Nonbinary: A Memoir

by Genesis P-Orridge, Douglas Rushkoff (Afterword)

A revealing and beautifully open memoir from pioneering industrial music artist, visual artist, and transgender icon Genesis P-Orridge.

In this groundbreaking book spanning decades of artistic risk-taking, the inventor of “industrial music,” founder of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV, and world-renowned fine artist with COUM Transmissions, Genesis P-Orridge (1950–2020) takes us on a journey searching for identity and their true self. It is the story of a life of creation and destruction, where Genesis P-Orridge reveals their unwillingness to be stuck—stuck in one place, in one genre, or in one gender. Nonbinary is Genesis’s final work and is shared with hopes of being an inspiration to the newest generation of trailblazers and nonconformists.

Nonbinary is the intimate story of Genesis’s life, weaving the narrative of their history in COUM Transmissions, Throbbing Gristle, and Psychic TV. It also covers growing up in World War II’s fallout in Britain, contributing to the explosion of new music and radical art in the 1960s, and destroying visual and artistic norms throughout their entire life. In addition to being a captivating memoir of a singular artist and musician, Nonbinary is also an inside look at one of our most remarkable cultural lives that will be an inspiration to fans of industrial music, performance art, the occult, and a life in the arts.

Includes Black-and-White and Color Photographs

Genres: Music, Memoir, LGBT, Biography, Nonfiction, Queer, Gender

368 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2021

About the author

Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (born Neil Andrew Megson) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, writer and artist.

P-Orridge's early confrontational performance work in COUM Transmissions in the late 1960s and early 1970s along with the industrial band Throbbing Gristle, which dealt with subjects such as prostitution, pornography, serial killers, occultism, and P-Orridge's own exploration of gender issues, generated controversy. Later musical work with Psychic TV received wider exposure.

After marrying Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge in 1993, Genesis and Lady Jaye began a project to become Breyer P-Orridge, a single pandrogynous entity. Genesis Breyer P-Orridge continued this project after the death of Lady Jaye in 2007.

Reviews

[Corvus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Friendly reminder that Genesis was a horrific abuser and attempted murderer of their former partner and bandmate among other problems. They have been caught telling endless lies. They have never been held accountable.

They never identified as NB until after death unless I'm missing something? So this also seems to be the publisher's fault, capitalizing on trans words and narratives. Genesis does not represent us. No trans person represents everyone, but Gen's grandiose narcissism means it must be said before their claims of inventing acid house and so on are believed. Please read Art Sex Music by Cosey Fanni Tutti instead.

Sometimes a 1 star review of a book I haven't read is necessary when it's something this gross and harmful to both the people Genesis abused and to trans people who will undoubtedly have this portrayal attached to us. Also, for industrial music lovers who have eaten up many of Genesis' lies over the years (self included.) Gen is dead, let the damage they continue to do end there

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: There are no words for Genesis P-Orridge. Trans, genderqueer, non-binary; artist, musician, creator...or Creator. Not one of them can hope to do more than capture a slice of this astonishing being's self.

William S. Burroughs met them when they were twenty...he immediately posed them a life-long quest in a question:
"How do we short-circuit control?"

When William S. Burroughs asks you to solve a problem the first day you meet him, all of 20 to his rising-60, you have to know you are Someone. And Someone Genesis was, and became, and remained until their death from leukemia at seventy.

The entire review is posted at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did an in depth discussion on why this book falls so short of being a memoir and the truth
https://youtu.be/40lyUnYuwh4

[Veronica]

This is an odd memoir, I went into this book with the intention of learning more about the origins of Throbbing Gristle and industrial, as well as more about Genesis and their gender identity. As the book is called 'Nonbinary' I expected the emphasis to be on gender and identity, but the majority of the book, as in ALL of the book save for the last fifty or so pages, is on Genesis's life, growing up, early days in the industrial music scene. Which, frankly is only interesting to people interested in their music. The final section, focusing on Genesis's relationship with Lady Jaye and the Pandrogeny project is a fascinating look at gender expression (though I think some exploration of gender identity vs gender expression would have been valuable here, as well as whether this project was really about connection and the human experience), and 'short-circuiting control' which appears to be the running thesis posited in the introduction, completely abandoned, and then brought up in the closing section.

