You know what? I'm sick to my back teeth of hearing about Throbbing Gristle ,writing about Throbbing Gristle, and playing Throbbing Gristle. They are by far the most popular band on this Blog,so my instinct is to go in the opposite direction, which is exactly what,well, at least G-PO (Neil Megson) and Sleazy would do. I strongly suspect that Chris and Cosey would have loved a hit,as well as getting everything TG deleted from these pages.Its people like us wot cost them all that dough they would never get. Actually, i think they made a huge packet of cash from Industrial Records,such was topsy turvy times that they existed in. Regularly DIY bands...of which TG were definitely one, made upwards of 30 grand for every self-release back on the cusp of the 80's.
Well,If i'm so sick of 'em, then why am i writing about 'em again(?) ,you may justifiably ask.
"I don't have to explain myself to you" was one of Rotten's better ripostes to similar questions,and I maintain the right to invoke that clause right now.
Of course TG are one of those very rare beasts in the world of art ,totally original, who invented their own genre, Industrial music,and remain highly influential to this day. "Seminal" as the music press would have described them. Music with no chords...who'd have believed it?
The Melvins do a good job of recreating the feel of our gloomy chums,without succumbing to the temptation of Rocking it up a tad, this is down,and it stays Down. TG never even made a track called Heathen Earth, but Buzz and the gang reanimates the album of the same name, and transfers the feel into four dark minutes.
"Hamburger Lady" has to be one of the best song (song?) titles in the modern Idiom or wot?
Yeah I love 'em,threats or no threats.
ps. do us a favor and sign this petition will ya?
Tracklist:
A Subhuman
B Heathen Earth
C Hamburger Lady(Flexi)
Nice issue. Although it is a short flicker it conveys craftily the nihilist and dadaist feeling personally experienced while was listening to a show about British industrial music. Of course, it was illustrated with the music by Clock DVA, early Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle. And especially TG among them first of all was stealthily beguiling having a paralyzing impact upon. Like a Hannibal Lecter in music which would be better to avoid. Later on, the next strong impression in experimental music was to hear Pan Sonic which sounded nothing but evil. And of course,no surprise, Vainio and Väisänen were also disciples of TG.
ReplyDeleteFeeling relieved knowing this is the last post in series of Melvins covers.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Dyson Ward Cunthurt, ESQ
AmRep legal representative
me too.....don't hurt me.
ReplyDeleteCover TG songs with lyrics instrumentally? Not that grand.
ReplyDeleteMusic's still okay but there's nothing TG in it.
Why in the fuck do you want a serial killer to get another trial?
ReplyDeleteDry and cut case, is it not?
Otis....no. Check out my latest post...Jandek...and all the data you need to realise this was a miscarrige of justice is there. She's been done up like a kipper. I'm sure you don't want an innocent person banged up for life do you?
ReplyDeleteYeah, the title name and the track Hamburger Lady still creeps me out to this day. Back when I first encountered it as a teenager it generated absolute existential terror - actually a lot of their music did, but of course that made it irresistible.
ReplyDeleteThe only other band that managed to create that sense of 'We're no longer in Kansas' was of course Crass, I still can't listen to Reality Asylum without a sense of utter queasiness.
My commiserations on your Kansas thing.....hope you escaped?
ReplyDeleteOf course you have endured Penny Rimbaud's hour long "Christ's Reality Asylum"?
Its here if you haven't:
https://dieordiy2.blogspot.com/2021/06/penny-rimbaud-christs-reality-asylum.html
It has that BBC Radio Four quality about it...just needs a Delia Derbyshire backing track.
That should freak out the Kansas evangelista ......which is of course why these things exist.
I was flicking through the record racks in a large department store in the mall in Montpellier, and saw one oft hose TG reissues in the sales for 30 euro's.White vinyl,says green on the hype sticker, and booklet. Sounds better than the Industrial release.
I still think they should have made it look more like a Woolworths Jazz Funk compilation.....no-one was fooled.