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Peter Ivers

About Me

Peter Scott Ivers (1946 - March 3, 1983) was an American musician, best known as the host of New Wave Theatre.Ivers was born in Illinois, but raised in West Roxbury, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University, majoring in political science, but chose a career in music. He started playing harmonica with the Boston-based Beacon Street Union (although he does not appear on their album, The Clown Died In Marvin Gardens). He embarked on a solo career in 1969 with the Epic release of his debut, Knight of the Blue Communion featuring Sri Lankan jazz vocalist Yolande Bavan. Ivers wrote the music and played harmonica. Tim Mayers wrote the lyrics. After a second LP, Take It Out On Me, with Asha Puthli on vocals, was shelved by Epic, Ivers signed with Warner Bros., where he recorded two more albums. Terminal Love, from 1974, featured Ivers on vocals for the first time, and stands out as perhaps his singular peak as performer and songwriter. The album also features an amazing avant-jazz-art-rock band that included Marty Krystall, Paul Lenhart, Buell Neidlinger and Alice DeBuhr.In 1976, Ivers was asked by David Lynch to write a song for his movie, Eraserhead. Ivers penned In Heaven (The Lady in the Radiator Song), which became the most well-known composition from the film.Ivers' best friend was Harvard classmate Douglas Kenney, founder of the National Lampoon. Ivers was also close friends with John Belushi. Both men preceded Ivers in death.Ivers was tapped by David Jove to host New Wave Theatre, which was shown irregularly as part of the weekend program Night Flight on the fledgling USA Network. The program was a frantic cacophony of music, theater and comedy, lorded over by Ivers with his manic presentation. Using a method of filming known as "live taped", the show was the first opportunity for many alternative musicians to receive nationwide exposure. Bands who appeared on the show included The Circle Jerks, The Dead Kennedys, Fear and The Plugz.In 1983, Peter Ivers was found murdered in his Los Angeles apartment. Harvard established the Peter Ivers Visiting Artist Program in his memory. His death remains unsolved.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 9/6/2006
Band Members: ALBUMS: (A) KNIGHT OF THE BLUE COMMUNION (Epic BN 26500) 1969 (B) TERMINAL LOVE (Warner BS 2804) 1974 (C) PETER IVERS (Warner BS 2930) 1976 (D) NIRVANA PETER (Warner 25213-1) 1985- compilation of the Warner Lps with unreleased tracks. +++++++++++++++++++++++TONY ACKERMAN gtr A, PAUL BALMUTH sax A, YOLANDE BAVAN vcls A, PETER IVERS vcls, hrmnca A B C D, STEVE KOWARSKY bassoon A, R.FRANK POZAR perc A, JOE SEALE intermodulator A, HENRY SCHUMAN oboe A, RICHARD YOUNGSTEIN contrabass A, KATHY APPLEBY violin B, BEN BENAY gtr B, DAVID COHEN gtr B, ALICE DeBUHR drms B, ELLIOTT INGBER gtr B, MARTY KRYSTALL sax B, PAUL LENART gtr B, BUELL NEIDLINGER bs B, C ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 45s: (A) Peter Ivers Group (with Asha Puthli): Ain't That Peculiar/Clarence O'Day (Epic 5-10681) 1971, (B) Peter Ivers: Eighteen And Dreaming/Eighteen And Dreaming (mono) (Warner WBS 8287) 1976, Love Theme from Filmex/Love Theme From Filmex- instr. (Filmex) 1980. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Songs on Soundtracks: In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song) (composed and sung by Peter Ivers, Lyrics by David Lynch) ) ERASERHEAD Soundtrack (IRS & Alternative Tentacles) 1982.
Influences: .. _________PETER IVERS/ALPHA CENTAURI___________________MURDER, MYSTERY & MAYHEM 1981_______________PETER IVERS/FEAR/NEW WAVE THEATER_______________PETER IVERS/RAYONICS/NEW WAVE THEATER____________PETER IVERS____________GEZA X.. _________THE UNKNOWNS____________GEZA X____________KAOS____________CIRCLE JERKS____________45 GRAVE____________45 GRAVE____________ANGRY SAMOANS ____________PETER IVERS
"HALLOWEEN UNCUT" - LIVE IN HOLLYWEIRD
Uploaded by Zaetar _____________________________________ "Girlz of Zaetar" VIDEO LIVE IN HOLLYWEIRD ON "HALLOWEEN UNCUT" with Peter on harmonica.
Sounds Like: "In Heaven," the song sung by the Lady in the Radiator, has been covered by Bauhaus, Norma Loy, WC3 (à trois dans les WC), Haus Arafna, Miranda Sex Garden, Annie Christian, Pankow, Pixies, Bang Gang and Tuxedomoon. Indie rockers Modest Mouse borrowed lines from "In Heaven" for "Workin' on Leavin' the Livin.'" The goth rock band Sex Gang Children's song "Dying Fall" makes a mention of "the lady in the radiator." Also a video clip of Lady in the Radiator singing “In Heaven” introduced the heavy metal band Pantera during many of their mid-1990s concerts. The Mars Volta have also admitted an influence, as have Morning Runner.Cover Versions of In Heaven (The Lady in the Radiator Song) by Peter Ivers/David Lynch (June 8, 1982)Heaven by Norma Loy (1986)In Heaven (Everything Is Fine) by Pankow (1987)In Heaven by Tuxedomoon (1988)Heaven by Pixies (1988)In Heaven by Bauhaus (1992)In Heaven (The Lady in the Radiator Song) by Miranda Sex Garden (February 22, 1993)
Record Label: Unsigned