I think in short, rating this memoir is impossible because it is a memoir of someone's life up until about 1990, then abandoned, and then a miniscule section on was conceived and possibly outlined on the Pandrogeny project but not realized because of Genesis's death, and finished by the co-author. The book should be titled something relating to Genesis's life and not something to do with the Pandrogeny project when frankly that's not the focus of the book.

[Mere · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Gen, you'll love this book and roll your eyes. If you hate Gen, you'll hate this book and roll your eyes.

I'm not sure why reviews complain about the title. The ending of the book clearly explains the use of the word.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent portrait of one of the most interesting, boundary-smashing lives ever lived.

[Jaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as a fan of both TG and Psychic TV, if not of Gen themself; there are too many other accounts of their misdeeds (including, but not limited to, those contained in Cosey's book) to be rebutted by anything they wrote herein. It's worth stating here that if your interest is musical, then this book probably isn't worth the effort; there is little of interest written on TG and almost nothing - aside from an interesting anecdote about the "hit single" (according to Gen anyway) 'Godstar' - on Psychic TV. If the book appears to end rather abruptly it's because P-Orridge died before the work was completed.

There's no doubt they were an interesting person; an agent provocateur pushing at the boundaries, and that their innate need to confound expectations led PTV off in all sorts of (usually) interesting musical directions. Once the account of Gen's childhood is out of the way, however, I would not trust much of what is written here in terms of factual veracity. The section about Ian Curtis stands out in this respect, the only sources cited - Rob Gretton, Annik Honore, Tony Wilson - are conveniently all dead. It seems odd too, that Gen can't put a name to the person he rang in Manchester over his concerns about Curtis' well being.

Perhaps tellingly, Gen refers to Aleister Crowley as "a dick" but goes on to admit that some of what he wrote was useful, going on to emphasise the necessity sometimes to separate the work from the person... I do feel that this advice applies as equally to Genesis P-Orridge himself.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating but skewed read on a very complex figure. If you know GPO lore outside of this book, it's clear that much is skipped or glossed over in a I Can Do No Wrong They Hate Me cus I'm a Rebel kind of way. Ill have to read Cosey's memoirs next. I would recommend if you're interested, just as the other comments say, take the stories with a grain of salt as this comes from one of the most legendary weirdos of all time, for the good and bad that brings

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

For good and ill, this gives a good sense of who Genesis was and what conceptual through-lines exist through the arc of their creative life. Some of the influences they cite are both surprising and illuminating (e.g. Sinatra; hippy culture, etc.). Still, the whole thing is driven by haphazard and dubious anecdotes, and while perhaps counter to the spirit of the author, I'd be curious how much content stands up to fact checking (where possible).

[yardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me atrevo a opinar de la vida de Génesis en si, o de como era elle como persona, ni de lo q hizo o no hizo, pero si diré que las reflexiones acerca del género son super interesantes. He echado mucho en falta que tratase más estos temas, sobre todo por el título de las memorias.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Undoubtedly interesting and unashamedly artistic. Having a mild interest in TG and Pyshcic TV prior to reading this, didn't prepare me for the unrelenting amount of self agrandisation regarding their impact on a variety of 'important' artistic moments.

