There is topic called "canon of power electronics" (found here:
http://www.special-interests.net/forum/index.php?topic=13.0 )
As sort of humorous response for it, someone started quite derailed "canon of noise" in old noisefanatics forum. It went on for handful of messages before drying completely. Why not give it a new try, but focus a bit on terms.
:CANON OF NOISE ALBUMS:There was one other forum of other music, where people would be building list of bands & their albums, to create kind of canon of the music style. Not to be taken as biblical truth, but more like: In relation to literature, this term is half-seriously applied to those works generally accepted as the great ones. List in chronological order, as simple guide of the biggest influential milestones of the genre.
Not to be taking too seriously. More as fun to see the development & route of where genre started and were it has gone.
Any suggestion welcomed and list will be updated.
NOTE: To narrow down a vast genre that can be labeled as "noise", aim is to look for ALBUMS OF NOISE. Not singles, not random live tapes, not small edition rehearsal jams, etc. Noise recordings that qualify as proper album release.
Please, no suggestions based on who is your friend and who is cool & great dude. Please, try to consider what is simply good release, what is truly canonized in history of noise as we know it now. Many releases, no matter how great they are, have hardly place there. Also many artists who have churned out release after release for decade, may have status and following, yet have not presented tryly remarkable ALBUM that stands out.
Noise, in this context is meant the established genre of noise. I see no reason to start digging pre-history of contemporary art music or jazz or.. whatever. You know the drill.
What kind of releases should be included?One or more qualifications:
1) Relevant overall, influencing whole genre and importance as some sort of landmark.
2) Releases with high status based merely on success, and therefore their obvious influence in getting into ears of big number of people.
3) Releases with exceptionally good/original/unusual contribution, to musical or cultural climate of noise, even if they may not be at their time or at the moment high "commercial" success.
4) Releases with high local relevance. Local not meaning "you and your buddies", but for example domestic scene of your country.
5) Damn good album that stands out from good artists discography.
.. more?
Purpose of the list?To observe & investigate the development of the genre, it's highlights, exceptional releases. Basically landmarks of genre from 198? onwards. To observe something like this, can't be merely list of top-3 or evern top-10 noise releases and biggest bands. Every release doesn't have to be equivalent of harshness of Incapacitants in musical style, but still has to be noisy enough. There is needed to be releases that show where genre went after the first and biggest impacts. And also releases, what are not necessarily milestones of genre as whole, but some fraction of it.
Every good release isn't needed to be listed. Otherwise it'll be just endless huge catalog. If we are talking about "canon", it should be the greats of the genre, with the slightly loose grip (see the numbered basic guidelines above).
When making suggestions,
some explanation why, IS required. Not all releases of every good band must be listed. We don't need to suggest 100 Merzbow releases, even if they'd be all good. But the absolute best of the albums of his.
How to measure what releases are influential is matter of discussion what follows here. Suggestions and debate is welcomed. Whole list is subject to change, if good enough "proof" is given. Don't be shy... Even if suggestion would not be included in list, at least we got to talk about good noise out there!
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Due being pretty damn busy right now, lets put out very very work-in-progress topic already online... !!!!
1982THE NEW BLOCKADERS "Changez Les Blockeurs " LPUndisputed influence for great variety of later days noise heroes. From Hanatarash to Incapacitants and hordes of contemporary noise metal junk crushers.
1985HIJOKAIDAN "King of Noise" LPEven if Hijokaidan did many albums before, I'll choose this LP with the humble title!
1986MERZBOW "Bats Tou Tai with memorial gadgets" 2xLPWhile Merzbow must have made his name with several releases before, 1000 copies double LP monster on American label perhaps sealed the fate of upcoming popularity of japnoise. Phenomenal album, yet still not in the level of utmost HARSH punishment where he got few years later.
THE HATERS "In The Shade Of Fire" LPHis first phenomenal noise album that got re-issued with louder sound CD in 2009.
1987MERZBOW "Ecobondage" LPMerzbow works that show exceptional skills of composition but also always increasing edge of noisiness.
GUM "vinyl" LP
Australian turntable harsh noise, and while I don't hear very often people of noise scene talk about it, over 1000 LP's was pressed and eventually material re-issued in great "Vinyl anthology" 2xCD by 23five.
