Throbbing Gristle | Artist
Throbbing Gristle was an English music and visual arts group formed 1975 in Kingston upon Hull by members Genesis P-Orridge (bass, violin, vocals), Cosey Fanni Tutti (guitar, cornet), Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson (tape, trumpet) and Chris Carter (synthesizer). The group evolved from the performance art collective COUM Transmissions formed in Kingston upon Hull, which took musical influences from experimental artists such as William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. With their sound built on tape loops, electronics and sparse rhythms, which they themselves described as "industrial music for industrial people", TG are widely regarded as pioneers of industrial music, along with contemporaries Cabaret Voltaire. They made extensive use of pre-recorded tape-based samples and special effects to produce a distinctive, highly distorted background, usually accompanied by lyrics or spoken-word performances by Cosey Fanni Tutti or Genesis P-Orridge. Lyrical themes mainly revolved around mysticism, extremist political ideologies, sexuality, dark or underground aspects of society, and idiosyncratic manipulation of language. Outstanding Throbbing Gristle albums include The Second Annual Report (1977), DOA: The Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle (1978), 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1979), and the live albums At the Factory Manchester (1979) Heathen Earth (1980), and Live December 2004: A Souvenir From Camber Sands (2004). Also recommended is the 1981 compilation Throbbing Gristle's Greatest Hits: Entertainment Through Pain. All the members also have solo albums and side projects, most notable are Coil, co-founded by Peter Christopherson and John Balance, and Psychic TV, founded by Genesis P-Orridge. Throbbing Gristle's confrontational live performances and use of often disturbing imagery, including pornography and photographs of Nazi concentration camps, earned the group a notorious reputation. The group stated that their mission was to "challenge and explore the darker and obsessive sides of the human condition rather than to make attractive music". Genesis P-Orridge passed away on the 14th of March 2020.
Artist Website: throbbing-gristle.com
Featured Albums: Throbbing Gristle
Related Artists: Coil, Psychic TV, Chris & Cosey
