Malka Spigel
Encyclopedia
Malka Spigel is a founding member of the Israeli rock band Minimal Compact
. She has also worked as a solo artist, and as a visual artist, exhibiting in prominent venues such as The Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Royal Festival Hall
. She is a member of Githead
along with husband Colin Newman
, Robin Rimbaud
, and fellow Minimal Compact
refugee Max Franken
.
. Minimal Compact
, which she co-founded with Berry Sakharof
(one of Israel's highly respected rock stars) and Samy Birnbach (latterly DJ Morpheus), and in which she played bass and contributed occasional vocals, pioneered a minimal post-punk/punk-funk sound that over seven years attracted a large, enthusiastic audience in continental Europe and beyond. During the period 1981 to 1988 the band grew to include drummer Max Franken (now Githead's drummer) and guitarist Rami Fortis (notorious in Israel as its first punk) and were associated with many esteemed musicians, recording with Tuxedomoon
's Peter Principle, Wire
's Colin Newman
, who produced one of their albums, and John Fryer
(This Mortal Coil
), sound-tracking ballet by choreographer Pierre Droulers
, and having a song (sung by Malka) in the Wim Wenders
movie Wings of Desire
.
Malka's working partnership with Colin Newman started in 1986 with "Commercial Suicide" and its follow-up "It Seems". The couple married in 1986 and moved to London
in 1992, setting up the swim ~
label, initially to release their own projects (Oracle, Malka's debut Rosh Balata, and Immersion), but later to release the work of other artists. In 1996, Immersion made an installation at The Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, which set Malka on a path of realising herself as a visual artist in addition to being a musician. During the period 2000 to 2002 she gained a degree in fine art, specialising in video and photography. She has since made video work with Immersion
(most famously seen at the Royal Festival Hall, London) and video clips for Vapourspace and Minimal Compact
. She also has an extensive collection of photography work, primarily created with a lomo
LCA camera, which has gained her pre-eminence in the lomo
& flickr
community.
In 2004, Malka Spigel, Colin Newman,and Robin Rimbaud founded Githead, with Spigel playing bass, and all three members sharing vocal duties. Music journalist Joe Tangari, writing for pitchfork.com, reflected on Spigel's contribution to Githead's first album Headgit, released in 2004: "Spigel's bass thumps and bounces, giving Newman's detached vocal leads a funky underpinning and helping to humanize the rhythms provided by something called the Beat Monster. ... It's actually not difficult to imagine A Bell Is a Cup-era Wire coming up with something like this, though Spigel's deft funkiness – especially on "Profile" – helps set the two sounds apart some."
Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact were an Israeli rock band associated with the post punk and indie rock movement of the 1980s.-Biography:Between its foundation in 1981 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played a small role in the European rock scene...
. She has also worked as a solo artist, and as a visual artist, exhibiting in prominent venues such as The Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
. She is a member of Githead
Githead
Githead is a musical collaboration that includes Wire's Colin Newman as well as electronic musician Robin Rimbaud alongside ex-Minimal Compact members Malka Spigel and Max Franken.- Biography :...
along with husband Colin Newman
Colin Newman
Colin Newman is an English musician, record producer and record label owner.-Biography:Newman is a member of the rock band Wire. When the band temporarily split in 1980, Newman pursued a solo career. His first solo LP, A-Z, was released in 1980 on the Beggar's Banquet label...
, Robin Rimbaud
Robin Rimbaud
Robin Rimbaud is an electronic musician who works under the name Scanner due to his use of cell phone and police scanners in live performance...
, and fellow Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact were an Israeli rock band associated with the post punk and indie rock movement of the 1980s.-Biography:Between its foundation in 1981 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played a small role in the European rock scene...
refugee Max Franken
Max Franken
Max Franken was the drummer for Minimal Compact, an Israeli rock band that achieved success outside the country. He is also a member of Githead along with Colin Newman, Robin Rimbaud and fellow Minimal Compact member Malka Spigel.-External links:*...
.
Biography
Malka Spigel fell into the music and art world as a Tel-Aviv exile in early 1980s AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact were an Israeli rock band associated with the post punk and indie rock movement of the 1980s.-Biography:Between its foundation in 1981 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played a small role in the European rock scene...
, which she co-founded with Berry Sakharof
Berry Sakharof
Berry Sakharof is an Israeli rock guitarist, songwriter and singer.-Biography:Sakharof was born in Izmir, Turkey in 1957. His family immigrated to Israel when he was 3 years old.-Start of career:...
