Power Electronics/Industrial/Noise Videos

[Andrew McIntosh]

Thought I'd split this off from the "Art Films" thread.

Incidentally, I'm interested to know if noise or power electronics had music videos, what would the images be?

Genocide Lolita spring to mind.

I had seen Genocide Lolita's music videos before. They didn't blow me away (too many clichéd* images), but it's good to see PE artists making music videos. I wish I bought the recent Richard Ramirez tape and DVD whilst I had the chance. I must buy the recent Institute of Paraphilia Studies DVDs before they sell out too, and catch up on past Grunt DVD releases. Please, any more suggestions both past and present relating to "PE video art" releases are very much welcome.

*Clichéd as in both familiar images that I've seen before, but also clichéd as in predictable. Perhaps this is partly down to the taste of the artist himself, maybe these images are enough to satisfy him. But if borrowing 9/11 videos is the best he can do then I'm disappointed. I'm also disappointed by them being on YouTube as well - much like a PE artist sharing their work on myspace amongst fledging rappers and indie rock bands. A porn video sharing website or military video host (if such a thing exists?) would be a better medium. Or VHS dub or copied DVD circulated by post. Also, I think maybe one of the reasons why there are few PE music videos is because it's all too easy for the lowest common denominator examples to become the expected look or aesthetic of an entire genre. We can all picture what your average hip hop or black metal music video would look like through their worst examples. So I wonder - can PE really communicate a radical power or subversion through recycling decades old propaganda images? Is a grainy film effect plugin on Windows Movie Maker enough to make something look clandestine or dirty? Surely PE filmmakers can do better - if the music tests the limits and boundaries of a person's hearing, patience and beliefs, shouldn't its visuals equally carry the same power?

Sure, clichéd indeed. There's the old argument of "it doesn't matter if it's been done before as long as it's done well" but that's subjective. I personally didn't mind it, as such, but it's not something I'd go back repeatedly to. I'd like to see some well-made PE videos and hope that others have suggestions.
I haven't seen any of the Institute Of Paraphilia Studies dvds, which I think are a combination of live work and made videos. Have seen the small videos Bizarre Uproar had in the "Fifteen Years Of Filth And Violence" box set; nicely edited and all that, the imagery was mostly light looking bondage and Pasi wandering around a warehouse beating up bits of metal with chains. Another video that comes to mind right now is the dvd that came with the Etant Donnes boxset from VOD; live work, usually pretty stunning, especially the set that involved such a huge light stage show.

Apart from that, there's not a lot I can think of now. I suppose video making is not something a lot of PE projects do, with the exception of those (Con-Dom, Grunt, etc.) who make videos to play as part of their live sets. I imagine they're meant as part of a whole experience, and not so much to be taken as separately.

[kettu]

come org vids are good stuff. trashy looking 80s vhs effects and whatnot.
my favourite were sutcliffe jugend live with vizuel fx and an anal porn bit with whitehouse as soundtrack.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I do agree that some of the rough noise / pe videos tend to be a bit lame.
Lets think something like Genocide Lolita indeed. He could perhaps edit good video together, yet lack of actually good original substance. Original not meaning that it should be 100% unique never before seen themes, but I think people know what I mean.
One could say same thing about for example Survival Unit VHS. of course it was tiny c. 20 copies edition, and therefore not really THAT important. But any 90's video trader could have fun time spotting the clips. "this is from ____", "that is from ____"...
And not to mentioned that back in 90's, I was just as guilty as anyone, hah. Couple first Grunt backing videos would be just collages of VHS tapes I had got. And some of the 100% same footage as Survival Unit later on. And Grunt using them with Videodrome audio samples, thinking as if I was doing something unique.. hah! Live and learn!

This affected merely 3 shows. 1st was without video, 2-4 was with sex&violence&political collages.
Starting from the 5th show, being first foreign live show, that was France in 2002, basically films are self made. Predominantly self created. There was couple, which used outside image sources to some extent, but they are exceptions to rule. I'm not saying they'd be some landmarks in cinematic history, but they indeed work for me for the purpose they are made, just perfect.

