Genesis Beyer P-Orridge, the founder of artist’s collection COUM Transmissions, and band’s Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV has died aged 70.
The artist’s death was announced by their children Genesse and Caresse, who said P-Orridge had died on March 14 after a two year battle with leukemia. P-Orridge used s/he as gender pronouns.
“Dear friends, family and loving supporters, it is with very heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge. S/he had been battling leukaemia for two and a half years and dropped her body early this morning, Saturday 14th March, 2020. S/he will be laid to rest with h/er other half, Jacqueline ‘Lady Jaye’ Breyer who left us in 2007, where they will be re-united.” the statement to social media read.
Born Neil Andrew Megson, P-Orridge grew up in Essex and in the late 1960’s formed the artist collective COUM Transmissions whose conformational work explored sex work, occultism and serial killers. Out of this grew the industial band Throbbing Gristle featuring P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Chris Carter and Peter Christopherson.
When Cosey Fanni Tutti released her autobiography she said she had often lived in fear of P-Orridge and accused the musician of once trying to drop a breeze block on her head from an upstairs balcony. P-Orridge rejected the description of events, as Cosey recalled them.
In 1981 after Throbbing Gristle broke up, P-Orridge created Psychic TV with Peter Christopherson and Alex Ferguson. While COsey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter continued working together under the name Chris and Cosey. Psychic TV group who would later be influenced by the Acid House music movement on the late 1980s.
Moving the the USA in the early 1990’s P-Orridge married Lady Jane Beyer and the two artis began collaborating together. The Pandrogeny Project saw both artists undertake body modifications to looks more like each other, their combined being dubbed Beyer P-Orridge. The couple spent over $200,000 on body modifications.
Lady Jane died in 2007, their combined work was the subject of a documentary that screened locally at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival a few years ago.
Throbbing Gristle reunited to play Coachella in 2009 and Psychic TV undertook a farewell tour after P-Orridge was diagnosed with Leukemia.
Check out this interview with The Fader, which saw Genesis P-Orridge opening their home to the publication.
OIP Staff
