Kim Larsen
Real Name:
Kim Melius Flyvholm Larsen
Profile:
Danish singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor, born 23 October 1945 in Copenhagen, died 30 September 2018 in Odense. Since the 1970's one of the most popular Danish artists as the unofficial leader of Gasolin' in the 70's and as the best-selling solo artist of the 80's. In total, as a solo artist Kim Larsen has sold approximately 3 million records, equivalent of one record for every two Danes.
In 1969 he founded Gasolin' with Franz Beckerlee and Wili Jønsson. They were later joined by drummer Søren Berlev, and by their third album in 1973 they had grown to be the most popular Danish rock band. The band was characterized by Beckerlee's Hendrix-inspired guitar licks and melodic streetwise social-romantic lyrics, that, even when credited to the band and lyricist Mogens Mogensen, clearly were masterminded by Larsen. The band's national stardom continued until growing tensions between Larsen and Beckerlee led to Gasolin' disbanding on 21 August 1978.
During the Gasolin' era Larsen also had several side-projects. In 1973 he released his first solo album, the folkish singer-songwriter album "Værsgo" which was an instant success with the Danish audience. Three decades after its release it was included in Kulturkanonen, a list of essential Danish cultural heritage. In 1977 he released "Kim Larsen & Yankee Drengene" an English language album recorded in the US in an attempt to achieve the international breakthrough that had failed for Gasolin' a couple of years earlier. This album failed as well. Occasionally he recorded and performed with side-projects Sylvester's Jukebox and Starfuckers (2). He also wrote the 1978 hit "Se Venedig Og Dø" for Lone Kellermann.
Post-Gasolin' after a second Danish language pop solo album "231045-0637", Larsen did a third attempt for international success: In 1980 he moved to New York and established the band Kim Larsen And Jungledreams, this time in a disco/synthpop style. After two albums that proved to fail as well, Larsen returned to his home country and stuck to the Danish language and a national focus which proved instantly successful. His next album, the 1983 release "Midt Om Natten" sold more than half a million copies and remains the best-selling album in Denmark ever. The album was also the soundtrack for the eponymous box office hit movie, which he wrote and co-starred, securing him a "Robert" actors award.
Throughout the 80's with his band Kim Larsen & Bellami he remained at the top of the charts and maintained his status as a national poet and top-selling artist. However by the early 1990's his popularity had gradually decreased and the 1992 album "Wisdom Is Sexy" was a critical failure and sold poorly.
With his next band, Kim Larsen & Kjukken, he turned his repertoire towards pure pop music and lost appeal with the youth. However, with 2001's "Sange Fra Glemmebogen", Larsen regained his popularity and Kim Larsen & Kjukken proved to be his most stable constellation, regularly releasing new material over a period of 20 years until his death.
In January 2018 it was made public that Larsen suffered from prostate cancer. Nevertheless, he completed a national tour over the summer of 2018. His concert at Valdemars Slot on 24 August 2018 proved to be his last.
Kim Larsen was married 3 times and fathered 6 children, including Sylvester Larsen and Hjalmer.
In 1969 he founded Gasolin' with Franz Beckerlee and Wili Jønsson. They were later joined by drummer Søren Berlev, and by their third album in 1973 they had grown to be the most popular Danish rock band. The band was characterized by Beckerlee's Hendrix-inspired guitar licks and melodic streetwise social-romantic lyrics, that, even when credited to the band and lyricist Mogens Mogensen, clearly were masterminded by Larsen. The band's national stardom continued until growing tensions between Larsen and Beckerlee led to Gasolin' disbanding on 21 August 1978.
During the Gasolin' era Larsen also had several side-projects. In 1973 he released his first solo album, the folkish singer-songwriter album "Værsgo" which was an instant success with the Danish audience. Three decades after its release it was included in Kulturkanonen, a list of essential Danish cultural heritage. In 1977 he released "Kim Larsen & Yankee Drengene" an English language album recorded in the US in an attempt to achieve the international breakthrough that had failed for Gasolin' a couple of years earlier. This album failed as well. Occasionally he recorded and performed with side-projects Sylvester's Jukebox and Starfuckers (2). He also wrote the 1978 hit "Se Venedig Og Dø" for Lone Kellermann.
Post-Gasolin' after a second Danish language pop solo album "231045-0637", Larsen did a third attempt for international success: In 1980 he moved to New York and established the band Kim Larsen And Jungledreams, this time in a disco/synthpop style. After two albums that proved to fail as well, Larsen returned to his home country and stuck to the Danish language and a national focus which proved instantly successful. His next album, the 1983 release "Midt Om Natten" sold more than half a million copies and remains the best-selling album in Denmark ever. The album was also the soundtrack for the eponymous box office hit movie, which he wrote and co-starred, securing him a "Robert" actors award.
