It's the 40th anniversary of the terminal performance of
Throbbing Gristle, which occurred on May 29th, 1981, in San Francisco at
the Kezar Pavilion. Commemorated on the LP release, Mission of Dead
Souls, it was the last time TG would take to the stage until their
eventual reunion, 23 years later in 2004.
At the time TG were
struggling under the intense pressure of strained and fractured personal
relationships which centered on Cosey's relationships with Chris and
Gen. This had been a source of friction for some time, but Chris had
reached a point of no longer being able to tolerate Gen's hostility and
manipulations and has recently assumed responsibility for being the
instigator in terminating their mission.
Though the personal
relationships in the band were percolating in the toxic zone, they still
managed to channel that antagonism into one of their most intense and
harrowing performances. Also captured on video and released on VHS by
Target Video, the live footage clearly shows the effect on the audience
as evidenced during the finale of Discipline where one audience member
can be seen undergoing some kind of transcendent freakout.
As a
parting gift to their audience, TG's last exit from their inaugural era
remained a stark reminder of their influence and power for over two
decades as the ripple effect of their existence spread out into the
underground of alternative music. Their eventual reformation in the
21st century's premier decade was a critical reminder of what was
possible when you put four such intense personalities together and give
them the keys to unlock another dimension of sound.
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