17 ‘The Wreckers of Western Civilisation…’
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John Robb
Abstract
This chapter traces another important thread in the history of goth: industrial music. Beginning with COUM Transmissions’ notorious performance at the ICA in 1976, which made the furore over Sex Pistols seem comparatively tame, the chapter recounts the origins of industrial pioneers Throbbing Gristle. Growing out of a wider art project, the band released three albums in its brief initial period before splitting in 1981. They spawned a remarkable proto-scene that blossomed in the post-punk era and formed the inspiration for future groups such as Nine Inch Nails.
Abstract
This chapter traces another important thread in the history of goth: industrial music. Beginning with COUM Transmissions’ notorious performance at the ICA in 1976, which made the furore over Sex Pistols seem comparatively tame, the chapter recounts the origins of industrial pioneers Throbbing Gristle. Growing out of a wider art project, the band released three albums in its brief initial period before splitting in 1981. They spawned a remarkable proto-scene that blossomed in the post-punk era and formed the inspiration for future groups such as Nine Inch Nails.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Introduction 1
- 1 Floorshow 3
- 2 The Fall of Rome 13
- 3 Deep in the Forest 16
- 4 ‘Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know’ 20
- 5 Euro Visions 41
- 6 The Devil has the Best Tunes 46
- 7 Paint it, Black 53
- 8 All the Children are Insane, or People are Strange 66
- 9 Wham Bam thank you Glam 77
- 10 Proto Post-Punk 117
- 11 The Punk Wars 124
- 12 ‘What was Once Unhealthily Fresh is Now a Clean Old Hat’ 131
- 13 Spellbound 137
- 14 Feel the Pain 159
- 15 Ridicule is Nothing to be Scared of 175
- 16 New Dawn Fades 194
- 17 ‘The Wreckers of Western Civilisation…’ 213
- 18 ‘I Must Fight this Sickness… Find a Cure’ 234
- 19 The Naughty North and the Sexy South 250
- 20 All We Ever Wanted Was Everything 265
- 21 Lord of Chaos 281
- 22 Release the Bats! 297
- 23 ‘I am not Avant-Garde; I am a Deserter’ 313
- 24 Voodoo Idols 329
- 25 First, Last and Always 345
- 26 Vagabonds - Bradford 372
- 27 Flowers in the Forest 381
- 28 Wanted Dead or Alive 398
- 29 Do You Believe in the Westworld? 409
- 30 A New Form of Beauty - Virgin Prunes, Dublin 419
- 31 ‘Good Poetry Can Still Resonate Louder Than a Thousand Guns’ 428
- 32 At The Gates of Silent Memory 440
- 33 Darklands 447
- 34 ‘We Sing to the Gods to Be Free’ 467
- 35 Trans Europe Express 483
- 36 In the Flat Field, Suburbs & Satellite Towns 490
- 37 Apocalypse Now! Goth’s End Days 499
- Index 513
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Introduction 1
- 1 Floorshow 3
- 2 The Fall of Rome 13
- 3 Deep in the Forest 16
- 4 ‘Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know’ 20
- 5 Euro Visions 41
- 6 The Devil has the Best Tunes 46
- 7 Paint it, Black 53
- 8 All the Children are Insane, or People are Strange 66
- 9 Wham Bam thank you Glam 77
- 10 Proto Post-Punk 117
- 11 The Punk Wars 124
- 12 ‘What was Once Unhealthily Fresh is Now a Clean Old Hat’ 131
- 13 Spellbound 137
- 14 Feel the Pain 159
- 15 Ridicule is Nothing to be Scared of 175
- 16 New Dawn Fades 194
- 17 ‘The Wreckers of Western Civilisation…’ 213
- 18 ‘I Must Fight this Sickness… Find a Cure’ 234
- 19 The Naughty North and the Sexy South 250
- 20 All We Ever Wanted Was Everything 265
- 21 Lord of Chaos 281
- 22 Release the Bats! 297
- 23 ‘I am not Avant-Garde; I am a Deserter’ 313
- 24 Voodoo Idols 329
- 25 First, Last and Always 345
- 26 Vagabonds - Bradford 372
- 27 Flowers in the Forest 381
- 28 Wanted Dead or Alive 398
- 29 Do You Believe in the Westworld? 409
- 30 A New Form of Beauty - Virgin Prunes, Dublin 419
- 31 ‘Good Poetry Can Still Resonate Louder Than a Thousand Guns’ 428
- 32 At The Gates of Silent Memory 440
- 33 Darklands 447
- 34 ‘We Sing to the Gods to Be Free’ 467
- 35 Trans Europe Express 483
- 36 In the Flat Field, Suburbs & Satellite Towns 490
- 37 Apocalypse Now! Goth’s End Days 499
- Index 513
