Dandysweets presents ... Knud Odde Day

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He used to be part of Copenhagen's punk underground. But since he's become a proper established artist. That's what comes with years of being a member of one of Denmark's most successful bands ever, Sort Sol (Black Sun).





Sort Sol - Siggimund Blue (for some reason some of the members are wearing 'Heavy Metal-like' wigs in the video - some kind of irony I suppose):






Sort Sol, in 1977 or 78 when they were called Sods, left to right: Guitarist Peter Schneidermann (also known as 'Peter Peter'), singer Steen Jørgensen, bass player Knud Odde, drummer Tomas Ortved - In 1981 they changed their name to Sort Sol and within a couple of years another guitarist, Lars Top-Galia, joined the band.


This 'Knud Odde-day' though - except for a few references here and there - is not specifically about Sort Sol. Because Knud Odde is not only a successful musician. He's also a renowned graphic artist and painter.



Knud Odde in front of his portrait of the young boy who was featured on the cover of Sort Sol's album Glamourpuss from 1993. Photo: Kennet Havgaard


Knud Odde was an atypical punk and rock musician. He was known as the nice guy of the band and being on stage or playing on the records were never the most important things for him. It meant more to him to create the record covers.



Glamourpuss cover, 1993


In later years he also created the artwork for one of Denmark's most family- and tourist-oriented establishments, the old amusement park in central Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens in 1994. He has also done posters for the Danish Railways (DSB):



DSB II, 1997


and for Copenhagen Jazz Festival:



Copenhagen Jazz Festival (Chet Baker), 1992


Knud Odde was born in 1955. As a child he looked up to his two-year older brother who played drums in a rock band.

"They were a really trashy psychedelic band called Frost And Flames...the singer of the band taught me to play the guitar I got for my 13th birthday" - Knud Odde.



Patti Smith II, 1999


But actually Knud Odde never dreamt of becoming a musician - he always wanted to be an artist and he sold his drawings and paintings from a young age.



Michael Eckei


"Personalities whose life story or work fascinates me are often the reason for me to do a picture of them. I find my subjects by reading books, watching films and listening to music. Instead of writing an article or doing an analysis about them I use the drawing or painting to clarify and express how I feel about it"



Mark E. Smith II, 2001


Knud Odde was inspired by 'Die Neuen Wilden', an exhibition from West Germany in 1980. The artists featured in the exhibition were opposed to minimalistic art and were instead more expressive, with references to German Expressionism and French Fauvism.



The Frogs Sew The Short Nights Together


Odde is also inspired by the romaticism of the 1800's.



Bull's balls dangle between yellow roses


For Knud Odde people even when naked are always wearing a cloak of culture because the body is a language and the body can speak.



?, 2004


Knud Odde often brings up the same themes in his works sometimes after several years - old elements in new constellations.



Blessing, 2003


Knud Odde maintains a divide between the music and the painting. It's two different genres even though they arise from the same emotion and articulate the same longing, triviality and humour.



Siggimund & Stroheim, 1992


See more of Odde's artworks on his website:
http://www.knudodde.dk/uk_ma_pattismith02.html

When Andy Warhol visited Copenhagen in 1978 in connection with an exhibition at Danish museum, 'Louisiana', Knud Odde and Tomas Ortved (who were big fans of Warhol) went to his hotel to meet their idol. Ortved: "We asked if we could have our picture taken with him, and he said 'sure, but only if I can have my picture taken with you.' We were there for about 5-10 minutes. He never painted us and he didn't know who we were but we said we were in a punk band and he really liked that."



Knud Odde (left), Tomas Ortved and Andy Warhol, Copenhagen 1978


Another big event for the band in May 1978, was when they met Iggy Pop on a Copenhagen street the day before he was doing a concert and they managed to blag their way into supporting him at the following night's show.





