THROBBING GRISTLE
THROBBING GRISTLE
http://crackmagazine.net/2016/04/throbbing-gristle-back-catalogue-to-be-repressed-on-vinyl/
They didn’t invent punk, heavy metal, or ska. They invented performance tampon. (officially they are credited with inventing Industrial Music, but nobody knows what that means)
“Wikipedia defines industrial music as “a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes,” which could mean a number of things, save for the fact that we know that the slogan “Industrial Music for Industrial People” was coined for the band Throbbing Gristle’s Industrial Records label, and for that Throbbing Gristle should be considered the original industrial band”
http://flavorwire.com/406794/a-thinking-persons-guide-to-industrial-music
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/throbbing-gristle-mn0000926604/discography
- Abrasive, aggressive, and antagonistic, Britain’s Throbbing Gristle pioneered industrial music; exploring death, mutilation, fascism, and degradation amid a thunderous cacophony of mechanical noise, tape loops, extremist anti-melodies, and bludgeoning beats, the group’s cultural terrorism – the “wreckers of civilization,” one tabloid called them – raised the stakes of artistic confrontation to new heights, combating all notions of commerciality and good taste with a maniacal fervor.
- Formed in London in the autumn of 1975, Throbbing Gristle consisted of vocalist/ringleader Genesis P-Orridge, his then-lover, guitarist Cosey Fanni Tutti, tape manipulator Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson, and keyboardist Chris Carter. A performance art troupe as much as a band, their early live shows – each starting with a punch clock and running exactly 60 minutes before the power to the stage was cut – threatened obscenity laws; during their notorious premiere gig, P-Orridge even mounted an art exhibit consisting entirely of used tampons and soiled diapers.*
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/throbbing-gristle-mn0000926604
http://lisalefteyeloeb.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/throbbing-gristle.html
Although I’ve never listened to a whole one of their albums because I’m too softcore, their creative ethic shapes every post I do on Steemit.
Sometimes I have ideas for performances in the shower. Today I thought up “Parrot reverse death drop” which would start with the screeching from a flock of parrots put through a white noise filter while a man in a straight jacket, his mouth filled with used tampons, screams “Insertion” through a drainpipe and another man urinates on his head. After four minutes there would be a loud bang and a parrot would screech “Polly” followed by two minutes of silence
- Throbbing Gristle’s confrontational live performances and use of often disturbing imagery, including pornography and photographs of Nazi concentration camps, gave the group a notorious reputation. However, the group always maintained that their mission was to challenge and explore the darker and obsessive sides of the human condition rather than to make attractive music. Throbbing Gristle 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. Though they asserted they wanted to provoke their audience into thinking for themselves rather than pushing any specific agenda (as evidenced by the song “Don’t Do As You’re Told, Do As You Think” on Heathen Earth), Throbbing Gristle also frequently associated with the anarchist punk scene.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throbbing_Gristle
One of my favourite things about the band is their album covers – hell they were funny:
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/throbbing-gristle-mn0000926604/discography
Ready to hear some now?
Throbbing Gristle – What A Day
“I honestly believe this is the single greatest piece of industrial music ever produced”
“You can twerk to this”
“For those who don’t know, the cover shows the band at Beachy Head, a high cliff and a notorious suicide spot”
“I like the cover, it’s subtlety uncomfortable, like, you don’t see anything bad to begin with, but your subconscious knows something is wrong”
“The 1st time I heard this was after my 1st trip on magic mushrooms…it scared the hell out of me :)”
“Every single time I have an overwhelming day, without fucking fail, this song pops into my head”
“I wake up each day and toss on a Throbbing Gristle record. Hell of a way to start a day”
What has come over you? – feel free to to comment, and don’t be afraid to threaten obscenity laws!
PS. Throbbing Gristle have reformed (warning – do not watch this video if you can’t handle the jandle)
Every gender studies professor in England is raving about this and saying you don’t have to let being born a man prevent you from becoming the woman you were meant to be. (I know I occasionally make things up, but not this time)
COMMENTS
I need some good quality dope to get through these performances.
