Director: Monte Cazazza
Year: 1980
Time: 62 mins
Music: Throbbing Gristle
Eye of Sound: An analog video for biological people. Part of the limited edition TGV box-set, this live studio performance was originally released on VHS and was the basis for their famous Heathen Earth LP. It documents the band's later characteristic blend of synth expansion, guitar noise and cold-hearted beats, resulting in an uncanny balance of electronic/electric ambiances and distortion with a penchant for improvisation (which Chris & Cosey would later refine and tame, ironing out "excessive" distortion and improv elements). The film was shot by Monte Cazzaza and features overlapped images of the concert and assorted modern tragedies: war, murder, public disorder, urban desolation, etc - characteristic of both the band's visual output and the forthcoming decade's aesthetics. The world is a war film, so they say, in this case one with the glorious blotted colors of VHS mind-warping distortion, magically preserved in the aseptic surfaces of dvd frailty.
film kindly offered by sudasy via e-mail. many thanks.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FDUGW8YB
The way you talk I end up not knowing whether you like TG or not...
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Strange that you should say that, as I don't think my commentary that ambiguous. But you're partially right, Shana. I have mixed feelings about TG and Mr. Genesis. Though I' concede that CTI/Chris & Cosey are less explosive and more conservative, I prefer their output (excluding the later works, of course) to TG's. So I'd say I like some of TG, but wouldn't consider myself a fan.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I'm intrigued as to the reasons why such a difficult, noisy and catastrophic sound should have so many fans..
Thanks for your comment and enjoy.
Eheheh. I was thinking about your dry comment about jarman's film but I guess I sensed things right. As someone who grew up with TG and PTV I can't explain you why they are so popular but i remember how dangerous and mythical they looked and sounded even before getting to really know them. it just had some that kind of fascination that you only feel when you are a teenager.... Thank you very much for this rare video to you and sudasy. If you have more from the box I will love it.
ReplyDeleteThere wouldn't be a Chris & Cosey had it not been for TG.
ReplyDeleteShana, you're dumb. Why is it that every single hardcore GRistle fan is a moron? That band was nothing special... just bleeps and bloops.. really nothing special.
ReplyDeleteWhile everyone is free to express their opinion on the films and artists here, please avoid using that kind of language here. You can call Genesis a dumb moron if you like, but don't use that language when referring to other readers.
ReplyDeleteOne of the coolest things I have ever laid eyes and ears on, THANK YOU!
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