Lydia Lunch Does It Her Way-- Or Else.
Lydia Lunch Interview
By Allen Whitman

Lydia Lunch will fuck you up. Get on the bus, get out of the bus, but get!

Lydia launches into a rapid-fire explanation of her feelings about education in America, overpopulation, greed, the Internet, electricity and corporate sloth in a single two-minute monologue. She appreciates the value of getting across a lot of information in a short period of time. At the end of her opening statement she states clearly: "that's where we can start from." Here is a person with an axe (or five-hundred) to grind. Luckily she has a sense of humor and enjoys what she's doing and who she is. Intelligent, articulate and very fast, Lydia Lunch speaks her truth and simlutaneously watches for reactions. She's aware of whether or not you are paying attention. If your gaze wanders from being overwhelmed by emotional and informational overload or if you simply blink dry eyes in the dank club basement air, she knows.

Electricity, as used and manipulated by humans for survival and profit, causes cancer. There is more than enough food on Earth to feed every single person. Psychic phenomena are more important than people can possibly believe. The Internet suffers from the ills of class-based accesibility, ignorant misuse and an elitist mindset of it's own proponents. Lydia Lunch does not like The Internet. But, she is quick to point out, as a tool with which to dig up resources and information, it is wonderful. The distinction is how it is being used and by whom. Lydia Lunch wants to throw the American educational system in the toilet and not even flush. She wants to blow it up.

Dear Reader, this writer agrees with her. A strident and unapologetic voice of urgent reason in a frighteningly unbalanced world of happy horseshit, Lydia Lunch is heard by those with ears to hear. There are those who cannot see the political forest for the trees. Lydia wants to lift you up to the top of a redwood, so you can get a cold breath of fresh air. You need it.

Tonight Lydia Lunch will read various pieces that relate to the Erotic Salon. Tonight's performance is not a tour, there is no bus or ubiquitous laminate. This is one night, and one night only. When the night is over she will stay with friends, perhaps waking gently, in a safe place, to coffee made the way she likes it.

Return to Readings From The Erotic Salon