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Art Sex Music by Cosey Fanni Tutti
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Art Sex Music (edition 2017)

by Cosey Fanni Tutti (Author)

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17213158,375 (3.76)1
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I came to Art Sex Music as a fan of industrial music, generally familiar with Throbbing Gristle albums and Industrial Record's reputation but not well acquainted with band members or history. My tastes track more closely with Ei'bauten, Coil, and Wax Trax! bands than with TG, Chris & Cosey, or Psychic TV. From this vantage, Art Sex Music does not disappoint: Cosey narrates the birth of the genre and TG's albums and live performances, and thereby outlines the origins and influences on industrial music generally, all while weaving in Cosey's extensive art work. It was gratifying, too, reading of the occasional crossed paths with SPK, Boyd Rice / NON, Monte Cazzazza, Robert Wyatt, Clock DVA, Cabaret Voltaire, WSB. A huge void in my genre history: the infamous ICA "Prostitution" exhibit -- unknown to me, at which TG debuted and Cosey's sex worker project first saw public light.

Along with this musical journey, a parallel narration of the European art world, mostly that in England but clearly linked to Continental galleries and happenings, and to a lesser extent to the U.S. Cosey's own extensive art work outside TG, whether the sex worker pieces or others. The mail art. The overlap of galleries and exhibits and counterculture.

Well worth reading, and I suspect would pair well with Kim Gordon's recently published memoir.

//

Evidently Simon Ford's Wreckers of Civilisation served as Cosey's motivation or negative inspiration. She sees in it much distortion or outright fabrication, presumably deliberate on the part of Genesis P'Orridge. Cosey kept diaries throughout her work with TG and after, these provided a basis for her narrative. For all that, Cosey's text comes across as subjective but level-headed, not whining or full of invective. Though I strongly suspect I would have profited from the book without knowing its provenance, I appreciate that it was noted rather than kept in shadow.

This ARC omits photos, typical but unfortunate. ( )
1 vote elenchus | Sep 11, 2017 |
Showing 13 of 13
Named one of the Best Music Books of the Year by Pitchfork

"A bravura rock memoir vibrating with fierce and fearless memories―a must-have item for Chris and Cosey and Throbbing Gristle fans."
―★ Kirkus Reviews (Starred)

Art Sex Music is the autobiography of a musician who, as a founding member of the avant-garde group Throbbing Gristle and electronic pioneers Chris & Cosey, has consistently challenged the boundaries of music over the past four decades.

It is the account of an artist who, as part of COUM Transmissions, represented Britain at the IXth Biennale de Paris, whose Prostitution show at the ICA in 1976 caused the Conservative MP Nicholas Fairbairn to declare her, COUM and Throbbing Gristle ‘Wreckers of Civilisation’ . . . shortly before he was arrested for indecent exposure, and whose work continues to be held at the vanguard of contemporary art.

And it is the story of her work as a pornographic model and striptease artiste which challenged assumptions about morality, erotica, and art.

Wise, shocking, and elegant, this is the life of Cosey Fanni Tutti.
  petervanbeveren | Jan 12, 2021 |
Cosey Fanni Tutti is a British performance artist and musician best known for her artistic work with COUM Transitions and legendary avant-garde music act Throbbing Gristle.

I admit I mostly chose to read this book because I'm a huge fan of Coil. I was interested in Cosey's perspective on Sleazy (who was a member of TG) and to a lesser extent his partner Geoff. TG is a band I respect for its influence, which was immense. Personally, TG never did it for me. Maybe the reason is that I always found Genesis P-Orridge very repulsive and that impression kind of shadowed my experience of TG. This book confirmed my initial stance, although I do allow that it is just one part of the story.

After reading this I can say I like Cosey, I find her refreshingly down-to-Earth, especially when you take into account the kind of art she's produced. There were emotional scenes in the book, but they were breezed over, almost like an item on a shopping list. I expected more of an insight into her emotional world, and the influences that made TG so special.

The insight this book offers stays very much on the surface. It was very documentary-like, factual in nature, which some fans of TG may appreciate. But, this was a rather dry read. It could've used better editing as it is really long.

