Focus on Rock Drill (Jacob Epstein) and discuss the Legacy.
Epstein's dismantling of Rock Drill and truncation of the abstracted male form marks a crucial turning point in his career, signalling the end of his engagement with the machine age. Although Epstein destroyed the original sculpture, since its reconstruction in 1974, Rock Drill has been heralded as representing 'a dramatic, revolutionary moment when sculpture in Britain first became uncompromisingly modern.' Epstein had a long and successful career in Britain, working in less radical styles, and notable for portrait busts and architectural sculptures.
The final Sensational Alex Harvey Band studio album, 1978's Rock Drill, was named for and influenced by the sculpture. Its cover depicts the Torso.
In September 2006, Tate Modern asked a number of contemporary musicians to compose music about a piece of their choosing from the gallery's collection, under the project name Tate Tracks. The Chemical Brothers recorded "Rock Drill", inspired by Torso..., and this could be heard on headphones next to the sculpture. From October 2006, it also became available for a while, on the Tate Tracks website.Comparisons have been drawn between the sculpture and the Star Wars character General Grievous and his battle droids.
Tate Tracks Rock Drill Tate Modern The Chemical Brothers Tate General Grievous Sensational Alex Harvey Band battle droid