[think blue count two · Rating 5 out of 5]

despite knowing GP-O to be an unscrupulous (or worse) person, i chose to take Nonbinary at face value and it was a good read. i say "face value" but i suppose that makes it sound like i'm taking the book as historical. Genesis P-Orridge is about as real to me as Bugs Bunny or Don Juan Matus. i am not trying to figure out "what really happened." even among famous people who are basically cartoons, we all know Gen's reputation, right? so, by "take at face value" i mean i am accepting each detail as part of the story being told and the story is separate from reality. why am i clarifying this? basically, because i saw some very negative reviews and i am really Really REALLY scared of people having a problem with me and my five star rating!

while reading, it felt like there were a lot of gaps, which i thought were probably omissions to save face but then learned after finishing the book that Gen passed away before it could be completed. so, i had the sense that there was some kind of obfuscation going on despite trying to take things at face value, and thinking back i do wonder how much of this was fabricated. the uncertainty of its truthfulness is interesting i think. the fact that it was written in Gen's dying days adds interest to the ambiguity. why lie about this, why NOT lie about that? why lie about anything or why ever tell the truth? this fact/fiction thing is really dominating my review, huh? i wasn't thinking about veracity THAT much while reading. [EDIT: re-reading this review, and i feel less sheepish and i'm going to say explicitly something which i did not make clear in the first draft: you know what? i REALLY LIKE (the) genesis p-orridge (persona, to the extent which i have encountered it). ok, i said it.]

i felt like a lot of what was said re: personal philosophy was actually pretty good, sort of dissonant with my current "common sense" and that's good. gotta shake out the cobwebs, y'know? a little more gossipy than it needed to be, but that's fine, really. a really interesting life trajectory and that's not really up for debate even if details and character are (well, seems like character isn't really up for debate either, blind admiration vs total condemnation is an automatic stalemate)
i wish there was more about TOPY but i have a dusty-ass copy of Thee Psychick Bible back in america that i bought (and never read) during my (total non-starter) chaos magic phase (concurrent with my "haven't read a fucking book since high school phase"... don't waste your early 20s like i did!)
well, i feel like this review couldn't possibly get more stupid and/or i couldn't possibly feel more self conscious. i'm trying to force myself to write reviews for personal growth and i don't enjoy it…
...but i really enjoyed the book!
bye!

[Lilian Buckthought · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true cultural engineer!

[Craig White · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Evening With Genesis Breyer P-Orridge - The Coffee Table Version.
i loved (and still love) throbbing gristle, the biggest ever v-sgn to trad rock! even buying their records, at the time, was akin to buying porn in a brown paper bag - all my punk mates hated them, no. virtually everybody hated them.......it was great! indeed it was cutting edge stuff, which held me rapt up until after psychic tv's first couple of albums, when they kinda descended into what they were first fighting against....interest dwindled, and even the 2004 t.g. reformation passed me by without much notice (in retrospect, the material recorded then is top notch!), so here we are, autobiography time! to be fair, unfinished autobiography time!
did i enjoy reading this book? yes i did.
did i think it's an accurate record of events? no.
did the events in the book happen? for the most part, yes.
did he omit a lot of questionable actions that they're known to have taken? yes.
is there any way the events in this book unfolded as seamlessly as described? no.
was throbbing gristle all them? no (the 4 individuals were essential to the essence of t.g.)
does the book FEEL unfinished, certain issues (such as pandrogeny) glossed over. yes.
am i glad i read it. yes, yes i am.
it's either been sanitised for the masses, or maybe they were experiencing 'revenge of memory'!

[Zac · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unfinished memoir from an unreliable narrator. The book is at its best as Genesis recalls motivations and interest from childhood. By the time Throbbing Gristle starts to be covered, the text feels full of redactions, time skips, edits, shadows.

[heartshapedroomofangelscrying · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished after an insanely long reading hiatus. A bit long and meandering but I guess that’s what makes it a comprehensive memoir. Some good bits for sure

[Carolyn Polley-Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was much younger I read Gen's words and was inspired and felt the freedom. Likewise this antibiography is evidence of their quest to live in art! An inspiring and uncomfortable life, I am so glad they created!

[Maisie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun a really enjoyable read

[kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

[review written by someone who had never heard a single
piece of music by Genesis and still has not. smh.]

This is a pretty tough and dry read at times. I found myself racing thru some chapters to get to the more “entertaining” parts. There’s a lot to get through but it’s written in some of the most intimate and thoughtful ways I’ve read in any memoirs. The Ian Curtis chapter is absolutely devastating and harrowing. Regardless of my tough time, by the end of it I learned that the life that Gen lived was astonishing.