Cosey is indeed a free spirit and has resisted all labels. I just wish a little bit more of that translated into this book. ( )
  ZeljanaMaricFerli | Sep 8, 2020 |
There’s been a lot of times when you’ve not been able to judge a book by its cover, but this one says a lot, and only in good ways.

‘No. No, it was an accident,’ I explained. ‘The car is automatic and I’d left it in drive.’

He didn’t believe me.

‘Right!’ he shouted, and rushed into the house.

Fizzy was stood in the doorway with tears in his eyes. ‘Go quick,’ he said. ‘Good luck.’

All I could say was, ‘Sorry, I have to do this. I have to go.’

Then Fizzy was pushed aside as Gen came flying through the door wielding a nine-inch knife with ‘KILL’ burned into the wooden handle, blazing, staring eyes, screaming and heading for me. Fizzy grabbed hold of him, took the knife and dropped it on the floor of the car so Gen couldn’t snatch it back.

‘Go! Go!’ he shouted. I drove off at breakneck speed down Beck Road, turning on to Mare Street so fast I lost two hubcaps as I scraped the kerb. I wasn’t going to stop.

This is mainly a memoir from Cosey Fanni Tutti’s days in Throbbing Gristle, a band that is considered one of the pioneers of industrial music. With their punk attitude to all they did, they hammered the music scene in the mid-1970s when very few others were up to what they did.

Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti in 1969. Photograph: John Krivine
Cosey was together with Genesis P-Orridge, a wayward man who wanted to practice free sex, communal living, creating beyond barriers, and severely abusing her.

This book often reads like that of a diary by a person who’s mistreated to the extreme levels where she cannot fathom leaving their beloved, even when very little has to do with love.

Gen introduced me to the life and works of Aleister Crowley, and his mantras became ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law’ and ‘Love is the law, love under will’. I bought into that; I believed we all had our own spiritual core self, that everyone should have the freedom to find and be themselves, and to live their lives accordingly.

I came to realise, though, that the freedom this implied applied to Gen but not to me and other close friends – their actions to discover their True Will were more often than not ‘guided’ by Gen and subject to his approval and judgement. It was an unexpected twist on my father’s house rule of ‘Do as I say, not do as I do’.

As is mostly the case, the breakdown of a psyche happens gradually. Cosey was subject to an insanely stringent and abusive father. She was thrown out of her house at a young age and briskly excommunicated from her family. I cannot fathom the throes that a young person must find itself in under those circumstances.

31 March 1970
Well I go in hospital tomorrow, I had to go and ring the hospital and see how long I’d be in. They said about 4 or 5 days because I’m … The sentence should have finished ‘16 weeks pregnant’. I had conceived within two months of meeting Gen.

The book is naturally not strewn only with abuse and trauma. This book is more than that: Cosey does a fantastic job at painting a very broad picture of what she and her cohorts in art-collective COUM came up with.

Coum Transmission show (Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni ...
Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti.
We were happily ensconced in our own building and Gen began putting COUM philosophy into practice. I’ve often been asked what COUM meant – to explain it. The definition of COUM was intentionally elusive. That allowed for total freedom of expression and interpretation (including by the ‘audience’), which was a core value of COUM and created a forum for debate and sometimes brought new members. COUM was not just a ‘group’ but also more of a movement, a collective family of diverse people from all walks of life, each of us exploring and living out our fantasies or obsessions with the aim of achieving creative and self-awareness, and confidence as artists regardless of, and in opposition to, the conventional skill sets and criteria by which ‘artists’ are defined.

COUM was about giving free rein to ideas, about not being limited by rules or self-doubt – which lead to some confrontational situations as we challenged and broke established rules and cultural and social conventions.

Many of the tidbits from the book paint a picture of how society viewed Cosey and those near to her.

Much to my mum’s (and the dole office’s) delight, I decided to get a job. The notes on my unemployment records make for interesting reading:

18 February 1970 Not very enthusiastic about work. Very modern dress – wearing long boots, old fur coat and black velvet & lace creation. Not at all suitable for office work in view of appearance …

6 May 1970 Usually attends employment section with boyfriend who dresses most peculiarly. Still seeking clerical work but appearance has deteriorated. Untidy and extremely mod. clothing. Not fit for submission. Would reclassify except for good G.C.E. ‘O’ levels and it would be a waste of a good education if this girl did factory work.

