Late last year Genesis Breyer P- Orridge announced the reactivation of the legendary Psychic TV. More good news: they have regained their master recordings and are reissuing same, and are playing live dates in just over a week:
Sat. 6/26 - Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Sun. 6/27 - Pittsburgh, PA The EYE
Sat. 7/3 - New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
(w/ Michael Gira opening doing a solo, acoustic set)
The current lineup of the band is:
Douglas Rushkoff (!) - keyboards, vocals
Electric Eddie - drums (of "The Toilet Boys" and "Candyass")
Isaiah Singer - Lead Guitars, vocals
Alice Genese - Bass Guitar, vocals (also of "Candyass")
Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge - Sampling Keyboard (also of "Thee Majesty")
Genesis Breyer P-Orridge - lead voices, noise bass guitar (also of Throbbing Gristle and "Thee Majesty")
The Psychic TV story:
- Psychic TV was first born in 50 Beck Road, Hackney in 1981. Guitarist Alex Fergusson was trying to convince his longtime friend Genesis P. Orridge to return to active duty making music following the “termination” of Throbbing Gristle, the seminal Industrial ensemble the latter had fronted. One day, he found P. Orridge’s poem “Just Drifting” lying on a water heater and challenged his friend to form a band with him if he could successfully set it to music - which was done within 24 hours. Adding Peter Christopherson, the group commenced a career of creating profoundly influential, highly innovative, and unflinching provocative music, with the details of its packaging, marketing and lifestyle of the musicians creators being crucial components of the aesthetic package.
Although at the beginning, PTV's output could at times be compared to Throbbing Gristle's experimental wall of sound; their music would quickly evolve over time, refracting a great many musical styles along the way. With the singles 'Roman P', a cover of the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' and the stunning 'Godstar', they even touched upon the UK singles chart. Dreaming of ultimately creating their own TV station, the group produced many videos along the way, some of which were made commercially available and are well worth seeking out. Often repulsive, often beautiful, the images contained within these films would mirror the musical atmospheres the band was creating.
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