Showing posts with label zilon_artist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zilon_artist. Show all posts

Monday, 29 July 2024

One Year After The Death of Zïlon Lazer aka Raymond Pilon - July 29, 2024

Zïlon Lazer
Photo courtesy of Zïlon Lazer Circa 2000


One year ago Zïlon died.  He was discovered unconscious and unresponsive in his Montreal apartment.  The news that he had died didn't hit the internet and news media until three days later on July 29th, 2023.  The art world was upended. The lives of those who knew and loved him were instantly shattered and broken.  Like being sucked into one of his screaming tableaux, trapped by anxiety, grief and mourning.  No exit!

The Sign of the Times

Zïlon was born in the 1950s and grew up in his nuclear family in the French Canadian city of Laval, Quebec.  These were conservative times and nonconformists were not looked upon kindly.  You either fit in, or you were an outsider.  While the Cold War still hovered over lives and the real presence of a nuclear war threatened our existence, this just added more fuel to the flames of the times.  The young Raymond chose the latter.  

Zïlon Lazer
Photo courtesy of Zïlon Lazer


In 1984, he would express his defiance when he would write the cynical lyrics and music to 'Industrial Park', a tongue in cheek song about growing up in suburbia and having to conform to its unacceptable status quo.  



The Formative Years

In the late 1970s, Zïlon and musician Michel Smith crossed paths as they shared a common interest in the experimental music of Terry Riley, Tangerine Dream and Fripp and Eno's 'No Pussyfooting' album.  This would mark the beginning of his journey into his own experiments using tape tape loops and synthesizers.  His AKS Synthi would become his 'weapon of choice' in the studio, at jams and on stage.


Zïilon recording and mixing his music in 1981
Photo by Diane Béatrice Lassonde © 1981


In the early 1980s, Zilon liberally exercised his artistic right to express himself by embellishing Montreal's downtown core with cans of black spray paint.  Under cover of night, he would leave his signature screaming face and short stylistic slogans on every wall, doorway, nightclub bathroom, alleyway, and abandoned building he could.  Years later, this graffiti art would be recognized as a valid form of artistic expression.

Photo courtesy of Zïlon Lazer Circa 1980


These were important times for the young assertive Zïlon and they would shape and define who he was in the burgeoning Montreal counterculture movement.  Art and music meshed at his Graffiti Cocktail parties, the Piss Tunnel, the abandoned Queen's Hotel jams, random art installations, while working on his music at home and gigging as Vava & Zilon.  The invincible Zïlon would put down his roots in this no holds barred movement.  It would eventually propel him into his future with hopes, dreams, desires and inevitably, success. 


Video clip of Maestro Zïlon Lazer making noise at a jam in the
Piss Tunnel under Park Avenue in Montreal.
Image by Paul Antoniadese © 1983


Zïlon was a frontline pioneer of the art and post punk/new wave scene that was growing across North America, the UK and Europe.  He was firmly entrenched in Montreal's charged counterculture scene.  He rubbed shoulders with Montreal's forward thinkers, as the up and coming artists and musicians descended upon Montreal's nightlife and held it for one decade.  The 80s was the beginning of an intensely chaotic and improvise-as-you-go approach to music, art and lifestyle.  Every man for himself, every band for themselves, do it yourself.  The competition for gigs, exposure, press coverage, interviews, photo ops, tv appearances, music videos and the like was fierce.  Zïlon, being a very savvy artist, took advantage of every opportunity the times had to offer. 

Courtesy of Zïlon Lazer Circa 1980


Who is this Zïlon guy?

I'll never forget the night in 1983 when Zïlon walked into Les Foufounes Électriques while I was at work.  He casually walked up to the bar and asked me if I would like to make music with him.  I had never met him face to face but had heard chatter of his bad boy persona, the jams in dilapidated buildings and his nocturnal late night escapades, spray cans at the ready.  While he was out on the streets doing his thing, I was gigging with The Essentials, Popstress and Duotang.  I was finally taking a well-deserved break after 3 years of all this.  I said "Yes"!