3 June 1970 Miss Newby is so changeable in appearance, can look extremely attractive or dirty and shabby. Nice girl to talk to and I think she is under the bad influence of her boyfriend who is a freelance artist. He always attends with her and they both live in a derelict house shared by several hippy type characters.

Together with not only P-Orridge, Cosey set off to explore inner and outer worlds in different ways. She created art, pornography, and music.

I’d been ‘guided’ into group sex by Gen and also by my interest in Aleister Crowley and the subtext that our relationship was ‘open’. Although I was initially reluctant to indulge (I was happy with Gen as my lover), my interest in Crowley and enjoyment of sex with other guys awakened a curiosity and triggered a desire to explore my sexuality. Whether Gen realised that it would have this effect on me, I don’t know, but inevitably I tended to compare one lover to another. Some were, let’s say, more skilled at certain things than others. A person’s touch, skin and body evoke their own distinct sexual responses and enjoyment … or not. Consequently, when future chances were presented to me for repeat indulgences with someone I felt good with, or fancied, I didn’t need Gen’s persuasive tactics. But it was best all round to let him think he was in charge.

The sex aspects of the book are definitely not there to shock. It’s sobering and delightful to read a book where its author is not out to shock nor to use sexuality as a weapon – except in art.

It’s obvious that Cosey has worked very hard throughout her life. Gigs, sorting out massive art exhibitions, managing a record label, etc. And all of this while living under the thumb of Genesis P-Orridge, who currently denies accusations of violence against Cosey.

Our routine changed. I’d wake him each morning and make him breakfast before starting my day. Him working nine till five doubled my workload, as he wasn’t around to do anything. In addition to the everyday chores and sewing damn boxer shorts, I took on more of the grant and bookings correspondence and travel arrangements, phone calls and meetings, repairing and maintaining Doris, as well as organising any modelling jobs that came through. I was constantly knackered and ill but more worried about Gen getting tired and overdoing things, as he’d go to the studio in the evenings to catch up on stuff.

As the letter-writing to artists for the book increased, I was called on to relieve some of the strain. I squeezed it in between everything else. I’d thought St James would do Gen good but Collette’s constant cigarette-smoking in the small office space was bad for Gen’s asthma, but more than that Gen resented the job taking time away from his own work. When the book was published in 1977, Gen had an entry under his own name, with a half-page photograph of me and him doing our 1976 COUM action in Milan. Neither COUM nor myself were listed in the book.

The book goes from a fervent pace to a waddle cum half-of-the-book; that is where Throbbing Gristle disbands for the first time. Incredibly, they reunite, with all the mad and different types of roller-coaster drama that come with having to do with somebody who seems to be like P-Orridge is portrayed as.

There are a lot of things to be said for P-Orridge, which, thankfully, others have done for us, here and here.

There are lovely words from Cosey in the book about meeting Chris Carter, who not only became the love of her life but also member of Throbbing Gristle and the man with whom she later formed musical duo Chris & Cosey:

We’d set up a regular TG get-together for every weekend (all other commitments allowing) … with Sleazy not turning up as often as we all would’ve liked. Chris’s rekindled enthusiasm for music didn’t sit well with Simone, and things gradually started to get awkward. As usual, Gen began moves to have group sex. Simone wasn’t interested. Chris was happy to come with us for TG sessions and to sleep over, assuming (rightly) there’d be sex. Both Gen’s sex-game play and Simone’s indifference to Chris backfired.

Me and Chris both fancied each other: he was beautiful in body, mind and spirit, and wasn’t at all shy. Our making love for the first time ignited such passion and lust between us that neither of us could go back – or wanted to accept anything less than what we felt for each other. It far exceeded anything either of us had experienced before. We were faced with a dilemma as we were both in relationships and committed to TG. Was it love or lust? It was both, and we decided to keep TG on track and our emotions in check. Well, we tried, but Gen’s partiality for watching us have sex just fed our desire for each other and our resistance waned, especially when opportunities arose, usually when Gen went to sleep with other women.

There are plenty of musical interludes here, jabs at some members from The Slits, reminisces of big shows, plans for reissues, more drama, having kids, more drama, etc.

