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The 40th Annual Report: It has nothing to do with art

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The excellent Industrial etc thread by @Poppy-Succeeds reminded me in timely fashion: it was 40 years ago *today* that Throbbing Gristle were formed. (My most useless piece of “pop” trivia).

I’m guessing I won’t be making any converts here, but theirs is a fascinating story well worth reading (“Wreckers of Civilisation” by Simon Ford). The ground-breaking sounds, the brutal philosophy, the controversies, the personalities, the successor acts spawned, the expectation-busting come-back….

On a personal note, they produced the most terrifying track I’ve ever heard (“Hamburger Lady”), the most valuable record I own (original blue vinyl copy of Heathen Earth), and also the greatest gig I’ve ever been at. It was their come-back period, about 2009, and one of the best features was just looking at their faces, how lived in they all were.

So if there are any other fans out there, let’s hear your thoughts and your favourite TG moment. Here’s mine: (Still Walking)

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Comments

  2. I never really enjoyed listening to them – but I did like the way they created outrage and kicked up an unholy din.

    I also enjoyed this Guardian piece, by Alex Petridis, about his attempt to listen to all 24 CDs in the Mute Box set, in order, in a row.

    “P-Orridge’s voice, a grating, Mancunian-accented whine that somehow manages to sound out of tune even when there is no apparent tune to be out of”

    http://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jan/01/artsfeatures.popandrock

  4. I saw Throbbing Gristle once back in 1978 or thereabouts at Goldsmiths College in South London. They made a terrible racket with no discernible shape or purpose but they were rather exhilarating. The best thing about them, and about the only thing I really remember about the night, was that when one of them switched from guitar to trumpet, there was absolutely no difference in the resulting noise.

    A few years later I ended up playing in a band with Genesis P-Orridge.

  5. I love Throbbing Gristle but listen to them less these days. The problem is me, and when and where I listen to music, rather than Throbbing Gristle, who probably didn’t take my lifestyle into account when they wrote Slug Bait.

  7. Dougal and me are old friends so any abuse is well meant, he knows my obsession with Breyer Gimpoid P’Orridge, which he feeds very well.
    TG hold a fascination for me but I really cant equate their ‘noise terrorizm’ with anything I’d give aural houseroom to.
    He’s sent me some Chris & Cosy which is very easy to get on with, music even, but they still have a TG stigma of smelliness, weird sex and something not right.
    On the other hand, X-TG showed great promise with some very listenable tunes, a cooler image and an interesting (if queasy) heritage, but then old Sleazy up and pegged it.

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