At Le St-Sulpice Patio after recording all day.
Photo Daniel Coté © 1983
Courtesy of Olivier Bergeron

Zilon was amazing to work with!  We had so much fun together cracking jokes, naming our song with crazy titles like 'I've Got Gas" and making fun of the bridge and tunnel crowds who invaded our beloved Foufounes Électriques every weekend.  


Our recordings and mix-downs were live, intuitive one-take songs.  The first song we recorded together was 'Fettucini Alfredo'.  That day, the apartment studio had been emptied for some renovations, and our gear, the TEAC and the PA were in the hallway.  We set up, did a quick soundcheck and hit 'record/play', vocals and all.  The rest is history!    




TEAC 4-track reels of our music recorded at our rehearsal
studio on the Plateau Mt. Royal in 1983. The first song
recorded, mixed & mastered was 'Fettucini Alfredo', on the large reel!
Photo by Vava Vol © 2012


Zïlon had a natural sense of where he was going with music and an extremely sharp ear.  He loved mixing lo-fi with hi-fi.  At that time, he had a drum machine which he ran through a digital delay, his Synthi AKS synth, a 2-track Fostex cassette Portastudio and a few mics.  I had a Pro-One, a Korg PS-3300, a Korg VC-10 Vocoder and a 4-track Fostex cassette Portastudio cassette.  It was a match from noise hell!  


My Korg PS3300 Synth
Photo by Sophie Béllisant ©1990

Zïlon's AKS Synthi
Photo courtesy of Zïlon Lazer



When we jammed, there was no 'just a minute while I find my sound" delays.  He jumped in with gusto and nailed it.  Every sound he programmed was out of this world.  He knew his instruments inside/out and it was obvious he had worked extensively with them. 


Zïlon Lazer at work in the 1970s
Photo courtesy of Diane Béatrice Lassonde Circa 1978 
 

We had the good habit of picking up metal junk from the streets and mixed those improvised beats and sounds into our music. Often times, we enhanced our live shows with our beautiful finds.  We both liked to pound on metal.  It was a great way to release our frustrations! 


Vava Vol & Zilon Lazer at Les Foufounes Électriques in 1984
Video by Paul Antoniades © 1984

Factory 2 was recorded in an abandoned refrigerator building
in Montreal's East End. Stills are from live shows filmed by Paul
Antoniades © 1984-1987

Zïlon also had an incredible singing voice  He was very fond of Gregorian Chants and incorporated his take of them into our songs.  He stunned a warehouse full of midnight jammers one night when he broke out into a Gregorian Chant soprano.  We were absolutely stunned as no one had ever heard him sing like that!  That's how he was.  Intuitive, spontaneous and right on.  You couldn't help but love him!  


Zïlon sings is one of a series of jams he recorded in an
abandoned warehouse.  Photos courtesy of Zïlon Lazer circa 1980.
.
Zïlon reminded me of The Hermit, an old soul in the body of a strong young man, mysterious and arcane, talented and luminescent.  He lived in the now and relied on his inner self for guidance.  There is only one time that is important and that time is now!

He had a confident calmness and a strange controlled energy buzzing around him.  His strong inner light fueled his determination to overcome obstacles on his quest for success.  His dazzling blue eyes glistened with great intelligence.  They reflected his acute knowledge and skillfulness of the 'do it yourself' self made culture to which he adhered to his entire life.  Zïlon renamed it 'do it for yourself'.  He was easily misunderstood by many, but admired and loved by those who did.  With a generous, warm-hearted and huge hart, there was nothing he wouldn't for those whom he loved.

The page turned when the 1990s eclipsed the 1980s.  A stable full of new musicians, chomping at the music business bit eagerly burst through the floodgates.  Anxious to get their cut of the explosive new music scene, they jockeyed for their places in the hall of fame and fortune.  The influential 80s were gone, but never forgotten. 

