Merzbow : S/D

More opinions, please!

listening to a recent one right now, feddyyellow mix.1. pretty nice esp at the end where he got some "basic spectral sonic decantation" thing going on

I've mentioned this on a couple other threads, but the FIMAV album with Pan Sonic is fantastic.

that remix CD alluded to above (Scumtron) really is quite good. I also have soft spots for the Batz-Tou-Tai double on RRR (early clank/scrape), Pinkream (heavy analog noiz), the Music For Bondage Performance discs (quiet, very different), and the collaboration with Christoph Heeman.

hahaha i just did the rolex sweep to paralysis (hypnopompic mix satori so whacki

ooh also search the Frog LP, most excellent.

I recommended Merzdub with Jamie Saft on another thread, it really is a pretty channelling of the Merzbow noise along more "musical" routes. All the electro-acoustic stuff I've heard from the Merzbox has been nice too.

picked up tonight:

Venereology
1930

in the mail:

Synth Destruction (w/ Carlos Giffoni)
Electric Dress (w/ Carlos Giffoni & Jim O'Rourke)
Live Destruction at No Fun 2007

the only Merzbow stuff i'm familiar with is his work with Boris -- Megatone, Sun Baked Snow Cave, Rock Dream -- so i figured a good approach would be to check out a couple of his more 'acclaimed' albums, plus some of his work with Giffoni and O'Rourke, both of whom i'm already pretty familiar with.

... any thoughts?

i have this v pretty merzbird shirt btw: http://www.importantrecords.com/images/apparelimages/merbird_shirt.jpg

wow that album-by-album Merzbox review of Michael's upthread is most impressive.

Anyone read the Merzbook?

I have it, but haven't checked it out.

so... no thoughts, then.

i think you should read the thread, dude.

i think i've already read the entire thread, dude.

i was looking for some opinions that maybe weren't 4 years old. not that those are necessarily bad ones upthread, but maybe some of the newer posters here can offer some of their comments too. just a thought.

Welcome to 2009!
Important is starting off the new year with the beginning of our 13 Month/13 CD Merzbow series titled 13 Japanese Birds. Available to hold your 13 CD set is a deluxe screen printed, numbered, limited edition hand built bamboo box. More info about how to order it can be found here:
http://www.importantrecords.com/bird_box/bird_box_details.html

I need $300 for the version with a painting by Masami.

How's the album with Richard Pinhas?

I need $300 for the version with a painting by Masami.

I shelled out for it the other night, whilst drinking. Oh boy...

Ouch. I've resigned myself to not getting it.

Out of all of the Merzbox I've heard so far, I'd say Cloud Cock OO Grand is the best because...there's just so much STUFF in it.

Daddino was so right about Cloud... I listened to this last night looking for fucking catharsis after a bad-ish evening (to the extent that I knew it ws going to be before it happened; I unconciously left the CDR on top of the speaker just before I left), and all I found was DETAILS that ate away at you. People tend to dismiss him as junior Metal Machine Music. Although I'm sure it can lapse into that it does not here, not that -- (i) it should be necessarily a bad thing, and (ii) doesn't that give everyone an excuse to not bother sampling the huge catalogue: listening to music should never feel like work and yet its a strange reaction, to excuse yourself of what should never be a duty. I suddenly remembered a Lou Reed interview w/Lester Bangs where he talks about MMM having bits of Beethoven and Xenakis -- he ws joking (or ws he?) but here its like I hear all sorts of music, processed and yet retaining enough of a character to make an impression. I forgot to cut the sound of the TV completely off and a gap of silence (one track to the next) became what I thought was a sample of Will Smith in Fresh Prince of Bel Air!!

Another Merzbow Records "It compiles tracks from various other compilations and splits from 1991–2001, most of which are out of print". That fact puts me in a good mindset, makes me feel I'm covering a lot of Merzbow when I'm not and never will. This is another fact.

I actually went to get this because it compiled Ab Hunter, the first one of his I fell in love with (yes, there is room for love in Merzbow's world. This is a fact.) and I'm finding all sorts of joy -- pounding dance bits, metal, burstings of lava hot swooshes, wind machines turned up to 11000 (never mnd 11!) even the odd quiet moment dropped in!

