Describing Noise to someone who never heard about it

Started by cr, June 18, 2023, 03:17:35 PM

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Cranial Blast

I dunno, I think in some cases that sentiment carries over true. The Rita's work for me is almost more important to me with the artwork side of things as much as it is the sound. I think that saying equally important isn't so alienating, it could be more intriguing to the potential next listener.

Bigsby

Quote from: BatteredStatesofEuphoria on June 30, 2024, 11:22:10 PM
Quote from: cr on June 30, 2024, 01:52:13 PMSo yeah then, describing noise to someone is properly done, you let them listen to some examples, and then comes next question - "WHY do you like listening to noise? I can't believe, that anyone voluntarily likes to listen to such sounds and finds comfort in it."
What do you say?

Nothing.

You take out the meat cleaver you've been hiding behind your back, caress it lovingly, and smile at them.

 uh oh! does mom know you have the cleaver? Hahahahah 🤦🏻

FreakAnimalFinland

One time was discussing with friend that was convinced that you could simply explain things to kids. He was thinking it was odd that if someone gets pissed off about questions, when you can simply explain it. I mentioned that its possible you haven't really had such talk, and it's roughly 3-5 questions, further when you really can't explain, since whatever questions are being asked, one just have to decide level where somethings is given, so to say.
One could easily explain things they like in noise, but it is very close to almost any human desire, that it is irrational emotion where you do not have real explanation. Like explaining why you have specific taste? One usually can describe some sort of qualities that you like and prefer over something else, but does this taste itself have "explanation"? Most likely not and probably is something irrational, beyond the simple cultural or biological explanation.

Few decades ago, when I was teenager living with parents, some folks came to visit and they had same age teenage girl with them and we hang out in my room and girl mentions that she is little strange, that she likes music like Toto. I asked is she'd like to hear something weird, and pulled out Bizarre Uproar/Man Is The Bastard -split 7", put that on stereos. She sat through entire side of 7" and then said "I'll go check out what my parents are doing".
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

Cranial Blast

#33
I think it's challenging to describe to other people the appeal of noise and what it means to you as the listener. I know some people around me, cannot stand noise and it even irritates them or pisses them off to a certain degree. I know what I like about it and I also like that noise tends to dissolve away all forms of conventional normalities through it's non musical approach to where it becomes just sound or at the most on the fringes of some sort of ambient types of music. I loved noise the exact same way I first fell in love with the film Videodrome. It's the same exact emotional reaction and response and that's a hard thing to explain to someone in a way. It's somewhere between the nexus of nihilism and off kilter art and the monochromatic culture that is the marriage of those things and between all of that shares a commonality in the droning industrial sounds, it's a pain is pleasure kind of aesthetic and noise is just that, it's painful and pleasurable all in one.

Kaaoskultti

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 01, 2024, 08:29:22 PMFew decades ago, when I was teenager living with parents, some folks came to visit and they had same age teenage girl with them and we hang out in my room and girl mentions that she is little strange, that she likes music like Toto. I asked is she'd like to hear something weird, and pulled out Bizarre Uproar/Man Is The Bastard -split 7", put that on stereos. She sat through entire side of 7" and then said "I'll go check out what my parents are doing".

That's pretty much myself trying to settle with the normie girls around me that I have crushes upon. Obviously, eh, doesn't work out for me.
ZOB ZYGGLAN - Brazilian Power Electronics - https://zobzygglan.bandcamp.com/

Balor/SS1535

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 01, 2024, 08:29:22 PMFew decades ago, when I was teenager living with parents, some folks came to visit and they had same age teenage girl with them and we hang out in my room and girl mentions that she is little strange, that she likes music like Toto. I asked is she'd like to hear something weird, and pulled out Bizarre Uproar/Man Is The Bastard -split 7", put that on stereos. She sat through entire side of 7" and then said "I'll go check out what my parents are doing".

haha  At least she was semi-patient, listening through half of it.  It reminds me a bit of the time that I had to try and explain my "Buyer's Market" shirt to a girl I was in a class with.

Bigsby


Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 01, 2024, 08:29:22 PMFew decades ago, when I was teenager living with parents, some folks came to visit and they had same age teenage girl with them and we hang out in my room and girl mentions that she is little strange, that she likes music like Toto. I asked is she'd like to hear something weird, and pulled out Bizarre Uproar/Man Is The Bastard -split 7", put that on stereos. She sat through entire side of 7" and then said "I'll go check out what my parents are doing".

I'm not saying this never happened, but holy shit does this sound like something that never happened hahahaha

theotherjohn

The real question is: which side did you play to her first?

FreakAnimalFinland

I played only Bizarre Uproar side, hah. I don't think this is THAT weird happening.
Considering that I just about every day I listen to noise at work (=record store) where regular people are watching mouths open what the fuck is happening. Not long time I got teenage couple visiting store, just because guy wanted to show his girlfriend this place where man is listening to awful noise all the time. It is every week that I get to explain people what is happening here, is material coming from CD, tape or LP. I've been in this conversation of "explaining noise" to normies about 50 times a year or so, for very long time. In recent years, there has been increase of teenagers in underground music and it is curious how that small element of "music" is such a important element. As long as distortion is controlled by guitar riff and percussive pulse is done by "drums", its fine. As soon as instruments are abandoned, still in 2024, it seems to amaze people.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

theotherjohn

Heh, I figured - should have played the Man Is The Bastard side first, and charmed her to remain...