If I have to compare this book to another of the same ilk, it would have to be Viv Albertine’s glowing Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys. I just wish that the contents of this book and its rhythm, for the lack of a better word, were just there more. Everyone’s a critic, right?

It’s an interesting book and a highly eventful life to dip into. A film is being made from it and Cosey will release her second autobiographical book in Spring of 2022. ( )
1 vote pivic | May 14, 2020 |
One word- dull. On occasion, I pick up a memoir of someone that has led a more edgy life, perhaps out of voyeurism. I expected some interesting insights and observations on all three of the topics in her book title but found mostly ramblings of her quotidian, and sometimes dysfunctional life. Tutti may have been a gifted musician and lived life on the edge with her pornographic career as well, but she is not a gifted writer. If you are looking for something of this genre, Just Kids by Patti Smith is a better bet. ( )
  Mark.Kosminskas | Aug 1, 2019 |
This book is so interesting and shocking. Cosey Fanni Tutti has by any standards led an unusual life with her single-minded dedication to her art and music. Her voice as a writer is compelling - very matter of fact and deadpan even when describing the most outrageous scenes from her life. And these can relate to the art world, the music scene, sex work and various mixes between them. I went along to a night promoting the book and she was exactly the same in person. The behaviour of Genesis P'Orridge is pretty horrific throughout the book, first in their relationship, but then later related to his part in the Throbbing Gristle reunion. It's incredible Cosey goes from such a dysfunctional relationship to one which is clearly so loving and supportive with Chris Carter. Some of the later contractual disputes go on a bit, but overall I found this book fascinating and learnt a lot about the art and music scenes Cosey was involved in. ( )
  AlisonSakai | Jul 21, 2018 |
I found this a bit 'heavy going', and quite frankly, I didn't have the parience to finish it. ( )
  davidthomas | Apr 9, 2018 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I came to Art Sex Music as a fan of industrial music, generally familiar with Throbbing Gristle albums and Industrial Record's reputation but not well acquainted with band members or history. My tastes track more closely with Ei'bauten, Coil, and Wax Trax! bands than with TG, Chris & Cosey, or Psychic TV. From this vantage, Art Sex Music does not disappoint: Cosey narrates the birth of the genre and TG's albums and live performances, and thereby outlines the origins and influences on industrial music generally, all while weaving in Cosey's extensive art work. It was gratifying, too, reading of the occasional crossed paths with SPK, Boyd Rice / NON, Monte Cazzazza, Robert Wyatt, Clock DVA, Cabaret Voltaire, WSB. A huge void in my genre history: the infamous ICA "Prostitution" exhibit -- unknown to me, at which TG debuted and Cosey's sex worker project first saw public light.

Along with this musical journey, a parallel narration of the European art world, mostly that in England but clearly linked to Continental galleries and happenings, and to a lesser extent to the U.S. Cosey's own extensive art work outside TG, whether the sex worker pieces or others. The mail art. The overlap of galleries and exhibits and counterculture.

Well worth reading, and I suspect would pair well with Kim Gordon's recently published memoir.

//

Evidently Simon Ford's Wreckers of Civilisation served as Cosey's motivation or negative inspiration. She sees in it much distortion or outright fabrication, presumably deliberate on the part of Genesis P'Orridge. Cosey kept diaries throughout her work with TG and after, these provided a basis for her narrative. For all that, Cosey's text comes across as subjective but level-headed, not whining or full of invective. Though I strongly suspect I would have profited from the book without knowing its provenance, I appreciate that it was noted rather than kept in shadow.

