Christopherson was one of his generation's first openly gay musicians, railing against homophobia and "Christian perversions" such as monogamy, while making music designed to help others live with HIV. But he was first and foremost one of the boldest, most innovative musicians of his generation.
His music has influenced everything from Marilyn Manson to techno. Joy Division's Ian Curtis was a fan. Sleazy helped Throbbing Gristle frontman Genesis P-Orridge form the similarly influential Psychic TV, while Trent Reznor's new band, How to Destroy Angels, take their name from the "ritual music for the accumulation of male sexual energy" of Coil, Christopherson's trailblazing band. Fronted by Christopherson and his partner, John Balance – arguably pop's firstly openly gay duo – Coil produced dark music that appeared in the films of Derek Jarman. Prior to this, Christopherson worked as a designer for the hugely influential agency Hipgnosis, creating iconic record sleeves for the likes of Peter Gabriel and Pink Floyd.
Christopherson was a man ahead of his time. He built electronic equipment and used digital sampling onstage years before Fairlight synths made it a staple tool in pop. He put together videos for everyone from Soft Cell's Marc Almond to Paul McCartney. He was innovating right up until his death – in a Throbbing Gristle re-formed "to destroy our own myth" and as director of The Threshold Houseboys Choir, a band featuring computer-generated vocals.
