NOISEXTRA - A podcast about noise

[Confuzzled]

I started reading japanoise this past weekend, and the author makes a good point with the "grass is always greener" analogy. We all think that noise scenes in other countries are more united and prosperous when, in truth, they're just as fractured as our own. I agree about not wanting scumbags in my home. That is why I never host my family for the holidays.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/01/03/noise-new-year/
This was the wrap up of noise year 2023 and all sorts of casual talk. Return of "recent listening" also good.

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/01/10/various-artists-noise-forest/
Unusual episode, since it is rare occasion Noisextra would feature short clips of tracks. Noise Forest comp and all the talk about Japanese old scene, plus hyping upcoming Hospital fest. This comp certainly is like master example how unique everybody was, but not only unique, but recognizable. You simply KNOW instantly who plays. It won't take many seconds to know who it is. Of course one could argue that it ain't always positive if X delivers just the X, and no surprises... but many of these fellows do have quite vast and diverse, yet still recognizable style.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/01/17/ain-soph-kshatriya/
AIN SOPH is not noise by any means, but within the European industrial / noise / power electronics scene, this type of stuff was always featured at lists of same distributors, often same labels who put out the noise. Ain Soph quite varied stuff and some of it is very very good.

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/01/31/in-conversation-with-davin-brainard-princess-dragon-mom-time-stereo/
Good episode talking about gigs that happened before the "basement shows" thing. Noise happening at rock venues, talk about noise being sold at record stores, etc etc. It is curious how they talk about all these places being stores that certainly had section of noise, but that shops would get by with usual rock roll. Mentioning even places like RRR, noise is like tiny slice there and it's Rod Steward LP's that sells, haha. Don't know about that.
I find it utterly weird, considering how big countries often are, with pretty large population, and that one could not really operate underground store? Like over here in Lahti/Finland, of course, if you really think about it, having store open 5 days a week, that sells almost exclusively underground stuff, with just little slice of random 2nd hand mainstream shit, would seem completely unrealistic. But really, even noise been always one of the most remarkable genres that sells. Compared to that, mainstream stuff is absolutely pointless.  Could easily just throw everything away. Which I often do. Welfare for cats -fleemarket is couple meters away so one can donate all the mainstream bulk junk away. Probably have to do little purge now after typing this. Of course one can estimate that costs for rent, may be so vastly different - like Hospital store in Manhattan. Or money you need to generate to get by. Perhaps small town weirdo store has more chances to keep going!

[Bigsby]

Hearing trumpet episode is hysterical.

"His name is death squad! and he doesn't wanna stay with either of us"

"I talked to John Cage about jean jackets. I'm not gonna ask him about his music"

"You have an incredible memory!" / "I've been lying. We only played that one show"

A story about being in a NYC skyscraper with Neural and supermodels while "looking like homeless people that Neural- 6 feet tall and decked in leather- had taken pity on"

Funny border crossings too.  A performance where  they weren't even there, instead enjoying thai food down the block while the gear played behind a curtain hahaha Wonderful storytellers. Fantastic episode.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Yes, very good episode! One sometimes forgets how old people are getting. I don't feel old, nor I am really, but when these guys who sound both young and enthusiastic, are telling stories of things that happened 40+ years ago or so.. and one says he's been collecting records since.. was it 1965? And he mentioned he's 70. Damn!

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/03/20/questions-answers/

First time Noisextra keeping this long break in their history. Back in business with listener questions. They spend half episode talking about recent listening and other things and eventually get to reply some questions.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/04/24/nwn-hospital-productions-japan-fest/

About 1,5 hours of stories from the Hospital/NWN fest. I am quite sure many have heard multiple stories or seen the live videos and such, but Noisextra style total noise fan approach to event is very nice to hear. Already before it happened, I was guessing it COULD have similar historical significance as something like No Fun Fest had. Different, but in a way historical event that so many people around the world gather for the fest, and it is about doing something that has been never done before.

Of course seeing the meaning, may require being there. I remember well what was the vibe in NFF merch area, backyard with all the people getting to meet who very rarely see each other. Of course same in other noise related fests. Of course, expecting to see lots of folks this weekend in Finland too, but as our country is so isolated and remote place to come, some of these more "international" events are even different when it may be almost like gathering of "who is who of noise" so to say. Time flies so fast. Funny how Mike mentioned seeing Grey Wolves last time like.. 25 years ago. He did little collaboration with GO.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/05/08/audio-drudge-7/

Appreciation to legendary industrial-noise magazine AUDIO DRUDGE. It would be curious to see what was Audio Drudge 1 like. I don't think I have it, and probably not even many of the earlier ones, but issue 7 is somehow like classic industrial-noise magazine. It came with tape, which is not with the PDF linked on the episode description. If one hasn't read the magazine, it worth to check the PDF, at least browse through to see what Noisextra team is getting excited about.

There is talk about how compilations used to be - and are - difficult to make. Trying to get everybody do their GOOD tracks and be on time, and mentioning that making a zine would be even more difficult. Can be true, but also.. not exactly. It guess it is matter of standards one sets and it is also possible to let the zine just kind of "happen". Of course, something like Audio Drudge #7, didn't just happen. Amount of work to make proper reviews, using snail mail (with addition of occasional fax) to get labels send ads and bands to send their interviews.. possibly re-type all on computer. Been there done that, holy hell... not missing THAT part of era at all. Typing people's hand written interview replies with old school typewriter after schooldays.. god damn.  It is curious how THEN people got that done, while now, when just about everybody has tools to write, make corrections, communicate swiftly via internet. Even all sorts of speech to text programs and such modern tech available, yet it seems like now someone spending time to give decent interview is more unlikely than when it was difficult and time consuming. Least favorite job for zine editor is "ok, so.. can you submit the replies by X.X.XXXX" and realize artist will prioritize absolutely everything else, over completing the interview in time he said he would, hah..   
One would assume that is one of the benefits of podcast format. You need to get 1 guy per episode. Not 10 people who are not entirely sure are they in or not.

