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Back on the bus: Psychic TV's Genesis P-Orridge and Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge.

(from left) Lady Jaye, Genesis P-Orridge, and William "Fucking" Reed welcome the lunar eclipse.

Under a blood red moon we sat on the sidewalk like children, clapping to encourage the completion of Monday's lunar eclipse. "Clap your hands to make it come, snap your fingers to make it go," advised Lady Jaye, Genesis P-Orridge's limber, elvish companion, and we all did the former. This, out by the Psychic TV bus, long after PTV's triumphant gig at The Rogue in Scottsdale. Once the shadow of the Earth engulfed the moon, cheers and yelps went up. For quite a while, it hung there like some extraterrestrial weather balloon. At some point, Genesis and Lady Jaye had us all join hands and play a parlor game. Those who broke the circle to avail themselves of firewater or what have you, were chided.

It was here one could witness, even more so than in her oft-topless perfomance Monday night, the maternal pull P-Orridge has on others. She is thoughtful, intelligent, wise, and playful, all at once. If you've been lucky in your upbringing, she might remind you of your own mother. And if you haven't, she might be the mother you wish you'd had. For several hours we sat talking with each other, pairing into twos and threes after the games ended. It seemed so odd that this rock icon from the days of Throbbing Gristle up till now would have such a gentle and yet powerful command over all of us. S/he who must be obeyed...

Present were that garrulous gadabout-town Gatsby, DJ/promoter William "Fucking" Reed, DJ Blonde Noize of Sadisco* fame, members of PTV, and others -- at least 20 souls in all. Earlier Blonde Noize had accompanied me onto the PTV tour bus and sat with me as I conversed with an obviously drained P-Orridge. She was dressed in an oversized T-shirt, sipping a on a glass of red wine. We spoke for a while off the record, then she allowed me to begin taping. What follows is the interview as it transpired. The stuff more relevant to the controversies leading up to the cancellation of gigs at Anderson's Ffith Estate and The Sets, is in the second half of the interview.

Why do you think people get so bent out of shape over transgender issues?

In prehistoric times, it was a genetic advantage that the male of the tribe would protect the replication through the females and the children and the food source and territory with violence. So they would attack anything that was threatening or predatory or unknown. And that was how we survived in those really brutal environments. It was our advantage at that time. But it’s 40,000 years later, and the environment we live in now is a multi-digital-technological environment. It’s a human-made environment. And our behavior hasn’t changed at all. It’s still male-dominated, prehistoric, chimpanzee aggression. Anything that’s different or other or seems threatening is an enemy and the answer is intimidation and violence. This is not civilized. It is not evolutionarily correct. So mutation is necessary. Serious mutation. That’s why I believe transgender people and hermaphrodites are the stormtroopers of evolution. Even if they don’t know it. The human species has to evolve and change radically or it will not survive. Behavior has to catch up with consciousness.

So we’re essentially still animals.

And Brion Gysin says we’re bad animals. It’s a severe problem. Look at the way this polarization goes on now between Muslim/Christian, Western/Eastern, white/black, good/bad, male/female. It’s all polarization, it’s all binary. Even computers are binary. And it’s disruptive, it doesn’t work. It’s not serving our purposes as a species. We’re really threatened by a very dark age.

Can you explain your symbol to me, the Psychic TV cross?

Funny you should talk about it because we were saying today how great it is to have a non verbal symbol. Well, William Burroughs and Brion Gysin, who were friends of mine, I worked with them and hung out with them until they died, they had this obsession with the number 23. So the Psychic cross is actually the proportions of 2 and 3…So it represents 23. 23 to me represents synchronicity, random chance, the unknown friendliness of the universe beyond logic. That if you start to work with ritual and shamanism and open up your heart and your mind to possibility, it seems from my experience that it literally befriends the universe, and things that you want to have happen become more and more likely. And things that you need as resources appear, beyond logic. So that’s what it represents. That aspect of life and existence.

I thought it might have this third-gender meaning.

It’s become that too, of course. That wasn’t the original design. But that’s great. It becomes relevant in that sense too with pandrogyny as well.

I see you have it on jewelry and clothes, even as tattoos.

These rings that we make. (Showing a gold one on her hand.) That’s the mother ring. All others have been made from this one. This is the original one. This is made from a mold of this, you see. All the people in the band have one on their pinky. It’s like being in the Hell’s Angels and getting your coat. I’ve always liked the Hell’s Angels and cults and things. You sort of commit yourself to something beyond logic.

Are you insulted when people call Psychic TV a cult?

We used to joke about it. Lady Jaye when we first met, would say, “I’m working for the cult.” No, we’re not afraid of it because we know we’re not really a cult. It’s an anti-cult. It’s a very smart, very ironic, intelligent way of receiving reality. God forbid that people started asking for advice, and being told what to do. Do you know how much time that would take? The idea of thousands of people asking me for advice would be appalling. No way.

Do you know the artist Z’ev, who’s a metal percussionist? He’s a really interesting guy. He’s one of the world’s experts on true Jewish kabala. And he analyzes my activities. He turns to me and says, you know, that day when you walked away from the Temple of Psychic Youth [Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth, or TOPY], after ten years, when there were 10,000 people looking up to you? That was the best thing you could have ever done. No one ever walks away from power. He says, that was so smart. I don’t want it, I really don’t. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time. I work on intuition and fun. Fun is best.

More

Rusty's new group.

Rusty's old group.

Rusty's thong.

