NOISE IS DEAD...?

Started by Sleep of Ages, December 05, 2013, 07:34:43 PM

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Cementimental

Music is dead, noise is alive.

HongKongGoolagong

Quote from: tinnitustimulus on December 15, 2013, 04:39:07 AM
just try to read his article in As Loud As Possible, ugh

That was one of the most excruciatingly embarrassing pieces of writing I've ever seen and I'm just glad I never wrote things like that. What on earth was he thinking? Makes Thurston Moore's phoney hipster-speak seem bearable.

What I remember of Universal Indians wasn't especially noise, more experimental psych-rock and pretty good stuff. What little I heard of Wolf Eyes didn't do much for me but was maybe good for getting young people interested in the genre for a while.

I am most interested in John Olson's bootlegging activities - pretty sure at least one of the better Velvet Underground vinyl boots of recent years was his doing...

Unexpectedly packed out crowd on a Wednesday night in Leeds this year for a show with Con-Dom, Skullflower, Mutant Ape certainly shows the noise scene isn't dead.

Lazrs3

Quote from: SILVUM on December 16, 2013, 11:24:22 PM
  I am happy to just observe on the sidelines, because the next real mutations should prove to be interesting. 


Well said, that's why things don't really die.

ddmurph

Quote from: Jordan on December 14, 2013, 10:02:09 AMNoise is dead. It's died many times. Long live noise.

i was rereading bananafish 13 (1999?) recently and remembered this quote from olson after all this noise is dead argy-bargy ...

Quote from: John OlsonEarly noise was great, but it killed itself really quickly. I think the problem was that all those guys decided they had to be louder than everyone else and it just developed into this bassy crunch by 1997.

ha! but, yeah, i totally agree with this ...

Quote from: Jordan on December 14, 2013, 09:59:36 AMI don't know why people took that so seriously. If you've taken even a perfunctory glance at his other interviews, it should be quite obvious.

i mean, trip metal! it's pretty obvious he's goofin' off here. the intent is about a million miles away from something like david keenan coining some shit like hypnagogic pop.


Quote from: HongKongGoolagong on December 16, 2013, 07:19:55 PM
Quote from: tinnitustimulus on December 15, 2013, 04:39:07 AM
just try to read his article in As Loud As Possible, ugh

That was one of the most excruciatingly embarrassing pieces of writing I've ever seen and I'm just glad I never wrote things like that. What on earth was he thinking? Makes Thurston Moore's phoney hipster-speak seem bearable.

i know i'm probably in the vast minority here but his piece in alap was one of my favourite things in there. i'll miss his american tapes inzanity updates when he folds the label

Duncan

I loved that article too and I love his jive talk and stupid, dumb aesthetic. He knows exactly what he is doing and it definitely ISN'T making serious attempts to define the status of some genre.


tinnitustimulus

Quote from: ddmurph on December 17, 2013, 09:01:09 PM


Quote from: John OlsonEarly noise was great, but it killed itself really quickly. I think the problem was that all those guys decided they had to be louder than everyone else and it just developed into this bassy crunch by 1997.

ha! but, yeah, i totally agree with this ...


HNW "killed" it? I could agree with the sentiment that it can't really take it any further in that regard. I like plenty of walls like anybody else, but I'm certainly not excited to hear about new artists doing Vomiresque strict HNW.

ddmurph

Quote from: tinnitustimulus on December 17, 2013, 10:47:31 PM
Quote from: ddmurph on December 17, 2013, 09:01:09 PM


Quote from: John OlsonEarly noise was great, but it killed itself really quickly. I think the problem was that all those guys decided they had to be louder than everyone else and it just developed into this bassy crunch by 1997.

ha! but, yeah, i totally agree with this ...


HNW "killed" it? I could agree with the sentiment that it can't really take it any further in that regard. I like plenty of walls like anybody else, but I'm certainly not excited to hear about new artists doing Vomiresque strict HNW.

nah, i meant i agree with not taking olson's comments seriously

Bloated Slutbag

This thread reminds me... still have some gaps to fill in my D.L. Savings T.X collection.
Someone weaker than you should beat you and brag
And take you for a drag

FreakAnimalFinland

Quote from: tinnitustimulus on December 17, 2013, 10:47:31 PM
Quote from: ddmurph on December 17, 2013, 09:01:09 PM


Quote from: John OlsonEarly noise was great, but it killed itself really quickly. I think the problem was that all those guys decided they had to be louder than everyone else and it just developed into this bassy crunch by 1997.

ha! but, yeah, i totally agree with this ...


HNW "killed" it? I could agree with the sentiment that it can't really take it any further in that regard. I like plenty of walls like anybody else, but I'm certainly not excited to hear about new artists doing Vomiresque strict HNW.

I think it's good topic of discussion. I think it has been discussed before in some threads. Not that noise was killed by noise (hah!), but looking from perspective of diversity of old noise, and what later days qualified as "noise", seems worth consideration.

IF noise was only describing electronic signal DISTORTION, then it would make sense to call "HNW" or "harsh noise" as logical end. If we consider noise not only as distortion of signal, but also sound(work) that is distracting, disturbing, "unwanted", etc. Dynamic stability of HNW makes it often pleasant rather than.. "noisy". While high dynamic variation, and disturbing "anti-composition" would appear to me noisier. If noise becomes most of all soothing muzak, then some people want antimusic. It may be just something like Gerogerigegege "Hotel Ultra". It's like being in annoying situation where some people talk, some annoying noises distracts and snippets of music you didn't want to hear come and go. All sorts of "unwanted noise" instead of pleasant silence or innovative distortion composition.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

tinnitustimulus

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on December 28, 2013, 12:09:13 PM
Quote from: tinnitustimulus on December 17, 2013, 10:47:31 PM
Quote from: ddmurph on December 17, 2013, 09:01:09 PM


Quote from: John OlsonEarly noise was great, but it killed itself really quickly. I think the problem was that all those guys decided they had to be louder than everyone else and it just developed into this bassy crunch by 1997.

ha! but, yeah, i totally agree with this ...