From Audio Drudge types of interviews, it may be revealing that some people may be also excited to talk about their work. It's not like they've been talking about it and posting stuff on social media all the time, but interview is treated like rare opportunity of communication and therefore weight of replies correlate with feeling that this actually matters. Sometimes when you see current age zine interview in some music genres, it is not like that.

[snakeradical]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/05/08/audio-drudge-7/

Appreciation to legendary industrial-noise magazine AUDIO DRUDGE. It would be curious to see what was Audio Drudge 1 like. I don't think I have it, and probably not even many of the earlier ones, but issue 7 is somehow like classic industrial-noise magazine. It came with tape, which is not with the PDF linked on the episode description. If one hasn't read the magazine, it worth to check the PDF, at least browse through to see what Noisextra team is getting excited about.

There is talk about how compilations used to be - and are - difficult to make. Trying to get everybody do their GOOD tracks and be on time, and mentioning that making a zine would be even more difficult. Can be true, but also.. not exactly. It guess it is matter of standards one sets and it is also possible to let the zine just kind of "happen". Of course, something like Audio Drudge #7, didn't just happen. Amount of work to make proper reviews, using snail mail (with addition of occasional fax) to get labels send ads and bands to send their interviews.. possibly re-type all on computer. Been there done that, holy hell... not missing THAT part of era at all. Typing people's hand written interview replies with old school typewriter after schooldays.. god damn.  It is curious how THEN people got that done, while now, when just about everybody has tools to write, make corrections, communicate swiftly via internet. Even all sorts of speech to text programs and such modern tech available, yet it seems like now someone spending time to give decent interview is more unlikely than when it was difficult and time consuming. Least favorite job for zine editor is "ok, so.. can you submit the replies by X.X.XXXX" and realize artist will prioritize absolutely everything else, over completing the interview in time he said he would, hah..   
One would assume that is one of the benefits of podcast format. You need to get 1 guy per episode. Not 10 people who are not entirely sure are they in or not.

From Audio Drudge types of interviews, it may be revealing that some people may be also excited to talk about their work. It's not like they've been talking about it and posting stuff on social media all the time, but interview is treated like rare opportunity of communication and therefore weight of replies correlate with feeling that this actually matters. Sometimes when you see current age zine interview in some music genres, it is not like that.

and great tape / compilation it is!!!

[Bigsby]

new episode is interview w/ Iggor Cavalera to talk about Osaka fest and more. vivid and earnest stories about an anvil & a sampler at Hospital 2018, listening to a Slayer EP at the wrong speed for two years!, and seeing the punk-rock ethos at work in Norwegian black metal (something like "satanism isn't about burning a candle alone in your bedroom, its about burning social institutions to the ground").

[FreakAnimalFinland]

It was very good one! Wrote in length about it in Finnish elsewhere. Curious to hear the old stories of getting Sleazy to direct early Sepultura video and seeing E.Neubauten live while on Sepulturas first euro gigs etc..

[Bigsby]

Yes! And being young and brazen enough to "blow Venom and their hair metal fill-in guitarist off the stage!" Gold stories from the underground. Talks about hearing straight noise tape at 13 or 14 and how it honestly "resonated" with him. And also about how boring "traditional" metal can be. Great interview, I think literally less than 5 questions.

They'd said in the Osaka report that they'd made arrangements with a number of potential interviewees, instead of podcasting from the fest, which I think was a real smart idea. This was maybe one of those arrangements. Looking forward to more follow-up guests!

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/05/29/in-conversation-with-ike-yard-stuart-argabright-michael-diekmann/

We found ourselves in the empty dark alleyways of early '80s NYC with Stuart Argabright and Michael Diekmann of the legendary Ike Yard. Stuart and Michael take us through their entire history up to today. We also get into Stuart's band Black Rain, his work with William Gibson, and plenty more. Ike Yard sits in a unique and strange place in the dark underground, and this discussion keeps the paranoia alive.

You will hear stories involving not only their own works, but stories relating to Mute, SPK, Whitehouse, William Gibson (Neuromancer soundtrack) and so on and on. Interesting things about the industrial music and such.

latest:
https://www.noisextra.com/2024/06/05/overload-eroticism-qa/

Is kind of "promotional episode", shorter piece discussing Overload and Eroticism CDs that just came out. Tara & Mike discussing, mostly things not directly involving sound making, but the themes/atmosphere around the projects/label.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

https://www.noisextra.com/2024/06/12/psychopathia-ratcatching/

Greh and Mike sit down for a loose conversation covering many topics including the recent release of "Pyschopathia Sexualis," the movie "Ratcatcher," the new Cleanse tape, recent listening and more

.

Neither track-by-track album listening nor interview, but just discussion of variety of things. Relaxed and actually there is quite many nuggets of information there, including Susan Lawly bandcamp loading Whitehouse rare live audio, rehearsal audio, Psychopathia Sexualis album there...  Some talk about various new-ish releases and so on.

They are mentioning that Noisextra looking for changing the template a bit. Will be doing what they have done, but also expanding interviews to noisEXTRA type of direction, where other types of people interviewed. Who may not be noise makers per se, but sort of related. Asking listeners to make suggestions for content.

[Bigsby]

new one is interview w/ author Thomas Moore.  His explanation of his process is so lucid! He speaks of writing a lot of source material, then scavenging it for the jewels in the mud. He talks of feeling shapes in the dark. Greh & the Connellys instantly recognize it as their same process w/noise.