Ari Up
Biography
Ariane Daniele 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 Up was born in Munich, West Germany. Both her parents were involved in the music industry; her father, Frank Forster, was a German schlager singer, and her mother Nora Forster had connections within the rock music scene. Her godfathers were Austrian singer and composer Udo Jürgens and Jon Anderson, the vocalist of the band Yes.
Read full biography ↓
Nora Forster later married John Lydon, the lead singer of Sex Pistols, in 1979. Growing up in an environment closely associated with the emerging punk scene, Ari Up was exposed to a wide range of musicians. She learned to play guitar with guidance from Joe Strummer of The Clash.
In 1976, at the age of 14, she co-founded the Slits with drummer Palmolive. Guitarist Viv Albertine later joined the group. Despite English being her second language, Ari Up became known for her distinctive vocal style and stage presence. By the late 1970s, the Slits were touring as the opening act for The Clash, and their music increasingly incorporated reggae and dub influences. Ari Up became recognised for her unconventional appearance and energetic performances. She appeared briefly in the film "Rude Boy" (1980), and performances by the Slits were included in the documentary "The Punk Rock Movie" (1978).
After the Slits disbanded in 1981, Ari Up lived for periods in Indonesia, Belize, and Jamaica. She continued her musical activities, including work with the New Age Steppers and as a solo artist under various names. Her debut solo album "Dread More Dan Dead" was released in 2005. She collaborated with Lee "Scratch" Perry on the album "Repentance" (2008) and recorded a duet version of "Mister, You're a Better Man Than I" with Mark Stewart for the album "Edit" (2008).
In 2008, Ari Up was diagnosed with breast cancer. She continued to perform after her diagnosis, including appearances in 2009 with Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Austrian dub band Dubblestandart. One of her final recording sessions took place in May 2010 in New York with Perry. The recordings were later released as the single "Hello, Hell is Very Low" / "Bed Athletes" in August 2010. The Slits’ final work, the video for the song "Lazy Slam" from the album "Trapped Animal", was released posthumously.
Ari Up died on 20 October 2010 in Los Angeles at the age of 48. Following her death, her family assumed guardianship of her youngest son. A tribute event titled "Punky Reggae Birthday Party" was held on 16 January 2011 in Brooklyn, featuring performances by former members of the Slits and associated musicians, including Neneh Cherry.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.