Kia-peddler and brown-basher Rusty Childress is a co-founder, along with this guy Danny Smith, of an anti-illegal immigrant bike group called the American Freedom Riders. Their shtick is to harass day-laborers at this Episcopal Church up in Cave Creek. They also have a fundraiser coming up September 8 for imprisoned Border Patrol Agent (BPA) Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos, who along with his partner Jose Compean shot an unarmed illegal alien as he was running away from them and tried to cover it up. The Ramos-Compean case is a cause celebre in the anti-immigrant movement. Apparently, nativists believe Americans, and especially BPA's, have the right to shoot unarmed illegals. A West Texas jury disagreed, finding both men guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon and a bunch of other stuff. Ramos pulled 11 years. Compean, 12.

I mentioned Childress in relation to the American Freedom Riders fundraiser in a piece on mayoral candidate Steve Lory in this week's Bird column. Seems Lory's been invited to attend the event. And whaddya know? The first comment I got on the article, from some cat named "Jon," states in part,

"The American freedom riders have nothing to do Rusty Childress and actually removed him from the group a year ago when he was found to have some extreme radical ideas and actually had illegal aliens working on his car lot."

Now the stuff about illegal aliens may sound tantalizing, but I find it too incredible to swallow. Anything's possible, I guess. You know, Hitler had a Jewish cook for a while, according to some sources. (He eventually got rid of her on Himmler's advice.) And Childress does have a Spanish number people can call if they can't speak English and want to buy a Kia This despite having stuff on his United for a Sovereign America site griping about having to press one for English on phone prompts. But Childress employing illegals? Sounds like total bullcrap. Though I'm willing to be shocked.

Then there's the comment about Childress being removed from his own American Freedom Riders bike club. As recently as June of this year, Childress was apparently still identifying with the bigot bikers. An article in The Arizona Republic titled "Cave Creek Grapples with Day-Labor Issue" (June 13, 2007), quotes Childress speaking on behalf of the group:

But some, such as the motorcycle group American Freedom Riders, oppose the practice, and the group has accused town officials of supporting undocumented immigrants.

"What they shouldn't be doing is aiding and abetting illegal immigration; that's illegal," said Rusty Childress, a Phoenix resident and co-founder of American Freedom Riders.

Back in December, The Republic ran a letter signed by both Childress and Danny Smith as "co-founders of the American Freedom Riders."

So is commenter Jon full of dingleberry juice?

I dunno. Childress refuses to talk to me. Can't say that I blame him. Heh. But I have my feelers out, and have e-mailed Danny Smith, so we'll see if he responds. I do find it interesting that Childress has recently formed a brand new motorcycle group called Riders U.S.A. , with a black-patch skull logo that's very close to the American Freedom Riders logo. On the Riders U.S.A. site, it states the group was "Formed in May of 2007," which seems in direct contradiction to Childress' statements in June to The Republic. Also, if you start looking at photos of "Past Events," these stretch back to November of 2006, and in many cases people are wearing American Freedom Riders buttons and T-shirts.

And the dilly is? Your guess is as good as mine. Anyone who's paid attention to the rise of Chris Simcox, leader of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, knows that backstabbing is part of the game with the nativists. Maybe Smith and Childress have gone their separate ways. If so, wonder what was the cause? Irreconcilable differences? Money gripes? Rusty's wanderin' eye?

Anyone with any scuttlebut on this, feel free to post, or hit me up at 602-229-8426.

I know P-Orridge was feeling a lot more mellow after the show, but the following press release sent to me this morning via PTV spokesperson Howard Wuelfing reflects P-Orridge's frustration at that point in the evening prior to the gig. It's unclear what happened at The Sets, and why it led to a move to The Rogue. Michele de LaFreniere gives her version of very recent events in a YouTube video by "sistermischif," here. Hard for me to hear what she says at the very end. Is she trying to blame The Sets thing on Anderson?

Last night, I recall P-Orridge telling me that two different Micheles approached her at some point while she was at the Rogue, and that both denied they'd made any threats to The Sets re: protests or whatever. P-Orridge explained that she didn't know what to believe, that they'd only been in AZ for the day. I'll keep trying to suss it out. It's not like we're talking about some big news here. Still, I wanna know.

Genesis speaks about the Phoenix controversy!

GENESIS BREYER P-ORRIDGE
24x7 Transgender person!!!!!

This would almost be funny if the poor guy hadn't been freaked out by it. I got to the show late last night, as I was on deadline for my column till 11. I did get to hang out with the band afterwards, and interview Genesis P-Orridge. We all watched the lunar eclipse together outside their tour bus. I have pics and will post them later with the interview.

This morning I got a post from Michelle Delgina on the blog where she stated, "I casully introduced myself- apparently if that was you you were not brave enough to even admit your own identity."

I asked her to tell me what color my shirt was last night, if we met. Believe me, I'm not afraid of anyone, though I probably should be. I mean, I've gone to places where people wanted to kick my ass. This was not one of those situations. If the trans folk wanna meet me, I've told them before that this is the easiest thing in the world, and have posted my office phone #. I will do so again, here: 602-229-8426. (Scaredy-cat me, I'm still waiting by the phone, trembling.)

BTW, regarding what's said below, Stephen Lemons is my birth name.

