Kim Larsen

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Kim Larsen
Kim Larsen.jpg
Kim Larsen at the Nibe Festival  [ da ] in July 2009.
Background information
Birth nameKim Mellius Flyvholm Larsen
Born(1945-10-23)23 October 1945
Copenhagen, Denmark
Died30 September 2018(2018-09-30) (aged 72)
Odense, Denmark
Genres Rock, pop
OccupationSinger/songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar

Kim Mellius Flyvholm Larsen (born October 23 1945 in Copenhagen, died September 30 2018 in Odense) was a Danish singer, songwriter, elementary school teacher, author, and guitarist. He began his musical career in 1968 after a brief period as an elementary school teacher and became known from 1969 as a member of the rock group Gasolin. During his time with Gasolin (which lasted until 1978), Larsen also released solo albums and records with his leisure band, which went by several names. After the disbandment of Gasolin, Larsen continued as a solo artist and band leader.

Contents

Career

Kim Larsen was born in Copenhagen. Inspired by The Beatles and rock and roll, he began as a songwriter and guitarist. In 1969 he met Franz Beckerlee  [ da; de; nl ] and Wili Jønsson  [ da; no ], and the three founded Gasolin' which, later joined by drummer Søren Berlev  [ da; sv ], became one of the most successful Danish rock bands. The band dissolved in the late 1970s.

In 1979, Larsen participated in the Danish stage of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Ud i det blå" (lit.: Out into the blue). He came third out of 17 participants. The song was included on this album 231045-0637 .

Around 1980, Larsen moved to New York. He released two albums but was not successful in breaking through in America and returned to Denmark after a few years.

Kim Larsen released a number of solo albums in the 1980s, topping the charts in 1983 with the album Midt om natten (en: In the Middle of the Night). The album more or less became a soundtrack for the movie by the same name based upon it. [1]

In 1983, Larsen founded the band Kim Larsen & Bellami and released four albums until 1992, when after a couple of different line-ups, the band broke up. He then released another solo album, Hvem kan sige nej til en engel (Who Can Say No to an Angel). In the mid-1990s he founded the band Kim Larsen & Kjukken which was based in Odense.

He wrote a tribute song about MS Jutlandia's contributions as a hospital ship of Danish Red Cross during the Korean War. The song titled "Jutlandia" became a large hit in Denmark in 1986.

By the end of 2017, Larsen was diagnosed with prostate cancer. [2] This would end up impacting his tour with Kim Larsen & Kjukken who were scheduled for concerts throughout January, February and March 2018. In a Facebook post published to the band's official profile page, Larsen apologised for the inconvenience and explained that he intended to be back playing by the start of the summer.

Larsen died of prostate cancer at his home in Odense on 30 September 2018. [3] A week after his death a large memorial concert was held in Copenhagen with around 35,000 people attending, and major Danish musicians such as Magtens Korridorer, Love Shop, The Minds of 99, and Tim Christensen performing cover versions of Larsen's songs. [4]

Protest singer

Larsen frequently voiced his opposition to established society and instead advocated the right to be different from the mainstream. The album and movie Midt om natten revolves around this subject – in fact you can compare the movie action to the real Danish BZ movement BZ, Sorte Hest and also Freetown Christiania, located in Copenhagen. The same opposition is also shown by the album 231045-0637 – the title is Kim Larsen's personal identification number which is strictly personal. Larsen was against the big database of every citizen, implied by this title.

Kim Larsen was a heavy smoker, and he was critical of Danish anti-smoking laws. In August 2008, he paid for an advertising campaign which showed the text "Tillykke med rygeforbudet – Gesundheit macht frei !!!". The first sentence means "Congratulations on the smoking ban" in Danish, and the second sentence means "health makes (you) free" in German, a reference to the Nazi phrase Arbeit macht frei. Claiming that smoking bans are made not to protect smokers, but non-smokers, Kim Larsen made a connection between smoking bans and Nazism. [5]

The biography Mine unge år – Kim Larsen (lit.: My young years – Kim Larsen) by writer & journalist Jens Andersen together with Kim Larsen, was incomplete before his death and the book was finished without Kim Larsen. [6]

Bands

Gasolin' (1969–1978)

Kim Larsen & Jungledreams (1980–1983)

Kim Larsen & Bellami (1983–1992)

1983–1984:

  • Kim Larsen – Guitar and vocals
  • Henning Pold – Bass
  • Phil Barrett – Keyboards and guitar
  • Soren Wolff – Guitar
  • Jan Lysdahl – Drums

1986–1992:

  • Kim Larsen – Guitar and vocals
  • Henning Pold – Bass
  • Hans Fagt and Jan Lysdahl – Drums
  • Mikkel Håkonsson and Peter Ingemann – Keyboards
  • Thomas Grue and Per Rasmussen – Guitars

Kim Larsen & Bell*Star (1993–1995)

Kim Larsen & Kjukken (1995–2018)