RIP Genesis.

[Ross Whelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite having to constantly remind my self to take what is said throughout this book with endless pinches of salt, I still found Genesis’ experiences and takes on a variety of topics to be a good read.

[- Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Britain has always been the hoster of modern gothic subculture, from the early 1400s due to the Anglo saxonic invasion from the gothic or German tribes to West coast Britain, to the rise of romanticism and gothisesim during the late 1700s, and even to the progressive post-punk, new dark wave Era during the 1960s. 

What can be proved for sure, that the art sence has always been influenced by the circumstances it found itself growing into it, and that's similar to the set of space and time in which such rhythmical way of expiration, like musical bands such as The Beatles,
The doors, Joy division, and Roxy Music, and other artists as well whom they find themselves influenced by the broading horizons of the east, such as India.

Such influence had found its reflection on the music of these Era, where we find such themes likd psychic spirituality, cut-ups experiences, magic tricks, and gender fluidity, where all introduced to the musical theme, that's the limit of its expansion is no longer standing on the border of Jazz and classic music. 

during the late 1960s, there where the story of Neil Andrew Megson, or as how s/he like to be named over the 1st book of the Bible; Genesis, when s/he first pressed to change their birth name at 197

[Jaina Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are moments of grace and brilliant social insight, compassionate family histories, creative aha! moments and jaw-dropping anecdotes about many of the notable and notorious characters Genesis encountered throughout some fascinating cultural eras— especially the formation of COUM Transmissions. Those are my favorite swatches in this grab bag of memories. It all seems to skim lightly over a vast expanse of intensities, which makes sense considering the dropping-the-body context in which Genesis composed this. The dysfunctional relationship squabbles are tedious and annoying. One binary Gen was unable to smash was one of self-aggrandization/martyrdom. Or maybe they did eventually blend together after 1981, however I started rapidly skimming the skim at the line, "I was going to make the occult trendy again" on p. 253, so I may have missed something.

[Alex Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story. A Very special story.

Nonbinary was not my introduction to Genesis P-Orridge. I had heard of them for quite sometime and was always intrigued by their art. This story is incredible. A detailed history of a truly inspiring individual. Leaving a life many people dare not live, Genesis did so great things for culture. Highly recommend for any and every person to read.

[Martini · Rating 1 out of 5]

very misleading title. many of the stories just felt monotonous and didn’t feel like they belonged in the story. towards the end of my read my partner watched a documentary on Genesis and some reading only to find out Gen was a serial abuser. many accounts have said Gen never identified as non binary while alive and it appears the title was to do just as it did to me. catch the eye of potential audiences and drawl them in this cluttered web

[Blane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the sections on the formation of Throbbing Gristle and their later Pandrogeny Project to be the most interesting. The Psychic TV/Thee Temple Ov Psychic Youth cultish period was not so interesting. Plus, there is still that nagging abusive side of their life, which is sort of obliquely referred to, but not explicitly addressed; this is a major flaw of the book. 2.5 stars rounded up.

[Kieran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprisingly uninteresting autobiography by a very interesting person.

[Matt Hancock · Rating 1 out of 5]

too much self aggrandizing, read Cosey Fanni Tutti’s memoir instead for a more accurate history of Throbbing Gristle.

[Mi La · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured the book.

Counter-cultural icon, Genesis P. Orridge dedicated their radical life to shattering the status quo, challenging societal norms, and battling the homogenization of culture. Their existence was a deliberate venture beyond the conventional frame, continually pushing boundaries and smashing preconceptions—not without consequences (lawsuits, defamation, alienation, and so on). Unafraid of disappointing audiences, they firmly believed that art's purpose lies somehow in defying expectations; when art is accepted without challenge, its impact and revolutionary potential diminish.

