Ari Up
| Ari Up | |
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Ari Up playing with the Slits at the Beat the Blues Festival, Alexandra Palace, June 15, 1980.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ariane Daniele Forster |
| Also known as | Baby Ari, Madussa |
| Born |
17 January 1962 Munich, Germany |
| Died | 20 October 2010 (aged 48) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Punk rock, reggae, dub, techno, dancehall |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1976–2010 |
| Associated acts | The Slits, Nina Hagen, New Age Steppers |
| Website | ariup |
Ariane Daniela Forster (17 January 1962 – 20 October 2010), known by her stage name Ari Up, was a German vocalist best known as a member of the English punk rock band The Slits.
Ari was born in Munich, Germany. Her mother, Nora, was involved in the music industry – a friend of Jimi Hendrix, she dated Chris Spedding for three years. Ari's grandfather was a wealthy German newspaper proprietor and her godfather was Jon Anderson, the singer of the group Yes.
Nora later married the Sex Pistols' lead singer, John Lydon. Their home was known to be something of a punk domain, where Nora would take in poor musicians. The constant presence of punk music led to Ari experimenting with it herself, learning to play the guitar from The Clash's Joe Strummer.
In 1976, at the age of 14, Ari formed The Slits with drummer Palmolive. Within a short time, guitarist Viv Albertine joined the group and found herself deeply impressed by the young singer. "English was her second language," Albertine noted in an interview. "It was not easy for her and she had to fight to be taken seriously." She succeeded: "Ari was the most dynamic woman I have ever known," said Albertine. "The way she carried herself was a revolution."
By the late 1970s, The Slits were touring as the opening act for The Clash. Ari Up's love of reggae led The Slits into a "jungly" dub style. She was the most flamboyant member of the group, becoming known for her wild hair and odd stage outfits. She can be seen briefly in The Clash film Rude Boy, associating with the band backstage. Her 1977 performances with The Slits are featured in The Punk Rock Movie, a documentary release of various punk group club performances, principally at The Roxy.
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