The first thing that happens, when one gets introduced to the world of "noise music," is that someone older and wiser takes you under his wing, to teach you about the different "schools" of noise, for as any noise enthusiast knows, not all noise is created equal. Generally, it seems, all Noise 101 lessons start with the harsh sounds emanating from urban centers in far-away Japan, and then move into homegrown American noise schtuff. From there, you are taught to link these two classes of noise-makers into one ear-splitting transcontinental breed of artists coexisting but rarely interacting in the "heyday" of harsh noise in 1990s Japan and America. I'm sure it's slightly different for everyone, and as someone only recently christened into her 20s, I apologize to those readers who make up the "older and wiser" demographic mentioned above, but this trajectory seems like the standard introduction.
This noise introduction, including required listening to Hijokaidan and C.C.C.C. on one side, and Richard Ramirez and Namanax on the other, is perfectly encapsulated in "The Japanese-American Noise Treaty," a two-disc 1995 release from Relapse Records. Disc 1 features the noise of Japanese artists and Disc 2, of American ones. Each track is a unique representation of each artist's individual work and style, and the album includes a warning from the label that they are not responsible for "degradation and destruction of the following: preamplifiers, power supply components, loudspeakers and/or related transducer assemblies, tape based magnetic storage devices, and personal hearing impairment."
Inside, the booklet accompanying the release features one page, each one designed by the artist, ranging from almost blank pages to those featuring artfully-designed manifestos. Even the design of the album, with the prerequisite warnings against hearing damage and the DIY feel of the booklet, is exactly what is required of a 90s noise comp.
This release really feels like a summary of the first year or two I spent voraciously ripping every single Aube and GX Jupitter-Larsen 7" I could find, determined to really "get" Japanese versus American noise. Even the segregation of Japanese and American artists onto the two separate cds seems to recreate that naive enthusiasm and curiosity in me, making me completely set on finding out the true sonic differences between every artist's "sound" and "style." The division really makes you, regardless of your age and experience, your taste and interests, take sides. I, for example, can't help but really favor the Japanese cuts, they just are so much more brutal, so much more raw. Or perhaps that is the tricky thing about noise comps like this -- they really tend to create a division that, at least considering the tracks chosen, doesn't exist, or at least not as dramatically and neatly as we'd like to think, looking back 16 years. Really, who could say that the MSBR track, coming off of Disc I: Japan, is truly more brutal or raw than the Princess Dragonmom?
MSBR, "1000 Pulses in Bosnia"
Princess Dragonmom, "HNIA-Gone"
What is shocking about the album is how little both Japanese and American noise have changed since a decade and a half ago. First off, the names are really the same (at least, for me), with Merzbow, Masonna, and Solmania some of the biggest hitters on the Japanese disc, and Haters, Macronympha, and Daniel Menche some of the top guys on the American one. Sonically, the album is really superb - certainly one of the best noise comps I've heard, in its completeness and breadth. Honestly, listening to the pieces now, I can't imagine anything being made now sounding all that different, unless what you define as 'noise' 'music' radically shifts. Which is to say, listening to these tracks, I get a bit worried -- where does noise music really have to go from, say, the chaos of the 40 second Masonna track "Epistle to Dippy," or grimey filth of Pica's "Tightening the Pilliwink"?
There has been change, certainly, but in terms of American noise at least, I can't really see the change having been for the better. While "The Japanese-American Noise Treaty" certainly presents a somewhat blunt take on the most fertile period of noise music, it is far from a musical retrospective relic. Rather, the album is a sort of guideline for what noise should, and generally does, still sound like in 2011.
Koji Tano (MSBR) R.I.P.
He was a great proponent and organizer who brought many US artists over for shows in Japan.
Posted by: Chop Scott | August 22, 2011 at 09:19 PM
All the metal magazines gave this top rating when it came out. I miss those days...
Posted by: boil | August 23, 2011 at 01:05 AM
Where does noise music have to go? Dig up the first two CD's by San Francisco's Mandible Chatter (they're both up on Mutant Sounds). We tried to combine noise with more musical sounds and interludes--we weren't always successful, and from a niche marketing perspective it was disastrous. But we did try to push noise into something more interesting (to us) than a 60 minute CD of power electronics.
Posted by: Neville Harson | August 23, 2011 at 10:22 AM
"his" wing??
Posted by: emily | August 23, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Interesting stuff.
I have liked bits and pieces of noise (more or less musical) for years, but I've always found it frustrating and limited as a genre because many fans and proponents draw such a sharp line between noise and non-noise, and consider a minor change to their personal sound as some kinda dramatic progress...
So hey, I look forward to rockin these tunes. :D
Posted by: Mogambo | August 23, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Emily -- sorry I used "his," shoulda gone with a Spivak pronoun (though noise is still so overwhelmingly male-dominated that saying "his" would almost always work, today's post on Pharmakon as an exception to the standard).
Mogambo -- definitely think noise artists and fans are getting a BIT more open-minded about noise/non-noise, but yes, it definitely can be frustrating!
Posted by: Narine Atamian | August 23, 2011 at 05:19 PM
The Pica track was my fave on first listen, had a nice buildup. But somehow (genre fans, don't roll your eyes!) it all sounds a little less fierce and fun than good ol' Merzbow. For having a balance of pure, fierce noise and a bit of musical feel or structure, I love the Venereology album.
It'd be interesting to see some crossing-over between noise and dubstep or current electronic dub... seriously, think about it!
I'm gonna check out some Pharmakon now. Partly cause women in male-dominated genres are usually interesting artists, mainly cause the writeup is tempting.
@ noise gnome: Shouldn't you call yourself "muted troll"? Honestly, you're saying nothing mate, that's just sad.
Posted by: Mogambo | August 24, 2011 at 03:04 PM
I've met a lot of noise people who have never heard of NAMANAX. Sort of glad that someone thinks they're essential listening, because they tap into loop based noise like no one else does.
I am also of the opinion that music can be noise. The music that I appreciate has more to do with sound than it does riffs or whatnot. I think that was what Luigi Russolo was getting at, and a lot of noisers now are basically composing music, not being "free".
Posted by: Arvo | August 26, 2011 at 08:04 PM
Time to check out those Zelphabet comps... awesome shit!
Posted by: DaveX | August 26, 2011 at 11:57 PM
wonder what Problemist/Unsound's Wm Davenport, LAFMS Bros. Potts, PGR's Kim Cascone, & Curtis Rodes have to say on all this having preceded/leading up to/ most of this stuff in CA side?
Posted by: Opulunk Scheekorg | August 31, 2011 at 10:21 PM