Blaine L. Reininger

Last updated

Blaine Leslie Reininger (born July 10, 1953 in Pueblo, Colorado) [1] is an American post-punk, new-wave and alternative pop singer, songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist (particularly violin), writer and performer. He is known for being a member of the group Tuxedomoon since 1977 after co-founding it with Steven Brown and, latterly, for a notable music and theatre career, both as a soloist and contributor to other artists' recordings, including the Durutti Column, Snakefinger, Anna Domino, Savage Republic, Paul Haig, William Lee Self's Montanablue project, Devine & Statton and Brown himself.

Contents

Early history - Tuxedomoon

After learning the violin and guitar during childhood and studying music theory in San Francisco, Reininger formed the band Tuxedomoon with composer, singer, musician and college-mate Steven Brown and appeared on early albums such as Half Mute, Desire and Suite En Sous-Sol before departing early in 1983 to pursue a solo career. He permanently rejoined Tuxedomoon in 1988 and has subsequently appeared on more recent recordings such as Vapour Trails, issued in 2007 by independent label Crammed Discs.

Solo history

While still a member of Tuxedomoon, and inspired by the work of John Cage and Allen Ginsberg, [2] Reininger wrote and recorded his debut album Broken Fingers, issued on Brussels-based independent label Les Disques Du Crepuscule in 1982. The album's title was inspired by his experience of being mugged after playing a concert in Rotterdam and included the title track, Uptown and a cover of David Bowie's "Sons Of The Silent Age".

During 1983, Reininger left Tuxedomoon to concentrate on a new co-project with occasional band member Michael Belfer. Entitled Night Air, the album represented a more electronic approach than before, was produced by Gareth Jones and saw him continue his recording relationship with Crepuscule. Further solo works have included the EP Paris En Automne (recorded with Alain Goutier), the Live In Brussels album in 1986, [3] Byzantium (recorded with Gilles Martin) and his last for the label Songs From The Rain Palace, released in 1990.

His collaborative and contributive work during this period included the albums Short Stories For Pauline and Without Mercy with Durutti Column, an album of cyclical contemporary classical music pieces recorded with composer and producer Mikel Rouse entitled Colorado Suite and the Live In Lisbon concert recording with Steven Brown. The last two albums heralded a shift in musical style towards minimal music and classical music. In 1989, he also wrote the song Zeb and Lulu for the William Lee Self-fronted band Montanablue, issued as a 12" single and later re-recorded by Reininger himself for his "Songs From The Rain Palace" album.

During the 1990s, Reininger embarked on a couple of musical projects for major labels such as the solo film-soundtrack album Radio Moscow (Polygram) and Kingdom Of Dreams with ambient house collective Falling Infinities (Sony Music), as well as a one-off ambient music album with UVOII entitled Sound Of Heaven, issued in 1994 by German indie-label Fax Records (also known as FAX +49-69/450464).

Since relocating to Greece in the late 1990s, shortly before the death of JJ La Rue, his wife of 18 years, [4] his involvement in film and theatre projects has increased with further soundtrack commissions including The Manic Man, Danton's Death and Elektra, as well as numerous recordings being made available online. In addition, much of his earlier solo output has been reissued on CD via LTM Recordings. Of these, "Night Air 2" garnered acclaim from some corners of the press, particularly Allmusic who declared the album "..a fine showcase for his abilities at lush, often classically 'cinematic' work..". [5]

In addition to music releases Reininger also began acting the late 1990s, including roles in "Agamemnon", directed by Mikhail Marmarinos, "Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod" under the direction of Albrecht Hirche and a handful of films with director Nicholas Triandafyllidis including The Sentimentalists, released in 2014. Prior to this, Reininger resumed a working relationship with William Lee Self by recording several tracks at Self's Hamburg home studio between 2009 and 2011. The recordings saw the light of day in 2012 as "The Hamburg Sessions", issued as a CD on the Belgian imprint Stilll.

