The Styrous® Viewfinder: Greta Garbo

September 18, 2021

45 RPMs 64: Tuxedomoon ~ Ninotchka & Greta Garbo

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

art by Benoît Hennebert

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:

Steven Brown – saxophone, clarinet, keyboards, lead vocals
Peter Dachert (as Peter Principle) – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, drum programming, tape, lead vocals
Blaine L. Reininger – violin, viola, keyboards, lead vocals
Bruce Geduldig – drums and lead vocals (B1)
Cover [Cover Art] – Benoît Hennebert*

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