13. Throbbing Gristle20 Jazz Funk Greats
I’m very fortunate that Cosey has come into my life as a friend and mentor. I first met Chris and her at the BFI at an event curated by an artist called Scanner – a mutual friend of theirs – alongside Chris Turner and Anna von Hausswolff. Backstage, I was incredibly nervous – it was the first time I was performing Unflesh as a prototype, with the bright blue hoodie and tights obscuring my face. I had no idea if it was going to work on stage. In the greenroom, Chris and Cosey were calmly sitting around drinking tea and being lovely to everyone. But it was hard not to feel intimidated. I was like a shy little kid. After the show, Cosey came up to me and said she really enjoyed the performance. Through her own unique artistic vision, with Throbbing Gristle and her own projects, she’s explored vulnerability in the extreme, in a way I’ve tried to reach with costumes and shifting my identity. Yet, with Cosey, she’s never felt the need to take on a different persona – she’s entirely herself, always. Although I haven’t seen her for a few years, we regularly send emails back and forth. She’s a living anthology of music and ideas. And yet still a completely normal, down to earth person. An icon in every sense of the word. I’m very lucky to know her.