In 2013, Reininger co-wrote music for and appeared (as a contributing musician) in "Clear Tears Troubled Waters", a dance-piece for 7 dancers and 3 musicians, choreographed and directed by Thierry Smits and written and performed by Reininger, Steven Brown and Maxime Bodson, its soundtrack gaining a release on Crammed Discs as part of its resurrected Made to Measure series. Live performances of the latter drew praise from French and Belgian press [6]

Also issued in late 2013 was Commissions, a double-CD retrospective of Reininger's catalogue of theatre and dance productions staged from 2008 onwards including Electric Girl, New Electric Ballroom, Lithi (Oblivion), Danton's Death, Double Take, American Buffalo and Antigone. [7]

In 2017 Blaine L. Reininger will collaborate with the italian psychedelic-progressive band Twenty Four Hours for its sixth album, currently in the composition phase. Blaine has already played and sung in a song that will appear in the next job, but there are likely to be more surprises. Les Disques du Crepuscule reissued a 2xCD version of Night Air towards the end of 2017. In November 2019, Les Disques du Crépuscule released a 2xCD, Commissions 2.

Personal life

Blaine Reininger was married to JJ LaRue (born Janet Beth Shulnes) for 18 years until her death in Athens due to a heart condition. [8] They had a son. [4]

Award nominations

In 2010, his musical contribution to the Stathis Livathinos directed Danton's Death was nominated for the Best Music of the Year award by Athens-based entertainment guide Athinorama.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Key contributions, collaborations and compilation appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Durutti Column</span> English post-punk band

The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is a project of guitarist and occasional pianist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by Bruce Mitchell on drums and Keir Stewart on bass, keyboards and harmonica. They were among the first acts signed to Factory Records by label founder Tony Wilson.

Winston Tong is an actor, playwright, visual artist, puppeteer, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for his vocals in Tuxedomoon and for winning an Obie award in puppetry for Bound Feet in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuxedomoon</span> American post-punk/new wave band

Tuxedomoon is an experimental, post-punk, new wave band from San Francisco, California, United States. The band formed in the late 1970s at the beginning of the punk rock movement. Pulling influence from punk and electronic music, the group, originally consisting of Steven Brown and Blaine L. Reininger, used electronic violins, guitars, screaming vocals and synthesizers to develop a unique "cabaret no-wave" sound. Bassist Peter Principle joined the band and in 1979 they released the single "No Tears", which remains a post-punk cult classic. That year they signed to Ralph Records and released their first album, Half-Mute. Eventually, Reininger left the group, and Tuxedomoon relocated to Europe, signing to Crammed Discs and releasing Holy Wars in 1985. The band separated in the early 1990s, only to reunite later that decade. They all have remained together since releasing the album Cabin in the Sky in 2004.

The Wake are a British post-punk, synth-pop and later indie pop band, formed in Glasgow in 1981 by Gerard "Caesar" McInulty, Steven Allen (drums) and Joe Donnelly (bass), the latter replaced by Bobby Gillespie. Steven's sister Carolyn Allen also joined on keyboards, and remained in the band thereafter. Gillespie left the band in 1983, replaced by Martin Cunning and then by Alexander 'Mac' Macpherson.

<i>Half-Mute</i> 1980 studio album by Tuxedomoon

Half-Mute is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on March 15, 1980, by Ralph Records. It was their first long-form record, after two EPs, 1978's No Tears and 1979's Scream with a View. Half-Mute was reissued on CD in 1985 by Cramboy, bundled together with Scream with a View. The album's cover art is by Patrick Roques.

Crammed Discs is an independent record label whose output blends world music, rock, pop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Crammed was founded in 1980 by Marc Hollander of Aksak Maboul and has since released around 375 albums and 275 singles, working with artists from all over the world.

Anna Domino is an American indie rock artist based in New York and Los Angeles who released several albums for Les Disques du Crepuscule and Factory Records in the 1980s and 1990s. Domino has collaborated with musicians such as Matt Johnson of The The, Stephin Merritt in The Sixths, Blaine L. Reininger and Steven Brown of Tuxedomoon, Virginia Astley, Luc van Acker and Ultramarine. She is also one half of the duo Snakefarm.