I haven't been able to find an interview in which Odde talks about his interest in/admiration for Dennis Cooper but I'm guessing he must have some interest/admiration since he made the piece shown above. The image is from an article on Dennis Cooper in Danish art-literature-film magazine Sentura (issue 11, September 2001). Unfortunately I haven't been able to get hold a of a copy but on the magazine's website it says the following about the article:

'The anatomy of debasement
Sex, drug addiction, and the most grotesque forms of sudden death are the main topics of author Dennis Cooper, America's last literary outlaw - according to Bret Easton Ellis. Kim Foss introduces. Knud Odde illustrates.' (http://www.sentura.dk/indhold.11.html)

And that's that. Knud Odde is someone I've always been aware of because he's so well known in Denmark (though probably not anywhere else). But I never really knew very much about him - just heard a song on the radio here and saw a Tivoli poster there. In gathering information for this 'day' it's been interesting getting to know a little more about him.

And to finish the day off properly, here is another Sort Sol song 'Popcorn' from 1993 (couldn't find a video of it on YouTube, but someone uploaded a video showing video clips of Copenhagen using the song as a soundtrack):





Knud Odde left Sort Sol in 2001 and the band broke up a few years later. Three of the original members have reformed the band in late 2010 and they're rumoured to play at Denmark's Roskilde Festival in the summer 2011. Knud Odde and Peter Peter are the two members who haven't rejoined the band.

As an aside it's worth mentioning that Odde's old fellow band member Lars Top-Galia is a part of Artfreq who in the last couple of years have curated several exciting artist-events in Copenhagen featuring people like John Waters, Kenneth Anger, Diamanda Galas, Patti Smith, Lydia Lunch, Throbbing Gristle, etc. Read more: http://www.artfreq.org/