The few times that I'll mention to work colleagues, family members or people just outside my circle of friends that I listen to noise or I've been to shows of that nature, I'll just say broadly that it's noisy, loud or "experimental" stuff. No need to go into specifics unless they're more curious, and I don't advertise my interest in this through wearing merch or shirts (one of the main appeals of noise for me when entering it was there wasn't a defined "look" or any fashion associated with this subculture). If there was a unique performance element to a show I'd seen I'd mention it or if video footage from the show surfaced the next day on YouTube, I might show it to them - it usually warrants a laugh that I paid good money and my free time to see it, or comments of "this isn't music" or "they don't know how to play". I won't be offended, and anyway it certainly beats their night in with the telly.

Recently, a live video from a Ryosuke Kiyasu solo snare set I went to got some hearty laughs from people at work given the viral nature of his shows... but I also think they want to see him when he next plays live just for the spectacle of it? And someone else at work who is familiar with death metal and who could best be described as a 'weeaboo' got shown a Hanatarashi video essay and a Masonna live video on YouTube, and I think he kind of appreciated seeing another extreme side to Japanese culture that he wasn't previously aware of through these gateway projects.

Strömkarlen

My lazy replay is that noise is the audio version of an abstract painting. Like if a Jackson Pollack was a song. And like abstract art you need a master to make it great because anyone can splash paint but only a few can make it worth your while.

Bigsby

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 03, 2024, 09:13:12 AMI played only Bizarre Uproar side, hah. I don't think this is THAT weird happening.

she was too old for you?

theotherjohn

Quote from: Bigsby on July 03, 2024, 06:58:49 PM
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 03, 2024, 09:13:12 AMI played only Bizarre Uproar side, hah. I don't think this is THAT weird happening.

she was too old for you?

Mikko said above "they had same age teenage girl with them". What are you implying, Bigsby?

Bigsby

Quote from: theotherjohn on July 04, 2024, 01:51:01 AM
Quote from: Bigsby on July 03, 2024, 06:58:49 PM
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 03, 2024, 09:13:12 AMI played only Bizarre Uproar side, hah. I don't think this is THAT weird happening.

she was too old for you?

Mikko said above "they had same age teenage girl with them". What are you implying, Bigsby?

oh it's a very complicated & nuanced joke

cr

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 01, 2024, 08:29:22 PMOne time was discussing with friend that was convinced that you could simply explain things to kids. He was thinking it was odd that if someone gets pissed off about questions, when you can simply explain it. I mentioned that its possible you haven't really had such talk, and it's roughly 3-5 questions, further when you really can't explain, since whatever questions are being asked, one just have to decide level where somethings is given, so to say.
One could easily explain things they like in noise, but it is very close to almost any human desire, that it is irrational emotion where you do not have real explanation. Like explaining why you have specific taste? One usually can describe some sort of qualities that you like and prefer over something else, but does this taste itself have "explanation"? Most likely not and probably is something irrational, beyond the simple cultural or biological explanation.

Few decades ago, when I was teenager living with parents, some folks came to visit and they had same age teenage girl with them and we hang out in my room and girl mentions that she is little strange, that she likes music like Toto. I asked is she'd like to hear something weird, and pulled out Bizarre Uproar/Man Is The Bastard -split 7", put that on stereos. She sat through entire side of 7" and then said "I'll go check out what my parents are doing".
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on July 03, 2024, 09:13:12 AMI played only Bizarre Uproar side, hah. I don't think this is THAT weird happening.
Considering that I just about every day I listen to noise at work (=record store) where regular people are watching mouths open what the fuck is happening. Not long time I got teenage couple visiting store, just because guy wanted to show his girlfriend this place where man is listening to awful noise all the time. It is every week that I get to explain people what is happening here, is material coming from CD, tape or LP. I've been in this conversation of "explaining noise" to normies about 50 times a year or so, for very long time. In recent years, there has been increase of teenagers in underground music and it is curious how that small element of "music" is such a important element. As long as distortion is controlled by guitar riff and percussive pulse is done by "drums", its fine. As soon as instruments are abandoned, still in 2024, it seems to amaze people.

Hah yes, that's a great story playing this 7" for the "strange girl" with the special musical taste. Many years ago I remember playing some noise to a girl as well. It didn't went well...
Two or three years ago, I had conversation about musical taste with somebody being more than 20 years younger than me. He told me first he listens to such extreme music, nobody else wants to listen to it. When I asked, it was something like Metalcore. Don't have anything against it, but it's just nothing for me. Then he asked, what I like and I explained best that I could. Finally I just put my phone on the table and started some Incapacitants record on YT. Whithin 20 seconds, he pressed the stop button on my phone, looking very confused and went his ways.

Goddamn, I'm seriously jealous to everyone, who can listen to noise at work. In my workplace I have only the worst of pop music, played over and over again. That's how gunmen are made, haha!


And from my experience, after the WHY NOISE? question almost always comes the HOW DID YOU GET THERE? question (at least from the ones who are still somehow interested at this point)