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Psychic TV (sometimes spelt Psychick TV) or PTV, is primarily an electronic music group that occasionally forays into psychedelic, punk, and experimental music. The band was formed by performance artist Genesis P-Orridge (after the break up of Throbbing G

Psychic TV was first born in 50 Beck Road, Hackney in 1982. Persuaded and encouraged by his cool friend guitarist Alex Fergusson of punk trailblazers Alternative TV an initially reluctant Genesis P-Orridge returned to active duty inventing new music following his termination of Throbbing Gristle in 1981. Six months later the duo completed the nucleus of the new unit with ex-TG'er Peter Christopherson. By that time Genesis had already conceived, named and pioneered the genre "Industrial Music"  with Throbbing Gristle. Along with the Velvet Underground, Throbbing Gristle is and remains one of the most influential rock groups of the last 30 years; if you havent heard their music, you will certainly have listened to someone who has. In Throbbing Gristle, Genesis and company synthesized the influences and philosophies of Gen's close friends and collaborators, including Beat writer William S. Burroughs; Beat poet and painter Brion Gysin; psychedelic shaman Dr Timothy Leary; queer activist film maker Derek Jarman; and those of legendary occultist Austin Osman Spare, theorist John Cage and various seminal underground authors, thinkers, artists and film makers. The group "TG"  produced some of the most unsettling and thought-provoking music of all time. Their pioneering "Industrial" sound and self-sufficient approach to record distribution has had a profound impact, becoming key elements of underground music production and distribution ever since (the definitive TG history Wreckers Of Civilisation by Simon Ford is still available, published by Black Dog Books, London). Right from the outset, Psychic TV in turn made highly innovative and unflinchingly provocative music blending elements of psychedelia and dance with Industrial sounds (named "HYPERDELIC"  by Genesis). As with TG, the details of Psychic TV's packaging, marketing and the radical lifestyle of the musicians were all treated as equally crucial components of the final aesthetic statement. Psychic TV created the template for the current avant-dance stance popularly labeled "Electronica"  as well as having an undeniable influence on the emergent "Rave"  culture; the group released the worlds first 12 inch single with the words "ACID HOUSE"  in the title, "Turn On Tune In To The Acid House."  The label depicted Superman as a tab of LSD emblazoned with their logo the Psychic(k) Cross and triggered a suppressive lawsuit making this withdrawn icon a rare collectible! For some 14 odd years, Psychic TV recorded and released dozens of live and studio albums ending up in the Guiness Book Of Records for releasing more albums in one year than any other artist (even Elvis!). Psychic TV was terminated in the mid 90s as Genesis pursued further musical goals with his spoken-word and expanded poetry/video installation project Thee Majesty.

Over the last several years, Edward ODowd of New York Citys legendary rock band Toilet Boys gently but persistently persuaded Genesis to rekindle her rock spirit and Psychic TV. As sincere and dogged as Alex Fergusson had been before him, Edward succeeded and Psychic TV was as PTV3 as of December 2003 when they played their first public show. Once PTV3 reached the recording studio, ODowd played a crucial part in pushing Genesis and the other musicians to give their very best, and then some, getting stellar performances out of all concerned as a result. In addition Edward also art directed and designed the innovative and distinctive packaging for Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e. PTV3 and Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e are very much the product of the creative partnership of Genesis and Edward. The full history of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and her varied seminal musical exploits of the past three decades as well as her socio-cultural (or should that be politico-sexual? Or all the above!) adventures would easily fill a book (and has Soft Skull/Shortwave Books published Painful but Fabulous: The Lives and Art of Genesis P-Orridge in 2003). The reactivated ensemble undertook a wildly successful North American tour in 2004, followed by an equally tumultuously received European tour last year. Genesis and Lady Jaye continue to periodically mount exhibitions of their artwork in galleries around the globe.

Already living a creative further chapter of her " life"  book Genesis continues to provoke and explore in her very public private life; from replacing all her healthy teeth with solid gold permanent replicas in an homage to Pierre Clemente in Luis Bunuels "Belle De Jour."  Littering the dictionary and culture with new words for new, original ideas Genesis and now Lady Jaye can be said to follow the serious process and joy-filled strategy of "When there is no example imagine it, when there is no word for it invent one." 

It is through this deeply sincere search for a positive path of humanE evolution and his/their commitment of mind, body and soul to that voyage of discovery that such a profound global influence of his creative experimentation and current (PTV3) music continues to animate and deeply inspire successive generations. S/HE IS HER/E alive, unique and a living legend!

RELEASES BY: Psychic TV / PTV3


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