Muff's Modules & More

AntManBee · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:00 pm Post subject: Where do I start with Merzbow?

I'd like to listen to some Merzbow but there's so much - where do I start? Is there an obvious way in?

shamann · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:23 pm Post subject:

His mid-to-late 90s releases on Alien8 (Aqua Necromancer, Door Open at 8am) and Relapse (Pulse Demon, Tauromachine) are to my mind the easiest entry points (easy being relative, of course).

sandyb · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:55 pm Post subject:

my 2 euro c would be on frog.

http://www.discogs.com/Merzbow-Frog/release/169650

a collaboration, but most certainly pretty accessible, is the album he did with Kim Cascone – Rondo / 7Phases / Blowback

http://www.discogs.com/Merzbow-Kim-Cascone-Rondo-7Phases-Blowback/rele ase/346881

RealDudes · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:55 pm Post subject:

Pulse Demon
I think it was the first noise I ever heard. It was a bright summer morning waking up with a bracing hangover. It was an awakening.

nrdvrgr · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:01 pm Post subject:

"Last of the analog sessions" 3 CD set on Important Records. Crazy harsh noise made with mostly EMS Synthi, VCS3 etc etc... best headcleaner out there!

...and of course the Partikel-collabs he made with me wink

AntManBee · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:58 pm Post subject:

clarke68 · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:13 pm Post subject:

parasitk · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:43 pm Post subject:

I picked up Pulse Demon first, which I still love. I also really dig Venereology, Amlux, V (with Pan Sonic).

Babaluma · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:52 pm Post subject:

i only own pulse demon, but it was enough to put me off ever buying any more, haha! lol

it's probably the most obnoxious music i've ever heard. if that's your bag you might like it!

no disrespect meant to anyone, i'm just not really into that type of noise/power electronics these days.

AntManBee · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:03 pm Post subject:

parasitk · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:15 pm Post subject:

If you have chaos in your head, you might like it. I do.

I think obnoxious is the wrong word though. Annoying? Maybe.

Babaluma · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:20 pm Post subject:

AntManBee, PM me your addy and I'll send you the CD! smile

steampoweredsequencer · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 4:31 pm Post subject:

Pulse Demon. Music For Bondage Performance one. Hybrid Noisebloom.

zdarma · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 4:41 pm Post subject:

+1
on the Cascone/Merzbow CD. It's pretty accessible and I played it for a friend as an introduction.

The MB tribute Milanese Bestiality release is pretty good as an introduction.

I would recommend Cloud Cock OO Grand and Batztoutai With Material Gadgets for some more classic old school Merzbow, but they might be a bit far out as a starter unless you already dig noise.

CJ Miller · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:28 pm Post subject:

I recommend the Relapse and Extreme CDs as being fairly representative and not so rare as to be pricey. Also RRR usually has some excellent ones. Batztoutai got me hooked

amnesia · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:39 pm Post subject:

here are some of my fav merz releases

RGiskard · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:32 pm Post subject:

Not a fan myself, but stumbled on this yesterday:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3811/merzbow.png
(ultra wide image)

Sometimes good ideas sprout from 4chan, of all places! More like those here:
http://mu-flowcharts.blogspot.com/

dogoftears · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:39 pm Post subject:

Just get Veneriology and go from there. It will be easy after you absorb that brainfuck of an album.

ringstone · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:55 pm Post subject:

meristem · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:58 pm Post subject:

I'm not too much of a merzbow connoisseur but i always enjoyed merzbeat which i've been told is on the more "listenable" end of the spectrum.
I have Zophorus too which I think newer and pretty good.

CJ Miller · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:43 pm Post subject:

If I had a main go-to Merzbow through the years, it would definitely be:

Metalvelodrome. The Alchemy releases have never been easy to find, but they are my faves.

jonah · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:07 pm Post subject:

I like some Merzbow, like 1930, but I think Massona is a lot more interesting and rewarding. Check out Ejaculation Generater or Frequency LSD.

ringstone · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:19 pm Post subject:

And Aube is usually lumped in with the other Japanoise guys but personally I feel his music is a bit more sophisticated than most of that, more in line with some of the European experimental school...

Cheers
Blair

LoFi Junglist · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:27 pm Post subject:

what's the name of the record where he collaborated with a female singer, and the songs were split with Merzbow on one channel, and the singer on the other?