Anyhoo, they at least owe this Michael guy an apology. What idiots!

to all concerned party's
hello my name is Michael H.
last night I left my work to see a band named Psychic TV and arrived at Anderson's 5th ave in Scottsdale AZ. to see that the venue had been changed to the Rouge bar in Tempe. well I thought nothing of this and made my way south to the bar. upon arriving about 9:30 I bought a wristband and asked when Genesis P-Orrage and phychic TV were going on and I was told 11 and went back to work for another hour before the show (I work at night). about an hour passes and I park my car across the street and walk up to the front door of the rouge bar and pass by a couple of groups of people smoking and someone says in my direction "well hello Stephen aren't you going to say hello to us?" and I turn around and say to a group looking straight at me "I'm sorry my names not Stephen" and walk away puzzled but thinking nothing of it. I go inside and grab a coca cola and make my way to the back of the bar by the door to get a look at everything that's going on and see how the stage is set up.
about a minute goes by and two people come and stand next to me GLARING straight through me. I slowly turned their way and ask politely "can I help you" and the female closest to me says "Hello Stephen lemons" and I say I'm sorry my names Michael not Stephen and I put my hand out and we shake hands my names Michele she says. again she asks if I'm Stephen and i say no I'm sorry thinking I must look like a former friend and ask "who is this guy, Stephen lemons" and she tells me "He's a journalist who is spreading lies and hatred about the trans gender community." WHOA WHOA WHOA that is not me" as I get out my ID to show her who I am" and she just says "well it sure looks like your ugly mug from the picture you use you probably use a pseudonym any way." Wow did some Woman (yeah I figured out they were trans gender by then) just insult me for no reason and make me feel unsafe in a club that I payed $15 to see a legendary band that Ive been listening to for 23 years. why yes
that just happened. I make my way over to the merchandise table to check out what they have and see a stack of 3 sheets of paper stapled together and take one. I start to read it and Another tyranny comes up and tells me what a great paper it is and really I still have no idea whats going on but I'm now feeling unsafe because of some unknown thing people now think I must be part of and put the paper in my back pocket. now I'm no stranger to getting your freak on but why am I suddenly attracting attention. NEGATIVE ATTENTION. I have no idea. I feel Unsafe. I make my way back to the pool table and bar area and sit there with the bar staff close to me just in case...something were to happen. sitting there contemplating who this lemons guy was just confused me, does he write for a hate magazine like arian nation unlimited or what. well the show was great and genesis as bold as ever. so i go out to my car and look up 'Stephen lemons' on my phone expecting the worse and its the
Bird article guy from the new times paper. OK, now I'm tripping. I read everything possible about Michele and Stephen and see its got nothing to do with me and I just want to know why Michele couldn't believe me when i told her I'm not Stephen and does she always act so crass to strangers, I thought she was suppose to act like a lady. RIGHT!

Now she didn't know when I lived in Seattle back when i was 16 I stood up for a gay club that the city was shutting down, or at 20 when I volunteered for the Northwest aids foundation and help set up free condom distribution around some of the downtown rock clubs that I couldn't even go in and hang out at night, or that I helped take care of a elderly Greek gentleman who contracted AIDS thru a bad Blood transfusion in th 80's because he was a hemophiliac. or even that I've helped and known the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Seattle chapter for years AND I FLY THE STRAIGHT FREAK FLAG. I have my own Body modifications and don't flaunt it to the world because I have some restraint and can't stand when people drink to much and act like jerks only to get up on a soap box the next morning to say I wanna use the little girls room, OVER THERE! Give me a break. I always try to fight the good fight and to give back to my community. I have known many transgendered persons in my
life but never as threatening and ignorant of others around her as you Michele and your bully tyranny girls.

Really now all Genesis of PVT was saying was about loving and understanding each other and I wanted to feel part of that too but afraid of the unknown consequences by getting in the crowd and/or to close to the stage because of your threatening actions.

if you really do work at the Scottsdale human relations commission Michele DE Lafreniere, your superiors need to know how threatening to perfect strangers you are and what an asshole you are after work. People can defend you all they want but when it really comes down to it Michele your not very nice and SHAME SHAME SHAME on you for all your misdeeds. may all of Maricopa county wag their fingers at you and laugh at you for wasting their time and newspaper print with your trivial Bullshit. you don't deserve the position you were given in confidence by the good people of Scottsdale. you have disgraced your seat and all I want from you is you to step down from your position and leave the people out of your trivial pursuits concerning bathroom rights and Whaaaa look at poor me I'm Having Gender Operations. Be proud of who you are but leave the rest of us out of it. Get over yourself and Get a Life. I did nothing to you and you terrorized my night for nothing. Thanks

and an apology would be nice
thank you

sincerely Michael H.

my full name has been withheld to protect myself

PS: Michael asked that his e-mail be taken off the letter as he'd like to say sayonara to this b.s., so I complied with his request.

Amazing! It never ends. Just got a call from William "Fucking" Reed. Seems Luckyman pulled out at the last minute, or something. The Psychic TV gig is no longer at The Sets, but will instead take place at The Rogue East, 423 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, phone: (480) 947-3580.

WFR says everything else is the same, doors open at 8pm. He declined to go into details, but I'd lay bets on who got this one cancelled.

And this right after, Psychic TV's Genesis P-Orridge drops PR bomb on Tom Anderson.

I wouldn't miss this for the world. Come on people, represent. Or this group, which we all hold in such high regard is going to think PHX is full of assholes. And at this point, I wouldn't necessarily disagree.

P-Orridge puts the smack down, right on Tom Anderson's skully.

Genesis speaks! And Anderson takes it on the chin. What else can be said? So let it be written, so let it be done...I love the line at the bottom, "PEE WHERE THOU WILT SHALL BE THE WHOLE OF THE LAW!!!" A new twist on an old Crowley-ism.

PSYCHIC TV/PTV3 STATEMEANT REGARDING TRANSGENDERED RIGHTS
At the proposed venue ANDERSON’S in ARIZONA.

When PTV3 was booked to play at Tom Anderson’s Club on Monday 27th August 2007 we were completely unaware of the ongoing civil rights issues and the local controversy surrounding the club’s owner’s victimization of transgender persons.

As our tour has progressed we began receiving email messages from the promoters expressing concerns about the continued viability of the venue under these volatile circumstances. Due to the wonders of MYSPACE technology we also received haunting pleas and disturbing enquiries from Gay, Lesbian & Transgender activists AND individuals.

