Ted Little originally ran the Birmingham Arts Lab in the 1970's. After moving to London to contemporise the I.C.A. Theatre and downstairs he championed all the new musical, fashion, and theatre spectaculars that were erupting in London at that time. Despite immense pressure from the Arts Council, and in the end the Government itself, he never backed down on what he believed was radical and relevant in the arts. Without him COUM could not have become as legendary and significant as they are. Nor Throbbing Gristle have been elevated into the public arena as effectively or fast. The Industrial Music and Punk Rock scenes of London in 1976 owe a huge debt to his vision, courage, and fabulous sense of humour. Malcolm MaClaren's "SEX" shop exhibited in the corridors and café. The Clash, The Damned, Siouxie, The Subway Sect played in the theatre. Throbing Gristle unveiled themselves in the large "Art" Gallery along with "LSD" (Chelsea, later Gen X) and COUM Transmissions confronted head on the moral, political, and artistic hypocrisies of their day.
-Genesis
No comments:
Post a Comment