By then, Zïlon's notoriety had grown fast and furious as his provocative paintings caught the attention of the art world.  His dream was about to come true!

To Zïlon Lazer

You never left your past behind 
You were always true to you 
You wore your heart upon your sleeve
'Til the very last breath you drew  

I Miss You Z! - Love ~ Vava Vol


Zïlon Lazer
Photo by Leon Thomas © 1989
Courtesy of Zïlon Lazer


+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+**+*+*+*+*+*+

Random Photos - Enjoy!


Having a Happy Hour Bloody Ceasar at Cabaret Mado!
Photo by Vava Vol © 2009


Beautiful birthday present from Zïlon at a private b-day 
din din with friends!  What a sweetheart! 
Vava Vol personal archives


A little toast to good health! 
Vava Vol personal archives

Out on the town with Zïlon and Pierre Dorion
Photo by Vava Vol © 2005

Zïlon with Pierre Dorion at his 2005 show at René Blouin!
Photo by Vava Vol 2005



Zïlon, Georges and myself as Sensitiv Organz live
at Les Foufounes Électriques in 1986. In the middle of the show,
George broke a string on his guitar but didn't miss a single note as he
kept on playing til the bitter end!  What a trooper!
Vava Vol 1980s archives

Video clip from an after show interview with CTV's - Montreal Art & Artists
at the Les Foufounes Électiques 1984
Filmed by Paul Antoniadese in Les Foufes' dressing room
Paul Antoniades  © 1984



Designed by Zïlon Lazer © 1984


In 2015, the original Foufounes staff got together for 
dinner in Montreal's East End and moved on to our
beloved stomping ground, Les Foufounes.
As we sat and had drinks,
Zïlon was approached by this young lad to draw on his skateboard!
Photo by Vava Vol © 2015


Zïlon graciously proceeded to do what he does best!
Photo by Vava Vol © 2015

While he chit chatted with the young couple, 
he kept on doodling non-stop.
He was very happy to oblige the young couple!
Photo by Vava Vol © 2015


Hm-m-m!  
Let me see what I can do on this side!
Photo by Vava Vol © 2015

Voila! Being the pro he was, it only took Zïlon a few
minutes to jazz up the bottom of the board.
Photo by Vava Vol © 2015



Fettucini Alfredo, cover and track art
for the  intro song to our Montreal New Wave EP.
Zilon Lazer © 2016


Factory 2, song track art on our Montreal New Wave EP.
Zilon Lazer © 2016

Running Away From You, song track art on our Montréal New Wave EP.
Zilon Lazer © 2016


I Like Your Paintings, song track art on our Montreal New Wave EP.
Feat. Alan Lord with Vava Vol & Zilon Lazer
Zilon Lazer © 2016


Fettucini Alfredo, alternate cover and track art
for the  intro song to the Montreal New Wave EP.
Zilon Lazer © 2016

I Like Your Paintings, alternate song track art on our Montreal New Wave EP.
Feat. Alan Lord with Vava Vol & Zilon Lazer
Zilon Lazer © 2016

Factory 2, alternate song track art on our Montreal New Wave EP.
Zilon Lazer © 2016
.
Running Away From You, alternate song track art on our Montréal New Wave EP.
Zilon Lazer © 2016


Celebrating my birthday at Montreal's Cabaret Chez Mado.
Vava Vol archives Circa 2000


Zilon's performance at Montreal's Krash in 1984.
He sang a 45 minute set to his pre-recorded music and kept
the audience hopping!  Video still by Paul Antoniadese © 1984

Zilon's performance at Montreal's Krash in 1984.
Video still by Paul Antoniadese © 1984


Zilon's performance at Montreal's Krash in 1984
Video still by Paul Antoniadese © 1984


Zilon's performance at Montreal's Krash in 1984.
Video still by Paul Antoniadese © 1984


Zilon's performance at Montreal's Krash in 1984
Video still by Paul Antoniadese © 1984


Zilon's performance at Montreal's Krash in 1984.
Video still by Paul Antoniadese © 1984


Sunday, 23 June 2024

"Zïlon - Urban Legend" Exhibition - June 27th to October 1st, 2024 - June 23, 2024


Heads up everyone!  In honor of the great late Zïlon Lazer, an exhibition spanning the last 14 years of his career titled 'Zïlon, Urban Legend" will open in Montreal's Village as of June 27th until October 1st, 2024.  Enjoy! 