Lars Top-Galia
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p.s. Hey. My guess is that a large majority of the people reading these words aren't familiar with the art and music of Knud Odde, as his visual work has not been exhibited widely outside of Denmark and, at least in my experience, his legendary band Sort Sol is mostly known to the most explorative international fans of punk era music. So, d.l. Dandysweets is likely introducing this very interesting figure to you today, and I hope you'll enjoy and dedicate some time to the discovery. I was very lucky to have Odde design the cover of the Danish edition of my novel 'My Loose Thread', as you'll see below, so I'm very happy to be able to return the favor, in a sense, all thanks to Dandysweets. Otherwise, it's exile/ cleaning day at the Recollets, and that will bring the usual as-yet uncertain consequences. ** Alexp336, Hey. Well, as I understand it, Thunderbolt will be an immediate help to me in terms of newfound speed given to my creaky old Macbook and the horrendously slow internet where I live. So, I'm sold, theoretically. Iago, interesting. That's some role. Have you acted before? If you've answered that already, I apologize for my space upstairs. ** David Ehrenstein, I read that the google blow out didn't cause its victims permanent damage, so I was hoping Bill's stuff was A-okay. Phew. I'll check out the Todd Haynes talk. Thanks! Everyone, courtesy of David E., Todd Haynes talks about his upcoming film 'Mildred Pierce' in the new issue of Artforum, and if you don't have the magazine at hand, you can read the talk here. ** Tosh, Hi, Tosh! It's a great pleasure! Well, you're most welcome. How are you? ** Sypha, I don't mind plot in graphic novels so much for some reason. I'm hoping to pick up a DN or several in the new few days. That church sounds completely incredible, and the unidentified demon boys especially. Very interested to see your story. ** Bollo, Hey. The trip was good, did exactly what it was supposed to do if not more. Ugh about the social welfare. I hope it's just a drag of a day for you with the hoped for lasting results. Berlin, very cool! Never been, as I think you know. I'm curious to hear about the Cory Arcangel show if you go and don't passing along your report. Yeah, the Chion jukebox was really interesting, wasn't it? And, yeah, the Theo Parrish thing was okay, but not ... I don't know, something. Good day, J. ** Alan, Oh, that is quite an odd coincidence. Excellent about the fairly well known writer interesting in reading you. I hope some free time catches up with you asap. ** Bill, I thought I remembered you were a Topor fan. Tonight is the Touching of Hands show? Scott's there for it, I'm guessing? Hug that guy for me. Curious to hear how it is, was. What's your gig on the 13th precisely? ** David, I remember Topor being pretty famous when I was younger, in my teen years maybe, but then I guess his work went out of style in the US like so much cool European art, film, books did around the late 70s. ** A.r., Hey! Cool about the gig. I really need to see Vomir play the next time he does. I've never heard/seen him live. Amazing that he likes my work. Wow, that's very cool to hear! Thanks, Alex. New Burzum next week? I didn't know that. And I was just in Norway even. Weird. I'll grab that. Really great to see you, my friend. Come visit Paris please. ** Wolf, There's one bite left of the Pop-A-Pods, but not for long. Yeah, Yury was happy, and he didn't even stress out about gaining weight the next morning, which is quite something. You guys are into Pooh? That creates a very sweet and unexpected image. Eeyore Day, huh, why not? I or rather Thomas did a Moe Day, so the precedent exists. Believe it or not, I'll investigate whether I can put together something odd or worthy about Eeyore. ** JW Veldhoen, Well, hey, John! What a rare (of late) treat! Amazing comment that I'm going to have to dwell on once the cleaners are off my back. Hang out, man. What can I say? That would be very cool. ** Thomas Moronic, It was truly lovely to see you too, T. I hope the rest of the time here was groovy. I haven't seen K. or O. yet, but I'll see what they can tell me. ** Steevee, Wow. If BB King was in his grave, he'd be rolling over. Since he isn't, I hope he leaps onstage and jams with Stryper. Can you imagine? The Wipers are very cool, and that's a real score. Wow, so the Xavier Dolan film was that bad? Yikes. ** Eli Jürgen, I had that book too, and I wasn't even a kid, just a starry-eyed wannabe hippie boy. Poly Styrene solo album produced by Youth? That is very interesting. I'll go watch that Christmas video once my room is clean and I'm allowed to dawdle in it again. Wire never really quite broke up, yeah, and that does make a difference. Plus, they're still making peak records. I haven't downloaded the new Gang of Four album yet. I'm a little nervous. A live show I saw by them back at their beginnings was the best gig I have ever seen in my life. That recipe does sound rustically delicious! ** Pilgarlic, Yeah, I can't imagine that passage causing any trouble at all. Oh, man, more sadness about Tybee. I'm just so sorry. Going with the flow, even when the flow drops over a cliff ,and realizing that it's a new adventure, is the only way to go, I guess. There's a lot to be said for reinventing your life and sometimes for having it reinvented for you. As much as being forced to move over here from LA causes me much sadness, so much has happened here that would never have happened if I'd stayed where I had already long been, but I'm such a pragmatist and optimist. ** The Dreadful Flying Glove, 'Like the smell of bergamot': ha ha ha, that was great. I had this suspicion you might like Pierre, ha ha again. I'll let you know what happens with him. Uh, yes, I do indeed relate to that sentiment. I guess you have to think in benchmarks or rungs climbed or of yourself as a series of figurative stages or something. Have you made any good new friends there? I'm way into friendship's ability to turn daunting situations into magic tricks. I've got all the faith in the world in you, man. ** Ken Baumann, Ken! Dude, snow, so crazy. I think the weather shifts here are more subtle. We got more snow than usual this winter, but it wasn't an avalanche from the sky or anything. Maybe it rains more, and maybe it's chillier right now than it was last year at this time. Nothing huge and wow-inducing so far. 