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LOL, that was one of the oddest things I’ve ever watched or listened to. Ever. Haha! You should sell them your shower idea, I have no trouble imagining them performing it 😉
I hope you listened to the whole thing – I have had some complaints 🙂
LOL “I just wasted 4:38 minutes of my life listening to this industrial crap”
I think we can all safely assume you didn’t read a word of it. Either that or it’s the only blog post you have ever read. Though you did upvote, which shows good manners.
I’m sure you’re right. There is nowhere near enough cholesterol in beef, chicken drumsticks, chicken livers, egg yolks and goat feta. I need some raw cows brains, or maybe I need to go back to the Carnivore, No Plant diet. https://steemit.com/life/@kiwideb/why-i-ate-nothing-but-meat-for-a-year-and-why-i-m-now-eating-plants-again
(I haven’t got a good enough handle on your sense of humour yet to be sure, but am assuming you’re trolling, and don’t really think I’m vegan.)
glass is inert and edible. just make sure you chew until it is totally sand before swallowing so it doesnt cut your insides. Its a common bar trick
OMG this is the best quality reply to a reply to a reply i have ever seen!
:O
I jsut wasted 4:38 minutes of my life listening to this industrial crap.
Now, if you tell me you are British, I am going to change my entire opinion of you.
Oh wait, I remember you are Kiwi!
The only thing that I save of them is their outfit. Fucking brilliant.
Make sure you listen to the discipline one as well – it’s brilliant and you will thank me later
“Entertainment through pain”
nevermind, im wrong
im a bit shocked that this is what happened to throbbing gristle. although I shouldnt be
Lovely uplifting post. I think I saw Throbbing Gristle reading fairy tales to the kids in my local primary school.
“Parrot reverse death drop” which would start with the screeching from a flock of parrots put through a white noise filter while a man in a straight jacket, his mouth filled with used tampons, screams “Insertion” through a drainpipe and another man urinates on his head. After four minutes there would be a loud bang and a parrot would screech “Polly” followed by two minutes of silence
That would be very special indeed.
i am not entirely unsure i haven’t seen a porno by the same name.
Oh damn it you came with another rocking post now time to roast me in the comments ;p
Well, if you’re looking for music to go mad by, I think this is it.
Certainly sends me mad very quickly, though I hesitate to call it music.
What do you think about this music? A big hit when I was young, made in Holland.
Dutch people are all freaks aren’t they?
I wonder if they have embraced their womanhood yet?
Haha, Yes except the ones who live oversees.
You can choose what you want.
@sift666 I went on a Date Me coffee date this weekend with someone who listed in his profile under “Last album bought:”
‘Good ole 80s hair metal.’
I looked it up and it was exactly as I imagined. For reasons of privacy, I shan’t say more.
I think Throbbing Gristle invented Hair Metal too!
It’s about time you posted that series of posts about guys you have dated and what they said – word for word – preferably with selfies.
OMG im amazed you know of throbbing gristle!
So far before their own time. lol
Damn now i have to go dig up old industril cd’s to put on my phone to listen to.
lol
LOL
Weird as fuck!
But they influenced alot of other musicians that were just slightly less weird and they completly changed music.
Why, thank you for introducing me to this exquisite type of melodies 🙂 Whet err day!
As a PS to this story… Last night I was in the study, replying to some comments on Steemit. @sift666 was on the laptop in the next room. There was some horrible noise coming from his laptop, interspersed with hysterical laughter. After it went on for what seemed like forever, I couldn’t bear it any longer, and screeched “turn that fucking noise off”. When he couldn’t hear me over the horrendous noise, and it didn’t stop, I leapt to my feet, and slammed both doors. There’s nothing like Industrial to transform me from a kind, patient, tolerant person to a gibbering, murderous maniac! If my reply to one of the comments on my most recent post was less than kind, I blame Throbbing Gristle!
sounds to me like you have upset the local study group there buddy
Nice post about historical photography and videos, like it and vote it up, Thanks for sharing.
really it was cool to know about them they are unique in their style 😀