They asked us to consider canceling our concert rather than appear to endorse Tom Anderson and company’s actions, albeit by default. We heard that “due to some complaints by unidentified biological women concerning the use of the women’s bathrooms at the club by transgender and transvestite persons. There is a real difference between both those communities that is often overlooked. Transgender people absolutely commit their lives and physical bodies to becoming the opposite gender identity to that with which DNA supplied them at birth. This is often at great personal cost and sacrifice. They often are ostracized by family, friends, workmates and their local community. No person changes gender identity lightly and ALL in an enlightened democracy must honor the courage of our brothers and sisters in the transgender community. No transgender person identifying as female would ever stand up to pee, which seems to be the problem at the heart of this issue locally.

Transvestites choose to temporarily dress as the opposite gender and whilst in their (in this instance) female persona will consider themselves temporarily “female”. Whilst it may well be possible that certain transvestites were “standing to pee” one MUST consider the alternatives.

Transgender women cannot use male bathrooms without genuine fear of harassment, ridicule, humiliation and violence. Our culture is constructed upon pre-historic behavior patterns that originate in male dominated cave clans where survival was imperative and rested upon attacking anything different, outside their experience, or just plain other; the unknown was always considered a threat and was always intimidated. 40 thousand years later it is time for us to become mature and communally remove these behaviors from our culture or be damned.

As the lead vocalist of Psychic TV I am perceived as transgender, and I am proud to be. My official ID states I am FEMALE, yet I was informed that not only would I be forced to use a separate bathroom from other women, including my female spouse of 14 years, but also there would be “guards” policing the use of these segregated stalls! What exactly is the club afraid of? If the question is hygiene then I suggest an honor system based upon polite notices requesting all people perceiving themselves as women respect all varieties of women using the facilities by sitting to pee. And if anyone out there is under the illusion that women’s bathrooms are innately more sterile and clean. Think again! Since becoming female I have been amazed at the level of pornographic grafitti in women’s stalls AND the equality of “spillage” and mess generated by both sexes.

The issue of transgender rights regarding public bathrooms is a national one. During my transition I was threatened with arrest at JFK Airport in New York for following the letter of the law and trying to use the men’s bathroom. But to use the women’s bathroom, which is what the security insisted I did, was at that time illegal…so WHERE exactly do you believe our community should pee? Or we less than citizens, like the slaves of not so long ago, and witnessing a return to a new form of segregation? Gender segregation?

This is why Tom Andersons “solution” is and always was unacceptable. First he banned TWO entire communities for living out their Constitutional rights to SELF-DETERMINED IDENTITY. Then he proposed policed segregation. In many states in the U.S.A. it is illegal for transgender persons who are female to use any women’s public bathrooms. Exactly WHERE do those people controlled by fear of the new expect us to go? In the street? Behind trees? Under cars? Whilst it may seem ludicrous to those of you who have not had the precious gift of living within both gender communities during your lives, the constant threat of official and community discrimination is a very real issue of quality of life and democratic rights.

PSYCHIC TV received information that protests were to be held outside the club if we played. For myself the position I was put in by Tom Anderson’s various actions AND his courting of the media to short-circuit civil liberties responses was intolerable. I see myself as incredibly fortunate in having a platform through Psychic TV/PTV3 to discuss issues, spread PANDROGENY (POSITIVE ANDROGENY) messages to our fan base, and through interviews, to you the media and the public you serve. I have suffered from Doctors refusing to treat me when I was in danger of dying within 3 days because I was transgender. I have been threatened, attacked, omitted from events and gatherings of close family. Yet I count myself blessed to have been so accepted by our sisters and brothers in the transgender communities.

We felt, as a band, we simply could not be seen to endorse Tom Anderson’s policies by appearing at his club, despite his offer to treat ME as an exception. It would be an unforgivable betrayal of so many people’s trust in my integrity of spirit. With protests threatened and guards policing the situation the possibility of feelings naturally running high could have led to somebody being hurt, injured, or property damaged maybe even arrests of those of us enflamed by righteous indignation over this attempt to legitimize turning us into a marginalized sector of second class citizens with fewer legal rights than biologically heterosexual members of this society and culture.

For this reason, AND because we truly do want our transgender brethren to enjoy our performance, and be with us in a friendly, joyous and pleasurable SAFE temporary creative environment we as a band have chosen to move our concert away from Tom Anderson’s club and will now perform at THE SETS, in TEMPE, ARIZONA on Monday 27th August 2007.
PLEASE inform your friends, readers, and viewers of this change on YOUR behalf in protest against the encroachment upon transgender civil liberties.

Remember…

You’ve got to fight for your right to PEE PEE!

PEE WHERE THOU WILT SHALL BE THE WHOLE OF THE LAW!!!

Thank you for your time and attention.
Cari saluti,
GENESIS BREYER P-ORRIDGE of Psychic TV/PTV3.

AZ GOPer Horst Kraus, just the way I want to remember him: Clothed!

Just got this press release over the transom, and it's so good, I have to share. Seems the Phoenix Business Journal has also picked this one up.

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 24, 2007

Kraus, who was just appointed to the state GOP finance committee, is
best known for several controversial public stances, including
pushing nudist camps for children.
(http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0306/20/se.18.html)

Jeez, these Republicans are kinky! Check out these excerpts from the CNN transcript, with the first from a pre-scandal Mark Foley:

REP. MARK FOLEY (R), FLORIDA: You put 11 and 18-year-olds together in a camp where they're nude, I think it is a recipe for disaster. It is like putting a match next to a gasoline can. You'll have disasters sooner or later.

Remember, the transcript is dated June 20, 2003, and certified irony-free.

ANDERSON COOPER: Well let me ask, Mr. Krause, you run -- operate one of these camps. What is your experience? You think it's a good thing for kids?