This ARC omits photos, typical but unfortunate. ( )
1 vote elenchus | Sep 11, 2017 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I first became aware of Cosey Fanni Tutti through listening to podcast stories featuring her longtime collaborator/lover/sometimes nemesis Genesis P-Orridge. I was fascinated by the background I had heard and looking forward to reading more from Cosey's viewpoint. This book was an interesting diaristic autobiography, which would have been enhanced with photographs. I'm not sure that this has a ton of crossover interest for anyone who isn't already at least vaguely familiar with the avante-garde art and music scenes Cosey is so enmeshed in.
  literary.jess | Aug 9, 2017 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Cosey Fanni Tutti, an apt pseudonym for the Author of this fascinating autobiography and key personage of the Throbbing Gristle (TG) music group. This well-written discourse takes the reader back to the tumult of the beginnings of the post-war rebellion by the counterculture youth of the UK and rockets you through the ages to today. Cosey holds nothing back - the raw edges rasp at your consciousnesses, the struggle for sense and expression is transferred with a gut wrenching imperative as the reader turns the pages. A work of art itself, those living through that time will understand the depth of the challenges faced by a pioneer of artistic expression as she crashes through her life. You revel at the success of a TG concert only to be saddened by a loss or setback. This is real life - not sugar-coated pablum. Art Sex Music is literature to read - a timely book as a generation begins to fade into memories with each person's passing. This book will stand the test of time. ( )
  difreda | Jun 27, 2017 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult book to review. It's not for everyone. I don't know a lot about the bands that Cosey Fanni Tutti was in, or the art she's produced. The first 100 pages did not really pull me in. But by the end of the book, I was happily reading as quickly as possible, and I found myself listening to music from her bands and others that she discusses. In fact, this book has led me to additional books, music, and art, and I know that I will continue to explore the music made by this author and her friends. The author's struggles to create art, have healthy relationships, and just survive were inspiring, even though I was often horrified at the situations she put herself into (and sometimes was forced into) as a young woman. She is an indomitable person, a true artist, and an inspiration. That said, the book is long, and contains a lot of detail that might not be as interesting to people who don't follow this kind of music or art. The end of the book is often frustrating, due to the difficult behavior of a bandmate. This is Cosey's side of the story, and I think some readers might be put off that there is no attempt to present both sides of the case. That wasn't an issue for me - this is Cosey's book about her life. ( )
1 vote MissPrudence | Jun 8, 2017 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Art, Sex, Music is an autobiographic work by Cosey Fanni Tutti (born Christine Newby; 4 November 1951). It is a study in self-examination based on diaries kept by the author. She states that she started early in keeping her journals. The first entry quoted in from 1966 which would have been when she was fifteen. However, there is some indication that she started earlier.

I found this to be a tedious read. This might be because the avant-garde work of her generation is unfamiliar to me or that too much of the book descends into a “he said then I said” format. Much of the work chronicles the relationship between her and Genesis P-Orridge (born Neil Andrew Megson; 22 February 1950)
From the viewpoint of this book, Mr. Megson appears to be a total abusive ass. However, I have not read his book so it is hard to tell.

At any rate, there are 501 pages of detailed description of Ms. Newby’s work and times. There is a good chance that a younger reader would take away a good deal more from the work than I did. I found it a struggle to read to the end of the book and that is a rare experience for me. ( )
  hippypaul | May 30, 2017 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I requested this early review book since I recognised the band name Throbbing Gristle in the quick author summary.

She kind of races through childhood, giving an "and then.. and then.." litany of events but rarely lingering over them with any degree of descriptiveness when I really wanted to hear more. It does give a base of how hard she had to be growing up scrapping in Hull. She mentions a lot of friends by first name but doesn't hang a lot of description on them so it's hard to keep track. I didn't realise for pages that Gen was Genesis P-Orridge, oops. She seems to assume a lot of familiarity with the members of COUM and other bands, and it was confusing since a lot of them had many names. It was also super stressful to read about her abusive relationship with Gen. I did love reading about her creative process, especially how she did nude modelling to collect magazine images to include in her art work. The musical collaborations were amazing too, barring Gen messing them up. She's brutally honest about medical scares as well (she was involved with a hospital scandal after a miscarriage) and open with sharing her love for her various collaborators and family. The financial burdens of producing music and touring were exposed as well, I remembered when a few labels/distributors folded but didn't hear how that affected the bands on them.
A quote that jumped out at me: "There's nothing worse than wanting to do something but having a 'maybe' hanging over you." I've been burning out a bit on making plans with people and that resonated. I felt like I should have made up a soundtrack to listen to while reading this, so many good bands were mentioned! ( )
1 vote silentq | May 24, 2017 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Autobiography of Cosey Fanni Tutti, a musician and performance artist. Although she states the book was "tough" to write it appears to be written in a comfortable, easy to read format, using the diaries she kept through the years to provide much detail. Like she says it was written not as a rose-tinted view of her past! ( )
  loraineo | Apr 30, 2017 |
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