Genesis perceived the art world as a service industry catering to the wealthy, a spiral into the realms of careerism and celebrity, “a new stock market”. Thus, their legacy reflects foremost a profound contemplation of the role of artists and the essence of art itself. They posed vital questions about the purpose of making art and music, emphasizing that, if it doesn't convey something novel or enhance our understanding of life, it’s nothing but “deceptive art”. “Are you trying to tell us something, or are you just trying to make music? If you're trying to make music, why? Is that to sell? Is that to get girls or boys or drugs or what? If it's not about telling us something, preferably something we didn't know before, then it's not really worthwhile.” And further: “Is a work enhancing our understanding of being alive with sense and intelligence? What is this work sharing with all humanity that has the potential to release wisdom?”

For Genesis, the power of art resided in its constant process of change, a perpetual push to expand perceptions and deepen our comprehension of existence. A philosophical quest, a pursuit of the meaning of life, and an understanding of mortality. Art is not supposed to be about careers. It's not supposed to be about someone who's just desperately trying to express something. It is supposed to be about stripping away hypocrisy, revealing the true essence of life. And life is about finding satisfaction in oneself each day.

Genesis embraced the notion of a universal energy, a force that fueled the imperative for individuals to engage in art-making or creating. Every person possesses the latent ability to tap into this wellspring of creativity, everyone has far more ability to process and express things that they've been told by their society. The hitch lies in the relinquishment of autonomy—a tradeoff willingly made for the ease of conforming to societal expectations.

Another aspect of Genesis' legacy is the example of self-determination and independent creativity they set. They were committed to the tenet that art is life, with a remarkable coherency throughout their life. From adolescence onward, they dedicated themselves to stripping down personality, habits, loops, and any laziness in terms of how we relate to things, respond to things or analyze things —using their body as a form of leverage within society. Through performances and rituals, often involving sexual taboos, they sought to “short-circuit control”. To liberate –individual and collective– power and imagination from social conditioning. Their efforts were geared towards understanding the effects of sensory deprivation on the mind and consciousness, “cutting-up” normal behavior and neurological programming to reach the essence.

With the Pandrogyny project, Genesis and Lady Jaye brought to the extreme the notion of using their body as propaganda to convey an idea. Those who claim to be disappointed or disoriented by the title possibly misunderstood the message. Whilst not denying the importance of current discussions on the topic, gender is a red-herring distraction as an issue. It should not matter. As the ultimate symbol of societal conditioning, Pandrogyny symbolized the deconstruction of these hallucinatory limits. Genesis' message revolved around the reclamation of the right –and the determination to embrace that right– to shape one's unique identity and life narrative, free of intrusion and interference. Pandrogyny operated a change of paradigm, challenging binary systems and advocating for a metaphysical oneness of the human species.

The Pandrogyny project constitutes a very Foucauldian endeavour. Since the 18th century, Foucault identifies a new form of power –biopower– as the totality of mechanisms through which the fundamental biological characteristics of the human species are constituted as such, controlled and normalized through a process of “subjection”. Normalization is used as a form of modern governmentality, disciplining people’s bodies and minds. The more we feel we are freeing ourselves through the proliferation of identities that modernity seems to offer to us, the more we get caught in the system of governmentality. Foucault’s constitution of the subject through biopower leaves space for agency, namely for self-creation, and potentially self-transformation. The “care of the self” –namely having critical awareness of oneself and of one’s environment– is the first step towards changing the power relations into which one fits; it is a practice that preserves freedom, self-creation, and self-governance. Having the awareness that the limits of our subjectivities are not inescapable, opens a field of theoretically infinite possibilities. The “third being” conceptualized and materialized in the “pandrogyne” through the fusion of physical male and female, constitutes the liberation of the mind and perception, the liberation of the body, and ultimately, the beginning of a sort of evolution. In fact, Genesis claimed that Pandrogyny did nothing but reflect an inevitable law of evolution, just like industrial music developed as a new kind of music that was inescapable. This ability to interpret the zeitgeist and manifest it into the cultural matrix earned him the designation not only of a pioneer but of a “cultural engineer”.