And listen, I don't know if you've been around teenagers, but I have. When they're 14, when they're 15 and when they're around the opposite sex and when they're naked, trust me, nature is going to take over. And if you don't know about that I don't know what rock you've been living under.

There's a crack here somewhere regarding where a pachyderm sticks his proboscis, but I'll be damned if I'll make it.

Here's an interesting item about Horst from the Sonoran Alliance blog.

And here's a link to Shangri-La Ranch, um, with some very scary pics: http://www.shangrilaranch.com/

Year of the dog, indeed: But in the case of DMX, it's Maricopa County's "Deputy Dawg."

One thing we know about Sheriff Joe Arpaio: He loves publicity more than the truth, human rights, the U.S. Constitution, and his own conscience, if he has one. That's why you should take the publicity stunt of raiding DMX's Cave Creek residence last week with a tractor trailer full of salt. The story's traversed the globe, garnering millions of page views of stories with Arpaio's name in them. Arpaio’s painted as the defender of dogs, specifically the undernourished pit bulls on the DMX compound that were taken into the MCSO's loving arms this past Friday, and rushed to the sort of air-conditioned luxury "Nickel Bag" Joe's Tent City inmates can only dream about. Certainly, that was the media splash the raid was intended to produce.

My first observation upon watching the video that's been run over and over again of deputies digging up dogs on the rapper's property was that Arpaio’s gone out of his way to draw the parallel between DMX and Michael Vick, even though by the MCSO's own admission, there's no evidence of dogfighting. Remember, that's what the Vick thing's about -- dogfighting. Not undernourished dogs, weapons (which may be legal, as far as we know), and, allegedly, drugs. (There was some pot on DMX's property somewhere? Hold me while I faint.)

Arpaio says it's all about protecting critters. Supposedly the MCSO got a tip two weeks ago about the alleged cruelty. Uh, if they were so concerned about the dogs, why did they wait 2 weeks? It's almost like they made certain DMX, real name Earl Simmons, was out of town as well. And of course, the raid had to happen on a Friday, with the local news cameras rolling. See, that way, the MCSO and Arpaio get a free ride for a whole weekend. Three days of uninterrupted, positive play. This coming Friday, they'll probably have another stunt ready for us.

Not one as good as DMX, of course. You know how many folks in the Valley keep dogs in similar conditions? But they aren’t DMX, with DMX's wacky rap sheet, which includes impersonating a federal agent and, well, whatddya know, animal cruelty. Could the fact that DMX is an internationally known performing artist have something to do with it? Nah. Though it's gotta be an added bonus that he's a black man, like Vick. Hey, Dick and Jane TV-watcher: See black celebrity in court with a plea deal for dogfighting. See black celebrity’s house raided by the MCSO in Cave Creek for mistreated canines. That ain’t no koinkydink, son.

Word from the wire is Vick just plead guilty today over this dogfighting ring mess. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sheriff on Nancy Grace tonight talking about Vick and DMX. See, it ain't about feeding dogs people, it's about feeding Arpaio's ego, getting his mug on the boob tube, generating enough press to overpower any negative pub he might receive, in the Saban lawsuit trial ongoing right now, or elsewhere. Whether DMX is ultimately charged with something or not, it doesn't matter. The Joe Show's ratings are through the roof. And that's the MCSO's raison d'etre.

The power of P-Orridge compels you: Psychic TV icon Genesis P-Orridge plans to land the mothership in Tempe.

Promoter William "Fucking" Reed has just announced that the Psychic TV show will go forward at The Sets in Tempe. Same date: 8/27/07. Doors open at 8 p.m., with Psychic TV to ascend the stage at 9ish, says Reed. Tickets are $15 at the door, $15 online at http://www.luckymanonline.com/. 21+ only.

Let the bitching officially begin...

See ya there, people. Kudos to WFR for turning it around so quickly. Hopefully, by Monday, all the malice will have melted away, and we can just enjoy the performance.

So I'm an optimist, so kill me...

PS: If you just came in and are confused, read the previous entry.

UPDATE: Just got this press release from the Psychic TV camp. It's rather mildly worded when it comes to the venue-switcheroo, though seems supportive of the move to The Sets. I'm posting it in its entirety because it's got some interesting stuff in there about how important this concept of "Pandrogeny" is to P-Orridge, the band, and particularly the new album. I have a full interview with P-Orridge in the can that I promise to get up by tonight. No rest for the wicked, my dearies.