(one of Israel's highly respected rock stars) and Samy Birnbach (latterly DJ Morpheus), and in which she played bass and contributed occasional vocals, pioneered a minimal post-punk/punk-funk sound that over seven years attracted a large, enthusiastic audience in continental Europe and beyond. During the period 1981 to 1988 the band grew to include drummer Max Franken (now Githead's drummer) and guitarist Rami Fortis (notorious in Israel as its first punk) and were associated with many esteemed musicians, recording with Tuxedomoon
Tuxedomoon
Tuxedomoon is an experimental post-punk/New Wave group formed in San Francisco, California, consisting of core members Blaine L. Reininger, Steven Brown and Peter Principle....
's Peter Principle, Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
's Colin Newman
Colin Newman
Colin Newman is an English musician, record producer and record label owner.-Biography:Newman is a member of the rock band Wire. When the band temporarily split in 1980, Newman pursued a solo career. His first solo LP, A-Z, was released in 1980 on the Beggar's Banquet label...
, who produced one of their albums, and John Fryer
John Fryer (music)
John Fryer is an English record producer. Best known for his production work, he also branched out as a musician as one of only two constant members of This Mortal Coil , providing keyboards, strings and synthesizer sequencing for the band, and its offshoot, The Hope Blister.- Career :Starting out...
(This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil was a gothic dream pop supergroup led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were technically the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating cast of supporting artists, many of whom...
), sound-tracking ballet by choreographer Pierre Droulers
Pierre Droulers
Pierre Droulers is a French and Belgian choreographer and dancer.He spent three years in artistic training at Maurice Béjart's Mudra School in Brussels and then studied with Jerzy Grotowski in Poland. Later, he participated in Bob Wilson's workshops in Paris...
, and having a song (sung by Malka) in the Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
movie Wings of Desire
Wings of Desire
Wings of Desire is a 1987 Franco-German romantic fantasy film directed by Wim Wenders. The film is about invisible, immortal angels who populate Berlin and listen to the thoughts of the human inhabitants and comfort those who are in distress...
.
Malka's working partnership with Colin Newman started in 1986 with "Commercial Suicide" and its follow-up "It Seems". The couple married in 1986 and moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1992, setting up the swim ~
Swim ~
swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
label, initially to release their own projects (Oracle, Malka's debut Rosh Balata, and Immersion), but later to release the work of other artists. In 1996, Immersion made an installation at The Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, which set Malka on a path of realising herself as a visual artist in addition to being a musician. During the period 2000 to 2002 she gained a degree in fine art, specialising in video and photography. She has since made video work with Immersion
Immersion
Immersion may refer to:* Immersion therapy overcoming fears through confrontation* Baptism by immersion* Immersion Games a developer of video games...
(most famously seen at the Royal Festival Hall, London) and video clips for Vapourspace and Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact
Minimal Compact were an Israeli rock band associated with the post punk and indie rock movement of the 1980s.-Biography:Between its foundation in 1981 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played a small role in the European rock scene...
. She also has an extensive collection of photography work, primarily created with a lomo
Lomo
Lomo is the Spanish word for tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is known as lomo de cerdo, whereas beef tenderloin is just called lomo.A specific type of lomo is lomo embuchado, which is a dry-cured meat made from a pork tenderloin. It is similar to cecina, but with pork instead of beef. An Italian...
LCA camera, which has gained her pre-eminence in the lomo
Lomo
Lomo is the Spanish word for tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is known as lomo de cerdo, whereas beef tenderloin is just called lomo.A specific type of lomo is lomo embuchado, which is a dry-cured meat made from a pork tenderloin. It is similar to cecina, but with pork instead of beef. An Italian...
& flickr
Flickr
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
community.
In 2004, Malka Spigel, Colin Newman,and Robin Rimbaud founded Githead, with Spigel playing bass, and all three members sharing vocal duties. Music journalist Joe Tangari, writing for pitchfork.com, reflected on Spigel's contribution to Githead's first album Headgit, released in 2004: "Spigel's bass thumps and bounces, giving Newman's detached vocal leads a funky underpinning and helping to humanize the rhythms provided by something called the Beat Monster. ... It's actually not difficult to imagine A Bell Is a Cup-era Wire coming up with something like this, though Spigel's deft funkiness – especially on "Profile" – helps set the two sounds apart some."
Solo albums and mini albums
- Rosh Ballata Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1993) - Hide Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1997) - My Pet Fish Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1997)
Collaborative albums
- Minimal CompactMinimal CompactMinimal Compact were an Israeli rock band associated with the post punk and indie rock movement of the 1980s.-Biography:Between its foundation in 1981 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played a small role in the European rock scene...
albums see Minimal CompactMinimal CompactMinimal Compact were an Israeli rock band associated with the post punk and indie rock movement of the 1980s.-Biography:Between its foundation in 1981 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played a small role in the European rock scene...
discography - Oracle Tree Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1994) - immersionImmersion (artists)Immersion are a sound and art duo composed of Wire & Githead's Colin Newman & Minimal Compact & Githead's Malka Spigel.The duo made 3 albums in the 90's on the swim ~ label and also made video-driven performances in venues such as the Royal Festival Hall in London and the Knitting Factory in New York...