Discography

Solo albums

Studio

EP's

  • 1982: 5 Eiffel

Compilations

  • 1975: Skru Op
  • 1977: Boller Op, Boller Ned
  • 1979: Hittegods
  • 1983: Gorilla Mix
  • 1983: Larsens Bedste
  • 1984: Årets Koncent
  • 2015: Kim i 70'erne(with Gasolin')

Live

With Gasolin'

Studio

Compilations

  • 1980: Super Mix 1
  • 1981: A Box Full of Gas
  • 1984: Det Bedste Fra Mig Og Mine Venner (Kim Larsen with Gasolin')
  • 1991: Rabalderstræde Forever
  • 1993: Derudaf Forever
  • 1997: A Foreign Affair vol.1
  • 1999: Gasolin' Forever
  • 2000: The Early Years
  • 2002: A Foreign Affair vol.2
  • 2003: The Black Box
  • 2009: Masser af succes
  • 2015: Kim I 70'erne

Live

  • 1976: Live sådan (Live)
  • 1978: Gøglernes aften (Live)

With Starfuckers

Live

With Kim Larsen & Jungledreams

Studio

With Kim Larsen & Bellami

Studio

With Kim Larsen & Kjukken

Studio

Live

Charting albums

(All peak positions in Danish Albums Chart)

As Kim Larsen & Kjukken

As Kim Larsen & Bellami

With Gasolin'

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gasolin'</span> Danish rock band

Gasolin' were a Danish rock band from Christianshavn, Copenhagen, formed by Kim Larsen, Franz Beckerlee, and Wili Jønsson in 1969. Their first drummer was the late Bjørn Uglebjerg. He was replaced by Søren Berlev in 1971. At their formation, the guitar playing of Franz Beckerlee was inspired by Jimi Hendrix and the vocals and lyrics of Larsen were inspired by Bob Dylan, while the rhythm playing of Jønsson and Berlev owed much to The Beatles. However, they would soon develop their own musical style. The pop sensibility of Kim Larsen, the artistic attitude of Franz Beckerlee and the musical competence of Wili Jønsson would prove to be a recipe for success. Gasolin's lyrics were generally written by the entire group, often with the assistance of their friend Mogens Mogensen.

<i>Værsgo</i> 1973 studio album by Kim Larsen

Værsgo is the debut album of Kim Larsen who formed Gasolin' in 1969 with Wili Jønsson and Franz Beckerlee. It was released in 1973 while he was still a member of Gasolin', and the album contains songs which were not found suitable for Gasolin'. With 17 songs, it was apparent that Kim Larsen had a lot of songs to offer. It is also apparent why these songs did not fit into the Gasolin' frame. Unlike the hard and disciplined rock of Gasolin' the songs on Værsgo have a loose and cosy atmosphere with a lot of romance and sentimentality and childlike innocence. The album became a big surprise hit and it is considered to be a classic in Danish popular music. In 2005 the 17 songs were re-recorded by various Danish artists under the title: Værsgo 2. This album became a big seller too, confirming the iconic status of Værsgo. Værsgo was recorded in Wifoss studio in Copenhagen and produced by Poul Bruun. All the members of Gasolin' played on the album: Franz Beckerlee played the Moog, Wili Jønsson played the piano and organ and Søren Berlev played the percussion.

<i>231045-0637</i> 1979 studio album by Kim Larsen

231045-0637 is a rock album released in 1979 by Kim Larsen, a Danish rock musician.

<i>Gasolin</i> (1971 album) 1971 album by Gasolin

Gasolin' (also called Gas 1) is the debut studio album by Danish rock band Gasolin'. It was released in November 1971 by CBS Records. Instead of boogie rock and catchy tunes, they relied on creating songs with a moody feel such as "Langebro", "Fra dag til dag" and "Tremastet beton". The latter is recited by the poet Mogens Mogensen. Lead singer Kim Larsen later jokingly referred to the song as the first Danish rap. The lyrics and the music have a dark and mysterious ambience. From this album "Langebro" was released on the single with "Lilli-Lilli" on the b-side.

<i>Gas 5</i> Album by Gasolin

Gas 5 was Gasolin's fifth album in five years and was released in October 1975. From the humble beginnings of their debut album they had developed into a confident arena rock band with this release. In hindsight, Gas 5 may be considered to be their definitive album.

<i>Gør det noget</i> 1977 studio album by Gasolin

Gør det Noget is Danish rock group Gasolin's seventh studio album. When Gasolin' released Gør det Noget in November 1977, they knew it was their last album. After the ambitious Gas 5 and Efter endnu en dag, Gasolin' decided to make a garage-rock album. Therefore, the service of Roy Thomas Baker was not needed and Gør det Noget was produced by Gasolin' and "Rocco" Tommy Bogs.

<i>Live i Skandinavien</i> 1978 live album by Gasolin

Live i Skandinavien is a live album by Danish rock band Gasolin' that was released in November 1978.