Counter Cultural provocateur Genesis P-Orridge and her reactivated Psychic TV aka “PTV3” have changed the venue for their Phoenix-area show from Anderson’s Fifth State to The Sets, located at 93 East Southern Ave , Tempe, AZ (SE Corner of Mill & Southern), all advance tickets will be honored at this venue. The show’s promoters would like everyone to know that they made the decision to change venues as they felt it would be in the best interest for the show and all parties. This show is part of a North American Summer tour. They will be performing repertoire from the long awaited new album Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e. The new album is executive produced by Edward ODowd, Baba Larraji and P-Orridge. The first new studio album from PTV3/Psychic TV since 1995’s Trip Reset, Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e was engineered and recorded by Nicholas Kramer and David Maxxx at Microriot Music Studio, Jersey City, NJ, January 2005 - March 2006, and mixed by ibu600, Baba Larriji and Genesis at Nasik Studio on Alcatraz, Oakland, CA. The album has beeng released by Cargo Records. I’m hoping you’ll consider advancing this show with a feature, CD review or advance blurb.
PTV3 comprises of Markus “Fabulous” Persson on keyboards, drummer Morrison Edley aka Edward ODowd (also of The Toilet Boys), guitarist David Maxxx (developing from The Tadpoles), Alice Genese on bass guitar and vocals (formally of Pretty Boys), Retinal Stimulation Video programming for live "gigs" and other elements of the PTV3 project is by Nicolas Jenkins (Sterile Cowboys Productions) in association with Genesis (for Porridge With Everything Inc.), new member Zef Noise on electric viola, Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge on sampling keyboards (also of Thee Majesty) and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge - lead voices, noise bass guitar, electric violin (also of Throbbing Gristle and Thee Majesty).
While Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e is the first recording by PTV3 the current line-up has been active for the past two years and much of the material on the new album was developed from ideas that emerged during PTV3’s extensive North American and European touring. Throughout 2005, Genesis and ODowd led the group in slowly fleshing out and refining the new songs with Eddie having a decisive hand in their shaping. Then special guests were invited to add finishing flourishes: the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner contributes his distinctive guitar playing to “In Thee Body” and “Maximum Swing,” the Butthole Surfers’ Gibby Haynes adds vocals to “Maximum Swing” and "I Don’t Think So," and renowned author Douglas Rushkoff -- the original keyboardist of PTV3 -- plays on “Lies And Then.”
Whilst this album is not a ”concept album” or a musical play per se it does center around a more or less chronological journey through death to resurrection of the physical body and through confusion via revelation to spiritual epiphany. All of the experiences unfold viewed through the magickal lens of “Pandrogeny.” Pandrogeny is the core philosophical system of PTV3, deeply coloring the lyrics, CD packaging graphics and live video projections. The aim of Pandrogeny is to celebrate similarities in humans rather than be at the mercy of fear of differences as the only viable path to a unified evolution of the human species. From human to humane, where the “E”
stands for evolution. Change is in and of itself always preferable to inertia. To that end s/he and her other half Lady Jaye have simultaneously got identical breast implants on Valentines Day 2003 and subsequently Lady Jaye has got a chin implant, eye surgery, silicon in lips, nose surgery, coloured contact lenses to match Genesis' color. Genesis has had cheek implants, silicon in lips, facial tattoos match Lady Jaye’s beauty marks, larger breast implants (38 "D"), various facial surgeries, liposuction at the waist. Their end is to create a hermaphroditic entity called Breyer P-Orridge.

His/erTORY
Psychic TV was first born in 50 Beck Road, Hackney in 1982. Persuaded and encouraged by his cool friend guitarist Alex Fergusson of punk trailblazers Alternative TV an initially reluctant Genesis P-Orridge returned to active duty inventing new music following his termination of Throbbing Gristle in 1981. Six months later the duo completed the nucleus of the new unit with ex-TG’er Peter Christopherson. By that time Genesis had already conceived, named and pioneered the genre “Industrial Music” with Throbbing Gristle. Along with the Velvet Underground, Throbbing Gristle is and remains one of the most influential rock groups of the last 30 years; if you haven't heard their music, you will certainly have listened to someone who has. In Throbbing Gristle, Genesis and company synthesized the influences and philosophies of Gen’s close friends and collaborators, including Beat writer William S. Burroughs; Beat poet and painter Brion Gysin; psychedelic shaman Dr Timothy Leary; queer activist film maker Derek Jarman; and those of legendary occultist Austin Osman Spare, theorist John Cage and various seminal underground authors, thinkers, artists and film makers. The group “TG” produced some of the most unsettling and thought-provoking music of all time. Their pioneering "Industrial" sound and self-sufficient approach to record distribution has had a profound impact, becoming key elements of underground music production and distribution ever since (the definitive TG history Wreckers Of Civilisation by Simon Ford is still available, published by Black Dog Books, London).
Right from the outset, Psychic TV in turn made highly innovative and unflinchingly provocative music blending elements of psychedelia and dance with Industrial sounds (named “HYPERDELIC” by Genesis). As with TG, the details of Psychic TV’s packaging, marketing and the radical lifestyle of the musicians were all treated as equally crucial components of the final aesthetic statement. Psychic TV created the template for the current avant-dance stance popularly labeled “Electronica” as well as having an undeniable influence on the emergent “Rave” culture; the group released the world's first 12 inch single with the words “ACID HOUSE” in the title, “Turn On Tune In To The Acid House.” The label depicted Superman as a tab of LSD emblazoned with their logo the Psychic(k) Cross and triggered a suppressive lawsuit making this withdrawn icon a rare collectible!
For some 14 odd years, Psychic TV recorded and released dozens of live and studio albums ending up in the Guiness Book Of Records for releasing more albums in one year than any other artist (even Elvis!). Psychic TV was terminated in the mid 90's as Genesis pursued further musical goals with his spoken-word and expanded poetry/video installation project Thee Majesty.
Over the last several years, Eddie ODowd of New York City's legendary rock band The Toilet Boys gently but persistently persuaded Genesis to rekindle her rock spirit and Psychic TV. As sincere and dogged as Alex Fergusson had been before him, Eddie succeeded and Psychic TV was as PTV3 as of December 2003 when they played their first public show. Once PTV3 reached the recording studio, ODowd played a crucial part in pushing Genesis and the other musicians to give their very best, and then some, getting stellar performances out of all concerned as a result. In addition Eddie also art directed and designed the innovative and distinctive packaging for Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e. PTV3 and Hell Is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e are very much the product of the creative partnership of Genesis and Eddie.
The full history of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and her varied seminal musical exploits of the past three decades as well as her socio-cultural (or should that be politico-sexual? Or all the above!) adventures would easily fill a book (and has… Soft Skull/Shortwave Books published Painful but Fabulous: The Lives and Art of Genesis P-Orridge in 2003). The reactivated ensemble undertook a wildly successful North American tour in 2004, followed by an equally tumultuously received European tour last year. Genesis and Lady Jaye continue to periodically mount exhibitions of their artwork in galleries around the globe.
Already living a creative further chapter of her ”life” book Genesis continues to provoke and explore in her very public private life; from replacing all her healthy teeth with solid gold permanent replicas in an homage to Pierre Clemente in Luis Bunuel's “Belle De Jour.” Littering the dictionary and culture with new words for new, original ideas Genesis and now Lady Jaye can be said to follow the serious process and joy-filled strategy of “When there is no example imagine it, when there is no word for it invent one.”
It is through this deeply sincere search for a positive path of humanE evolution and his/their commitment of mind, body and soul to that voyage of discovery that such a profound global influence of his creative experimentation and current (PTV3) music continues to animate and deeply inspire successive generations. S/HE IS HER/E alive, unique and a living legend!

