Artist Linder Sterling discusses wearing a Meat Dress in the 80s

[Jack Torrance 0]

From i-D Magazine's 2013 Summer Issue (#325)

 

…By the early eighties, Linder Sterling – who incidentally, is an old and dear friend of pop icon Morrissey – was fronting the experimental band, Ludus. On one notorious occasion in 1982 she performed to a startled audience at Manchester’s Hacienda nightclub in a dress made from raw meat (a look Lady Gaga memorably-but-clumsily rehashed some 30 years later), accessorized by a massive dildo …

 

“Tell us the story behind the ‘meat dress’ you wore in the early 80s…What did you think when you saw Lady Gaga’s version some 30 years later?â€

 

How long have we got for this, James? PhD’s in Ohio are currently being written on the subject. The meat dress was worn at the Hacienda club, in Manchester, in protest at their showing ****ographic films on dank Tuesday evenings, and in protest at the meat products they sold there. The British pop group, Bucks Fizz, had won the Eurovision song contest earlier that year and their onstage trope was for the male singers to remove the skirts of the female singers half way through the song. I made a trifecta protest against all three irritants. I wore a meat dress and removed my skirt half way through my last song to reveal a twelve inch black dildo at my crotch. The audience moved back three feet and stayed silent throughout. When I see the film footage now it’s like watching an astronaut going off into deep space. I had no idea what to expect, I didn’t rehearse, nor did I think the footage would be shown at the Musèe d’Art Moderne in Paris 30 years later. A friend visited Gaga’s dressing room last year and saw my collage used for Buzzcocks’ Orgasm Addict elaborately framed and hanging on her wall. Gaga may have grabbed the headlines with her prime sirloin skirt but it was all so MANiCUREd and tragically safe. She’s since worn the skins of silver foxes and fur. It seems that horsemeat in frozen lasagnas and prime sirloin on our stars is all business as normal now.

 

 

Thoughts?

[Ray of Light 8,134]

Gaga made it seem a bit more classy & sophisticated. Meanwhile, you 12 inch black dildo was raunchy and tacky.

[homomo 23,837]

I didn't understand this.

[Tera 2]

idc

[HANZ 4,380]

[yourfaves 317]

Gaga may have grabbed the headlines with her prime sirloin skirt but it was all so MANiCUREd and tragically safe.

 

 

MANiCUREd as in well put together?  I see no problems with craftsmanship.  Tragically SAFE?  Just no.  

[garnite 8]

she's not necessarily bashing gaga, little monsters.  she just laments that for her tastes, gaga played it safe, and she made a joke about "crazy" things being quite normal nowadays.  this translation provided by garnite enterprises **** you all 

[GagaSlayedYou 2]

Gaga made it seem a bit more classy & sophisticated. Meanwhile, you 12 inch black dildo was raunchy and tacky.

 

[wiltedbliss 915]

[Philip 4]

She sort of forgot the reason to why Gaga brought discharged soldiers whilst wearing the meat dress and singing BTW,

[elijahfan 24,897]

I don't understand these artists who all seem... irked by Gaga. Isn't it great to inspire and be referenced by the new generation? I have the feeling these artists have a pretty high esteem of themselves, and should focus more on the people who see their works. Art is a dialogue, not a selfish regurgitation... Art doesn't exist without an audience, without people to inspire.

 

All these persons are pressed because Gaga pushed their ideas further, and nailed it better  That's my opinion.

[Dunk96 2,526]

I don't understand these artists who all seem... irked by Gaga. Isn't it great to inspire and be referenced by the new generation? I have the feeling these artists have a pretty high esteem of themselves, and should focus more on the people who see their works. Art is a dialogue, not a selfish regurgitation... Art doesn't exist without an audience, without people to inspire.

 

All these persons are pressed because Gaga pushed their ideas further, and nailed it better  That's my opinion.

^^^^^^^^^^^THIS

[Deacon 5]

What was clumsy about Gaga's?

 

As far as MANiCUREd... yeah, because it was meant to be an actual dress.

[Hot Space 14]

just her opinion. not a big deal.

[aaronyoji 2,007]

oh great, just another older artist from decades ago being so self righteous because they did something similar earlier, completely oblivious to the fact that someone older than them probably did it before them as well.