However, any discussion of their invaluable heritage must acknowledge the hideous side of their life, including abusive behaviours documented in Cosey's memoir. In “Art Sex Music” (though her autobiography pales in comparison to Genesis's in terms of both style and the depth of ideas explored), she chronicles instances of physical attacks, the theft of her creative credit, and near-mortal encounters instigated by Genesis. It's probably undeniable that Throbbing Gristle, COUM, and TOPY wouldn't have existed without Genesis, but credit must also be given to the essential platforms provided by Cosey, Sleazy, Chris, and others—crucial stages where Genesis could showcase, deepen and disseminate their ideas.

Other "stolen" ideas I spotted include the inscription “We have nothing to say and we’re saying it” on the back of the record “Early Worm”, published in 1967 (the quote “I have nothing to say and I am saying it” appears in John Cage’s “Lecture on Nothing” from 1959 – something Genesis had surely read), and the radical gesture of including nasty comments on the back of TG’s album covers (the firsts to do so were The Velvet Underground in their first album with Nico – a band which was highly influential on Genesis). But hey, the line between “inspiration” and “theft” is a fine and controversial one.

Accusations of Genesis’ manipulation, both of people and reality, are abundant. De facto, the book itself becomes a masterful manipulation of reality. What's striking, yet nonetheless fascinating, is the seamless and progressive narrative of their life, where every piece fits together with precision. From COUM as a theoretical underpinning that materialized into life through performance to Throbbing Gristle – a musical inevitability. From the Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth – manifesting the resurgence of contemporary magickal forms and body modifications – to Pandrogyny as an emblem of radical new perspectives of the body and gender. This interconnected journey, as believed by Genesis, not only resonates with their vision but, to some extent, becomes a reality in the eyes of others. It's a narrative that I, too, found myself believing in. Other than being a pioneer performance artist, thinker and cultural engineer, Genesis was in fact an exceptional writer. And, surely, Genesis' way with words adds grist to their mill.

While we must grapple with the complex legacies of the icons we care to follow, acknowledging the ugly truths of Genesis P-Orridge's life doesn't diminish their profound contributions to art and music. Nor I believe that we should shy away from the (possibly life-changing) experience of listening to the music of TG or PTV3. Personally, this book still served as a huge inspiration, prompting me to question who I truly aspire to be, and equipping me with valuable tools to peel away superficial layers of the self and embark on a journey “to build the you that you really want to be”.

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW IS 2.5 STARS because for some reason GoodReads doesn’t let you do half ratings.

Criticisms first: there is a potent protruding sense of grandeur emanating from a handful of these “mosaics” (as Rushkoff metaphorizes) particularly when the subjects concern Gen as “cultural engineer”. I think even loosely taking credit for something like “predicting the popularity of piercings and tattoos” is a little asinine, so my mind begins to wander to perhaps other cultural monuments in the book where almost total attribution is assumed to its popularity. Contrarily though, this is indeed a book about Gen - but residually there is a tinge in the language that seemed very inflated. There is a large lack of credit to the other members of TG, particularly Cosey, but I don’t know much about their relationship outside of “Nonbinary” and although the text portrays them to seem like they’re not holding a grudge, I wouldn’t be surprised if the later-years of TG left some scars on Gen that they didn’t quite shake.

To my surprise I found the book not written all that well. If I didn’t love the subject matter as much as I did I wouldn’t have found much to like about it.

Finally I found it a little odd that Gen is referred to as a “trans icon” while they denounce the label in the words that follow. Not sure if that was their call or someone else’s but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter.

With that out of the way: I was still moved by the messaging and experiences depicted in the book. I tend to read about figures who have deeply influenced me (I guess predominantly this concerns the work of TG) and tell myself “I have to be like them, do all the shit they do” and I work myself up because I learn I’m nothing like the people who I wish to stand alongside of. But at the end, my little pathetic voice of deprecation is squashed when Gen basically just says “nothing is cooler than being your honest self” and for some reason, despite hearing it in different iterations throughout my life, each as cliche as the last, this time I think something rewired itself.