PSYCHIC TV TOUR DATES
Sat August 04 P.S.1. Contemporary Art Center, (an affiliate of The Museum of Modern Art), Long Island City, NY
Wed August 22 Neumos, Seattle,. WA
Thu August 23 Berbati’s Pan, Portland, OR
Fri August 24 The Independent, San Francisco, CA
Sat August 25 Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Mon August 27 The Sets, Tempe, AZ
Wed. August 29 Casbah San Diego CA

Will rock band Psychic TV make it to the PHX this Monday? If so, where will they play?

A victory for local transgender activist Michele de LaFreniere, and a huge disappointment for fans: That's my initial take on the news that Tom Anderson has cancelled the Monday concert of experimental rock band Psychic TV. Anderson says he wanted the band to play and that he wanted to welcome Psychic TV's trans and non-trans enthusiasts, but that his hand was forced because of threats of disruption, protest and possible violence. Currently, co-promoter William "Fucking" Reed is looking for a new venue for the act, which counts as its lead singer and guiding force the transgender rocker Genesis P-Orridge.

Reed told me that he and LuckyMan Productions have narrowed a new venue down to one of two places, and that "the concert will go forward." Anderson said that he would direct ticketholders to the new venue, whatever that would be.

"I've tossed and turned about this thing," said Anderson. "I've done what I felt I had to do. But I have the most to lose. It's my exposure, putting my employees into harms way, to operate a night that I know could turn into a physical fight. I'm not going to put my employees in that position, I'm not going to put me in that position."

Anderson cited statements made by De LaFreniere to local media vowing to protest the event. (S/he spoke to Channel 3TV about it on Thursday.)

In addition, Anderson said he had received anonymous e-mail threats, and that he had heard of plans to turn the concert into Scottsdale's 21st Century version of the Stonewall rebellion, the famous 1969 Greenwich Village incident that pitted gay/trans men against New York City cops.

"If it turns physical, it could turn into a flippin' riot," Anderson explained.

Anderson did not know that Psychic TV's lead vocalist was transgender until I told him this on Sunday. Initially, he reacted by telling me that he wanted to accommodate PTV's trans fans. (By no means are they all trans. I count myself as a fan, too.) Indeed, Anderson decided to roll with the punches, saying he would allow transgenders to use the men's room, and would supply security. But as the week went on, there was a definite ratcheting up of rhetoric by De LaFreniere and her followers. Anderson's attempts at appeasement were met with anger.

Personally, I wish Anderson had increased security, made sure there was a police presence, but not cancelled the event. I tend to think De LaFreniere would've had a handful of people there at most, and a police car or two would've kept them in line. Of course, it's easy for me to say that, I don't own the place. And then what if something ugly occurred? Anderson would be liable should a scuffle break out or something worse.

The irony that a local transgender activist has helped stop a visit to Scottsdale by the world's best known transgender rocker should not be lost on anyone. Also, Anderson was not going to bar transgenders from the club, just point them towards the men's room. (Later I heard he was going to let them use a third space. Hey, whatever!) Whose "rights" are being violated here? Anderson was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. Ultimately, he opted for the path of least resistance. Hopefully, another spot will pick up the act, and we'll all get to see it Monday without further hullaballo from the Rosa Parks wannabes.

Below is Anderson's press release on the matter:

PRESS RELEASE FROM ANDERSON’S FIFTH ESTATE

Tom Anderson, owner of Anderson’s Fifth Estate, has decided to cancel the concert with the band Psychic TV for this Monday, August 27. Anderson said, “this act was booked by an outside promoter who has brought other bands to appear at Anderson’s Fifth Estate. The promoter did not inform me of the nature of the band. When I was informed by a New Times reporter earlier this week, I was clueless about the band and had no idea the frontperson was a transgender. When I was informed of the nature of the act, I tried to do what I thought was the right thing and not infringe on an entertainer’s right to perform. I believed that with all of the unfair publicity the City of Scottsdale has recently received, canceling the event would do more harm than good. I decided to extend my hand to the transgender community and allow the event to proceed. However, recent public comments by individuals who have their own agenda, threatening to picket the event and enter Anderson’s Fifth Estate in large numbers, and disrupt our business, with references to the Stonewall Inn riots in June of 1969, caused me to rethink the event. In addition, I was also concerned about exactly how Anderson’s Fifth Estate could safely accommodate our anticipated crowd, even on a temporary basis. After looking at the potential for disruption and after consulting with my attorney Chuck Kelhoffer, I felt I had no choice but to pull the plug on the event. I have notified the promoter that he will need to find another venue for the band.”

For more on the Psychic TV/Anderson's concert, see: "IRONY SUPERNOVA" and "Irony gone nuclear".

Lucky Lindy, a true American hero, who was full of the brown stuff when it came to the brownshirts.

Mark Roberts(left), the Obi-wan Kenobi of debunkers, takes on 9/11 hero and troofer William Rodriguez (right).

