Psychic TV

As a avid buyer of dance records pre and after acid house broke, I can dispel PTV were innovators or influencial artists at the heart of the acid house movement. They jumped on it after all the key records released from Chicago and most of their efforts were average, forgettable and band wagon jumping attempts. The English DJ and producer evil Eddie Richards did a good remix of "I c water" which has stood test of time but for me the claims re acid house innovation on the main bio are just repeating the false ego claims made at the time by GPO. Cossi fan tuttis book gives a insider insight to the huge ego and attention seeking character of GPO. There was some interesting concepts explored over the years on occasion

The below thread is interesting. Including what kmanthie says (hidden in a “reply”), bringing Crowleyism in as reference to the occult, which was definitely a part of Orridge’s dialogue. Music is so many different things, includes beauty and ugliness, order and disorder. Psychic TV happened at a particular time, when the west was recoiling from a rampant drug scene, drugs taken without inhibition, limits were pushed and mocked. Porridge was then, partly a result of that. Psychic TV represents the disordered side of music, chaos, the occult, tearing things apart, frustration, madness – PTV would be whatever porridge P’O would manifest in a given moment.

It can be difficult to confront an entire catalogue of an artist’s life when they have created so much and it is complete. I was there at the beginning, it helps me decipher PTV identity to remember what my perception of PTV at that time was. Rather than a vision which can be occluded by myth. I bought Dreams Less Sweet (not FTHOC) and I bought a few other things in the early years (Unclean, NYScum, Godstar etc). I had an interest in punk, then post punk and what it all lead to. Lana Del Rey for instance is highly polished music, but its seamier side couldn’t have existed without punk (generalised comment).

Time passing, I would be flipping through records wondering what to buy, every now and then I’d come across a Psychic TV item and I would look at it. Should I buy it? P’O knew how to get attention, but could he keep it? Because I’d already bought a few PTV things and not really been satisfied, I found them more as beguiling but ultimately pretentious in the sense of pretending to be something. In fact I wonder if a key ingredient of PTV seems to be mockery of culture and establishment; take that away, what is left which is true creation? [This is where I have to be wary, because there are many out there who appreciate PTV and their music holds meaning for them.]

The early Eighties to me represent a hugely fertile musical landscape. Obviously Genesis (funny name!) was there at the beginning (?) Surely Bach was before Genesis? A primordial porridge. P’O was present amongst all these other names which time would prove to be important: members of Coil, Soft Cell, Industrial music. And then influences outside of music, Genesis P’O providing music for Derek Jarman (Coil doing the same). I’d see P’Orridge filmed in interviews, I much preferred that side, he could be lucid and state profound comments particularly about love and desire. I preferred P’O, the person, to his performance self, and when I say that I mean the TV-interviewed person – all I know of P’O is the projected image.

When artists become part of our culture it seems unfair they have to undergo this grilling, but that is the price. Culturally, they have contributed and in order to understand what they have contributed, they make their selves prone to being studied. Labelling people can be barbaric, you miss bits of the person, and the negative comments can seem abusive. However, I’d like to know whether any psychological labels applied. Looking at his wide eyes, there is a certain ‘friedness’ there. He’s looking everywhere, taking it all in, no borders. Huxley’s doors of perception. A certain awareness of the Abyss. Did P’O make it out of the Abyss? He goes from one thing to the other, distraction . . .

P’O PLAYS with being God, on his self and wanting followers. Looking at the books available by P’O there is the highly serious looking Psychick Bible, rooting itself firmly in the occult, and then books about reshaping gender. Two critical issues, the latter bound with P’O’s love for Lady Jaye. However, for a polar view of a loving relationship, look at CosiFTutti’s account where there are questions of P’O being a sadistic aggressor (the Guardian). And reasons for escaping the UK after damaging false allegations of “satanic ritual abuse” (Channel 4 Dispatches). Excuse me? It is all very confusing, how does anybody put themselves into this arena? And he’s worth millions: put that ingredient in. Tutti’s comment is very telling: “just wanted followers, not people to contribute. [She was] very dominant, we had no fun.”

The Art World where people seek attention. What is that dynamic? Can the artist lose the self, be consumed by it all?

It could be said tearing things apart is a good thing, society can then build it up better. It is important also to say we need to question where REAL credit is due – is credit due to those who tear something apart or to those who then rebuild? Both? I’m not so sure. Of course humanity is all in this mess together and without certain key events, something ‘very important’ may never have happened. Shade is what gives light definition? Inescapably, some things do have more relevance than others. As example, looking at Coil’s work, also with occult links, it has a more exacting craft to it, the entire Coil opus (to, say, 2005) is very broad, despite its aesthetics of chance it demonstrates carefully directed growth, it is also strongly cohesive.

I can’t help thinking about P’Orridge's wide eyes.

PTV3 is currently the official name of the touring group headed as always by
the lovely Ms. P. Orridge. More prolific than the Grateful Dead ever was and
have recently gained control of the helm aboard the legendary "Silver Machine"
sonic spaceship once piloted by space rock mentors "Hawkwind!" and refuse to be
in more than seven dimensions at one time without a trip reset switch at their disposal.

PTV have amazing tracks for each individual to choose and dared to speak about many things that nobody else dared until them (like creating a religious movement devoted mainly to Magick and the Individual).
In truth PTV is GPO and members who play with him on each record with some problems arising btw GPO and many musicians. GPO doesn't seem stable enough... If 2 days ago he was into industrial music, 1 day ago into trance, today into spoken word nobody can really guaratee you that todays true isn't tomorrows lie.
Interesting to observe and study, but not much more (this is warning, lol!). Sometimes he reminds me of a modern Crowley version... but not so amazing.

PTV are this generations "Merry Pranksters". Although I'm not a big fan of their sometimes noisy early output, their influence in the Acid/Techno scene cannot be denied. Anyone who mixes fucked-up politics, electronics and religious spoofing like Genesis P. Orridge deserves proper recognition.