I know there are bunch of discussions of documentaries on "art" section. Precisely about the sound itself, perhaps good to have topic of its own.
The Sound of Progress - Pop Music according to Foetus, Coil, Current 93 & Test Dept
Originally aired on Dutch television in 1988. Includes Interviews and live footage of J.G. Thirlwell, John Balance, David Tibet and Test Dept.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHYA8A_uhsFor better quality, there is DVD published and available from Cold Spring.
I like moments where you can see these legendary artists make their stuff or perform live. Even if by late 80's the sound is far less noisy and obscure that it would have been couple years earlier. There are good moments such as Foetus talking about preferring to live in this culture, molding and changing it, then trying to seek something from India or something. Talking how acknowledging that we live in trash culture is something what can be build upon. Not pretending as if it was something better, but full acknowledging western culture is now build on trash. He uses example how American popular culture then was far more advanced when it fully endorses trash, while the UK TV as example, had the notion of being somewhat better.. but ending up being even trashier. haha.. I guess in this light, if you end up watching some of the TV shows of current age, that are build upon being enlightened and ethically superior, you it is hard not to see logic what Foetus had there. Most films and movies, that have the mainstream ethics build on them, being unbearable to watch.
Test Dept very nice explaining how they, or this music in general is so separate from everything, it makes it impossible for music industry to really endorse it. Not pop, not punk, no anarchism per se, films not meant for cinema, music not made for stadiums, not theatre.. all things are being listed. Better watch how the artists says it, but it nicely displays that creators lumped into "industrial culture", often did not really see themselves as "industrial music", but nevertheless there is some sort of shapeless umbrella of ideas what together form that culture. Tearing down and analyzing it, won't bring you any results, but looking at spirit as a whole, for me it remains still vital and inspirational, even if musically I'd most often favor notch harder and noisier approach.
If someone has not seen the documentary, it's at YouTube and 40+ mins duration, I'd say worth to check out. It would be great to see something like this done now. Picking up just handful of current artists, that somehow can be lumped together and show something in form of documentary that can't be really depicted in podcast, written interview or such.
