The inbox is filling up with irate e.mails again, “sent you my new release five times now, its been two weeks, I’ve had no response so here it is again!”. One, you didn’t send it, you sent a link to us, and two, yes we did listen to it, several times, some kind of half-arsed polite singer songwriter from a backroom pub wanting to be the next Cat Stevens or Simon and whatever his name was. Take the damn hint, we didn’t respond, we don’t clutter up our pages with things we don’t have that much of a care for, the review policy is very clear, we didn’t force you to send the damn link and you’ve clearly not been paying attention to the kind of thing that is likely to be covered, here’s another clue, singer songwriters who want to be Cat Stevens but can’t actually write a song and can’t actually sing are not it. Here’s a Sophia Martins self portrait, more about her in a moment…

Sofia Martins – self portrait

I guess Rope Trick (from Providence, Rhode Island), might have thought it worth a little more of their time then Paul Simon up there, kind of like the some of the things going on in that first eleven minute track, the moody light and shade, mostly shade, the loose feel of it all, does kind of drift off after a while though, here, you make up your own mind, I won’t add anything more here, go make up your own mind…

Sofia Martins – self portrait

Here’s some portrait work, the work of Sofia Martins, Self Portraits, she of the band known as  Starsha Lee.  Sofia’s rather personal work can be viewed properly at the Flaxon Ptootch Salon and Gallery over in Kentish Town, London, NW5, her work is there until April 3rd

Sofia Martins – self portrait

Throbbing Gristle (1980)

Throbbing Gristle, one of the most politically and sonically antagonistic bands of all time, have left an impact on music, culture and the arts that is immeasurable and still felt today.

Throbbing Gristle are Chris Carter, Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson (who sadly passed away on 25 November 2010), Cosey Fanni Tutti and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge.   Chris Carter releases a new solo on Mute in autumn 2017, his first solo album in 18 years. Cosey Fanni Tutti releases her autobiography, Art Sex Music, published by Faber on 6 April 2017.  Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (PTV3) performs a reinterpretation of the soundtrack to Derek Jarman’s In The Shadow Of The Sun (originally performed by Throbbing Gristle) at Café Oto in May 2017, Tuesday 23rd May to be exact – “Psychic TV / PTV3 reinterpret the soundtrack to Derek Jarman’s 1981 film, for their first ever performance at Café OTO.

In the Shadow of the Sun is one of the late British director’s most abstract films. Originally soundtracked by Throbbing Gristle, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge continues to celebrate the work of her friend through an ongoing relationship with this work. Out of body experience optional.”

COUM Transmissions were recently honoured with a retrospective of their work for Hull City of Culture 2017 proposed and co-curated by Cosey Fanni Tutti. The exhibition traced the radical art collective’s work from their formation in Hull to their termination at the ICA Prostitution show, which marked the beginnings of Throbbing Gristle.

http://www.throbbing-gristle.com / www.mute.com