WHITE CENTIPEDE NOISE PODCAST

[WCN]

Out now! Kenny Sanderson of FACIALMESS / LIKE WEEDS on WCN Podcast!

https://youtu.be/9PfVkDyogSs
https://youtu.be/9PfVkDyogSs
https://youtu.be/9PfVkDyogSs

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Good one!

I am kind of surprised that still today there ain't reissue of early Facialmess stuff? For me that early stuff that is busy and heavy and wild noise is far more interesting than the later super-cut-up sound. Like they talk about the shift in approach. Last year I listened some of these tapes on his own label and they are such a greatly flowing harsh noise and c-cassettes sound clear and sharp.

I think he talks about... Freak Animal #8 or 9? In reality, that is actually the FIRST Freak Animal zine. All issues before that was called Nyktofobia, and when Nykto-tapes transformed into Freak Animal Records in 1994, I just changed zine name and language, but kept the numbering running. Nyktofobia #7 was already in English, but early 95 published #8 had Bizarre Uproar, G-Hörsturz, Oral Climax, Psychotic Noise, Necrose.. #9 had Hermit and Agoraphobic Nosebleed and many more.  FA #10 is almost like another zine, almost like new start that didn't last that many issues.

One thing I would have hoped to hear is how the Tokyo noise SHOPS are doing. Back in the day, mr. Facialmess wrote me telling that FA stuff is available pretty much in every Japanese record store. You walk in shop and find way more FA stuff than most others. Japan is strange in a way, that they have vastly different leaning than many other countries. Old industrial seemed big in times when very few cared. Obscure things like Stabat Mors stuff seemed everywhere and guys told its really liked in Japan. Pricing used to that new items are expensive, 2nd hand stuff is cheap. I don't know how it is now, but generally seemed like Japanese customer valued high quality mint item, and any little flaw in disc or cover, and it would be cheap. Despite it wouldn't have any effect on listening. Late 90's, early 00's there was still multiple noise stores. Or stores you associate to carry a lot of it. Still now, you got the biggest record store chains like Disk Union, who'll have big section for noise, I think! NEdS, Art Into Life, Forever, and such still going. It would have been great to hear about this phenomena as "experimental music stores" or stores with even section dedicated to it is so rare in world. I guess still today, you can find Freak Animal stuff unusually easy from Tokyo, compared to a lot of other noise that is never sold there? I think the "industrial" side of things was always bigger, and even at the peak of USA new wave of noise around 2005'ish, you didn't see pretty much any of that stuff in Japanese stores. Way more leaning to Organum, Jackman, TNB, NWW, MB, Whitehouse, Stabat Mors, Tesco etc etc and of course the Japanese stuff. Haven't been in Japan for long long time, so would be nice to hear, how is the physical noise culture doing besides seemingly flourishing live scene what seems to be almost unacknowledged and largely undocumented outside Japan.

Been hoping to get done article about new Japanese noise and current live scene, but has not progressed much.. lets see if it is doable. Stories I hear, and enthusiasm there is with creators seem to be high, and like Facialmess says, some of these best artists are indeed live -focused. Recordings are not phenomenal, but live shows praised.

[WCN]

Out now! Henry Mallard of MALLARD THEORY on WCN Podcast!
https://youtu.be/oNcPQsNqJc0
https://youtu.be/oNcPQsNqJc0
https://youtu.be/oNcPQsNqJc0

See the full content of this episode in the EXT. segment on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise
https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise
https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise

[FreakAnimalFinland]

This is a wild one.