I think the list of all the different backing films exists in some forum. As far as I remember correctly, 11 different films has been created & projected for live audience. Some of them has been released on dvd and more will follow.

When I think of noise/industrial videos, which aren't just live, but actual edited "art" pieces, one could say:
SPK despair
TEST DEPT dvd
JOHN DUNCAN vhs's (was there.. 3 old from time when he was in Japan?)
BIZARRE UPROAR (dvdr in the anniversary tape box set)
TRUE GORE vhs includes some good pieces
AFFLICTION vhs includes some good pieces

[kettu]

death squad has several vids . I only have the patricide one,live at leeds. a multimedia cd, with a live track(s) and a video of a friendlyfire type of situation with a narrative, similar to out-patient material.

the gun/dope vhs` in my opinion are pe folklore/legend and not just a live video.

I dont know what the actual release is called as ive only seen the youtube clips but the one with merzbow and incapacitants playing in ruraljap villages is more art than just livedocument. they looked and sounded like something every noise fan should see.

[bitewerksMTB]

Best deathsquad video has him & some chick shooting up drugs. the girl passes out & 'this is deathsquad' appears then it's over. the footage was dubbed in the middle of a kid's video he probably found or bought in a pawnshop.

The 'drug/gun' video was poorly shot. You can't really see anything after he shoots up then knocks over the desklamp. You see people scatter but that's it. Everything is too dark.

I'd love to see of the gig he & blackhumour did; I think they sat in chairs while audience members came up tot hem to say or do whatever they wanted or something like that..

[WATERPOWER]

Did anyone here ever download the really primitive mixtape I posted on the Chondritic Forum that I suppose was to Whitehouse? There was some familiar footage used, but some stuff that was definitely new to me... I did a video awhile ago for Cathode Terror, and while I think I visually got it right, the content was not at all what Cathode was about. Haven't seen too many PE videos otherwise.

[Jaakko V.]

I'm gonna post girl pop in this thread. Ha! Didn't know where else to put it. Solely on the basis that the contents of the video might constitute "noise" for some (mainstream) in a mental way. Mods, feel free to move it...

Paula Vesala & J. Sjöroos of a highly popular Finnish girl rockband PMMP did this track on human trafficking for this campaign. A cover of an old Finnish classic recontextualized.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_BEgitZPag

I guess this is exactly the kind of stuff that "You Are Worth It" manifesto for example criticized. However I think it's better that this kind of matter/video is still handled by mainstream artists instead of just endless ass-wagging for instance... Without sensationalism etc. I guess the context sort of rounds the edges. Without the url in the ending and done by some anonymous people, might be cause for controversy?

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

Poor girl from the country goes to the city. She finds herself a job, fucks around and then finds love. Has hallucinations, falls out of love and fucks around some more.

She obviously has somewhat loose morals but remains endearing and likeable to the viewer. Good plot for Coyote Ugly II. Soundtrack is too Nordic and drab though. Give it to Jessica Simpson for something more uplifting and empowering.

[Jaakko V.]

She finds herself a job, fucks around and then finds love. Has hallucinations, falls out of love and fucks around some more.

???

I got a rather different idea of what's happening.

I agree it's not a high piece of art or social commentary for that matter, posted it more as a curiosity. With a power electronics background the video would be cheered by some. All in all quite a safe and expected thing coming from Vesala & co. To me it's not the plot but the passive-aggressive undertone which makes it rather stale.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

yeah, there is nothing subtle about it. Very in-your-face propaganda video, yet it has the charming quality to it. The crappy blockhouse milieu. Everything but pretty urban city. Bleak colors.
I'm sure the footage of kid is pretty much only thing what can awake sympathy of audience. World is crowded by victims of all sorts who want to live illusion of perfect life, but none is available.

[HongKongGoolagong]

The video is very obviously in debt to Lukas Moodysson's 2002 film about trafficking 'Lilya 4 Ever', down to the cinematography and the recreation of key scenes. That was a good movie I thought - enjoyed the Christian content and there is as much pitiless cruelty as anyone could wish for.

The reality of 'sex trafficking' is certainly not always like this of course. I've known eastern European women working as hookers in the UK who were very much in control of making their own quick money and maybe later regrettable mistakes.