Brian Routh

Early life and family

He grew up in a working-class family with parents that were considered rebellious talkers and story tellers. Brian Routh's, great grandfather "James Diston" was a bare knuckle prize fighter who also ran a circus. Routh attended the Bifron's Secondary Modern School in Barking, Essex, UK, graduated in 1963. In Brian Routh's youth, he participated in boxing, poetry and singing. He learned to play the piano, harmonium, organ, and later the drums. Brian Routh played in a rock group as a drummer in the early 1960s and later performed as a singer/guitarist. He attended East 15 Acting School where he met fellow student Martin von Haselberg. They became good friends and together they created The Kipper Kids and performed in small theaters, clubs and festivals across Europe in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Austria. They received an invitation to perform at the Munich Olympics as the Kipper Kids in 1972 which was marred by the Munich massacre.

Brian Routh was married to new media artist Nina Sobell from 1975 to 1981. Routh had taught at the San Francisco Art Institute where he met Karen Finley. They were married in 1981, which ended in divorce in 1987. In 2012, Routh married digital artist Patricia Routh (nee Wells).

Performance artist

Routh started his career in 1971 as a performance artist. After inventing the character of Harry Kipper with Martin Von Haselberg on an acid trip in Frankfurt, they later they developed the iconic the Kipper Kids. Brian Routh embarked on solo work primarily the mid 1970s. The Kipper Kids reunited in 1977 to work on a film by Richard Elfman, called "Forbidden Zone" released in 1982. Brian Routh with Von Haselberg appeared as the Kipper Kids. In 1980 Brian Routh began to perform as a solo artist again in between appearances as The Kipper Kids. He performed at Lincoln Center NYC as well as theatre festivals in Germany, Italy and at the Art Cologne. In 1982 The Kipper Kids were cast in unique variety show was promoted by HBO, entitled "The Mondo Beyondo Show" featuring and hosted by Bette Midler Routh was also involved in writing and starring in three projects for HBO and Cinemax and performed in several films as "The Kipper Kids".

Collaborations

Routh has collaborated with and appeared with The Kipper Kids the Blue Man Group, Nina Sobell, Karen Finley a tour of Italy and Germany (1981), Henry Rollins in Arizona USA(1987), Public Image Ltd, Genesis P. Orridge, Sex Pistols in Reading University UK (1975), Johanna Went at the Theatre Carnival, Sequel Cafe LA USA, Eric Bogosian, Anne Bean, Bow Gamelan Ensemble, Lol Coxhill, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Ian Hinchliffe.

2000 and Beyond

Brian Routh currently works primarily within the sound art genre on a variety of pieces combining video, performance and sound in the form of diaries, rants and sound works. He is also involved in activism and uses notable speakers, sampling their speeches and re-editing them to music he has designed for the piece. His sound work has been featured on numerous BBC Radio shows and The Guardian weekly podcast.