Jump to content

Throbbing Gristle

From Alfawiki
Throbbing Gristle
Company typeCollective
IndustryMusic, Visual art
Founded1976
FounderGenesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti
Headquarters
Kingston upon Hull
,
England
ProductsMusic albums, Visual art

Throbbing Gristle was an English collective known for both their music and visual art, originating in Kingston upon Hull through the efforts of Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, with later additions Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson and Chris Carter. They are widely recognized as foundational figures in the industrial music genre. Emerging from the avant-garde performance group COUM Transmissions, Throbbing Gristle made their public debut in October 1976 during the COUM exhibition Prostitution. The following year, they released their first single "United/Zyklon B Zombie" alongside their debut album The Second Annual Report. P-Orridge's lyricism often delved into themes such as mysticism, radical politics, sexuality, subterranean culture, and linguistic experimentation influenced by William S. Burroughs.

The group issued several pivotal studio and live recordings—including D.o.A: The Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle (1978), 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1979), and Heathen Earth (1980)—through their self-established Industrial Records label. Their reputation was built on provocative, confrontational artistry that incorporated unsettling visuals like ironic fascist and Nazi imagery, explicit content, noise elements, and sound manipulation techniques inspired by Burroughs and Brion Gysin.

Internal disagreements led to the band's dissolution in 1981; members then embarked on separate ventures such as Psychic TV, Coil, and Chris & Cosey. Throbbing Gristle reunited in 2004, producing three additional studio albums—TG Now (2004), Part Two (2007), and The Third Mind Movements (2009)—before disbanding once more following P-Orridge's departure and Christopherson's death in 2010. Their last studio effort was a 2012 reinterpretation of Nico’s 1970 album Desertshore, titled Desertshore/The Final Report [fr], released under the moniker X-TG.

Initial phase: 1976–1981

Throbbing Gristle originated from the performance art ensemble COUM Transmissions, established in Kingston upon Hull by artists including Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti. The band’s name is derived from a Yorkshire colloquialism referring to a male erection. In 1973, COUM relocated to Hackney, London, where P-Orridge and Tutti encountered Chris Carter, then working as a television sound engineer, along with Peter Christopherson, affiliated with the graphic design group Hipgnosis. Together, they constructed a recording space known as "The Death Factory" and began collaborating musically. Their final COUM performance was the exhibition Prostitution at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts in October 1976, marking the public emergence of Throbbing Gristle. The exhibition’s explicit sexual themes provoked controversy, notably drawing criticism from Conservative MP Nicholas Fairbairn, who condemned them as "wreckers of civilisation."

The band became infamous for live performances that challenged audiences through disturbing visuals such as pornography and images from Nazi concentration camps. Their objective was to probe into humanity’s darker facets rather than to create conventional music. They extensively incorporated pre-recorded tape loops and custom-built effects to generate a signature distorted soundscape often accompanied by spoken-word contributions from Tutti or P-Orridge. Although they did not espouse explicit political messages, they maintained ties with the anarcho-punk movement and featured in the fanzine Toxic Grafity with their satirical propaganda series Industrial News.

In November 1977, Throbbing Gristle issued their first live/studio hybrid album The Second Annual Report via their own Industrial Records imprint. The initial run was limited to 786 copies; due to high demand it was reissued by Mute Records, which subsequently reversed some tracks for artistic effect. This release was followed by the single "United / Zyklon B Zombie" as well as the albums D.o.A: The Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle (1978), 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1979), and Heathen Earth (1980), alongside multiple standalone singles.

In 1981, concert promoter Michael Sheppard of Transparency Records facilitated Throbbing Gristle’s visit to Los Angeles. Their concluding performance before disbandment occurred on 29 May 1981 at San Francisco’s Kezar Pavilion. On 23 June 1981, the group formally announced their breakup through mailed postcards stating their "mission [was] terminated." In a 1987 interview, Tutti attributed the split largely to her personal separation from P-Orridge: "TG broke up because me and Gen broke up."

After disbanding, P-Orridge and Christopherson formed Psychic TV, while Tutti alongside Chris Carter continued working as Chris & Cosey. Christopherson later co-founded Coil with fellow Psychic TV collaborator John Balance. P-Orridge went on to establish Thee Majesty and PTV3 with Jacqueline "Jaye" Breyer.

Reunion: 2004–2010

The publication of Simon Ford's Wreckers of Civilization in 1999 sparked renewed attention towards Throbbing Gristle's legacy. This resurgence led Mute Records to re-release the TG24 box set in December 2002, coinciding with an exhibition at the Cabinet Gallery that showcased memorabilia alongside a dedicated listening space broadcasting the entire twenty-four hours of live recordings.

