Psychic TV 3 Review

Neon Mussolini (aka Simon Elliot), Joe Mason (Frisco Farr), James de Ara (the best photographer I know) and I went to the PTV3 gig last month. It was sensational, so me and James decided to try and shop my lacklustre writing with his great photo's to some music magazines. I think we left it a little too late... either that or my writing is well shit (probably) as no-one picked it up. So I thought I'd slap it up on the Little Power blog.

Psychic TV 3
@ Bardens Boudoir
Sunday May 17th

This third incarnation of Psychic TV, PTV3, played their only UK tour date to a sold out Bardens Boudoir. This lone date is presumably in reflection of Genesis P Orridge’s self-imposed exile from the UK, an exile which begun some seventeen years ago. If you are unfamiliar with vocalist Genesis P Orridge you could be forgiven for mistaking his hobbling figure, dashing through the early comers at Bardens to the backstage area, as that of a shy and slightly crazy, bag lady. For the uninitiated, Orridge is an iconic musical pioneer often regarded as one of the founding figures of industrial music with his other band Throbbing Gristle, but also now infamous for his “pandrogyny”. This “pandrogyny” was an artistic project which saw the surgical modification of Orridge and his now sadly deceased wife (and former PTV3 member) Lady Jaye, with the intended conclusion being a blur in distinction between their respective genders, so that both lovers meet in a genderless middle ground. Hence the silicone breasts on his heavily tattooed body and having a face which screams “facial surgery” more than Mickey Rourke’s.

All this aside, Orridge’s vocals are an acquired taste, his voice so unique, but tonight if you “get” what s/he does then Orridge is flawless. When PTV3’s anti-war song “Higher And Higher” kicks in, the band is in full flight with Orridge gesticulating wildly at the front or miming shooting the front row with an invisible machine gun. The frantic pace is lowered for “New York Story” which is played in memory of Lady Jaye, while behind the band a video screen displays images of her and Orridge in a psychedelic montage of post-surgery bandages and fetish wear.

“Papal Breakdance” later in the set shows just how powerful PTV3 is live, with its explosive chorus and Lou Reed’s “Foggy Notion” (with a spacey jam in the middle) ends the night.

Words: Josh Reed
Pictures: James de Ara