Throughout the 80's with his band Kim Larsen & Bellami he remained at the top of the charts and maintained his status as a national poet and top-selling artist. However by the early 1990's his popularity had gradually decreased and the 1992 album "Wisdom Is Sexy" was a critical failure and sold poorly.
With his next band, Kim Larsen & Kjukken, he turned his repertoire towards pure pop music and lost appeal with the youth. However, with 2001's "Sange Fra Glemmebogen", Larsen regained his popularity and Kim Larsen & Kjukken proved to be his most stable constellation, regularly releasing new material over a period of 20 years until his death.
In January 2018 it was made public that Larsen suffered from prostate cancer. Nevertheless, he completed a national tour over the summer of 2018. His concert at Valdemars Slot on 24 August 2018 proved to be his last.
Kim Larsen was married 3 times and fathered 6 children, including Sylvester Larsen and Hjalmer.
Sites:
In Groups:
Den Gule Negl,
Gasolin',
Kim Larsen & Bellami,
Kim Larsen & Kjukken,
Kim Larsen And Jungledreams,
Larsen & Co.,
Starfuckers (2),
Sylvester's Jukebox
Variations:
Marketplace
7,278 For SaleImage | Title | Label | Catalog Number | Year | In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory | Actions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Albums |
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40-65718, CBS 65718 |
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Kim Larsen | Værsgo (Album) | CBS | 40-65718, CBS 65718 | Denmark | 1973 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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40-82090 |
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Kim Larsen | Kim Larsen & Yankee Drengene (Album) | CBS | 40-82090 | Denmark | 1977 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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40-83626 |
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Kim Larsen | 231045-0637 (Album, Single) | CBS | 40-83626 | Denmark | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 40-84854 |
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Kim Larsen | Jungle Dreams (Album) | CBS | CBS 40-84854 | Denmark | 1981 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MdLP 6165 |
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Kim Larsen | Midt Om Natten (Album) | Medley Records | MdLP 6165 | Scandinavia | 1983 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MdCD 6195 |
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Kim Larsen | Kim I Cirkus (Album) | Medley Records | MdCD 6195 | Scandinavia | 1985 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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EMI 8296812 |
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Kim Larsen | Hvem Kan Sige Nej Til En Engel (Album) | Medley Records | EMI 8296812 | Denmark | 1994 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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509996338302 |
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Kim Larsen | Mine Damer Og Herrer (Album) | Medley Records | 509996338302 | Denmark | 2010 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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5054197038662 |
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Kim Larsen | Sange Fra Første Sal (Album) | Medley Records | 5054197038662 | Denmark | 2019 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Singles & EPs |
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CBS 1932 |
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Kim Larsen | Maria / Blaffersangen (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 1932 | Denmark | 1973 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 2237 |
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Kim Larsen & Søren Bernbom | Kim Larsen & Søren Bernbom - Joanna / De Fjorten Astronauter (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 2237 | Denmark | 1974 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 3257 |
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Kim Larsen / Sylvester's Jukebox | Kim Larsen / Sylvester's Jukebox - Marken Er Høstet / Gør Mig Varm (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 3257 | Denmark | 1975 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 5864 |
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Kim Larsen | Keep The Fiddlers Playin' / This Is My Life (Single) | CBS | CBS 5864 | Denmark | 1977 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MDS 101 |
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Stig Møller & Kim Larsen | Stig Møller & Kim Larsen - Skovsøen / Hør Nu Her Engang (7", Single) | Medley Records | MDS 101 | Denmark | 1978 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 6252 |
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Kim Larsen | Sans Souci / Tijuana's Callin' (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 6252 | Scandinavia | 1978 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 8310 |
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Kim Larsen | Moderne Tider (7") | CBS | CBS 8310 | Denmark | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 8311 |
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Kim Larsen | Tutta (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 8311 | Denmark | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 7873 |
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Kim Larsen | Køb Bananer (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 7873 | Denmark | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 7101 |
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Kim Larsen | Ud I Det Blå (7") | CBS | CBS 7101 | Denmark | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 7872 |
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Kim Larsen | Dagen Før (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 7872 | Scandinavia | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 7908 |
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Kim Larsen | Dagen Før / Monkeymand (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 7908 | Sweden | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS 7871 |
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Kim Larsen | Blip-Båt (7", Single) | CBS | CBS 7871 | Scandinavia | 1979 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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49-02653 |
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Kim Larsen | Thin Ice (12") | Epic | 49-02653 | US | 1981 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBSA 1002, CBS A 1002 |
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Kim Larsen | Rock 'N' Roll City / The Flirt (Single) | CBS, CBS | CBSA 1002, CBS A 1002 | Germany | 1981 | Sell This Version | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CBS A 1194 |
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Kim Larsen | Donnez-Moi Du Feu (Single, Maxi) | CBS, CBS | CBS A 1194 | Spain | 1981 | Sell This Version |