<i>Killin Time</i> (Gasolin album) 1978 studio album by Gasolin

Killin' Time was recorded in the spring of 1977 and released in Denmark in the summer of 1978. In Sweden it was released as Tivoli. It was Gasolin's fourth and last album with English lyrics, also acting as the band's final studio album release.

<i>Gasolin 2</i> Album by Gasolin

Gasolin' 2 was released in November 1972 and was received very well by the critics and the public. Musically they would loosen up after the sombre music of their debut album. "På en sommerdag", "Fi-fi dong" and "På banen" are up-tempo and jolly rock songs that would become popular in concert. "Se din by fra tårnets top", "Snehvide" and "Nanna" are slower songs with lyrics inspired by left-wing humanity. The latter song was also released on Kim Larsen's Værsgo (1973). Overall, Gasolin' 2 has a laid back and cosy ambience.

<i>Gasolin 3</i> 1973 studio album by Gasolin

Gasolin' 3 was the third album from Danish rock band Gasolin', released in November 1973. It was the band's first album to be produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Gasolin' 3 was recorded in Rosenberg Studio in Copenhagen with Freddy Hansson as sound engineer.

<i>Efter endnu en dag</i> 1976 studio album by Gasolin

Efter endnu en dag is the sixth studio album by Gasolin' and was released in November 1976. It was the last Gasolin' album to be produced by Roy Thomas Baker.

<i>Rabalderstræde Forever</i> 1991 compilation album by Gasolin

Rabalderstræde Forever is a compilation album by Danish rock group Gasolin' and was released in 1991 on CD and as a double LP.

<i>Supermix 1</i> 1980 compilation album by Gasolin

Supermix 1 was released in 1980 as the first Gasolin' compilation. For some reason no songs from Gør det Noget were included, and popular songs such as "Rabalderstræde" and "Sirenesangen" are also absent. Therefore, this compilation was to become obsolete when Rabalderstræde Forever was released in 1991.

Axel Landing Larsen known as Buster Larsen, was a Danish stage, film and TV actor. He had his stage debut on Nørrebros Theater in 1932 aged 12, and his film debut in 1933.

<i>The Last Jim</i> 1974 studio album by Gasolin

The Last Jim is the second album with English lyrics by Danish rock band Gasolin'. It was released in some Western European countries in November 1974 on CBS, simultaneously to its Danish counterpart Stakkels Jim. The songs are identical on the two albums, except for the lyrics. Like on their previous album Gasolin' of the same year, American Leonard "Skip" Malone, helped the band translate the Danish lyrics into English.

<i>Gasolin</i> (1974 album) 1974 album by Gasolin, their first with English lyrics

Gasolin' is the first album with English lyrics by rock band Gasolin' in an attempt to win the band recognition outside their native Denmark. It is almost identical to their third Danish album, Gasolin' 3 and was released in some Western European countries in the beginning of 1974 on CBS. It failed to make impact on the charts anywhere, but didn't stop Gasolin' from issuing three more albums in English in the period from 1974 to 1978.

The 2nd Robert Awards ceremony was held on 31 March 1985 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Organized by the Danish Film Academy, the awards honoured the best in Danish and foreign film of 1984.

<i>Kim i Cirkus</i> 1985 live album by Kim Larsen

Kim i cirkus is a live album by the Danish rock musician Kim Larsen. It was released in 1985. The concert recorded for the album took place on 14 April 1984. However though, the album is not entirely live, the first and last song on the album are studio recordings.

<i>Midt om natten</i> (album) 1983 soundtrack album by Kim Larsen

Midt om natten is the fifth studio album by the Danish rock musician Kim Larsen. It was released in 1983. The album is the soundtrack to the film Midt om natten.

References

  1. ↑ Piil, Morten (2003). Danske filmskuespillere: 525 portrætter (in Danish). Copenhagen, Denmark: Gyldendal. p. 266. ISBN   978-87-02-02104-2. OCLC   66748504 . Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  2. ↑ "Her er Kim Larsens kræftsygdom – en sygdom han deler med mange tusinde danske mænd". Alt om sundhed. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  3. ↑ Busk Stie, Hans-Henrik (30 September 2018). "Kim Larsen er død". Nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish).
  4. ↑ Bay Nielsen, Silas (7 October 2018). "Omkring 35.000 deltog til Kim Larsen-mindekoncert". dr.dk (in Danish).
  5. ↑ "Kz-offer raser mod Kim Larsen". Ekstrabladet.dk. 22 August 2008.
  6. ↑ Rugholm, Barbara. "Jens Andersen vinder Læsernes bogpris for 'Kim Larsen – mine unge år'". litteratursiden.dk. Retrieved 9 April 2020. They reached the beginning of the Gasoline era. Unfortunately, the story ends here, but we get a lot. From the 50's Copenhagen, friendships, crushes, college education, first marriage and child, the formation of Gasolin and the hippie era at the 70's Christianshavn.
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