Peter Sotos

Peter Sotos (born April 17, 1960) is an American writer and musician. In his books, Sotos examines sadistic sexual criminals and sexually violent pornography, particularly involving children. His writings are interpreted by some as commenting on media hypocrisy around these issues. His books are often first person narratives, taking on the point of view of the sexual predator in order to explore sadistic and pedophilic sexual impulses.
Early life.
Sotos is a graduate of Holy Cross High School. He attended Northern Illinois University for one year and studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for four years.
"Pure" magazine and after.
In 1984, while the day care sex abuse hysteria phenomenon was sweeping the nation and while attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sotos began producing the controversial magazine "Pure", notable as the first zine dedicated to serial killer lore. The original publications are now collectors' items.
In addition to offering many details about the crimes of serial killers and Nazis, the text in the magazine praises them, describing them using such terms as "genius", "glorious", "exemplary", and "illustrious". The text is juxtaposed with pictures and newspaper clippings relevant to the crimes discussed, showing that the media also abuses the victims. A short manifesto introducing the first issue says the magazine "satiates and encourages true lusts."
A photocopy from a magazine of child pornography was used as the cover of issue #2 of "Pure" which led to Sotos pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, receiving a suspended sentence. A copy of the magazine was found by Scotland Yard in Edinburgh, in the home of a suspect in a series of child abductions, murders and grave robbings, which led to Sotos' arrest.
Despite his early legal troubles, Sotos continues to garner support for his ideas and literary output: in the foreword to the French edition of "Index" (1999) the publisher Jean-Jacques Pauvert compared him to Marquis de Sade; the American author Bruce Benderson has been analyzing his writings for "La Nouvelle Revue Française"; in 2012 Sotos joined Dennis Cooper for a lecture at the Centre Georges Pompidou; in 2015 the German contemporary art magazine "Texte zur Kunst" published “Proxy: Peter Sotos in Conversation”.
Musical career.
From 1983 to "Bird Seed" released in 2003, Sotos was a member of the British power electronics group Whitehouse.
In 1992, Sotos released the solo album "Buyer's Market", which consisted of sound collages of spoken word samples from parents, law-enforcement officers and victims of sex crimes. The album was produced by Steve Albini. Sotos then released "Proxy" and "Waitress" in 2005.
Jamie Stewart from Xiu Xiu often mentions Sotos as an influence.
Art.
Peter Sotos makes video collages. He notably presented "Waitress I", "II" and "III" at the Palais de Tokyo in April 2005.
A selection of Sotos' paper archives has been shown for the first time in 2017 at the New Galerie in Paris.
In popular culture.
In his movie "Love" (2015), the Argentine film director Gaspar Noé shows "Lazy", one of Sotos' books, in the hero's bookshelves. The American writer is also thanked in the closing credits.