 

Thursday, 6 June 2024

Vava Vol at Montreal's Krash! - 1984 (Clip #3) Now On YouTube - June 6, 2024


As a follow-up to Clips #1 & #2, please welcome Vava Vol at Montreal's Krash! (1984), as Clip #3 from the evening's performance on a double bill with Zilon Lazer!  Thanks for listening!  




Vava Vol Official






Wednesday, 13 December 2023

A Vava Vol Anecdote About Zilon Lazer - December 13, 2023

 

In the early 90s, a bunch of us would get together every Saturday at 11:30 pm to watch Saturday Night Live. No potluck event here, only snacks and brews were allowed. My turn came up on October 3, 1992, and lo and behold Sinead O'Connor was performing that night.  

Zilon stopped by to hang out and watch the show.

At the finale of Bob Marley's 'War' where Sinead proclaims "Fight the real enemy" and tears up that picture of Pope John Paul II, there was a collective gasp in my living room from us French Canadian Roman Catholic Montrealers for godsakes!!!  

Zilon's grin says it all!

Needless to say, SNL post haste cut to a commercial and the entire world was turned upside down by her action and hasn't recovered from it since.

Uncanny, how Zilon and Sinead left this mortal coil around the same time this year......

Miss ya' Z! You too, Sinead!


Zilon and Christian

Sunday, 17 September 2023

Remembering Raymond Pilon aka Zilon Lazer aka Lion Lazer (July 25, 1956 - July 26, 2023) - September 17, 2023



Raymond Pilon aka Zilon Lazer was born on July 25, 1956, in Sainte Rose, Laval, Quebec, where he lived and went to school.  During the late 70s, he began spraying his graffiti art on Sainte Rose's empty outdoor surfaces.  In 1980, he moved to Montreal where he would meet Diane Lassonde and Daniel Marcoux, two important people in his personal and public life and the beginning of a 43 year friendship between them. 

 


Rewind to the fall of 1978.  While I was on a  flight to Montreal, Quebec in search of a new life, Zilon Lazer was busy covering the dark streets, back alleys and nightclubs of Montreal with his signature black graffiti slogans and screaming faces.  He regularly held midnight candlelight Graffiti Cocktail parties in dark tunnels, abandoned buildings and outdoor disused places he uncovered.  Via word of mouth, Zilon invited others to participate in the impromptu jams, which he continued to hold court into 1986. 


Zilon en Action
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Graffiti Cocktail Happening
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

In an abandoned warehouse
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

The Tunnel
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Paul Antoniades (Simon Eyes) and Diane Lassonde (Yana Tape) were a super team of multi-media artists who collaborated with Zilon on his graffiti paintings exhibitions and their own video art installations and live video taping of Montreal's 1980s subculture.  In 1983, when Zilon and I began to perform live, I was warmly invited to join this power team of pioneering movers and shakers.  What an honor! A feather in our cap was the successful exhibition 'Montréal Est au Centre', a musical performance by myself, a live action graffiti performance by Zilon and a bevy of other multimedia installations event which took place at the Sayde Bronfman Centre in 1985.

Montréal Est Au Centre 1986
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Zilon and I travelled parallel paths in those raw, wonderful 1980s Montreal counterculture underground scene until our paths crossed in late 1983. One night while at Les Foufounes, he dropped by and we began talking synths and music.  In his words: "I had heard about Duotang and wanted to plug in my synthesizer and make music with you". 

Zilon's EMS Synthi
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer


At Le St-Sulpice Patio after recording all day
Photo Daniel Coté © 1983

We rented time in a fully equipped home studio on the Plateau and began recording and rehearsing for our first show, which would be at the club and would continue for many more over the years. 


