[ann ashtray]

There's a school of thought that expresses one shouldn't judge the art by what goes on in the artists personal life. There's another one that feels as if the personal life of an artist often has something to say about the art itself. I'm somewhere in between. Ultimately it doesn't matter much, as art almost always (if not actually always...) boils down to mere entertain + nothing more. Some people relate to it more than that...These are usually the sorts that make the art of other people their own personal lifestyles....Mansonites + the like.

I find Throbbing Gristle, + esp. Gen to be wildly entertaining. I think s/he's an asshole, but I also think s/he's smart. S/He's an artist that appeals to my natural interest in all things weird and sometimes philosophical interests that are always lingering in the back of my mind but so seldom expressed unless I'm feeling particularly challenged/challenging.


Unlike shock for the sake of shock (Gwar, Alice Cooper), I think Gen is often trying to express actual feelings and ideas. I don't agree with all of it, but s/he def. always succeeds in keeping my mind stirred + considering ideas I might not come across otherwise.

I like him/her because s/he's a spokesperson not for a specific sex or religion except for that of which exists in his own mind. Plenty of ideas pulled from elsewhere, sure, but something that results in something being very unique to Gen. I actually know a transexual that totally despises Gen. Interesting? Not really. I can see how that would be an easy thing for anyone.