Back in the day when WCN started, I was pestering Oskar with lengthy feedback emails almost every other episode, hah.. Sometimes with suggestions what could be done. One of my suggestions to him as well as other podcast makers was that I am sure it gets consuming to make new full interview episodes every week - or every month even. Therefore making other types of episodes is something one could look into. One being for example theme -based. There would be countless topics in noise, where one could dive into, and do it in form of asking bunch of guys about this one topic and collecting them all into one episode. First of all, could be done along regular interviews, just cut the segment out of it for later use. And secondly, all those guys who are not really into one hour interview about their own things, but could be interested to discuss about "noise packaging", "best live shows",.. or whatever. Many of these could be done along the full interviews and segments just used elsewhere when enough material cumulated.
This episode is fine example how it works just fine. Taking bits from former interviews, put together and it flows nicely for more than hour. Similar things could have been done with countless topics and recorded at the same time with regular interviews, just used later on.
Things like... someone may remember The Rita episode where Sam was talking about people complaining that releases sound too alike, and he was saying those releases have totally different sources. That alone awakes questions such as source matters? To whom? How much? What is the meaning of source, the performance of recording, vs. what the sound itself is if stripped clean from all the meaning. I would think people like Sam or GX, would have plenty of things to say why does it matter, for them personally, that source is what they choose it to be and noise isn't all about if it sounds cool and new. I am sure you'd find 3 more people to discuss topic and have episode of such topic ready. Also returning quests, who will just talk 10 mins of this one thing.
Anyways, this episode, 2025 guest answers of What Are Your Top 5 Noise Releases Of All Time, made me think few things. First, I spotted several of my own top-essential favorite releases that very very few ever mentions. Things like Gerogerigegege "Senzuri Power-up" (mentioned by Dachise) or MITB "our earths blood" 7" (mentioned by Cock e.s.p), Brigade Do Odio (noisecore legends, mentioned by Iggor) but also undisputed legendary masterpieces a'la Organum/TNB, Neuengamme, Merzbow items, and so on and on. Made me think, does the "usual listener" of episodes spot their own favorites? Or do they feel they are somehow living in different time or place than artists that are being interviewed? I mean that if you are Finn at your 20's, would you really rate "Pulse demon" among very best? Or have strong feelings about Organum or 60's Dutch electro acoustic music? heh.. Not meaning anything positive or negative, simply thinking if listener feels kind of... connected to this or if it feels that all things they like, never gets mentioned or covered? Like I said before, I personally find a lot of my own favorites mentioned, plus, artists are often somehow known to me, even if there may be a bit different leaning than I have.
In this episode, even Brethren gets praise. Also Grunt gets mentioned. That I could comment that when mr. Rocha mentions "Castrate the Illusionist" and says very few talk about it. I suppose we are in situation like discussed in many old WCN episodes. When you don't see anyone talk about specific release, it seems underrated and unnoticed, but when 3-5 people talk about it, it seems like "everybody is talking about it". hah... "Castrate the Illusionist" has sold about 800 copies and LP long gone and cd soon to run out. Unlikely to be repressed anytime soon. I suspect numbers itself tells a bit, even if nobody would say a word. That's why it is not gaining any rarity or collector status. Same goes for a lot of Grunt. When many albums there might be even 1000 CD's out there, they are never becoming "rare" and "sought after", but those qualities are not necessarily something to aim to. Perhaps also good topic for multiple people podcast episode. Why 3 bucks Pure/RRR cd might be more valuable than impossible to get 50$ tape you never seen for sale? Valuable in terms of meaning rather than financial aspects, other than as object of hunt and privilege of being one of very few owners.. heh..
