Peter Sotos

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Peter Sotos (born 1960?) is a Chicago-born writer who has contributed an unprecedented examination of the peculiar motivations of sadistic sexual criminals. His works are often cited as conveying an uncanny understanding of myriad aspects of pornography. Most of his writings have focused on sexually violent pornography, particularly of that involving children. His writings are also considered by many to be social criticism often commenting on the hypocritical way media handles these issues.

In 1984, while attending The Art Institute of Chicago, Sotos began producing a self-published newsletter or "fanzine" named Pure, notable as the first zine dedicated to serial killer lore. Much of the text and pictures in Pure were photocopied images from major newspapers and other print media. Sotos also used a photocopy from a magazine of child pornography as the cover of issue#2 of Pure. In 1986 this cover led to his arrest and charges of obscenity and possession of child pornography. The charges of obscenity were dropped, but Sotos eventually pled guilty to the possession charge and received a suspended sentence. Sotos was the first person in the United States ever to be charged for owning child pornography.

Sotos' writings explore sadistic and pedophilic sexual impulses in their many, often hidden, guises. Often using first person narratives, his prose takes on the point of view of the sexual predator. Despite his early legal troubles, and the seemingly fatal stigma of falsely being labeled a pedophile, Sotos continues to garner support for his ideas and literary output.

He was until 2003 a member of the seminal industrial noise band Whitehouse.

1 Pure Magazine
2 Quotation
3 Works
4 Texts featuring Sotos
5 External links

[edit] Pure Magazine

Pure is an extremely graphic and controversial magazine created by Peter Sotos.

In 1984, while attending the Art Institute of Chicago, Sotos began producing Pure, notable as the first zine dedicated to serial killer lore. Much of the text and pictures in Pure were photocopied images from major newspapers and other print media. Sotos also used a photocopy from a magazine of child pornography as the cover of issue #2 of Pure. In 1986 this cover led to his arrest and charges of obscenity and possession of child pornography. The charges of obscenity were dropped, but Sotos eventually pled guilty to the possession charge receiving a suspended sentence. Sotos was the first person in the United States ever to be charged for owning child pornography. This occurred at the same time that the day care sex abuse hysteria phenomenon was sweeping the nation. "Pure" is now considered by many to be a collectors item.

Pure takes a vehemently pro-criminal, anti-victim stance, berating the victims and applauding killers, mass murderers and sadists as the "heroes" of the magazine. The views put forth in Pure are trenchantly misogynistic, racist, pro-Nazi and champion a form of sadism modelled very closely on the writings of the Marquis de Sade. The writing is juxataposed with pictures and newspaper clippings relevant to the crimes discussed making the point that the mass media is also abusing the victims.

[edit] Quotation

"No one comes close to Sotos in his ability to rape a blank page." —Jim Goad, author of ANSWER Me!.
"In a real sense, reading Sotos is like peering into the appetitive, acquisitive aspect of the heart of life itself."-Michael Lujan, "Sotos: A Case Study in Lust and the Unconditioned".

[edit] Works

Total Abuse: Collected Writings, 1984-1995: Pure, Tool, Parasite, 1995 (Goad to Hell Enterprises, Portland, OR, ISBN 1-111-17832-1, out of print).
Special, 1998 (Rude Shape, ISBN 1-890528-02-1, out of print).
Tick, 2000 (Creation Books, ISBN 1-84068-048-2).
Index, 2000 (Creation Books, ISBN 1-84068-010-5).
Lazy, 2000 (Creation Books, ISBN 1-84068-010-5).
Selfish, Little: The Annotated Leslie Ann Downey, 2004 (Void Books).
Proxy: Peter Sotos Pornography 1991-2000, 2005 (Creation Books), a compendium of five of Sotos' works (Tool, Special, Tick, Index and Lazy). First edition, with CD by Sotos and Steve Albini ([1]).
Comfort and Critique, 2005 (Void Books)
Predicate, 2005 (Creation Books)
Waitress, 2005 (Creation Books), Came as an extra for those who preordered a copy of Predicate from Creation Books

[edit] Texts featuring Sotos

Apocalypse Culture, edited by Adam Parfrey, interview with Sotos (Amok Books, 1990, ISBN 0-922915-05-9)
.45 Dangerous Minds edited by Steve Blush and George Petros, interview with Sotos (Creation Books, 1999, ISBN 1-84068-124-1).
Apocalypse Culture II, edited by Adam Parfrey, chapter by Sotos (Feral House, 2000, ISBN 0-922915-57-1)
The Gates of Janus by Ian Brady, afterword by Sotos (Feral House Books, 2001, ISBN 0-922915-73-3)
Straight To Hell: 20th Century Suicides, edited by Nomida King, contributed to by Sotos (Creation Books, 2003, ISBN 1-84068-090-3).