It would have been pre-2000.

It's been haunting me for years and I've had no luck finding it in Merzbow's vast discography.

ringstone · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:08 am Post subject:

LoFi Junglist · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:23 am Post subject:

Thankyou so much dude. I've been looking for those covers for so long.

Found one of the tracks on Youtube to confirm... in some bullshit playlist called "hipster credentials"

you kids get off my lawn

ringstone · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:11 am Post subject:

parasitk · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:52 am Post subject:

Chrome Dinette · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:23 am Post subject:

Batztoutai With Material Gadgets is pretty good.

Chrome Dinette · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:25 am Post subject:

ringstone · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:35 am Post subject:

BTW "Antimonument" has to have the best picture disc art I have ever seen:

Cheers
Blair

nrdvrgr · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:09 am Post subject:

Sorry for some shameless self-promo again, but I think that maybe the forthcoming third collaboration between Akita-san and me might interest some of you. We decided many years ago to do a trilogy, and we recorded the last part during this winter. The first two were a mixture of his classic trademark noise and my ambient textures; like this:

For the last third installment (CD on Cold Spring Records later this year) "Partikel III" we decided to go all analog and droning, so it will be one of the more calmer and accessible Merzbow offerings ever released. As a big fan I must say that I have never heard something similar in style from him - I was quite surprised when I heard it the first time!

I also would like to add that I consider it a big honor to be able to have worked with one of my biggest influences. I am truly blessed.

amnesia · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:46 am Post subject:

Ancestor · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:58 am Post subject:

I love his collaborations with Boris, especially the Walrus LP on Hydrahead Records.

shred · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:16 am Post subject:

not familiar with much of Merzbow's work but so far I'm really enjoying Pulse Demon and Merzbeat! I'll have to check out some more of these

Really like that track you posted Nrdvrgr!! SlayerBadger!

Looking forward to the final part of your collaboration, it's sounds like it'll be very interesting!

MrTea · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:50 pm Post subject:

1930 is a great album.

bwandice · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:03 pm Post subject:

I started with animal magnetism, then checked out a little Pulse Demon.

I haven't really acquired the taste yet, but I do like the idea of auditory catharsis. I listen to it when I'm, you know, upset.

bwandice · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:13 pm Post subject:

I started with animal magnetism, then checked out a little Pulse Demon.

I haven't really acquired the taste yet, but I do like the idea of auditory catharsis. I listen to it when I'm, you know, upset.

thetwlo · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:27 pm Post subject:

Suburban Bather · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:30 pm Post subject:

http://www.discogs.com/Merzbow-Gore-Beyond-Necropsy-Rectal-Anarchy/rel ease/102341

daren · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:22 pm Post subject:

I enjoy his collaboration with Russell Haswell that was released on Warp of all places. The cover is very appealing too!

Suburban Bather · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:27 pm Post subject:

Now that's different for an album cover. I also really like his collab with Alec Empire- http://www.discogs.com/Alec-Empire-vs-Merzbow-Live-CBGBs-NYC-1998/rele ase/167775

Knobtwister · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:13 am Post subject:

Start with the Merzbox thumbs up

Probably my favourite release in my whole recordcollection love

The mid 90s stuff is in my opinion his most interesting work, and if you're not into the harscher stuff, maybe go for one of the Boriscollabs? Sun baked snow cave and Rock dream are both awesome albums.

KNYST · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:09 am Post subject:

I've loved the Japanese noise scene for ages.
Have listened to every Merzbow CD release up to 2005 (and most tapes, vinyls, and many after 2005).
He lost me there... I find most of his later output to be just boring (with some great exceptions).

Anyway, like some others mentioned, the 90's was his best period (this goes for the whole noise scene IMHO), but made some great releases in the 80's too.