Oscillating Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1994) - immersionImmersion (artists)Immersion are a sound and art duo composed of Wire & Githead's Colin Newman & Minimal Compact & Githead's Malka Spigel.The duo made 3 albums in the 90's on the swim ~ label and also made video-driven performances in venues such as the Royal Festival Hall in London and the Knitting Factory in New York...
Full Immersion (Remixes) Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1995) - Colin NewmanColin NewmanColin Newman is an English musician, record producer and record label owner.-Biography:Newman is a member of the rock band Wire. When the band temporarily split in 1980, Newman pursued a solo career. His first solo LP, A-Z, was released in 1980 on the Beggar's Banquet label...
Bastard Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1997) - immersionImmersion (artists)Immersion are a sound and art duo composed of Wire & Githead's Colin Newman & Minimal Compact & Githead's Malka Spigel.The duo made 3 albums in the 90's on the swim ~ label and also made video-driven performances in venues such as the Royal Festival Hall in London and the Knitting Factory in New York...
Low Impact Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1999) - Spigel * Newman * Colin * Malka Live Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(1999) - GitheadGitheadGithead is a musical collaboration that includes Wire's Colin Newman as well as electronic musician Robin Rimbaud alongside ex-Minimal Compact members Malka Spigel and Max Franken.- Biography :...
Headgit Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(2004) - GitheadGitheadGithead is a musical collaboration that includes Wire's Colin Newman as well as electronic musician Robin Rimbaud alongside ex-Minimal Compact members Malka Spigel and Max Franken.- Biography :...
Profile Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(2005) - GitheadGitheadGithead is a musical collaboration that includes Wire's Colin Newman as well as electronic musician Robin Rimbaud alongside ex-Minimal Compact members Malka Spigel and Max Franken.- Biography :...
Art Pop Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(2007) - GitheadGitheadGithead is a musical collaboration that includes Wire's Colin Newman as well as electronic musician Robin Rimbaud alongside ex-Minimal Compact members Malka Spigel and Max Franken.- Biography :...
Landing Swim ~Swim ~swim~ is a record label founded in 1993, and jointly run, by Wire guitarist and singer Colin Newman, and Minimal Compact bass player and singer Malka Spigel...
(2010)
Other notable collaborations
- Seven Codes with Rami FortisRami FortisRami Fortis , often Fortis, is an Israeli rock singer.-Biography:Rami Fortis is of Iraqi and Italian origin. He served in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and was influenced by his experiences at the front. He began his musical career in 1975 as a lighting-man in the shows of Tamuz - one of Israel's...
cassette only Seven Codes (1981) - Jean Conflict with Rami FortisRami FortisRami Fortis , often Fortis, is an Israeli rock singer.-Biography:Rami Fortis is of Iraqi and Italian origin. He served in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and was influenced by his experiences at the front. He began his musical career in 1975 as a lighting-man in the shows of Tamuz - one of Israel's...
, Jean-Jaques Goldberg & Ronen Ben Tal Third Ear (1986) - Colin NewmanColin NewmanColin Newman is an English musician, record producer and record label owner.-Biography:Newman is a member of the rock band Wire. When the band temporarily split in 1980, Newman pursued a solo career. His first solo LP, A-Z, was released in 1980 on the Beggar's Banquet label...
Commercial Suicide Crammed (1986) - Colin NewmanColin NewmanColin Newman is an English musician, record producer and record label owner.-Biography:Newman is a member of the rock band Wire. When the band temporarily split in 1980, Newman pursued a solo career. His first solo LP, A-Z, was released in 1980 on the Beggar's Banquet label...
It Seems Crammed (1988) - Foreign Affair East On Fire (lyrics 3 tracks) Crammed (1989)
- TuxedomoonTuxedomoonTuxedomoon is an experimental post-punk/New Wave group formed in San Francisco, California, consisting of core members Blaine L. Reininger, Steven Brown and Peter Principle....
You (vocals 1 track) Crammed (1990) - Hector ZazouHector ZazouHector Zazou was a prolific French composer and record producer who worked with, produced, and collaborated with an international array of recording artists...
Sahara Blue (vocals 1 track) Crammed (1991) - V/A Dugga, Dugga, Dugga - Various Artists Play Drill 1 track WMO (1998)
- Dictaphone M=Addiction vocalsCity Centre OfficesCity Centre OfficesCity Centre Offices is a record label based in Manchester, England, with an affiliate in Berlin, Germany. The label, founded in 1998 by Shlom Sviri and de:bug magazine writer Thaddi Herrmann, has released music from several notable acts, including Arovane, Boy Robot, Marsen Jules, Christian Kleine,...