating, and most critically derided music of the time. Two were the English bands the Slits and the Raincoats, and the third band, from Switzerland, was LiLiPUT. Fans of all three bands will argue ad infinitum as to who was the better. But one thing is for certain: LiLiPUT was an amazing band that recorded amazing music, and comparing what they accomplished to that of another band is a useless intellectual exercise. Besides, it detracts from valuable listening time.
The band experienced numerous line-up changes throughout their existence, with bassist Klaudia Schiff
being the only constant member of the band over their entire history. Guitarist Marlene Marder joined the group shortly after their formation, and remained a member until their 1983 split. LiLiPUT's final line-up consisted of Schiff, Marder, and lead vocalist Astrid Spirit, and it was in this incarnation that the band recorded their only full-length studio albums, Liliput (1982) and Some Songs (1983).
By 1982, when they released their first LP, they seemed perfectly happy remaining in Switzerland, running the band as part of numerous other artistic projects (painting, writing, etc.)
they pursued. By the end of 1983, LiLiPUT had disbanded, and the music they had recorded quickly achieved legendary, but mostly unheard, status. As for the band, they seemed destined to be relegated to the status of feminist-inspired punk rock footnote. All of this changed in 1993, when the Swiss label Off Course released a double-disc, 46-track compilation of the entire recorded output of Kleenex/LiLiPUT. The result was one of the great reissues of the decade.
The exuberance and excitement of LiLiPUT's breathtaking music could be enjoyed once again,
and a band that was almost forgotten returned with some of the most artful, contemporary, truly alternative music to be recorded under the genre identifier of punk rock. Also, fans of riot grrrl rock take note: this was a tremendously influential band. Although they eschewed extreme confrontation, there is a compelling sense of self that imbues this music and lit the way for a new generation of female musicians.
Liliput – Liliput
Label: Off Course Records – ASL-2CD-12-2
Format: 2 x CD, Compilation, Remastered
Country: Switzerland
Released: 1993
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Punk
02. Madness 3:02
03. Krimi 1:37
04. 1978 1:01
05. Beri-Beri 2:04
06. Ain't You 3:02
07. Hedi's Head 2:10
08. Nice 2:26
09. You 3:16
10. Ü 2:30
LILIPUT
11. Split 2:00
12. Die Matrosen 3:55
13. Hitch-hike 2:40
14. DC-10 3:28
15. Thumblerdoll 2:51
16. Igel 1:44
17. Türk 2:50
18. Tisko 1:50
19. Wig-Wam 3:00
20. Eisiger Wind 3:25
21. When The Cat's Away 2:17
22. I Had A Dream 3:10
23. Turn The Table 4:32
24. Dolly Dollar 3:09
01. Do You Mind My Dream 3:57
02. In A Mess 3:49
03. Birdy 2:57
04. Feel Like Snakes Twisting Through The Fog 2:41
05. Tschik-mo 3:36
06. Outburst 4:00
07. Umamm 2:23
08. Might Is Right 2:29
09. Like Or Lump It 2:30
10. Ichor 2:39
11. Tong Tong 2:58
12. The Jatz 3:15
13. You Did It 3:36
14. Ring-a-ding-dong 4:18
15. A Silver Key Can Open An Iron Lock Somewhere 3:37
16. Your's Is Mine 3:09
17. Blue Is All In Rush 3:47
18. Terrified 3:38
19. Étoile 3:18
20. On Streets Without Names 3:09
21. Boatsong 3:58
22. His Head All Red 2:03
Flac Size: 876 MB
LINE - UP
Bass – Astrid Spirit (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Marlene Marder (tracks: 2-1 to 2-22)
Bass, Vocals – Klaudia Schiff
Bongos – Major (tracks: 2-15, 2-20, 2-22)
Drums – Beat Schlatter (tracks: 1-22 to 1-24, 2-20 to 2-22), Chrigle Freund (tracks: 1-20, 1-21), Klaudia Schiff (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11), Lislot Ha. (tracks: 1-1 to 1-19)
Guitar – Klaudia Schiff (tracks: 2-1 to 2-22), Marlene Marder
Percussion, Noises – Marlene Marder (tracks: 2-1 to 2-11)
Saxophone [Sax] – Christoph Herzog (tracks: 1-22 to 1-24), Susanne Müller (tracks: 2-20)
Violin – Astrid Spirit (tracks: 2-1 to 2-22)
Vocals – Chrigle Freund (tracks: 1-11 to 1-21), Marlene Marder (tracks: 1-20, 1-21), Regula Sing (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)
Vocals, Percussion – Astrid Spirit (tracks: 1-22 to 2-22)
Vocals, Saxophone [Sax] – Angie Barrack (tracks: 1-11 to 1-19)
NOTES
CD1
1-8 recorded at Sunrise Studio (1978)
9-10 recorded at Kingsway (1979)
11-14 recorded at Sunrise Studio (1980)
15-19 recorded May 28, 1980 at Gaskessel Biel by Schweizer Radio DRS
20-21 recorded at Sunrise Studio (1981)
22-24 (no info)
CD2
1-11 recorded at Platinum (1982)
12-22 recorded at Platinum (1983)
Thanks for the interesting and never- heard-of punk band. I'm still looking for a copy. There's one on discogs, but the order value here is below 3,50e. These villains always a new "ideas".
ReplyDeleteDo you know the French punk rock band STRYCHNINE ( 2 lps 1980/81)
GREAT !!!
Lilliput isn't only an interesting band, but for my opinion was one of the best punk bands I've ever heard. Their sound was unique.
ReplyDeleteStrychnine: Never heard about them.
STRYCHNINE a must !
ReplyDeleteFor me France is probably the number one cultural country. No one writes as many good books as the French. Novels (of unparalleled radicalness) philosophy (not Strukturalismus that crap, the older ones) films, painting...
ReplyDeleteI am a Frankophile !
Thanks man, you're the best!
ReplyDeleteNow here's a band that passed me by at the time. But, as an aficionado of The Slits & The Raincoats, they sound like they could be right up my street. Cheers, Kostas.
ReplyDeleteWay back in the 80's, Bordeaux rock bands somehow used to call themselves names beginning with St. Apart from Strychnine who made great punk with songs like Lâche-moi and Ragnagna (and singer Kick looked like Mick Jagger !), there was also les Standards (good mini LP Jack and Jerry), les Stilettos who made a great power pop LP on CBS and a cover of the Real Kids' All Kindsa Girls on a single B side (some of them later played in Gamine), Stalag, Steel Angel, STO and les Stagiaires (try their novelty single Le Cowboy de la Taïga) ! Check out later CD comps by Strychnine and Stilettos (respectively Amours Dehors 1976-1981 and Tout est là 1978-1983 both on Bordeaux Rock).
ReplyDeleteJ from Europe.
I own not only Strychnine by the French bands from the 80s but many others as well. Not all of the bands you listed here, but others.
DeleteLiliput has been ordered and as luck would have it from a Frenchman...and very cheap compared to others.
ReplyDeleteI have this cd already but wanted to add that "Split" is one of the the most joyful songs of all time, Hooray for LiLiPut! Cheers from NS :0)
ReplyDelete