Skinny Puppy is noted for theatrical and controversial live performances which blend performance art with music. Ogre has been critical of the band's early performances, telling "Spin" magazine in 1992 that "I would do things on stage that would blow – they just wouldn't work". Live performances involved periods of musical improvisation, film projections, and elaborate stage props and machines, many of which are designed and built by Ogre himself. While discussing Skinny Puppy's performances, Ogre remarked that "our shows combine images with theater. It works better than just coming out and doing a horror magic routine". He explained to the "Vancouver Sun" in 1988 that he wanted his act to have "that grey area where anything could happen – where I can cut my head off by accident and people will go, 'wow, that's great'".