This must be good to meditate to. This is another fact.

collabo with Mats Gustafsson out in Nov

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx37c2PNM3I

Search:

pic.twitter.com/ff4PSrs7rY

— 🐖🐐🐓Merzbow🐄🐏🦃 (@MerzbowOfficial) June 9, 2018

Strange days. There's this Merzcast podcast thing wherein two US dudes talk about selected Merzbow albums with various guests. They only play tiny clips of the music. They also have a Patreon account wherein subscribers can access further podcasts, although these don't feature any of the music either. In the last few days Merzbow, or his earthly representative, has made clear his disapproval of the project and now they are plastering "Merzbow Disapproved" all over the podcasts (they haven't stopped doing them or taken them down AFAIK).

I approve. People should listen to more (unfiltered) Merzbow and less podcasts.

But don't you think listening to podcasts might make people listen to more Merzbow?

he "disapproved" after 3 months prior posting a link to said podcast

promoting it ... and ostensibly ... approving it?

also dude can't take a joke

He's been shutting down online fan talk for at least 5 years:

http://merzbow.proboards.com/thread/223/proposed-deletion-forum

He's admittedly not heard Merzcast but took offense to GX Juppiter-Larsen's anecdote of touring porn shops together in Holland.

lol he was like, "my work isn't about that now." it's pretty much, control freak, stop you are embarrassing meeee tantrum ... someone posted a mock-up of a "merzbow-disapproved" t-shirt and he blocked them

enjoying this new semi-ambient joint with Vanity Productions this morning.

thinking about that guy brushing his teeth at the merzbow show again pic.twitter.com/CNprrkSGVQ

— ▀▀▀▀▀▀ (@immolations) October 4, 2020

le sigh

Cavity-free canines to maintain that neo-dada noise dude edge.

sad LOL at all the female concertgoers you can see eyeing him warily

don't want to be in splatter range when he drives that thing through his soft palate, probably

lol for a second I thought you were talking about the sheer sonic impact of a live Merzbow gig

also, Cloud Cock OO Grand totally fucking rules, as does most of the early 90's material imo

never really got into him but "annihiloscillator" is sounding good atm.

checking inzane johnny memes leading to that guy who wrote reviews of all the merzbox discs leading to this one on youtube. i think i like him when he's a little more structured.

the Urashima label has been doing really great remastered vinyl reissues of some "classic" joints, also available digitally on their Bandcamp (searching Bandcamp for Merzbow is a mess, predictably)

somebody made a "Merzdős number" list on discogs:

https://www.discogs.com/lists/Merzd%C5%91s-number/986381

I treated myself to the Urashima remastered 2LP of Hybrid Noisebloom and it sounds superb, dense and squiggly

https://urashima.bandcamp.com/album/hybrid-noisebloom

I just got the Hybrid Noisebloom CD used! I wonder if someone sold!

I also wonder what the right way to listen to 'Bow is!

Merzbow in everyday life!
from:Bright Remarks and Throwing Shade: What Are You Reading, Summer 2022?

I used to work in a bookshop where P.D. James was a regular customer. She was perfectly pleasant, quite chatty even, but ALWAYS used to complain about the music we played (which to be fair often strayed into the aggressively unlistenable). If I saw her coming I would always try and put a bit of Merzbow on.

― Ward Fowler, Friday, June 24, 2022 9:02 AM (two weeks ago)

xpost at medium volume on large speakers with a sub, IMO

also yeah I used to have that CD! but sold it prob 20 years ago. I still have a promo poster for it though, which is actually on my wall, so I was sorta obligated to buy the reissue

Urashima has some other fantastic Merzbow reissues as of late, some with bonus tracks

also lol @ that Ward story, get in here buddy

If/when I start making $X in my new career, I'm going to celebrate by buying a Merzbox

xpost Oh yes---also in the spirit ov Merzbow:

http://magicmonkeyboy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/drink-my-red-blood-by-richard-matheson.html

^my fave matheson short story, which deeply affected horror-obsessed-young-me when i read it as a boy. the whole treatment of vampirism seems very similar to the vibe that george a romero was going for w/ his movie martin, and i know romero admitted that matheson was the primary inspiration behind NOTLD. you can see why stephen king is such a big matheson fan, too - that 'naturalistic'/everyday treatment of the supernatural. again, this story reminds me v much of parts of the tobe hooper tv movie of salem's lot - vampirism as teenage yearning/disaffection