Recommended "easier" releases for beginners:
Scumtron (remixes & original recordings)
Merzbow / Genesis P-Orridge - A Perfect Pain
Amlux
Aqua Necromancer
Offering

Recommended for beginners looking for something highly representative:
Great American Nude / Crash For Hi-Fi
Tauromachine

my favourites:
Flesh Metal Orgasm
Dutch Tour 1989
Axx / Spooning
Cloud Cock 00 Grand
Rainbow Electronics
PGR / Merzbow / Asmus Tietchens - Grav
Great American Nude / Crash For Hi-Fi
Music For Bondage Performance
Music For The Dead Man 2: Return Of The Dead Man
Hole
Wakantanka / Aboriginie of Anniversary 50 Years After War
Spiral Honey
Rainbow Electronics 2
Merzbow / John Watermann - Brisbane-Tokyo Interlace
Mercurated
Magnesia Nova
Akasha Gulva
Scumtron
Aqua Necromancer
1930
Door Open At 8 AM
Tentacle
Dharma
Merzbient

diophantine · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:01 pm Post subject:

Not specific to this thread (as I've seen it elsewhere), but I don't understand all the love for the Merzbox and the discs on Release/Relapse.

I like weirdo/experimental/tape stuff, but quite a lot of what's on the Merzbox is totally inane and boring to my ears. I've owned the Merzbox for 3 years, and I've only managed to get through the first 36 discs so far. (I own ~100 other Merzbow releases.) Unless there's some brilliant stuff on the last discs, it definitely scrapes the bottom of the barrel.

The discs on Release/Relapse (Venereology, Pulse Demon, Tauromachine) ain't bad at all, and are pretty easy to find, but are not the best.

If you want noise: Oersted
If you want noisy & rhythmic: Aqua Necromancer
If you want a bit more rhythmic: Timehunter
If you want more ambient/experimental: Music For Bondage Performance
If you want easier/more mellow noise: Merzzow
If you want old tape/experimental stuff: Age Of 369 / Chant 2

Rock Dream with Boris is really good too, if you want to try it from a somewhat different perspective.

sempervirent · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject:

I once had an apartment in a dreary northern city. The other people living in the house were really annoying. I came home one evening and they were making a lot of noise, as usual. I set the stereo to top volume and loaded up "Ananga Ranga." 30 minutes later, the house was dead quiet. Even if they would have been brave enough to knock on the door and ask me to turn it down, I wouldn't have been able to hear them.

KNYST · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:21 pm Post subject:

Knobtwister · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:55 am Post subject:

Great classic noisevideo with some legendary perfomances. Watch the locals in the Merzbow gig hihi

DIVINEAUDIO · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:20 am Post subject:

i'm partial to merzzow myself, plenty of psychedelia to be had in that album. spiral honey is also high on the list.

AntManBee · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:35 am Post subject:

I'm listening (is that the right word?) to Pulse Demon, kindly sent by Babaluma. Merzbow certainly wins the 'loudness wars' - this must be the loudest CD I've ever played - it could have been called 'the art of digital clipping' or 'music as a square wave' - fuck!

I'm going to need some time with this but right now it's making my fillings fall out and my ears bleed.

Babaluma · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:40 am Post subject:

Knobtwister · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:25 am Post subject:

Babaluma · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:59 am Post subject:

Me too!

smetak · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 am Post subject:

Too way out for my likening, like noise for the sake of pure noise.

Yet, still, I have this one:

http://essence-music.com/releases/camouflage/

Released around here by a friend of mine who owns a micro-Latin American label dedicated to industrial.

AntManBee · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:06 pm Post subject:

This is part of track 1 but the whole disc is continuous and is all pretty much like this.

So am I to understand that digital clipping is part of what I'm meant to be listening to? I'm struggling with this...even the cover gives me a headache

Babaluma · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:14 pm Post subject:

I told you it was hardcore. wink

I never listen to noise any more, but if I did it would be Whitehouse, as at least they have lyrics to keep your mind interested (even if it is misogynistic doggerel).

AntManBee · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:45 pm Post subject:

I'm playing the Last of Analog Sessions album and it's much easier to listen to than Pulse Demon - anyway for me it has a much greater claim to being music than that moronic four-on-the-floor shit everyone seems to love.

nrdvrgr · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:59 pm Post subject:

Told you

de_raaf · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:38 pm Post subject:

i havent hared all is stuff
more a masonna fan

but i do like merzob i very early stuff, like the pornoise 1kg tape box and stuff

the collaboration he did genesis p. O; was pretty good i think

thefamilyghost · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:56 pm Post subject:

Merzbuddha

sb · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:38 pm Post subject:

Spiral Honey