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What do you think of Genesis P Orridge

Cheesypoof

Cheesypoof

Fuck off Noddy
Banned
I only heard of him a few months ago, and have found myself listening to his interviews on youtube as im getting up in the morning. An intriguing character who has lived quite a life and has interesting opinions on everything....he also appears quite pretentious but i like the fact that he doesnt compromise or apologise for any of it. His superficiality is part of his 'art' and oddly complements it. He strikes me as someone who is at once loving, and also spiky and capable of airbrushing the past and revising his own history. I think he's a bit of an old grump but there's something about his fierce individuality and encouragement of that in others that appeals to me. I'm not familiar with the Throbbing Gristle back catalogue, but am very impressed with what i have heard on the mellotran.

I think he is a bonafide artist of sorts. Haven't seen the documentary he did with Lady Jayne (actually busted my computer trying to download it before Christmas!! it looks great). I'm thinking of getting his book, that comes with the lofty title, Thee Psychik Bible. Not sure if i should be referring to them as 'he' btw!

What are folk's thoughts on him, his art, message, and music? I'm sure there's a few experts on here who are very familiar with his work, back in the day. Thanks - there are a few old threads on him but different to this one. I appreciate people's thoughts and stories.
 
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Cheesypoof said:
Referring to himself as 'we' and his common sense ideas being reimagined as almost magical, esoteric concepts.
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no, what makes you think he is superficial? i don't think referring to yourself as 'we' makes you superficial: pretentious, perhaps, but not superficial. being as he's a longstanding interest in thelema it is perhaps no surprise to find allusions to 'magical, esoteric concepts' there.
 
Cheesypoof said:
Please dont ruin my thread, Pickman. I am really interested in people's opinions on Genesis P Orridge from Urban as i know folks on here will be knowledgable. You are welcome to share yours too on his art and music.
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i am not trying to ruin your thread, i wondered why you thought him superficial (i'm still wondering). being as you've never shown any sign of being interested in magick, i don't know how much you'll get on with someone who believes crowley should be considered on the same plane as nietzsche or wittgenstein: it's from that end of things that i've mainly encountered gpo.
 
Pickman's model said:
i am not trying to ruin your thread, i wondered why you thought him superficial (i'm still wondering). being as you've never shown any sign of being interested in magick, i don't know how much you'll get on with someone who believes crowley should be considered on the same plane as nietzsche or wittgenstein: it's from that end of things that i've mainly encountered gpo.
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Well, that's the bit about him i find superficial. Its an overall impression I get from his whole schtick, a vibe, if you like. But i still like him. I know you are interested in witchcraft, and knowledgable on it so feel free to contribute to the thread (about what you think of Genesis P Orridge as an artist). Do you think that one would have to be interested in magick to 'get' him, or take him seriously? What do you think of his ideas and music?
 
Cheesypoof said:
really? what happened?
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12510290_10154422079274989_1301098698973640892_n.jpg
 
Warning: I will be gendering GP-O as male, simply because it's easier for me.
IMO GP-O is a true British eccentric. He's always been a controversialist, but not for the sake of being a controversialist. Rather, it's because he likes to explore things that interest him, and a lot of the things that have interested him are transgressive - whether that's sexual transgression, political transgression or moral transgression. He's a firm believer in the principle that you can't effectively comment on something unless you understand it.
His magickal work doesn't appeal to me, mainly because I see him as part of the neo-Crowleyan stream of magick that came into being alongside (and to some extent through) the emergence of "Chaos Magick" in the UK - a system that ultimately borrowed heavily from the occult philosophies of former Brixtonian Austin Osman Spare - and it all seems a bit twee to me. I prefer my magick as a more straightforward transaction ("here you go, here's your burnt offering, now show me the money!") than Genesis does.
His art I find very interesting, mainly because he's always up for taking a new route/trying out a new path to achieving his art. Listen to Throbbing Gristle's output, for example. From inception onwards the "band" always strove to present their message in new forms, looking for a way to (to borrow from the Lizard King) "break on through to the other side". And that "other side" was never commercial success, it was always about transcending the "now" and making art of it.
I'd much rather see one GP-O in the world, with his eyes always set on the far horizon,striving to reach it, than a thousand "new British artists" and their commodificationism dresses up as art.
 
I first met Gen in 1979. S/He was always a very friendly, funny, generous, and knowledgeable person. e.g. It was through them that I learned of William Burroughs. I last saw them ~1989.

As mentioned above, s/he's always been interested in pushing boundaries, including gender identity. S/He is certainly guilty of hyperbole (T.G. inventing sampling, and PTV inventing Acid House), and airbrushing the past (Paula is never mentioned).
 
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