Their stance on liberalism and the treachery of identity politics i found also refreshing to hear, especially coming from someone who made it part of their work to deconstruct the binary. It wasn’t obsessive in the way it is with a lot of people today - and I’m not talking about “pronouns bad” - I’m talking about the fragmentation of people who have little business being fragmented on the basis of some arbitrary clause such as gender identity.

One lasting thing I find remarkable is how un-antiquated it felt. Yes, I know that the 80’s weren’t THAT long ago, but at our current rate of acceleration, politically and culturally it is! These ideas and concepts didn’t feel outdated as I read them. They were still entirely applicable. I suppose it’s not just this material; regarding their ethos, a lot of Fluxus, (SOME) Surrealist, and Dada are still widely refreshing. But there is something unique about industrial that makes it feel timeless. I’ve always felt it was punk in its soul from the day I first heard TG, after I had begun looping cassette tapes of radio frequencies in my bedroom. It felt inherently critical, and I never knew why until I read this book.

Alright I’m done. Definitely going to be reading Cosey’s book, and I’m currently looking for a copy of “Assimilate” as i rediscover my love for Industrial, poetry, and performance.

[Gregory Kuchmek · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really good friend of mine was Jackie's relative. Really close, actually. So when I was living in NYC in the 90s, I often saw Gen at my friend's house, etc. Gen would borrow books from him, not return them for years and then return them heavily outlined with a hi-lighter marker! He didn't seem the kinda guy that could write a fucking book! But he did!

Not half as bad as I was expecting. Whoever the co-author guy was, he certainly helped. But there were definitely a few points where subjects disappeared! Oops.

The early stuff was informative. Most of the TG stuff we knew already, but was still interesting. I thought Cosey's book did a far better job outlining those events, the COUM stuff and detailing the general atmosphere. Gen's book felt more like an impressionistic remembrance; which -knowing that he was dying as he wrote it- isn't surprising.

Also, as a big Coil fan, I've read a ton about Sleazy and Jhon's perspective; Gen not only glosses over it, but changes quite a bit. Balance is only mentioned in passing (fine) and Sleazy's reason for leaving PTV is wholly new to me (not fine)!

Surprisingly (to me) there was some honest-to-gawd wisdom! He actually had cobbled together some decent beliefs about humanity, etc. I was rather shocked when he called himself an "altruist" near the end! Why? It seemed that he was more than happy coasting on his previous reputation as a "wrecker of civilization" and hang out with celebrities.

This book was an opportunity for a counter-culture "celebrity" to come clean on his death bed. I suspect that, in his mind, he did. Still, his thoughts about a LOT of his own art were missing. Where did cutting himself, etc, in COUM come from? The co-author guy was probably too busy correcting everything to worry about pushing Gen in certain directions!

Weirdest of all, the book seemed to lack emotion. When discussing Cosey or Paula, it was as if he just was going down the list of things he has to say. Completely lacking emotion! Even Jackie's death was just "oh, she dropped her body" and then launched into a dime store philosophy for the moment. And his kids are around when they happen to be in the particular story he's telling, but he never talks about them generally. Never talks like a parent (which I am) about how proud he is on them, what they do and have become, etc.

Personally, I'm glad that I read it, but it changed nothing for me. I never liked PTV once they got into House music (although, I DID endure a few late 80s concerts! Some were upwards of 5 hours in length. I remember leaving Cabaret Metro as the sun was coming up one time! Whew!). PTV3 was a constant joke when I lived in NYC. NO ONE "cool" ever went to those shows. Everyone ELSE in the Lower East Side would be off doing other things. Watching Thirwell roll his eyes at the mention of PTV3 is still burned into my mind.

This book is not for people like me! If you're a fan of Gen's, it's probably an okay book. Probably lacking in different ways for you, however. It's mostly coherent, but has it's moments... I suppose that I'd recommend it for CERTAIN types.