Les Disques du Crépuscule is an independent record label founded in Belgium in 1980 by Michel Duval and Annik Honoré. It also had a prominent associated sublabel, Factory Benelux. Both are now run by former employee James Nice.

LTM Recordings is a British independent record label founded in 1983, and best known for reissues of artists and music from 1978 to the present day, as well as modern classical and avant-garde composition. The label is based in Norfolk, England, and is curated by James Nice.

The Names are a Belgian post-punk band from Brussels, Belgium, formed in 1978 around bassist, vocalist and songwriter Michel Sordinia.

Isabelle Antena is a French singer and songwriter, and founder of the electro-samba group Antena.

<i>Desire</i> (Tuxedomoon album) 1981 studio album by Tuxedomoon

Desire is the second studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released in 1981 by Ralph Records. The album was reissued on CD in 1987 by Cramboy, bundled together with No Tears.

<i>Short Stories</i> (EP) 1983 EP by Tuxedomoon

Short Stories is an EP by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released in April 1983 by Les Disques du Crépuscule. In 1986 it was compiled with Suite en sous-sol on CD. The track The Cage was also recorded in a markedly different instrumental form by band member Steven Brown for his album Composés Pour Le Théâtre Et Le Cinéma, issued on Les Disques du Crépuscule in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Lee Self</span> American musician and composer (born 1958)

William Lee Self is an American musician and composer, who emigrated to north Germany in 1982 and who has been living in Hamburg since 1995.

<i>Time to Lose</i> 1982 EP by Tuxedomoon

Time to Lose is an EP by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released in July 1982 by Les Disques du Crépuscule. In 1986 it was compiled with Suite en sous-sol on CD.

<i>Suite en sous-sol</i> 1982 EP by Tuxedomoon

Suite en sous-sol is an EP by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on July 28, 1982 by Expanded Music. The album was issued on CD in 1986 by Cramboy, bundled together with Time to Lose and Short Stories.

<i>Live in St. Petersburg</i> 2002 live album by Tuxedomoon

Live in St. Petersburg is a live album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released in 2002 by Neo Acustica.

<i>Cabin in the Sky</i> (Tuxedomoon album) 2004 studio album by Tuxedomoon

Cabin in the Sky is the tenth studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on July 20, 2004 by Cramboy.

<i>Bardo Hotel Soundtrack</i> 2006 soundtrack album by Tuxedomoon

Bardo Hotel Soundtrack is soundtrack album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on June 27, 2006 by Made to Measure.

<i>Without Mercy</i> (album) 1984 studio album by The Durutti Column

Without Mercy is the fourth studio album by English band The Durutti Column, released in October 1984 on Factory Records. After the band and label boss Tony Wilson were unanimous in their dislike of Another Setting (1983), Wilson pushed the band towards progressing to a new, classical-inspired sound. The band went on to record Short Stories for Pauline, which went unreleased when Wilson refused to release it, though one track, "Little Mercy", kept Wilson's attention. He asked the band to use it as the foundation for a different album, ultimately becoming Without Mercy.

References

  1. ↑ Music For Vagabonds: The Tuxedomoon Chronicles by Isabelle Corbisier (Lighting Source, 2008) - ISBN   978-1-906496-08-1
  2. ↑ "Max Dax and A.J. Samuels talk to Blaine L. Reininger – Electronic Beats". Electronicbeats.net. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Review - Live in Brussels Bis - REININGER, BLAINE L. - - LTM". Whisperinandhollerin.com. January 26, 2004. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Max Dax and A.J. Samuels talk to Blaine L. Reininger". Electronic Beats. January 27, 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  5. ↑ Ned Raggett (September 13, 2004). "Night Air II - Blaine L. Reininger | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Clear Tears / Troubled Waters - Parcours - Compagnie Thor". Thor.be. January 16, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Flipside review of Commissions". flipsideflipsidereviews.blogspot.co.uk/. December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  8. ↑ "JJ LA RUE MEMORIAL PAGE". www.mundoblaineo.org.
  9. ↑ Shadowplayers by James Nice (Aurum, 2010) - ISBN   978-1-84513-634-5

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.