Also unusual name dropping when all these... Leigh Stench, Sonic Disorder and that type of things get acknowledged. It is funny thing, that many probably would pay big bucks to hear Gerogerigegege put out shitnoise, but would not waste another thought for something such as Sonic Disorder. Out of pro noise labels, I guess it was indeed RRR who put his money into releasing couple split 7"s.
One of the absolute masterpieces being Les Disques Bruitistes label: Sonic Disorder – Travelers' Companion Volume III LP.  If it was put out as Gerogerigegege, probably three digit prices was paid for this madness.  In a way it is good that the real deal shit noise stays firmly in realms of shit - being positive remark in this case. It is also nice when there are these existing links that display that between the high class academic art, harsh noise underground and juvenile weirdo shitnoise, there ain't THAT huge distance. Henry mentions the "meme HWN haha", which was so amusingly described, but I'd suppose most of the earlier shitnoise was nothing like HNW, perhaps almost opposite. Totally unpredictable and could surprise any moment. Someone should indeed put together article about wading waist deep in shitnoise underground. Recommend for less adventurous what Earwigs, Nutscreamer, Sonic Disorder, or such are the absolute best....  As there are indeed such a priceless jewels among the waste.

It is sort of amusing segment where Oskar and Henry are talking about the blossoming Pittsburgh noise scene. Impression that so much is happening and big gigs and stuff happens all the time. Then Henry mentions booking gig with huge amount of bands and only 3 paying audience members show up. This is something I always wondered, how can it be. City of millions of people, and nobody cares? First gig I ever organized, was hc-punk gig in small town consisting 35,000 inhabitants. Youth house gig could still pull.. 50? 100? Something like that. Just putting few posters and flyers around. Of course talking of mid 90's so world was hugely different. Couple years later Freak Animal fest pulled like 100 people. In times when nobody knew shit. Line-up of (then) unknow fairly new noise by bands who had mostly not released anything (strom.ec, pain nail,..) or never really sold in Finland. Since then, I can't imagine there would have been single noise show in Finland, where "3 people" show up. Anything that has happened here, seems to have some audience. No matter what city or line-up, there must be dozen(s) at least. Why? Don't know. Even less I understand how cities with millions of people would have audience of 5!

That ain't too bad, though.
I remember talking with Koji Tano when seeing him on Japanese tour and talk was what was the first noise show he got to see. Its almost 20 years ago, so can't remember the exact date, nor exact line up, but as he lived outside Tokyo, he had to travel to see the first noise gig. Merzbow headliner and just about every big Japanese name on the bill. I recall like 5 major names you'd kill to see now. He mentioned there were 6 people in audience, including him. Six! what the fuck!

Like Oskar says on this podcast, that appearance of blossoming Pittsburgh scene is inspiration, regardless of what it really is. When you list the names who are roughly around the region, think about what all gigs been happening, what people/labels been putting out, and the inspiration can be huge. It is also curious to think, IF MSBR would have visited noise gig with 500 people, would it have changed what MSBR Records did? Would it appear to make sense to make 20 copies obscure hand made art objects, if impression was there was huge demand and actual sales happening? Artform of noise, may have to thank the "lack of success", for the abnormal forms noise has taken. Of course there is probably longer story why and how there was those MSBR special packages, but eventually there was no more. I would still suppose that surrounding reality has some influence on it, and the "no demand noise" exists and manifests itself in quite curious ways that some of the... ehm... "pro-noise" won't.

[Bloated Slutbag]

. Even less I understand how cities with millions of people would have audience of 5!

Talking out of my ass, as usual, but something to do with economies of scale I'd wager. And the fragmentation of the "big city" as a macrocosm of a larger nation state, say, with a target at such a disparate spread that it would be difficult to hit without access to channels that are likely beyond the means of most. /asstalk

edit
things would (likely) be somewhat different now (maybe!)

[FreakAnimalFinland]

One theory has always been, that in big cities, there is so much to do compared to small cities, that noise or punk gig is unlikely priority. Indeed, if one was in tokyo right now, would the guy with shaker and distortion pedal rate as absolute top-1 to see tonight? .. Maybe!

In same way creating good own UG music was less likely in big city if you look % of population. Meaning that in past, in city you got the group of other weirdos, you got bars, gigs, record stores... A lot to do. Go to small town and you got NOTHING. So creation of your own stuff was something you could focus. With people who likely was into it as you asked them to join band, not that they would have joined if there was "better things to do".
The focus on what you had, as opposed to endless supply of records found in good stores. After internet swallowed everything and brought it to everywhere, dynamic may be different.