At Les Foufounes 1984
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer


At Les Foufounes 1984
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

This was the beginning of an unconditional, incredible 4 year journey of impromptu live shows, art exhibitions, and an adventurous, no-holds-barred 40 year friendship between us.  Zilon was a real futurist, in his art and in his music.  He lived by his creed "Do it for yourself".

Zilon took a lot of risks getting his message across, was fearless, bold and never stopped working for a moment.  He was fueled by an inner furnace of energy and the love for his work.  I'm forever grateful and honored to have met and worked with him.  

"March 2023 - We're living in granny times, Vava.  Not like the good 'ole 70s and 80s." 


At Danceteria, NYC
Photo Daniel Falgerho © 1983

At the original Club Soda on Parc for the
First Anniverssary of the Montreal Mirror
Photo by Guy L'Heureux 1986


At Save The Robots, NYC May 1984
Photo by Daniel Falgerho 


◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙


Thank you very much to Diane Lassonde for generously sharing her private and personal photos of Zilon taken in the 1980s in Montreal.  These photos show a very different side of him, which very few people were privy to.  What wonderful memories you must have of him Diane and now we have those memories of him too!  Such a beautiful gift!  

Diane took the following photo of Zilon at the McGill University faculty of music between 1980-83.  

"When we lived together we would go to the music building and wait outside the doors to access the floor where the pianos were.  We didn't have the code to unlock the door so we would pretend we were shuffling through our stuff waiting for a student to come out so we could slip in.  Then we would go to an empty room with the cassette recorder and Raymond would record some piano sequences he would then work on once we were back home.  This brings back such beautiful and emotional memories."


At the McGill faculty of Music
Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980-1983


Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © Circa 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 1980

Photo by Diane Lassonde © Circa 1981-1982


Photo by Diane Lassonde © 2014 

Photo by Diane Lassonde © 2014


┴╤╤╤╤╤╤╤╤┴


"Pourquoi j'aime la musique? Parce que ça m'inspire à dessiner.

Quand j’écoute de la musique je danse avec mon crayon.”


Anecdote by Daniel Marcoux

We lived in the same suburb, the same neighborhood. It was there that I discovered his talent, thanks to his graffiti attacks and paintings on the walls of the chalet in the park in front of his home.

I didn't meet him until the spring of 1980, just like Diane...

François Alfred Mignault aka ''moon / dog'' and I went to see the Urbanzz Project Phase 2 performance at Véhicule Art. We brought things to offer them. Afterwards, "lion / lazer" contacted us and invited us to his place. That's where we became friends for the next 43 years.

I became his confidant because I was a good listener and I was rather reserved and impressed by his charisma. Then, little by little, I became his archivist, by force of circumstance. My nickname was ''hermes / hermetic'', I took photos and recorded as much as I could with the means available at the time. The '80s were quite eventful, and you know something about it, you were part of that intense movement. A whole series of ephemeral formations followed one another to the rhythm of Raymond's teeming imagination. The Neonz, Urbanzz, Herksss, Fake Dancers, Philip Save and the Roomz, etc etc etc.... Sometimes it only lasted for an evening, or a recording... improvisation and spontaneity were Raymond's mottos throughout his life. He was in a perpetual state of creation, either in the heat of the moment or in his thoughts, always with his brain on ON night and day.

I wasn't always there to witness all his adventures. He was hard to follow, like a free electron. He moved around in different circles with people who didn't necessarily know each other. He always compartmentalized his friendships, his artistic and personal relationships. But there were also some wonderful encounters between the people who gravitated around him. (I have a special thought for Paul Antoniades, whom I would never have met without my friendship with Raymond).

In the 90s, as he became more popular and recognized, I let go of the now impossible task of archiving everything. Others took over, especially on the visual art, painting and mural side. Nevertheless, we kept in touch and continued to see each other through all this turmoil and his atypical trajectory.