In 2004, Throbbing Gristle briefly regrouped to produce and issue the limited-edition album TG Now. This was followed by live performances at the London Astoria and the All Tomorrow's Parties festival, with the latter show being captured and released as A Souvenir of Camber Sands.

On April 2, 2007, TG unveiled Part Two: The Endless Not, an album recorded in Berlin. Although initially slated for a September 2006 release through Mute Records, its launch was postponed. The album’s debut was accompanied by a series of exclusive live events, including two concerts at the Donaufestival in Krems, where they collaborated with a choral ensemble under the direction of Hildur Guðnadóttir. This collaboration was reprised on May 26, 2007, at London’s Tate Modern featuring the New London Chamber Choir.

In June 2007, the band spent three days at the Institute of Contemporary Arts recording their interpretation of Nico’s 1970 album Desertshore. These sessions were issued as a limited edition 12-CD collection titled The Desertshore Installation, available exclusively through their official website.

During autumn 2007, TG released TGV, a seven-disc DVD compilation containing both archival footage and new material, accompanied by a 64-page book designed by Christopherson.

To commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of their debut album The Second Annual Report, Throbbing Gristle performed reinterpretations on two occasions in 2008. The June 6 concert in Paris was subsequently released as a limited-edition framed vinyl set named The Thirty-Second Annual Report.

In April 2009, TG embarked on a U.S. tour that included an appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Alongside this tour, they issued The Third Mind Movements, a collection edited from improvisational recordings made during the Desertshore Installation sessions, sold exclusively at these live events.

From August to September 2009, TG collaborated with Cerith Wyn Evans on an installation titled A=P=P=A=R=I=T=I=O=N, exhibited at Glasgow’s Tramway. The band contributed a multi-channel soundscape delivered through sixteen Audio Spotlight sound panels integrated into Evans’ sculptural piece.

In November 2009, Throbbing Gristle and Industrial Records launched Gristleism [fr], their adaptation of the FM3 Buddha Machine loop player, co-created with Christiaan Virant.

On October 29, 2010, TG announced P-Orridge’s exit from the group; Carter, Cosey, and Christopherson continued touring under the name X-TG. Although P-Orridge clarified they had not formally left but ceased touring involvement, the band effectively disbanded following Christopherson’s passing on November 24.

After dissolution: 2011–present

In 2011, Industrial Records was formally revived to reissue the studio albums of Throbbing Gristle following the conclusion of their agreement with Mute Records.

A double album titled Desertshore/The Final Report was announced by Industrial Records and released on 26 November 2012. This project, produced by Carter and Tutti, included contributions from film director Gaspar Noé, former adult film star Sasha Grey, as well as guest vocal performances by Anohni, Blixa Bargeld, and Marc Almond.

Prior to Christopherson's passing, the band chose to re-record the album because they were dissatisfied with the versions recorded at the ICA. Christopherson had been spearheading this effort in Bangkok alongside Danny Hyde. Carter explained, "Initially, it was Sleazy's project, then it became Sleazy and Cosey's, and finally I joined in." After Christopherson's death, instruments he had crafted were passed on to Carter and Tutti, who merged his recordings with their own material. The album was scheduled for a live premiere at the AV Festival on 17 March 2012, accompanied by a screening of Philippe Garrel's film The Inner Scar, which had served as both soundtrack and inspiration for Desertshore.

P-Orridge succumbed to leukaemia on 14 March 2020.

Legacy

Throbbing Gristle is widely acknowledged as a foundational force in the development of industrial music, alongside peers such as Cabaret Voltaire. The term itself emerged during the mid-1970s through Industrial Records, established by P-Orridge and Monte Cazazza, and was prominently featured on their debut release The Second Annual Report under the tagline "industrial music for industrial people."

In 1996, Alternative Press recognized Throbbing Gristle among its "100 underground inspirations of the past 20 years." Their influence has been explored in publications like Simon Ford’s 1999 analysis Wreckers of Civilization and Drew Daniel’s 2007 volume on 20 Jazz Funk Greats within the 33⅓ series. Moreover, the documentary Other, Like Me: The Oral History of COUM Transmissions and Throbbing Gristle, co-produced by BBC Television and broadcast on BBC Four in 2021, details their legacy through archival footage and interviews.

Members

Discography

Studio albums

Additional resources


External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Throbbing_Gristle&oldid=79985"