Throbbing Gristle to Release First New LP in 25 Years

Throbbing Gristle, the group that pretty much invented the industrial genre, are gearing up for a big comeback in 2006. In February, Mute Records will release the first new Throbbing Gristle studio album in 25 years, entitled Part Two. Here's the tracklist, spelling and grammar mistakes included:

01 Vow of Silence
02 Rabbit Snare
03 Seperated
04 Almost a Kiss
05 Greasy Spoon
06 Lyre Liar
07 Above the Below
08 Endless Not
09 Worm Waits It's Turn
10 After the Fall

Unlike most bands, which entice hardcore fans into buying their new record as soon as it comes out with limited edition packaging or some silly bonus DVD, Throbbing Gristle have something truly special in store for people who buy the first 4000 copies of Part Two. Each CD will contain one of four "totemic gifts" embedded in its jewel case, made of either copper, bone, rubber or wood, and hand-crafted "under [band member] Peter Christopherson's personal supervison in Thailand", according to Throbbing Gristle's website. Whether or not those "totemic gifts" come loaded with some kind of ancient curse is unclear. But hey, it can't be worse than a Sony rootkit, right?

In the meantime, if you're looking for the perfect holiday present for the person in your life with three-inch-diameter holes in their earlobes, then consider tickets to the two-day Throbbing Gristle New Year's celebration in Berlin, happening at Volksbühne on December 31 and January 1.

On New Year's Eve, Throbbing Gristle, featuring all of its original members (Christopherson, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Chris Carter, and Genesis P-Orridge) will headline an electronic music blowout that will also feature performances by T. Raumschmire, Thomas Brinkmann, and Justus Köhncke. The next night, the band will perform a live soundtrack accompaniment to Derek Jarman's 1980 movie In the Shadow of the Sun.

However, if merely attending those two events just isn't enough Gristle for your mill, for just $360, you can purchase one of only 200 "Ubertickets" from the TG website. It will get you into both shows, as well as the following goodies: a seat at the world premiere screening of the concert film TG Live at the Astoria, London on December 29 at Kunstwerke Gallery in Berlin, which will be followed by a discussion with the band; an invitation to a December 30 private viewing with the band members of the "Industrial Annual Report" TG retrospective art exhibit, also at Kunstwerke (the exhibit will be on display through March 2006); an advance copy of the new album with all four "totemic gifts"; a limited-edition signed poster; an enamel badge; a set of postcards. Seriously, that is a world-class bargain.

Despite this flurry of Throbbing Gristle activity, the band members haven't cooled it on the extracurriculars. Cosey Fanni Tutti will exhibit some of her artwork at the Tate Britain in London as part of their 2006 Triennial. Genesis P-Orridge (now known as Genesis Breyer P-Orridge) and his band PTV3 (formerly Psychic TV) are working on a new album, to be released by Birdman Records in 2006. It features guest spots from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, Gibby Haynes from Butthole Surfers, and Kembra Pfahler from the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black. Now that sounds like a party.

* Pitchfork Review: Throbbing Gristle: The Taste of TG / Mutant TG

Throbbing Gristle: http://www.throbbing-gristle.com/