Current 93 with Sebastian Horsley - Black Ship In The Underworld

The company people keep. Who would have guessed that David Tibet, Christian scholar and Current 93 frontman, would be friends with the ubiquitous and flamboyant Sebastian Horsley. Heir to a fortune, squandered on heroin, crack cocaine, prostitutes and a wardrobe of bespoke suits adapted to accomodate his drug taking equipment. Horsley is something of an exhibitionist, a high fallutin, down trodden dandy, and former sex columnist for The Observer (until he was fired for on a thoroughly descriptive response to a question about anal sex). Oh, and artist. Horsley would be first to tell you that he is in fact his greatest work of art but you may be aware of his fabled crucifixion in the Philippines. His biography, Dandy In The Underworld, is something of a riot. A heady mixture of drugs, sex and art, mixed with dysfunctional familial relationships and physical relationships with the notorious Glaswegian gangster and sculptor Jimmy Boyle. It treads a fine line between self-loathing and self-aggrandisment. It's a lurid tale of filth and degradation. I can't recommend it enough.

This one track CD-R issued to celebrate Horsley's recent retrospective art exhibition Hookers, Dealers, Tailors in London, and the publication of his autobiography, Black Ship in the Underworld brings together the two school friends for a warped take on Marc Bolan's 'Dandy In The Underworld', merged with elements from the Current 93 back catalog fashioned by Andrew Liles. It's an interesting detour for Current 93. Baby Dee's exquisite harp playing lends the music a gracious touch, as Horsley recites the lyrics from one of his heroes over regal melody reminiscent of 'A Lament For My Suzanne'. His spoken voice is distorted perhaps recorded over the phone, as Liles lightly sprinkles tones and drones. Tibet's voice is likewise distorted and particularly reminiscent of Current 93's I Have A Special Plan For This World. The harp playing on this section is sporadic, as drones, bells and whispered chatter create an uneasy atmosphere. It swells with gothic chants and the panting of breath as the voices of Horsley and Tibet merge. The familiar powerhouse throb of Black Ships Eat The Sky starts to pound, as Tibet's multi-layered asks the question: "Who will deliver me from myself?" It pulsates with such intensity and fury to the point that Tibet's voice becomes entwined in a morass of delirious and demented shrieks, cries and moans. I liked this a lot, and despite its low-key status it's more than a worthwhile purchase. Limited to 333 copies, they won't last long. For more information go to www.durtro.com