Is it possible to be both a hero and full of crap? Absolutely. Take the examples of William Rodriguez, the 9/11 hero who saved several lives on that tragic day, and ace aviator Charles Lindbergh, "The Lone Eagle," who made the first nonstop, solo flight across the Atlantic ocean, from Long Island to Paris in 1927. Both men exhibited remarkable physical and psychological courage. Both garnered international acclaim for their actions (still ongoing in the case of Rodriguez). Both have been honored with numerous awards from the U.S. and other countries. And both have made statements and taken stances worthy of withering criticism.

They are of course dissimilar in many, many ways, the apparently garrulous WTC janitor from Puerto Rico and the aloof Michigan-born aviator. But what made me think of Lucky Lindy in regards to Rodriguez and 9/11 is this insightful, well-researched and somewhat disturbing article by Mark Roberts, the Obi Wan of debunkers, titled "William Rodriguez, Escape Artist", which was suggested to me by poster "maccy." In it, Roberts hails Rodriguez as a hero, while taking him to task for making various contradictory statements on what he experienced during 9/11, the number of people he helped save, and so on. Roberts is also highly critical of trips Rodriguez has made abroad and some of the company he's kept, which has included (sigh) Holocaust deniers and anti-Semites.

Roberts does not accuse Rodriguez of anti-Semitism or Holocaust denial. But he does question treks Rodriguez made to Malaysia and Venezuela in the company of Shoah-shirkers and Jew-haters. And he chides Rodriguez for attending a conference hosted by the American Free Press and The Barnes Review, an anti-Semitic rag and one that's devoted to denying the Holocaust, respectively. He does give Rodriguez points, however, for finally ending his truck with these unsavory elements and for turning down a highly-publicized offer to speak in Iran.

Roberts writes:

I don’t want to suggest that William Rodriguez is anti-Semitic or a Holocaust denier. Comments like Bollyn's above, claiming that Rodriguez has inside information about Israeli Mossad involvement in 9/11, should be taken with a whole box of salt. I do submit that Rodriguez's desire to make extreme, unsubstantiated claims about the U.S. government will continue to put him in the company of other irrational extremists. Any positive message he has to offer will be tainted if he associates with such miserable, hate-filled characters. The invitation to speak in Iran, which recently held a government-sponsored conference to question the Holocaust, featuring a “roll call of the world's most infamous Holocaust deniers,” should be a harsh wakeup call for Rodriguez.

There is a parallel to Lindbergh here. Though a hero, Lindbergh did espouse anti-Semitic views and embrace certain tenets of eugenics, which of course were common at the time. He wanted to keep the country out of WWII, and threw his hat in with the isolationist America First Committee. FDR regarded Lindbergh as pro-Nazi. Prior to the war, Lindbergh accepted a medal from Hermann Goering, and later refused to relinquish it when criticized. Historians still debate this stuff. My point is that though Lindbergh was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for daring and bravery, and though he encountered personal tragedy in his life in the kidnapping and murder of his child, very few would argue that he was correct about America's involvement in WWII.

So why should Rodriguez's statements, motivations, associations get a pass? They don't get one from me, nor from Mark Roberts.

In his report on Rodriguez, Roberts dings the guy for apparently flip-flopping on significant details of 9/11. Did Rodriguez save 15 lives or "hundreds"? More like the former, though that in no way imperils Rodriguez's status as a hero. In the same breath sometimes, Rodriguez has alleged a conspiracy theory and said that he does not buy conspiracy theories. Rodriguez has claimed he heard an explosion in the North Tower before it was hit by American Airlines Flight 11, but Roberts points out that Rodriguez's NIST testimony was much less, er, incendiary:

Rodriguez's main complaint is that his account has been ignored by official investigative bodies. Yet when he had the chance to go on the public record at a 2004 meeting held by chief investigators from NIST, he spoke about problems with keeping the stairwells clean, about some preexisting damage in the stairwells, and about the elevators not working properly after the attack. At a public meeting, to the people charged with finding out why the towers collapsed, Rodriguez said nothing about his major claim: that he knows there were explosives in the north tower basement.

People are entitled to change their minds and to form new hypotheses. But Rodriguez’s current argument is based solely on incredulity: he says he (now) doesn’t believe that things could have happened as the official version states. Therefore the official version must be wrong. End of debate. Tell the world about the big lie. That fallacy is the basis for most 9/11 conspiracy theories.

Charles Lindbergh, of course, was a national and international icon, and people will be writing biographies of him, likely, for as long as we have books. Rodriguez is not quite an icon on that level. But he deserves close scrutiny because he's lent his name to a 9/11 "truth" movement hell-bent on promulgating paranoid fantasies and outright lies about what happened on 9/11. Troofers regularly respond to my criticism of their leaders all being nutjobs with. "Oh yeah, what about Willie Rodriguez?" But if they cared to look, they'd notice that even Rodriguez has feet of clay.

Give them troofers hell, John...

Yeah he ain't as hot as Michelle Malkin, but Fox News talking head John Gibson's still super-cool for fucking with loony dood Alex Jones, tearing down the troofers, and deriding the fantasy notion of a North American Union. Screw Loose Change frequently posts on him (as it did regarding this item), and the more I hear him reveal Alex Jones for the rabid, arm-flailing crazy that he is, the more I dig Gibson. Here's an excerpt from a recent radio show of his wherein he lambastes Jones and compares him to John Goodman's character in The Big Lebowski . He also has on this airhead Texas troofer chick and gives her the raspberries.

"You've got a thimbleful of knowledge, and you're trying to paint a house with it," he tells her, before cutting her loose.

After he boots her, he adds, "There's only so much fun you can make of crazy people. You've got to stop at some point."

That's the only thing I disagree with him on. Sometimes fish in a barrel have to be shot. (Metaphor alert, troofers.)