In 1998, when our apartment burned down, I lost many documents and archives from those two decades, but the most precious things, like all his tapes, films and videos, were miraculously saved.

Then, in the early 2000s, we formed a sound duo, Zïlon / Dantenax = Ville Froide. We met almost every weekend for our Sunday sessions, and gave several performances in various alternative venues: Atom Heart the record store, Memoria for an all-nighter and at all his gallery openings, then for several performances by François Alfred at Les Foufounes Électriques... The list goes on... but the most memorable moments were those spent just between us, improvising simply for the fun of it, and raving about hypothetical future projects that we knew were totally unrealistic. Our last sound session was in May 2023, undoubtedly his last performance ever, and he concluded after listening to the whole thing that it was really crap 💩 apart from one or two brief passages that seemed interesting... He was very aware and self-critical of his good or bad moves, but more than anything else what I remember about my sound-mate, by brother-in-art was his sense of humor and self-derision.

I'm going to miss that big grumpy lion 🦁...


Zilon/Christ embracing his revisited suburban land
Photo by Daniel Marcoux © 2022

Early Neonz graffiti appearance in the night
Photo by Daniel Marcoux © circa 1979

Last & horizontal posture of Zilon appreciating quiet nature
& a Martini in March
Photo by Daniel Marcoux © 2023



Anecdote by Jenny Tousignant

I discovered Zilon's work during my visits to Montreal before moving to the city a few years later.

Starting in 2010, using my creations under the pseudonym Hybrid Boy, I flirted with the artistic and underground art scene of the city.  Zilon thus became one of these virtual acquaintances, a friend of friends that I met here and there. 

We have spoken a few times, especially in recent years. I felt privileged that he appreciated my photographs, each of his "likes" encouraging my creations.  He also liked the pictures of my "godchild cat" shared on social media; he told me he missed the presence of felines after losing his ginger cat in 2018. 

As a human artist living with melancholic nostalgia, he undoubtedly liked to have his talent recognized.  So I took pleasure in telling him that I thought of him after seeing his works. 

In March 2023, I asked him if he would like to participate in the "David en Arts" project of the Fonds  David S. Coquereau.  I believed that Zilon's interpretation of David would be magnificent and important. We discussed it briefly, arranging to meet another time to discuss the details and the price of such an order.  Unfortunately, he left us before this and that remains a regret for me. 

I can't speak of him as a close friend, but I would have liked to known him better.  I feel we could have chatted transparently if we could have gotten past the shyness stage. 

Jenny Tousignant


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥


The following photos are from Zilon's personal archives which he graciously sent to me in March of this year while working on videos for the Vava Vol & Zilon Lazer Legacy Album - Vol. 2.

Abandoned warehouse
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Abandoned Montreal Hotel
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Zilon with his mom
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer


Cover of the Montreal Mirror
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Zilon with good friend Chris
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Zilon at his old apartment on deBordeaux
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

One of Zilon's creeds
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Zilon in action
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Zilon in action
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer
Courtesy of Zilon

Zilon at a jam
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer


Zilon's cat Mephisto
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer


Photo Guy L'Heureux © 1986


Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

Tools of the trade
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer


Plugged in
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer

1980s Multitracker Fostex 
Courtesy of Zilon Lazer





Courtesy of Francis Trancis DesRuisseaux

Self-Portrait by Zilon Lazer
Courtesy of Francis Trancis DesRuisseaux


Francis at Les Foufounes Électriques
Make up by Zilon
That's Elyse off to the left!



Francis' make up by Zilon Lazer for an Alex Espinoza fashion show
Courtesy of Francis Trancis Des Ruisseaux



Thanks to Diane Lassonde, Jenny Tousignant, Daniel Marcoux and Francis Trancis DesRuisseaux for contributing their time, personal anecdotes and precious archives for Zilon's Memorial here on Vavaland. 

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

"Blessings to you our dear Zilon
 on your journey and final peaceful resting place 
in Nirvana - Namasté"