Still I would assume, despite you have the entire internet in your hand, you may want something more, physical. So when you set up gig to smaller city, it was, and perhaps is possible, that a lot of people come to check it out simply out of curiosity that something is actually happening around here. In a lot of noise shows generally turn out is all sorts of underground music people plus often some random outsiders if its public gig. I am not sure what would be year when I would have feeling "I'll skip that noise gig". It was not due lack of interest, more lack of time to travel to other regions and having other gigs overlapping.

Reality is that now that gig happen so often, that you can actually skip something without feeling of missing everything. You know you will catch those artists again. That might be downside of active scene. When gig is no longer utterly special event, but regular occurrence. In big city it is likely weekend noise gig competes with wide variety of classic bands of many styles.

Like the recent Helsinki gig. There was scheduled Last Resort playing too. Of course skin/oi and noise audience cross over isn't huge, but still most likely bunch would be lured to check out that, just to catch something you may never see anymore. That gig got cancelled for some reason. Same day also big finn RAC gig in public venue, where fairly big noise crossover also attend, as some of those bands are unlikely to see in capital area music venue. Very likely there was also metal gigs happening not that far away either. After all that, still noise gig had HUGE attendance compared to genre. Of course, artists ruled, so that's one thing. But there must be something else what keeps bringing more than "6 guys".

In podcast it is being talked how noise is now bigger than ever. At least in a way that people know noise as phenomena. Even if they would not be harsh noise heads, they know such genre exists. I think in Finland this awareness is pretty huge. It would be interesting test, to just talk to random people at any underground music genre, and I'd say there might be less people who do not know "noise" than people who are aware of such thing. That could also lead into idea of "lets check this gig out"?

[WCN]

The monthly WCN Video Party was this weekend, where supporters, former podcast guests, and WCN alumni meet up to talk about noise. If you missed it, you can watch the whole chat on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise

[WCN]

Out now! Jackson Abdul-Salaam of COMMUTER / HERUKRAT on WCN Podcast

https://youtu.be/d8h9ByPCLvY
https://youtu.be/d8h9ByPCLvY
https://youtu.be/d8h9ByPCLvY

Full interview content, download codes for the new COMMUTER album on New Forces, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise
https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise
https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Quite unusual this time as big part of the episode goes on dealing with his conversion to islam. Not bad of course. It it curious when asking reactions of the scene and Jackson says all supportive, no negative feedback.
Quite often when there is talk about for example Muslimgauze, there emerges some comments how power electronics guys must hate it... while I've never, during multiple decades in the scene, talked to anyone who furiously hates Muslimgauze for its content. Some may be indifferent, but never seen or heard anyone rant about it. It may happen, sure, but so far never seen. I would be curious if publishers or distributors get shit for it either.

Curiously, despite more than half of podcast goes to talk of conversion, I think it didn't really tells what exactly was in islam particular that appealed. As opposed to buddhism, christianity, or something else. What was the appeal in doctrine, that the other religions did not have? Of course, the core of faith may be personal and none of our business really.

Back in childhood, part of my family converted into orthodox. I was asked do I want, and didn't. Some may recall the Seinfeld episode where George is converting into latvian orthodox and when asked what appealed him in the religion, he replies "mainly the hats". Even as a sitcom joke, it sort of tells a lot. Conversion my folks did was nothing about doctrine, all about community and aesthetics. hah..

I did find it amusing when explained that biggest misunderstanding concerning islam would be teachings vs. culture. That people would confuse teachings of islam with culture of region where that religion usually dominates, and blaming all the stuff upon religion. It is curious that one political party over here concluded while ago that islam is not a problem. If islam would be state religion in north, among nordic people, state and rest of culture would work out just fine. Problem is the culture, what could be assumed to be the people. Of course Jackson did not mean it like that (I suppose), but when discussion was going on, that was another moment where I'd feel interviewer could have asked "hey, wait a minute! Let me clarify, did you mean that..." haha..