My Blog

Peter Ivers Biography Available Now!

August 12th is the day the Peter Ivers Biography comes out!BOOK EVENTS:West Coast:August 12- LOS ANGELES, CA: Release party, Book signing, and screening of ERASERHEAD at Egyptian Theatre - 6:30 to 11:...
Posted by on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:48:00 GMT

Time to Remember a Cultural Icon by Josh Frank

Time to Remember a Cultural Iconby Josh FrankMarch 3, 2008 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Peter Ivers. Who, you ask? I’ll tell you.Peter Ivers was a prolific and multi-faceted artist...
Posted by on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:01:00 GMT

CD reissue of 'Knight of the Blue Communion'

Hux Records has reissued Peter's first album, Knight of the Blue Communion. The packaging and and sound are fantastic! Nigel Cross has written wonderful liner notes which cover all of Peter's career. ...
Posted by on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:46:00 GMT

Tequila Mockingbird

Be sure to check in on Peter's friend Tequlia. She was back up singer and talent booker for New Wave Theatre. She's still very active in the L.A. music world and, among other projects, is in a super c...
Posted by on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:31:00 GMT

Forever Young

Forever Young David Jove, New York/September 5, 1983 Peter Ivers was a legend in the making a Peter Pan out of Harvard who wrote and performed his own songs and was a pioneer of New Wave video. But ...
Posted by on Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:39:00 GMT

BIG DAY AT OJAI now on CD

great album featuring Peter on harmonica: reissue of BIG DAY AT OJAI (K2B2 2369) now available as BUELL NEIDLINGER BUELLGRASS - ACROSS THE TRACKS 1. STARDUST (Hoagy Carmichael) 2. JUMPIN' PUNKINS ...
Posted by on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:54:00 GMT

Peter Ivers Bio in the works!

Josh Frank has signed a deal with Simon and Schuster with the express permission of Ivers estate to write a Peter Ivers biography. From Harvard to Hollywood, Punk rock, New Wave Theatre and beyo...
Posted by on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 10:22:00 GMT

Take it Out on Me

As a follow-up to his first amazing album, Knight Of The Blue Communon, Peter and producer Sandy Linzer delivered his next project, Take it Out on Me, which was recorded in 1971. Epic shelved it and o...
Posted by on Sat, 30 Sep 2006 06:52:00 GMT