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The Slits’ Ari Up Dies
Ari Up, the frontman for British punk band The Slits, died Wednesday. She was 48.
Her death was reported yesterday with a statement issued on behalf of her mother and step-father, the Sex Pistols’ John Lydon.
The post on JohnLydon.com said the singer had passed away after battling “a serious illness.”
Ari Up was born in Germany as Arianna Forster. At the age of 14 she and drummer Palmolive formed The Slits.
After opening for The Clash’s 1977 White Riot tour, in 1979 the band released its debut album, Cut, according to AllMusic.com. The Slits broke up in 1982, a year after releasing Return of the Giant Slits.
Photo: Angel Cebellos
A previously unreleased recent photo of Ari Up, former singer for The Slits.
Spin.com points out that the female punk band’s experimental sound helped inspire the ‘90s riot grrl movement and influenced “everyone from Bjork and Courtney Love to Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney.”
In 2005 Up released her first full length solo album, Dread More Dan Dead. That year she also reformed The Slits along with guitarist Tessa Pollitt and a few new members.
The band released the 2006 EP Revenge of the Killer Slits followed by the 2009 full-length album Trapped Animal.
Per Up’s request, on Wednesday Narnack Records released the video for “Lazy Slam,” a tune from Trapped Animal. According to representatives for The Slits, UP “was insistent that the video be seen and it was her wish to release it posthumously.”
Manager Jeff Jacquin released the following statement:
“In my 20 years as a manager I have never seen or felt such inspiration and unyielding passion for music and life as I had with my dear friend and client Ari Up. She was truly one of a kind, and there will never be another like her. She influenced generations of women and created some of the most memorable music of our time, but Ari’s true magic was how she affected people on the street, face to face every day. She ate life up and spit it out, she lived it on her own terms and never gave an inch! The Slits will live on forever and continue to change the way people feel about music and themselves and that’s just the way Ari would want it! We will all miss you so much!”
Along with her mother Nora and Lydon, Up is survived by three sons.
No public service has been planned.
Click here for The Slits’ MySpace page.
Click here for the band’s AllMusic.com page.
Click here for JohnLydon.com.
Click here for the Spin.com story.