Throbbing Gristle - Heathen Earth remastered & reissued

This is the Throbbing Gristle album that really lives up to their musical reputation of being the bleakest group of their time. I'd be brave enough to say that up till that point every album of theirs, including DOA had some lighter moments that took something away from the industrial ominousness they promised and strove for. But in this live recording in front of their friends, everything is appropriately horrid, with the highlights being a gruesome version of "Six Six Sixties" from 20 Jazz Funk Greats and an amazing instrumental rendition of "Something Came Over Me." The second cd of the reissue features various live recordings of songs that have already appeared in the TG24. This is the 2018 Mute remastered re-release of the original 1980 album.

Disc 1
Disc 2 (Bonus)

Chris & Cosey ‎– Pagan Tango cd

Two days ago I got Cosey Fanni Tutti's Art Sex Music memoir in the mail and I have been devouring it with much interest. I'm about halfway through, right after the breakup of TG and just into her pregnancy and beginning of C&C. She talks extensively about pre-TG activities, COUM Transmissions, her torturous relationship with Genesis P-Orridge (who is portrayed in way less than flattering ways, abusive, physically violent, sexist...) and her youth in Hull , her loving mother, her strict father. I felt particularly sad about the cutting off of contact with her mother as a result of the infamous ICA "wreckers of civilization" exhibition, about which, however, she talks rather little given how important for TG's reputation that event was. In fact, the TG part takes up much less pages than early life/COUM. I'm looking forward to reading about the reunion and second demise of TG. As a tribute to this extraordinary woman who has been central in the shaping of my musical tastes, and with whom I was in love as a teen (there are a few striptease photos inside, too) I'm posting the ninth album of her shared music group with fellow TG-er Chris Carter (her recounting of sexual experiences as a trio with either GPO or Sleazy are fun, plus their making of snuff films), which I heard when I was about 15 from "Big Bear," a scary guy who lived close to mine but whose house I frequented a lot during my teens, because he burned me cdrs of albums by Coil, TG, Current 93, Death In June, etc. When I heard this album I was starting to discover noise and I had read about TG's abrasiveness and horror so I was kinda shocked to hear that this was electro/synth-pop stuff with a hint of dub without any terror inside. But I was especially drawn to Cosey's sensuous, erection-inducing vocals and the dark electronic sound and I now consider it a masterpiece of a music genre I'm not particularly fond of. 1991 album on Play It Again Sam Records.

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Mutant Throbbing Gristle tribute cd

 


This is a tribute/remix cd of TG classics ("United," "Hot on the Heels of Love," Hamburger Lady," "Still Walking," "Persuasion," and "What A Day"), revisited by Carl Craig, Motor, Hedonastik, Two Lone Swordsmen, Ratcliffe, and Carter Tutti themselves. Some of the tracks have too much of a modern electronic, almost club-ish vibe, but a few manage to stay faithful to the TG spirit (if not letter), like Hedonastik's "What A Day," which also has a late Coil-like feel to it, or Carl Craig's "Hot on the Heels," which sounds as late-70ish as the original one. Good for collecting reasons. 2004 cd on NovaMute.

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Throbbing Gristle ‎– Kreeme Horn: In Praise of The Grotesque

This is probably one of the first - if not the first - group recordings of TG in 1975, albeit not including Sleazy, who would complete the line-up in 1976 I think. This is mainly Genesis and Chris Carter doodling in the studio with synthesizers, violins and guitars, while Cosey is also present with morre guitar blood-chilling. The signs of TG filth are already here, as horror synth effects and sinister guitar delays mix with schizophrenic little rhythms and melodies, which would all characterize the evil of the wreckers of civilization. My favorite track is the third one, "Raw Mode of Life," which has more of a psychedelic medieval drone mood somewhat similar to Popol Vuh and other German Kosmische groups. Necessary stuff. 1997 cd on Dossier.

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TGT (The Genetic Terrorists) ‎– White Stains LP (Lustmord & Throbbing Gristle)

Many years ago I shoplifted this LP along with the first Psychic TV album, thinking it was an album by the Scandinavian Satanic band White Stains which had released an album with Genesis P-Orridge. But after some search I discovered that it was in fact a side project of Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni-Tutti along with Lustmord and a guy called B. Ghod. I guess most of us would hope that such a collaboration would produce some frightening and earth-shattering industrial/ dark ambient but this is decidedly not the case as they play 1980s EBM with a minimal bend, kinda like a harder version of Chris & Cosey's late-1980s/early-1990s stuff, combined with manly group vocals, perhaps a more monotonous version of old Front 242. EBM isn't really my cup of tea, but this album is important for historical reasons so snatch it. 1990 LP on Wax Trax!

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