PIG at the Bowery Electric

Raymond Watts

In 1985, British sound engineer Raymond Watts (also known by his former stage names Nainz, Nainz Watts and Ray Scaballero) became an early vocalist in the industrial band KMFDM in Hamburg, Germany. After writing the music for the second KMFDM album, Watts toured with Australian industrial musician Foetus, playing keyboards and guitar. Watts launched a solo project called <PÎG> in 1988. Shortly after the Berlin Wall opened, Watts relocated his <PÎG> project to London, England. In Japan, he played in both Schaft and Schwein. Along the way, Watts periodically rejoined KMFDM, but he always returned to <PÎG>. The most recent <PÎG> album, Risen, was released on June 8, 2018.

Twelve days after opening for Killing Joke at Irving Plaza, <PÎG> headlined its own concert at the Bowery Electric, celebrating the 10th anniversary of industrial music concerts promoted by Xris SMack! and Stimulate. The 1995 <PÎG> song "Transceration" played over the public address system as Watts plus a guitarist and a drummer took the stage, with Watts again wearing a silver fringed jacket, a Roman collared shirt and several harnesses around the crotch of his black jeans. Seven of the 13 songs performed were from the current album and, like the earlier songs, they were dark yet danceable electronic body music. The new songs in particular seemed to feature rhythms that were a bit slower, allowing Watts to add soulful croons to his normally snarly growl. Floating between abrasive and ambient, <PÎG> defined what searing, squealing and scorching hard rock could be.

Visit <PÎG> at www.PÎGindustries.com.

Setlist:

1. The Chosen Few
2. The Revelation
3. Loud, Lawless & Lost
4. Morphine Machine
5. Leather PÎG
6. Prey & Obey
7. Truth Is Sin
8. Everything
9. The Diamond Sinners
10. Juke Joint Jezebel (KMFDM cover)
11. Viva Evil
12. Secret Skin (KMFDM vs. PÎG cover)

Encore:

1. Find It F**k It Forget It