September 18, 2021

45 RPMs 64: Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka & Greta Garbo

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Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka from the album Divine
12" 45 RPM front cover detail 
detail photo by Styrous®
 

Today is the birthday of Swedish-born American actress, Greta Garbo. She was known for her melancholic, somber persona due to her many film portrayals of tragic characters and for her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. She was nicknamed "The Divine" because of her whimsical attitude and her determination to avoid the press.          


Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka from the album Divine
12" 45 RPM front cover 
photo of cover by Styrous®


Divine is the third studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released in 1982 by Operation Twilight
 
 
Tuxedomoon ~ Divine
vinyl LP album front cover
cover design by Saskia Lupini
 Drawing By Winston Tong
 
 
Divine was  a ballet choreographed by Maurice Béjart. It was composed of short pieces, each embodying a film starring Greta Garbo, the "Divine" in question; Freudlose Gasse (1925), Anna Christie (1930), Mata Hari (1931), Grand Hotel (1932), Queen Christina (1933), Camille (1936), Conquest (1937) and Ninotschka (1939), the subject of this recording. The cover art is by Benoît Hennebert who did many covers for the record label Les Disques du Crépuscule.           
 
Tuxedomoon based some of the music on the sound of the spoken voice of Garbo, using classical tape-editing techniques. 
 
The cover art for Ninotchka is by Benoît Hennebert who did many covers for the record label Les Disques du Crépuscule.   
 
     
Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka from the album Divine
12" 45 RPM back cover 
photo of cover by Styrous®


Ninotchka is fast, furious and joyous with the sound and feeling as if it was recorded in a Russian pub, of course with new wave feeling and effects (link below).      


 
Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka from the album Divine
12" 45 RPM back cover details
detail photos of back cover by Styrous®
 


Side 2 has the song, Again, which is from their second album, Desire, one of their best albums, which is ranked number 2,861 in the overall greatest album chart with a total rank score of 535. Again is slow and dreamy with a touch of mystery (link below).      


Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka from the album Divine
12" 45 RPM back cover detail
detail photo of back cover by Styrous®

Greta Garbo died on 15 April 1990, aged 84, at the Rogosin Institute a New York Hospital, as a result of pneumonia and renal failure.         





Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka from the album Divine
12" 45 RPM record labels
photos by Styrous®





        
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A - Ninotchka, written by & arranged by Tuxedomoon - 4:41

Side 2:

B - Again, written by & produced by Tuxedomoon - 6:20

Companies, etc.

    Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Les Disques Du Crépuscule
    Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Bruits Essentiels
    Copyright © – Bruits Essentiels
    Pressed By – Harry's

 Credits:
 
Notes:

"Ninotchka", an excerpt from Divine (1982), the ballet of Maurice Béjart, directly inspired by the action and conduct of Greta Garbo.

"Again", an excerpt from Desire (1981).

℗ 1982. Les Disques Du Crépuscule
Printed & manufactured in Belgium © 1982.

℗ & © 1982. bruits essentiels
made in belgium

Barcode and Other Identifiers
        
        
    Matrix / Runout (Side A, hand-etched runout): TWI 055-1 "LE RETOUR DES FRUITBATS"
    Matrix / Runout (Side B, hand-etched runout): TWI 055-2N
        
Tuxedomoon – Ninotchka / Again
Label: Les Disques Du Crépuscule – twi055
Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM
Country: Belgium
Released: May 1982
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Avantgarde, Synth-pop       
        
        
Viewfinder links:       
         
Maurice Béjart        
Steven Brown      
Greta Garbo         
Blaine L. Reininger          
Winston Tong     
Tuxedomoon
     
YouTube links:      
        
Tuxedomoon –      
       Again         
       Ninotchka        
        
        
        
         
        
        

Styrous® ~ Saturday, September 18, 2021    






      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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