I bought this Stephan Mathieu "radioland" CD based on description. Was lured by shortwave, opposition to modern digitalia, live improvisation on radio signals,... and in the end, it was actually nearly one hour of totally relaxing and calm ambient recordings. You could hardly spot any qualities what resemble radio noise. It was more like tranquil drifting keyboard. Some tracks with etherial female vocals on the top actually was good.. and well, it was good overall, but just felt like after 10 minutes, all the basic ideas was used. And it was just something different that I was expecting.
So who? I'm talking of the material a'la early John Duncan, Radiosonde/Scott Arford, and more. There are several Russian projects using radiostatic, but I guess its starting to get rare piece of equipment in modern households of wealthy west?
I used radio on 2nd track on s2 of "Prey". Static + efx.
Not noise but really good regardless is Tod Dockstader's Aerial #1. I think it was 20-30 years of edited AM, FM recordings decayed and manipulated. Really good musique-concrete with a dark ambient/drone vibe.
Just to name the Russian ones:
DN23rd - pure radionoise without any processing;
FUNKSTILLSENDER - pure radionoise on the first 2xCD album and after that turned to a permanent collaboration with KOMATOSERZUSTAND adding heavy loads of synthetic drones to radionoise. One of my favorites of all the times;
I AM NOTHING -- radionoise + raw feedbacks and some "conceptual" noises like sounds of short-circuited wires or clear tapes.
There are some other like PUBLIC IMMORALITY, KRYPTOGEN RUNDFUNK, LIGHT COLLAPSE, NORMA REAKCII who use radionoise here and there
http://www.ubu.com/sound/lennon.html (http://www.ubu.com/sound/lennon.html)
"Radio Play". Not necessarily great, more just for interest's sake.
Sometimes, at work, a radio will be on but badly tuned. And I've noticed in some instances there will be these spontaneous blasts of static Noise that sound as if they are being manipulated. Often wanted to record these sounds. There's a lot of pleasurable potential with the tuning of analogue radio. The trouble with a lot of digital tuners, of course, is that you can't get that fine modulation.
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on February 25, 2010, 11:01:31 PM
Sometimes, at work, a radio will be on but badly tuned. And I've noticed in some instances there will be these spontaneous blasts of static Noise that sound as if they are being manipulated. Often wanted to record these sounds. There's a lot of pleasurable potential with the tuning of analogue radio. The trouble with a lot of digital tuners, of course, is that you can't get that fine modulation.
And you must listen to SW/MW/LW to get that nice abrasive drones, not FM/AM which are used by most stations.
I personally regard works of John Duncan and Paul Hurst as best radio noise I've heard...
their collaboration tape Gain is ok, but I prefer their solo works.
In terms of straight up noise I'd give it to John Duncan. Truly menacing pieces composed out of common static/sounds.
Quote from: alpharmania on February 25, 2010, 11:46:46 PM
I personally regard works of John Duncan and Paul Hurst as best radio noise I've heard...
their collaboration tape Gain is ok, but I prefer their solo works.
I think Gain is a masterpiece.
Some months ago I was listening to GAIN tape and was thinking, this surely needs to be re-issued. And then I realised, it has been. At least in Duncan box on VOD. Not sure if CD is done?
No CD to my knowledge and, yes, I agree CD would be excellent at least if you can get the original mastertape. Speaking of early Duncan related releases. Have there been any reissues of the O'Nancy in French tape? Another really good tape that came my way through nice hands of 777was666.
I cannot help you with the "very best" but the "original" might be John Cage's composition Radio Music. See the explanation at
http://www.johncage.info/workscage/radiomusic.html (http://www.johncage.info/workscage/radiomusic.html)
A performance of the piece by Walter Marchetti, Juan Hidalgo and Gianni-Emilio Simonetti, from the John Cage -album on Cramps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5s6egDd5Wc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5s6egDd5Wc)
Not really noisy but a pretty good listen all the same.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on February 26, 2010, 11:39:56 AM
Some months ago I was listening to GAIN tape and was thinking, this surely needs to be re-issued. And then I realised, it has been. At least in Duncan box on VOD. Not sure if CD is done?
no cd to my knowledge, luckily i was smart enough to pick the VOD-box from FA couple of years ago. there's still plenty of old duncan BEGGING to be reissued, most stuff on AQM for example. and what about "pleasure escape" tape from '85??
i don't know about best or not, but maybe some Spectru Nocturn.
In this vein I recently found FUNKSTILLESENDER "Untitled" 3"CDR on ABGURD label, check it out!
Fuck I forgot to mention the Conet Project. Interesting recordings, but an even more interesting mystery.
As far as i know Werewolf Jerusalem sound source is an old portable radio .
Quote from: tisbor on March 10, 2010, 08:28:15 PM
As far as i know Werewolf Jerusalem sound source is an old portable radio .
Correct! I've seen Richard use it live. It's an old Houston Astros portable. I think they gave them away at one of the games years ago.