As for noise, it felt curious how much emphasis was put on magnitude of source material. Man was talking about endless amount of recordings he is walking on the streets kicking garbage, and it would be curious to know if magnitude of source material is positive? I guess many have been in situation where you are planning for album, and there is like 10 hours of recordings. Think what the fuck I should be doing with THESE. Listening source sound or sessions recordings consisting hours of whatever, and trying to find the perfect 5 seconds loop moment from there. Awful. Simply awful job, if you ask me. haha. This could have been good to focus more. If massive amount of source sound is key to making album, in what way it is? Is it actually being used? What sounds are to be used? Is it more like meditation when you walk around with recorders, when knowing, this stuff ain't ever going to be used? Well, maybe there will be another interview with Jackson at some point, as he seems to be gaining popularity and recognition!

[SVNOKKLT]

Thanks for having a listen!

I also didn't expect so much of the conversation to be focused on Islam, and was perhaps a bit caught off guard with it.  Not complaining of course, Oskar's job as a good interviewer is to ask questions that could put the person on the spot, or have to dig for answers a bit, so difficult questions are important.  I certainly don't see myself as a representative, or "spokesperson" for all of Islam, and I don't think I'm very suited to answer the questions about big misconceptions about it, and etc.  I'm not used to describing my own spiritual views or practices to people, in my personal life I'm a very private person, and these aren't conversations I'm often having with people around me, so being on the spot and having to think of an answer is a bit of a challenge.  I think the nature of spirituality is very personal anyway, so it's a difficult sort of thing to share with an audience.  But I'm glad we got around to getting deep into some noise as well.

As for noise, it felt curious how much emphasis was put on magnitude of source material. Man was talking about endless amount of recordings he is walking on the streets kicking garbage, and it would be curious to know if magnitude of source material is positive? I guess many have been in situation where you are planning for album, and there is like 10 hours of recordings. Think what the fuck I should be doing with THESE. Listening source sound or sessions recordings consisting hours of whatever, and trying to find the perfect 5 seconds loop moment from there. Awful. Simply awful job, if you ask me. haha. This could have been good to focus more. If massive amount of source sound is key to making album, in what way it is? Is it actually being used? What sounds are to be used? Is it more like meditation when you walk around with recorders, when knowing, this stuff ain't ever going to be used? Well, maybe there will be another interview with Jackson at some point, as he seems to be gaining popularity and recognition!

This is funny and maybe I should have specified a little more more or been a little bit more clear about my process of gathering the field recordings.  I don't actually have the field recorder set to REC the entire time I'm out and about walking the streets to get sound.  You're right, that would make for an awful studio session listening back to hours and hours of sound waiting for anything that sounds interesting and then clipping it out. The magnitude of time spent is more referred to trying to hunting for those sounds when I'm out walking.  When I'm out recording on the streets I'm looking for the perfect sounds, and waiting to turn the field recorder on.  So my actual sample bank is made up of recordings that are maybe 10 seconds at the shortest, and a minute long for the longest.  A recording of something like a freight train or passing police sirens could be up to a minute long.  And then things like recording a person yelling, an argument happening, somebody mumbling a schizophrenic rant at the train station, or finding a loud metal fence to kick, a dumpster to bang on... stuff like this might only be 10-20 seconds long.  So when I sit down to pull samples from my field recorder I could just be making a 10 second loop on my SP404 of any of these.  I just need to be very selective when I'm out doing recordings, otherwise the process would probably put me to sleep. 

[WCN]

There's a new podcast schedule now in effect! Each Monday at 18:00 CET:

1st week: Podcast - public
2nd week: WCN TV - Patreon exclusive
3rd week: Podcast - public
4th week: Video Workshop/Party - Patreon exclusive (The workshop will be held on the weekend, and the recording will air on Patreon the following Monday)

I've also improved and updated the Patreon, refining the benefits and focus of each tier: https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise

This Monday is an episode of AFTERBLAST - a follow up discussion wit my first ever podcast guest, Ilkka Vekka of HAARE / SAVAGE GOSPEL. This is WCN TV content, available through Patreon.

[WCN]

Out now on WCN TV - AFTERBLAST with Ilkka Vekka of HAARE / SAVAGE GOSPEL

Ilkka was my first ever guest on the podcast, so it was a great joy to follow up with him nearly 2 years later. We start by talking about what he's been up to lately musically (which is lots!), which leads us into a variety of topics such as genre perception, modern music, scene politics, and fatherhood.

