The Taste of TG: A Beginners Guide to the Music of Throbbing Gristle

Performer: Throbbing Gristle
Distributor: Caroline Distribution

Notes: Throbbing Gristle: Genesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Peter "Sleazy" Cristopherson, Chris Carter. During their brief career, Throbbing Gristle moved through several different styles, from dark soundscapes to clubby dance grooves, and because of this they have confused fans over the years. The latest attempt to explain TG in a succinct bite-size package is The Taste of TG, which bills itself as a beginner's guide. It doesn't do much different than the other compilations that have come before, and it lacks the liner notes that would contextualize the proceedings. However, the dark clouds of their electronic mayhem are here, with highlights like the confusion of "Persuasion U.S.A.," the swirling psychedelia of "His Arm Was Her Leg," and the seductive horror of "Hamburger Lady." The few stabs that TG made at pop music (at least musically, as their subject matter was routinely dark) are here as well, with "Hot On the Heels of Love," "What a Day," and "United." And as far as the lack of notes goes, well, that's just part of the Throbbing Gristle mystique. Perhaps the best taste of TG is curling up with a copy of the book about their exploits, Wreckers of Civilization, and putting this CD on repeat as the soundtrack. ~ Wade Kergan

Uncut (p.101) - 5 stars out of 5 - "Here, new fans will find a surprising blend of chromium-clean proto-synth-pop interspersed with filthily radioactive, elongated bursts of noise..."

Throbbing Gristle combined primitive electronics, tape loops, avant-garde techniques, and post-punk energy to create a dark, experimental sound that was a tremendous influence on industrial and electronic music from the 1980s on. They evolved from a mid-'70s London performance-art group, but by 1977 they were committing acts of sonic terrorism on vinyl. After disbanding in the early '80s, they splintered off into Psychic TV and Chris And Cosey, but reunited for a 2004 festival that was put together to pay tribute to Throbbing Gristle's long-lasting influence.

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