― Ward Fowler, Sunday, September 9, 2012 4:17 PM

Rainbow Electronics is the MZ I reach for - it’s fabulous. Also second the love for Pulse Demon.

yep Rainbow!

a quick top ten I did for the group chat off the top of my head:

Pinkream 2x10"
Batz-Tou-Tai 2LP
Hybrid Noisebloom
Cloud Cock OO Grand
Rainbow Electronics
Doors Open At 8 AM
Animal Magnetism
Merzbeat
the collab w/Christoph Heeman
the split with SBOTHI

sorry Christoph Heemann!

Cosign Hybrid Noisebloom, Cloud Cock OO Grand, Rainbow Electronics as top-tier Merz. Would also add Venerology, Pulse Demon and 1930

thanks all, will give these a try

I was also given a big list of underground disco compilations by another ilxor recently so looks like it's going to be a disco and harsh noise summer! am hoping Merzbeat combines these

omg Merzbox Disc 26 "Live In Khabarovsk, CCCP (I'm Proud By Rank Of The Workers)" is free jazz! complete with piano and drum set. plus screechy noise tapes on the first side.

"Recorded live at AMUR Jazz & Experiment Music Festival"

Not sure if they’ve been montioned yet, but the ones with boris are always good fun.

speaking of collabs, I've consistently gone back to those two two partikel records with nordvargr. they're quite good. RIYL the harsher pansonic material or would be curious to hear "merz goes idm" or something like that.

most of these late 80's releases (specifically Enclosure, Vratya Southward, the live Russia album, and Storage currently) are very much not harsh noise walls, they are spacious and even delicate at times.

If ever in the company of a colicky baby: I dub thee Merzbawl!

so it's fair to think of Cloud Cock OO Grand as the big leap forward given it was the first DAT recording and all, but I just got to Scissors For Cutting Merzbow (Discs 32 & 33) and dang. This record was stupid rare back in the day so I never heard it, but it seems to have all the ingredients of 90's Merzbow present (i.e. what is referred to in the book as "hell's garbage disposal"). it's also clear that his collaboration work w/Achim Wollscheid was super influential on his approach and technique, this record is a great example as he is recycling and deconstructing and editing/cutting up his whole back catalog here. the silences here are much shorter, and as a result you don't get much of the clang/scrape echo-in-a-cave sound of the previous period (discs 25-30).

(the record itself is originally from late 1989, to be clear)

and the next disc (Severances) is almost straight rock music! there's a sliced-and-diced super noisy instrumental cover of "Wild Thing"!

took me a while to give Cloud Cock OO Grand a good listen, the (now sadly excised, see above) howling maelstrom of "Modular" definitely points the way forward. The previous long tracks are a joy, very varied and crunchy sounds.

more notes:

Merzbox disc 39, "Stacy Q, Hi Fi Sweet Leaf" continues the longform trend over teh last few, this one has lotsa loops and more of a slow grind at times,still not anything like a harsh noise wall
ooh Rolling Stones samples popping up out of the murk and churn!
only 6 minutes in to this 26:28 track and a ton of shit has happened already
yeah this is a fun one, a Merzbox exclusive!

disc 40 is totally different, military drums!
sounds way more like mid-80s stuff e.g. Batz-Tou-Tai, lots of loops of classical Japanese music
"Injured Emperial Soldiers Marching Song" is quite a title
ah consulting the MERZBOOK reveals that these are the first recordings with Bara (their butoh dancer in the 90s) and are video soundtracks, that explains why they are so different.

I don't think I have the stamina for the next one just now, it's called Brain Ticket Death and is from my fave overall period, 93-95

01 Metal Of Doom
02 Electric Peekaboo
03 Iron Caravan
04 Brain Ticket Death

OK lol "Brain Ticket Death", the track, is in fact a brutal noise remix of Brainticket, applause

Merzbox disc 43 Exotic Apple
"I used samples from Arthur Lyman lots on this album. Apple Rock was recorded after period of Dadarotenvator LP and which tend to make material for Flying Testicle. But finally didn't used."
much quieter, sounds like distorted Berlin school electronica or maybe TG sometimes, really cool stuff.
has more mass appeal than I think any of the other box discs so far