Marking
20 years since its release is the Throbbing Gristle remix compilation,
Mutant Throbbing Gristle (aka, Mutant TG), which was released on March
29th, 2004. The project was conceived as a way to help celebrate the
unexpected reunion of TG for what was intended to be a one-off
performance at the ATP event, RE:TG. That event was cancelled due to
unforeseen organizational issues with ATP, but TG, nonetheless, were
intent on performing again, so they scheduled a replacement performance
at the Astoria on May 16 of 2004.
Rescheduling aside, after the
release of the two mammoth and exhaustive live box sets, TG24 (2002)
& TG+, issued in January of 2004, it only seemed appropriate to help
refresh people's appreciation for TG by issuing a compilation album
collecting various remixes of classic TG tunes, created by friends and
admirers of the band. The collection featured remixes by Carl Craig,
Hedonastik (Marc Harrison, Marc Rowntree, Steve Keeble), Andrew
Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood (Two Lone Swordsmen), Bryan Black
& Olivier Grasset (Motor), Carter Tutti & Simon Ratcliffe. The
set brought some dance floor friendly funk to tracks like United, Hot On
the Heels of Love, Persuasion, What A Day, Hamburger Lady and Still
Walking. Along with a soon to be released "best of" compilation, The
Taste of TG (issued on May 4th, 2004), this refresher course in
Industrial music signified the beginning of a new phase of activity for
the band, a renaissance that would carry them through to the end of the
decade, with new studio albums, numerous live performances, art
installations and a variety ephemeral novelty products, until it all
fell apart again when Gen bailed and then Sleazy died at the end of
2010.
