Peter Blegvad American singer-songwriter, musician and cartoonist Date of Birth: 14.08.1951 Country: USA

1. Peter Blegvad: Avant-Garde Musician, Lyricist, and Cartoonist
2. Early Life and Influences
3. Slapp Happy
4. Collaborations with Henry Cow
5. Artistic Evolution
6. Lyrical Style and Accolades
7. Later Career

Peter Blegvad: Avant-Garde Musician, Lyricist, and Cartoonist

Peter Blegvad, an American singer-songwriter, musician, and cartoonist, rose to prominence as a founding member of the avant-garde pop group Slapp Happy. His distinctive lyrical style and his collaborations with other artists have earned him recognition in both the music and literary worlds.

Early Life and Influences

Born in New York City on August 14, 1951, Peter Blegvad is the son of children's author Lenore Blegvad and book illustrator Erik Blegvad. In 1965, at the age of 14, he moved with his family to England, disillusioned by the American social climate following the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. At St Christopher School in Letchworth, Blegvad met Anthony Moore, with whom he later formed the band Slapp Happy.

Slapp Happy

In 1972, Blegvad and Moore relocated to Hamburg, Germany, where they formed Slapp Happy with Dagmar Krause. The band recorded two albums with Polydor Germany, featuring collaborations with the krautrock group Faust. Despite the positive reception of their debut album "Sort Of," their second album "Casablanca Moon" was rejected, prompting them to move to London. There, they signed with Virgin Records, re-recorded "Casablanca Moon," and released it under the title "Slapp Happy" in 1974.

Collaborations with Henry Cow

In 1975, Blegvad's group Slapp Happy merged with the avant-garde rock band Henry Cow, recording the albums "Desperate Straights" and "In Praise of Learning." However, due to creative differences and Blegvad's perception of his own technical limitations, he departed from the band shortly after Moore's departure.

Artistic Evolution

Following his time with Henry Cow, Blegvad returned to New York, where he pursued a career as a cartoonist. Despite his focus on visual art, his passion for music remained. In 1977, he teamed up with Henry Cow bassist John Greaves to create the minimalist, avant-garde jazz and progressive rock album "Kew. Rhone." Throughout the 1980s, Blegvad released several albums with Virgin Records, but they failed to achieve commercial success.

Lyrical Style and Accolades

Blegvad's songwriting is characterized by its witty and erudite lyrics, often alluding to literary works and featuring intricate rhyme schemes. He holds the distinction of crafting one of the longest grammatically correct palindromes in his song "Peel's Foe" from the album "Kew. Rhone."

Later Career

In 1992, Blegvad began creating the surreal comic strip "Leviathan," which garnered critical acclaim and was published in The Independent newspaper until 1999. Selected strips were compiled in the 2001 book "The Book of Leviathan." His cartoons and illustrations have also appeared in The Ganzfeld art journal and Ben Katchor's book "Picture Story 2."