1989INCAPACITANTS "Repo" LPWhile many noise bands at the time could be linked to "sound collages", "improv", "industrial", etc. Incapacitants could be quite honestly referred as very first pioneers in the pure harsh noise brutality what genre is known later.
1991INCAPACITANTS "Feedback of NMS" CDWhile Repo still appear as "work in progress", I'd be pretty sure this release shows band in form it is known ever since. Undeniable force in all levels of painful noise and sheer energy.
HIJOKAIDAN "Windom" CDIf looking for albums, Windom stands out from some of the other works simply by having more idea of creating album than merely having huge long block of improvised noise (a'la Romance, Modern,..)
THE NEW BLOCKADERS "Simphonie In X Major" LPWhile the debute LP is noisy, it's less so, than this. Cascading masses of metal junk that still makes sense in many ways.
1993MASONNA "Mademoiselle Anne Sanglante Ou Notre Nymphomanie Auréolé" CDWith some smaller edition releases, I would believe this CD on Alchemy marked the rising exposure of Masonna all around the world. Lot of care in editing and putting together good noise album.
CCCC "Amplified Crystal" LPWhile tapes and live recordings remain strong, the studio album of psychedelic noise heroes is something that's still being talked after decades. Even if being band relying on improvisation, there is a album feel to this.
AUBE "Floodgate" CDFew c. 100 copies noise tapes were phenomenal, yet to unleash the full length noise CD of Aube must have marked much wider attention towards the band and also his label.
1994MERZBOW "Noisembryo " CDThere would be many Merzbow CD's to mention. Why this? I would guess for many european the Swedish label putting out one of the killer CD's of his most detail heavy and energy loaded period made possible to purchase something other than jap imports.
1995INCAPACITANTS "As Loud As Possible" CDTogether with Ministry of Foolishness this CD reflects the heavier sound of band as well as sealed the western attention perhaps better than expensive japanese import discs. Still today regarded as timeless masterwork in bands catalogue.
MACRONYMPHA "Pittsburg Pensylvania" LPWhile one could debate wither this is THE BEST of Macronympha (I would rate something like Amplified Humans or Baroque higher anytime), it certainly should qualify due exposure of presenting the brute force of american harsh noise among wider audience. Re-issued and re-worked releases appeared later and it is still worshipped influence by many higher profile noise artists and labels.
PAIN JERK "trashware" CD 1995While packaging and belonging to "series" might have played disadvantage for album, unlike small edition japanese tapes, this would circulate widely around the world, presenting the extreme new force in dynamic and high-fidelity Japanese noise, what most people perhaps even associate as "jap noise" at purest?
1996 MERZBOW "Pulsedemon" CDWithout doubt one of the best selling and most widely celebrated noise album. I recall already more than decade ago talking with someone at Relapse saying album had then sold.. was it 3500 copies. I think repressings has been made since. Anytime you talk with people who joined in harsh noise scene in late 90's, one commong remark is Release label's extensive promotion and this particular album.
K2 "The Rust" CD
Masterworks of cut up metal junk noise. In my opinion, the best recording of K2 in this style. Metal Dysplasia is not far behind, but a little. Early K2 is more industrial.
MSBR "Collapseland" CDOut of many MSBR items, if we talk of ALBUMS, that contain both intense noise, yet undeniable album worthy "composition", this is it for MSBR. Again, european label putting out nicely package large run album that could be noticed by masses of people, but it is also by far the strongest MSBR release.
1998SKIN CRIME "Audio Pathology" CDAfter bunch of tapes since 1994, where Burn, Whorebutcher stand out, 1998 Audio Pathology remains appreciated by people around that time and high priced collectors item still now. Well textured and composed harsh noise works.
1999KAZUMOTO ENDO "While You Were Out" CD
Utmost precision of composition, setting standards in editing, timing and unleashing force what can't be really blamed to be "merzbow wannabe", but clearly of own identity.
GOVERNMENT ALPHA "Spodaric Spectra" CD and
"Alphaville" LPSeveral years worth of always intensified tape & CDR releases culminated into two masterpieces in 1999. One 1000 copies CD by USA label and one 500 copies LP in Sweden. Together with handful of tapes that came before these, I'd rate these among the loudest and best G.A. recordings.
2002SICKNESS "I Have Become The Disease That Made Me" CDAlbum what kicked Sickness up to the international harsh noise fame. Gaining worship and following, even influencing people of his technical excellency.
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