Deaths / RIP

[Stipsi]

No one mentioned Chuck Norris yet?

I think because most of the people think he will come back after three days  ;)

[post-morten]

Got the sad news that Sören Runolf has passed away. Sören was one of the true stalwarts of Swedish free improv and electro-acoustic music. Unlike many of his peers, he always maintained a curiosity and openmindedness towards new technologies. While guitar and to some extent treated cello remained his faved instruments, he also got into more noisy territory with contact mics and live electronics. Probably most known as a member of the ferocious free jazz combo Lokomotiv Konkret, Sören was also involved in countless more or less fleeting collaborations. A legend, sorely missed.

[BlackCavendish]

James C. Lollar of synthwave project Gost.

[Mattias G]

Got the sad news that Sören Runolf has passed away. Sören was one of the true stalwarts of Swedish free improv and electro-acoustic music. Unlike many of his peers, he always maintained a curiosity and openmindedness towards new technologies. While guitar and to some extent treated cello remained his faved instruments, he also got into more noisy territory with contact mics and live electronics. Probably most known as a member of the ferocious free jazz combo Lokomotiv Konkret, Sören was also involved in countless more or less fleeting collaborations. A legend, sorely missed.

I meet him a few times but he definitely was one of those people that you instantly liked. Such a warm and wonderful person. 100 % good vibes. I had the pleasure to have him as the sound engineer at Fylkingen a few times and if you were a neurotic guy it was the perfect match.

[tiny_tove]

 Toby Burdon of Test Department

[WCN]

Dawid Kowaliski of PURGIST passed away yesterday. A great artist with a unique and personal vision, and a very dedicated and supportive person. Very sad loss.

[Der.BLuteimer]

Early this morning a friend of David wrote me this sadness and it's more sad that this nice Person got only 40 years old. R.I.P. dear David...

[prolapsedlielack]

James Cooke (Ahlzagailzehguh)
Feb. 26 1985 - May 10 2026

[MALVM]

James Cooke (Ahlzagailzehguh)
Feb. 26 1985 - May 10 2026

Damn. From some of the posts he was making on IG he wasn't doing well at all, and that was a while ago. Got to open for him in Oakland at Terminal years ago with Yellow Tears. That really sucks to hear.

[prolapsedlielack]

James Cooke (Ahlzagailzehguh)
Feb. 26 1985 - May 10 2026

Damn. From some of the posts he was making on IG he wasn't doing well at all, and that was a while ago. Got to open for him in Oakland at Terminal years ago with Yellow Tears. That really sucks to hear.

Yeah, insane loss for the noise world. Him and Purgist in 2 weeks is nuts. I hope he's found peace.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

In Memoriam: James Cooke - 1985-2026.

Around 2003 in a dawn of increasing digitization, packages started to arrive in the mailboxes of all the east coast noise labels from a new figure who seemed to understand the old ways.

James Cooke aka Ahlzagailzehguh was the first of his era with an existential sense of intention. The moniker, he said, was 'a made up word, and something intentionally hard to spell and pronounce' but as he always reminded 'make sure to spell it correctly'. Emphasizing classical presentation - photos distorted through silkscreen - institutional medicine with autonomy - loose collages unfixed with tape or glue, mixing figures in jagged sketches - colored pencil dragged over paper - never denying informal traditions of the early influences like Controlled Bleeding. He produced seminal recordings for Truculent, RRR, Fusty and his own imprint Collapsed Hole Noise.
DIY material action.

In a decade filled with documented improvisation and group psychedelia, James was committed to patient internal discovery and self-imposed limits. Working with famously minimal equipment, put to the test in the words of Ron Lessard - on the stage. Many performances occurred in the infamous Red Light District basement in Far Rockaway, New York. Hauling his dated but vertical rackmount rig, first quietly checking the levels on headphones and then suddenly letting the signal explode through the PA, frantically flipping through blue and green lit switches in a dark room, James controlled the self destructive noises in outrageous high pressure volume, working the crowd into a sardine can packed frenzy. The level meters bright red, no one knew how long the crush of energy could be withstood, bypassing time passing.

Always uncompromising regardless of audience, years later he arrived at MAPS II festival enthusiastic about his new method of nailing effect pedals straight into a table, allowing him to take it out of the beat up truck bed already set up. After 30 seconds of his set it malfunctioned. Throwing the table, everything stayed with it.

Predominantly faithful to cassette he partnered in various forms with artists such as Yellow Tears, Deterge, and Lussuria. Ithaca, New York, September 2025 - Ahlzagailzehguh reunited with long time collaborator Viodre at what became James Cooke's final performance.

On the debut compact disc 'Memory and Hearing', his process stands out in zealous, arcane detail culminating as though the artist had psychologically entered into complete electronic abstraction.
 
While his destination now is far from these places, his work remains close to all of us who remember him.

RIP

Dominick Fernow
May 14, 2026 NYC