'Story of the Eye' is class stuff. I have this little but key riff about it in 'TMS'. More good news? Awesome. I'll wait patiently until time's minute hand hits soon. ** _Black_Acrylic, Galliano really fucked up. If he had immediately done the whole apology, shock at what he said, rehab, anger management thing, he'd still be at Dior, I think. The lack of remorse killed him, and the lying is what buried him, basically. ** MANCY, Hey, man! Glad you liked the Topor stuff, and, yeah, totally, about those Wipers LPs. ** Amccartney, Hi, Alistair! Yeah, Joel told me he got a chance to hang out with you. Very nice. The visa denial has been a real blow and a real surprise, which may speak to our naivete. We're kind of in shock about it and trying to figure out what to do or how to regroup if possible. Obama's decree on DOMA is great and very welcome, of course. We'll see what effect that has and how immediate it could be. As you undoubtedly know, the Republican Congress is threatening to defend DOMA on their own. Hateful motherfuckers. Anyway, I hope you're doing great. You getting some good novel work in, I hope? ** Chris (British), I love that 'barked at by his own dogs' phrase. I'd never seen that before. Well, the great thing about writing is you can get seriously into it at any age, so it's not like having to wait and scheme for the right situation is fatal like being forced to wait is for, oh, an athlete or a dancer or, I don't know, someone whose life dream is to be a porn star. Is there no way to organize your life and time so that you work and can write too, if not nearly as much as you want? ** Inthemostpeculiarway, I think that dolphins are so romanticized into angelic beings that when they get in bad moods, it seems like evil maybe. No, I didn't watch the video yet. I spaced out. Thanks for reminding me. Today. I still kind of want to live in a tree. Well, actually I guess I want the tree to be a secret elevator that takes you into your magical underground castle or something. 'Nowhere' is the only 'mid-career' Araki movie I like, so I might like 'Kaboom' actually. I was talking to someone the other day who said he didn't like 'Blue Valentine' because it was so dark and depressing, it crushed his soul, which seemed kind of over the top from what I know about the film, and it made me want to see it even more. I liked your car dialogue. Are you writing? I mean Writing writing? You should, man. I'm telling you, you've got a hell of a novel in you. Word. My day didn't end up being too much. I tried. I was supposed to meet with Gisele and Jonathan to work on 'Last Spring', but they had forgotten that they had to go to Hamburg yesterday to do 'TIHYWD', so we didn't, but I didn't do stuff of interest for a while because I thought we were going to meet up any minute. I wanted to see Oscar and Kiddiepunk, but they either weren't around or didn't pick up the phone. I worked on the copyedit some more. I'll probably finish that today. The person who's going to interview me for The Paris Review wrote to say everything was all set, and I guess he'll do it in Brest while I'm there. There was a problem with the Utrecht gig for 'Them' because now suddenly the presenter says we can't use a dead goat in the show because of some Dutch law, and they said we either have to use a fake goat or a skinned animal with the head cut off, and that's not cool or doable, and that's not what they agreed to, so there's some drama going on there. My sister called and went on and on about her financial troubles, which are bad and worrisome, and I listened and gave advice and comfort and all that, and just before she hung up, she said, 'You're doing good, obviously', which is her usual way of saying I'm not really interested in what you're doing, and I said, 'Well, apart from the horrible visa thing and scary money problems myself, I'm guess I'm okay', and she said 'Good' and then goodbye. I decided to treat myself by making pasta, and I made too much and ate all of it, and I felt really gross afterwards. I watched some TV, specifically short documentaries about the fashion houses Fendi and Versace -- holy crap is Donatella Versace's plastic surgery face horrifying -- on Arte because they have a Fashion Week theme going on. And then I slept. Not a very good day, sorry. Maybe today? For now, regale me with yours, please. ** Misanthrope, Thank you about the galeries post, man. I can't even bear to fully imagine the stuff you're going through with your grandma, man. I'm so sorry. That sounds stupid, but I really am. And about the money problems too. And that you won't be able to come over here in April. But there'll be other times, for sure. Summer maybe? ** Schlix, Hi, Uli! I don't think I know Mutter. Hm, maybe. No, I don't think so. I'll watch the video in just a few minutes. Thank you, man! You hanging there and hopefully a lot more? ** Postitbreakup, Hi, Josh! I'm really glad you liked it, thanks! How are you? What's new, maestro? ** Oscar B, Oscar! I tried to call you guys a few times yesterday with no answer. Anyway, I want to see you. Call me or I'll call you in a bit. ** Math, Hi, Mathster. Yeah, I think he's canny too. Canny is a funny word. I wonder where it comes from. From can as in tin can? No, right? I wish. How's SF settling into you? ** Okay, please spend your local time here today with Dandysweets' very fine Knud Odde Day, talk about it, and I'll see after the sun goes away and then comes back.