COUM Transmissions

COUM Transmissions were a music and performance art collective who operated in the United Kingdom from 1969 through to 1976. Influenced by the Dada artistic movement, COUM were openly confrontational and subversive, challenging aspects of conventional British society. Founded in Hull, Yorkshire by Genesis P-Orridge, other prominent early members included Cosey Fanni Tutti and Spydeee Gasmantell (also at school with Genesis P-Orridge). Part-time member included Menzies, Haydn Robb, Les Maull (aka The Reverend Lelli), Ray Harvey and Fizzy Paet. Later members included Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson and Chris Carter, who together with P-Orridge and Fanni Tutti went on to found the pioneering industrial band Throbbing Gristle in 1976. Interestingly COUM Transmissions never released any records until 2009 when a compilation of the group's demos were released by Dais Records.

Links To Peel
In November 1971, COUM Transmissions attracted the interest of John Peel, who discussed the band in Disco and Music Echo, remarking that:

"'Some might say that Coum were madmen but constant exposure to mankind forces me to believe that we need more madmen like them.' "

Former members, Greg Foxtrot Echo, mentioned that Peel played many of COUM tracks on his show in the early 70's and Genesis P-Orridge in an interview with Nardwuar on YouTube described how he spat on Peel when he first met him in the early 70's:

"'Yes, we did that, he wrote about that, yes the first time we met him, yeah that was long before punk too, that was 72' - 71'. John Peel came into Hull in Yorkshire where we were at the time and we thought how do we get him to talk to us without just saying we like what you do, so we went up to him and said we like what you do, we spat on him, and said don't worry that's the way we show our love. So he nicknamed us as Goz Rock, because Goz means spit in England.'"

Sessions

 * None

Shows Played
1970's
 * Peel played some tracks from the group, but is not known when.