VITAL WEEKLY

[Steve]

Rafal ... why is your circle like the South East Cornwall Tourist Association? I don't think it was that big in the 1980's either :-)

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

Rafal ... why is your circle like the South East Cornwall Tourist Association? I don't think it was that big in the 1980's either :-)

My English is hopeless :) Of course, I meant "sect" :) I don't have any connection to tourism and such thing like that :)

[burdizzo]

It's a good point though - why is power electronics and noise regarded in such a poor light? Is it too base, too visceral, or is it because its topics are often 'unmentionable in polite company'? So when Bennett et al distance themselves from it, is it because they see themselves as 'above that sort of thing these days'?

[Zeno Marx]

It's a good point though - why is power electronics and noise regarded in such a poor light? Is it too base, too visceral, or is it because its topics are often 'unmentionable in polite company'?

The theatrics are perceived as childish, and by theatrics, I mean the graphics, the mythos, the uniforms, the performance, etc.  Lots of people and disciplines are talking about these subjects, and there are a lot of ways to talk about these subjects.  PE isn't some kind of outsider frontier, though many sure seem to talk about it like it is.  So, from my vantage, it isn't because it stomps on the taboo or is too edgy, or even primal, for the masses.  Like a lot of metal, it emanates from immaturity and lacks a sophistication that makes it difficult to take any other way.  I like metal.  I like PE.  I'm not above either.  It all plays a role.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I think it's more than that.

I was just talking via e-mail with one guy about phenomena where people have strong dislike of "academic music".
It's not as if non-academics would bash academic works, but also other way round. I talked about this with many people recently, and it feels like for moment it appeared as if one could kind of re-build the early 90's type of situation, where repulsive power electronics and industrial noise is published by very same labels who put out elegant ambient, abstract noise or arty experimental. And that distributors would have all these labels from Edition RZ to Filth & Violence filed next to eachother.     ...But, recently I somehow sense as if there's kind of bickering of even smaller microtrends than ever.

There will be always a lot of people, who feel that noise and especially power electronics represents the field where untalented brutes fart out juvenile offenses. And it is 100% opposite of their elegant and innovative sound art. While often listening some "experimental electronics" or "computer noise", I could conclude what a lame crap.

But at the same time, I would while bashing entire "genre" may be useless, it may still be very good to question something. That just putting offensive image on cover and doing less-than-average mess of distortion is worth criticizing it.

[HongKongGoolagong]

Unfortunately, many people who had or have any connection with so called circle of industrial music think the same about power electronics and noise. Lately I read interesting interview with LUSTMORD (besides I had strange private conversation with him about my book and entry about his activities in that book) where this man is very critical to these genres. William Bennett, P. Best, Konstruktivists, Vivenza and many, many more "oldies" don't care about noise and power electronics. Sometimes I think that our circle is something like secta, much more bigger than in the 80s.

Cut Hands may be nothing to do with noise nowadays but that was the guy who invented the term Power Electronics, and the Extreme Music from Japan and Women comps especially had a great deal to do with creating the rules of 'noise' as a genre. I am pretty sure William is quietly proud of helping to spawn these subcultures.

I love seeing and hearing live PE and noise, and I generally seem to like the sort of person who does that kind of music, and the visual art/literature board here is a really great and intelligent resource, but I'm sure I am not the only person who has made records which could be classed within those genres who also enjoys and has had a go at making many other styles...look at the original 1980s crew, and there is Gary Ramleh doing arty Gothic/pop music in Breathless, Maurizio Bianchi making religious/New Age type music, Tim Gane from Un-Kommuniti attaining fame and success through Stereolab's intelligent and melodic work, and it's rather obscure but I have The Worried Well 12" made by Philip Best in the 80s which is a kind of indie techno-pop. I haven't heard them but Kevin Tomkins is making all sorts of peculiar homemade box sets of experiments nowadays, and of course he had a stint in a rock act too.

It would be a strange person who listens to nothing but a strictly formularised genre. And all the people who have worked within the limits of the genre with success have had the additional input of listening to many other kinds of music too.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

Cut Hands may be nothing to do with noise nowadays but that was the guy who invented the term Power Electronics, and the Extreme Music from Japan and Women comps especially had a great deal to do with creating the rules of 'noise' as a genre. I am pretty sure William is quietly proud of helping to spawn these subcultures.

Bennett is an undisputed on of the main and important persons in PE and noise music. But I meant his opinion about new names/projects in these genres. He said in interviews many times (even already in 90s) that he isn't interested  in that because there are many imitators and not valuable artists.

[impulse manslaughter]

Facebook quote from Frans:

I certainly don't agree with *** about the sound quality. i am not, will never be either a sound freak nor object freak. Some music is fine on a cassette, some on CD and some on vinyl. The whole 'this (medium) sounds better than that (medium)' is as boring - to me, i hasten to add - as talking about cars and football. I really don't care. I don't mind reviewing at all, and am always curious about new music.

He doesn't seem too jaded when i talk to him......

[acsenger]

He's not jaded; he is enthusiastic about a lot of music but those styles/musicians/bands are rarely the same as on this forum. I think VW is a good source of information with enough good reviews. Jliat is terrible but besides that I also don't understand why some people feel so negatively about VW.