Hips, Tits, Lips, & Power

Knowing me, and a title like that, you're probably expecting a rant about women and my problems with them, right? Sorry, I ain't going there today. Some other time. This is something different.

This morning, I was going through some CDs, trying to find something to listen to in the car, and at the office. I picked up "The Truth Will Out" from Pigface. It's a live record with some of their earlier 'hits' on it. Pigface doesn't really have any hit songs in the traditional sense. You'll never see "Sick Asp Fuck" on Billboard's Top 40 chart. But, for fans of industrial music, they have some favorites.

For those not familiar, Pigface is an industrial supergroup. The core member is Martin Atkins who in his earlier career, played drums with Public Image Limited, Killing Joke, Murder Inc., and more currently with the Damage Manual. The latter two are also supergroups in a sense. Pigface is based loosely around a core of musicians who originated with Wax Trax Records (Chicago) in the '90s. Others have been involved, too, like Andrew Weiss from the Rollins Band, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and David Yow from the Jesus Lizard. Of course, the elite of modern industrial have been involved, too, like members of Ministry, KMFDM, Psychic TV (which includes Geneseis P-Orridge formerly of Throbbing Gristle), and Skinny Puppy. Yes, there was also a short time when industrial demigod and whiner Trent Reznor was a member. He wrote what is probably still their most famous song, "Suck." Then he went and re-recorded it and put it on a NIN album ("Broken") as a hidden track.

Industrial music seems to be a hazy thing these days. Originally, one could say that Kraftwerk or Throbbing Gristle were industrial. This is true in the original and most basic definition of the genre: mechanical-sounding electronic music. That original definition has changed radically since the early days of those wacky Germans. In fact, most people probably think of Nine Inch Nails or Orgy or something when they think of industrial. Back in the late '90s, there was a bit of a revolution in industrial music. Industrial music became dance metal. You don't believe me? Go listen to Ministry's album "Psalm 69, the Way to Succeed, and the Way to Suck Eggs." Or, better yet, go listen to any of the past four KMFDM albums. Industrial has become dance music with metal guitars and drums.

Now, we have bands who are walking the lines of industrial. For an example, the Faint could easily be compared to Duran Duran, but there is definitely a Slayer influence in there somewhere. Radio Berlin are often compared to Interpol or Hot Hot Heat, but that's bullshit. If anything, they're the 21st century's Bauhaus, but they use drum machines and sequencing. Locally, there's Thunderbirds Are Now!, who are like a punk rock industrial new wave band. Maybe I'm going too far with categorizing, but hey, it's the easiest way to describe a band to those who don't know.

Bands like Ministry and Pigface are still around, but they've evolved so far from where they began that they're unrecognizable. Ministry has gone more of an electronic ambient route, while Pigface has looked more to world-beat rhythms. It's interesting, but it's not as fun as it once was. There's nothing like watching Lesley Rankine (Silverfish, Ruby) screaming out "Hips, Tits, Lips, Power!" along with a rocking band vamping endlessly behind her. Pigface was always different, though. They brought elements of hip-hop and punk rock into a generally soul-less genre. Ministry will never be the same, either. Every show they've played in Detroit has resulted in a noise complaint. They're loud, and Al Jourgensen's (singer/ringleader) a crazy junkie.

My point is that industrial used to be fun and interesting, and now it's just bland and boring. The music that is specifcally labeled as industrial blows. Music that reads between the lines and goes above and beyond the call of duty (the Faint, Radio Berlin) is like the new industrial. The spirit of Kraftwerk is alive and kicking, it's just taken on a whole new form.

just one fix