You can watch or listen to the full 1 hour 45 minute episode at https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise

Preview: https://youtu.be/gAocI-lHoYQ

[WCN]

Out now! Johnathan Cash of SUNK COST / BREAKDANCING RONALD REAGAN on WCN Podcast!

https://youtu.be/77djddVNtVg
https://youtu.be/77djddVNtVg
https://youtu.be/77djddVNtVg

See the full episode content in the EXT. segment, download an exclusive unreleased SUNK COST track, and SUPPORT this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Podcast those funny ones. Guy can talk, and keeps talking, self consciously funny of course. Good story of The Rita nugget as well as used ballet shoes request.

I think there are indeed many untold stories, unrecognized things in development of noise. I have mentioned it before many many times, but it feels kind of funny, that there is notable agreement about importance of "tape culture", "tape trading", "mail art" and whatever, that shaped certain moment in history of noise pioneers. When you take leap into 00's, it is almost total silence surrounding blogs, things like soulseek, and also this episode perhaps being one of the uncommon moments when myspace scene gets mentioned somewhat positively. In all honesty, there MUST be more noise guys exposed to harsh noise via soulseek or such, as opposed to "cassette culture".

Noisextra has the dedication to noise from beginning till 90's, it clearly rules out big part of the development that happened within last 20 years. That are has so much to deal with, and for me personally that is most interesting era anyways. Guys who are now 40, 50 or something, perhaps this myspace, blog, soulseek era of noise is what they lived through. However, guys who are now.. 15, 25... that era of noise may be interesting as it was something they never witnessed, but is not some totally ancient past. It could be both relatable and interesting as it is the recent step, which is still largely disappeared. It would be odd if that era would not be "documented". Guys WCN interviews, often seem to be that age who started in noise when this was happening. Not getting tape from other side of the world, but following their instinct and out of thousands and thousands of files, downloading something that would change course of their own interests in sound.

I do not remember BREAKDANCING RONALD REAGAN at all, but him mentioning trolling iheartnoise (troniks/chondritic) forum as teenager kid was kind of funny. When he talks that his excuse being sort of dysfunctional 14 year old, and ending into online arguments with 30+ year old noise heads.. asking whats their excuse? haha.... true! Now in hindsight mentioning that obnoxious posts could have been just ignored. It seems surprisingly tough for people to do that. Even on SI forum, occasionally I get reports that someone has used wrong word or being just little unpolite. Yeah, I know, the no drama -policy is in place, but it is flexible. If it seems people are resilient and not starting to lose their shit over some post, that post can stay. Ideally, at some point people would be like grown up BREAKDANCING RONALD REAGAN guy, recognize that one doesn't have to get triggered of everything. You can pass something, move on regardless of obnoxious comment you see.

( Just few days ago, I was forwarded into "discussion" happening at noise reddit, where there is discussion wether Gerogerigegege are fascists, due having said favorable things about Bizarre Uproar. Soon progress into questions how could anyone defend Eric Wood after decades long co-operation with known racists. It does make one think options, clueless kids? Trolls? Idiots? Who knows. Those categories have entire internet. Luckily couple noise boards exists where less of that, and emphasis of talk by noise devotees that are expected to know a bit of basics. As opposed to old days, now question if Gero or Wood are fascist is actually question adult person who is heavily into noise can make and have people treating it as legit question. Trying to explain why it is unlikely seems so ridiculous. )

I am almost tempted to check out patreon for some noise gossip stories man has there, if it's the E.Council, The Rita and that type of noise folklore. Previous Haare episode didn't watch as it was for patreons only. Have to congratulate Oscar for adjusting into dad mode and cutting greasy away and look like upstanding citizen now!

[WCN]

Taking a couple weeks off the podcast to focus on family. Now is a great time to join the Patreon - you can catch up on all of the Patreon exclusive episodes and provide needed support to WCN: https://www.patreon.com/whitecentipedenoise