HNW "killed" it? I could agree with the sentiment that it can't really take it any further in that regard. I like plenty of walls like anybody else, but I'm certainly not excited to hear about new artists doing Vomiresque strict HNW.

I think it's good topic of discussion. I think it has been discussed before in some threads. Not that noise was killed by noise (hah!), but looking from perspective of diversity of old noise, and what later days qualified as "noise", seems worth consideration.

IF noise was only describing electronic signal DISTORTION, then it would make sense to call "HNW" or "harsh noise" as logical end. If we consider noise not only as distortion of signal, but also sound(work) that is distracting, disturbing, "unwanted", etc. Dynamic stability of HNW makes it often pleasant rather than.. "noisy". While high dynamic variation, and disturbing "anti-composition" would appear to me noisier. If noise becomes most of all soothing muzak, then some people want antimusic. It may be just something like Gerogerigegege "Hotel Ultra". It's like being in annoying situation where some people talk, some annoying noises distracts and snippets of music you didn't want to hear come and go. All sorts of "unwanted noise" instead of pleasant silence or innovative distortion composition.

Seeing the "progression" of Yellow Tears really got into that territory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjtW9_1KGwU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnWBBcpnZy8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPFKaZx0wDU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsJ8mEldLH0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHQBAwmD-aE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8tgxw8unik

I was at the ride, it was mildly amusing at the time, but compared to what I have seen previously, I was disturbed for future of seeing those who get bored of innovative distortion composition

FreakAnimalFinland

Yep, I don't feel "distortion compositions" have reached any sort of end with their possibilities. Still greatly more possibilities than within melody or typical steady rhythms.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

transmaniacon

It just seems like the natural ebb and flow of any scene, whether it is visual, audio or fashion.  And you shouldn't blame Wolf Eyes for their legions that they influenced, that is like blaming Black Sabbath for Warrant.  There is good stuff being made all the time, but people get older and priorities change.  Greatness doesn't hide but the deluge of crap can make it harder to find.  The internet seemed to kill some of the mystery of some bands, but like Keith said, it helps me save money by hearing samples.

no remorse

czadco

I saw Wolf Eyes play recently in Chicago, and it was telling that Peter Sotos left before they began.

Bloated Slutbag

#58
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on December 28, 2013, 12:09:13 PM
IF noise was only describing electronic signal DISTORTION, then it would make sense to call "HNW" or "harsh noise" as logical end. ... or innovative distortion composition.

It seems almost inevitable that discussions on the value (or "life") of noise fall back to conjecture on the appropriate terminology.

Noise. "What is noise?" It is just a word, but no it's not just a word. It is, in fact, a word which existed long, long before noise as a field of sonic endeavor was recognized. It's a word which existed long, long before English as a language was recognized. It's a word which probably existed long, long before the idea of "words" as a means of communication was recognized. (That is to say, a fixed idea of noise existed long, long before it was a word.)

Compare to, for instance: power electronics, drum 'n bass, rock 'n roll, jazz, classical. These were terms offered as descriptors of the created, after the fact of their creation was recognized. (There may be exceptions, and I'm working on it. I, Bloated Slutbag, hereby declare my intention to create a completely NEW field of sonic endeavor which I've dubbed, in an effort to beat critics to the punch, "Buttfuck Wibes". I haven't heard it yet, but BY FUCK I'll know it when I hear it. Buttfuck Wibes. Coming to a record store near you. Ahem.)

When noise was first "created", packaged, released for general consumption... it simply became what already was. It became the dictionary definition of itself. Noise. Play the recording. Check your dictionary. Yep. That's noise, through and through. Incapacitants - Feedback of NMS. Press play. Look up the dictionary definitions of "harsh" and "noise". (Is Bloated implying that the idea of "harsh noise" existed long, long before we even had words to describe it? Yes he is. And he will continue to do so. Until the bottle is empty.) Any questions?

Objection to the above, #1. Bu-

But. The instant you decide you "want" to hear it, the dictionary definition starts to break down. And at least one idea of noise - "unwanted sound" - "dies". But this is a minority view eg. mine, yours, the whole of the Special Interests network... on a global scale, we are, put simply, nothing. absolutely nothing. get used to it....  (Here again we are necessarily privileging one idea, or description, of noise over another; so, "What is noise?" No really, What. The Fuck. Is It?

EDIT:[snip]

Don't know about you folks. But for the last twenty years, trying to nail down my idea of what noise may or may not be, not to mention how much "life" it's got, has provided at least as much pointless distraction as making noise, listening to noise, and pretty much any other pass-time to be thought of, noise-related and otherwise.

So, to the question "What is noise?" the answer "It is dead" seems woefully inadequate.

Close brackets.)

For me, noise dies when the I can successfully listen to the first three minutes of Incapacitants "Feedback of NMS" without my mind being blown (notwithstanding the fact that track 2 is better still....) Will let you know when I get there, assuming of course I'm not dead.
Someone weaker than you should beat you and brag
And take you for a drag

Bloated Slutbag

Note to self: refrain from posting whilst under the influence. Will leave it anyway as there are one or two legitimate sentiments buried in there, especially the one about pointless degenerative pass-times...

Someone weaker than you should beat you and brag
And take you for a drag