My Blog

Oh yeah, a quick note about Second Layer Records (London)

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:23:00 GMT

For anyone interested in the noisier side of things, you simply have to pay a visit to Second Layer Records, located in the basement of Sound 323.

Address and Tube and Stuff:

323 Archway Road, Highgate, London N6 5AA
Directly opposite Highgate Tube (Northern Line)

The guy who runs this shop knows exactly what he's doing and is one of the most helpful and genuine blokes I've ever come across. He sincerely gives a shit. So Londoners, for all your noise, avant-garde, experimental, alternative needs this is the place to go - if you didn't already know...

And no, I'm not getting a reward or commission or anything. I just think that it's very important for people to know about this place, what with the internet and all the big, nasty companies all but destroying the very concept of the unique, independent record store.

Thanks.

To Whoever It May Concern...

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:20:00 GMT

Apologies for the shitty lack of updates...

Final year exams have got me by the neck at the moment. However, it is my intention to document a month or so of interesting gigs I've managed to squeeze in to my revision-packed schedule, as soon as possible.

Thanks

The Blog's Bollocks: The UDBYH Guide to the Best in Avant-Blogs...

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:33:00 GMT

In no particular order, here are some music blogs that I believe to some of the web's best. You really should have a look through them, there's abit of something for everyone. Enjoy...

http://www.experimentaletc.blogspot.com/ - Expansive and insightful discographies of avant-garde/improv/experimental music's finest...

http://www.staticcollaborative.blogspot.com/ - A pioneering and exemplary project that documents pretty much everything alternative. You seriously need this blog. Abstract, industrial, dark ambient, drone, hip-hop, harsh noise, the fucking lot. From Wolf Eyes to Wu-Tang. It's also updated quite regularly too. Whoever is in charge of this does a seriously great job...

http://glowingraw.blogspot.com/ - Great Boredoms discography, along with the odd psych-folk/experimental gem, definitely worth a look if you've got the time and patience...

http://www.deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/ - Love or hate Braford Cox/Deerhunter/Atlas Sound, you can't deny that he's giving it a go and that he's a thoroughly interesting guy. The quantity of music self-released by Cox is admirable at worst and I really enjoy what he and the rest of Deerhunter are doing at the moment. I'm abit fucked off they aren't doing their own headlining show in London to be honest (nothing against Liars)...

http://www.terrornoiseaudio.blogspot.com/ - Clearly as abrasvie and harsh as its name suggests, this blog is an unrivalled necessity if harsh noise and power electronics is your thing...

http://www.upsettherhythm.blogspot.com/ -Yeah I might sound like a complete fool for typing this but, Upset The Rhythm is one of best things about living in London for me at the moment. Great bands, great venues, great fun as well as emphasizing an admirable DIY ethic. This blog (as well as their main site) offers pictures, information and links about artists on their label and those lucky enough to play their forthcoming gigs in London. They seem like good guys and they clearly know what they're doing and it's all so very refreshing...

http://www.bloodistruth.blogspot.com/ - Comprehensive Swans discography, This Heat stuff, Robedoor, "Lee Scratch" Perry, even an extensive catalogue of knobbery courtesy of a massive Pink Floyd collection. The sheer quantity of stuff here is great. Someone has put in a monumental effort here...

http://www.nodatta.blogspot.com/ - Although the guy/guys running this haven't updated it for over two months, it used to be great before the RIAA seemingly unecessarily shut it down. They need support!

htttp://www.eatmyartout.blogspot.com/ - Fantastic collection of noise/experimental rarities that is sadly not updated enough; And now for some reason it's invite-only so I don't really know what's going on with it at the moment. I'm sure it hosted a Kevin Drumm split on it that pretty much changed my life!

I hope you enjoy this lot as much as I have in the past few months. Most of these people put in alot of effort and are so passionate about the music they upload! As a consequence, I've been exposed to so much insightful and great music, the value of which is immeasurable. Keep it up and thanks very much...

Merzbow at ULU, London (19/04/2008)

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:56:00 GMT

Merzbow's performance at ULU...

In his groundbreaking and all encompassing work regarding the genealogy of noise, Paul Hegarty describes Masami Akita, aka Merzbow, as 'the paragon of noise, its godfather, its master,' (Hegarty, 2007, 155). Irrespective of one's opinions regarding the character and very essence of noise, it is undoubtebly futile to belittle Akita's influence on noise in particular and music in general. Putting aside inevitable pretenses for the moment, it is extremely rare to witness someone so crucial to how we, as listeners, interpret the things we hear.

Indeed, Merzbow is the essence of otherness and unrivalled within what one constitutes as noise, so an opportunity to see the 'master' at work in the capital for the first time in approximately five years proved impossible to spurn.

Sonic enlightenment was imminent...

So up flipped the screens of those iconic laptops, clad in "Meat is Murder" messages and Anti-Fur symbolism; the next hour or so would belong to Merzbow and such an action signalled for the audience to prepare themselves for the oncoming atonal, harsh, sonic assault that was about to fill the room and the minds of a willing and submissive collective. However, Akita was not content in picking a fight with our auditory systems immediately. Merzbow's initial strand of noise was cosmic and meandering, varying vastly in volume. The slither of spaced-out sound was strangely reminiscent of the more recent studio efforts by Japanese polystylist pioneers Boredoms; albeit without the tribal drums and emphasis on percussion, as well as the relative structure and coherence.

The intensity of the loop grew and grew, increasing and twisting in volume and tenacity as Merzbow steadily introduced greater layers of screeches, wails and seemingly random, discordant bleeps. The fight was on. Distorted, hellish screams of high-pitched feedback and synthesizer abuse inevitably took centre stage, with throbbing pulses of bass irregularly penetrating the increasingly challenging, atonal, yet ultimately beautiful soundscape. Russolo-esque hissings, poppings and rumblings also gradually emerged, providing an increasingly varied array of noise. It was so difficult to comprehend that such a grand amalgamation of noise stemmed from two laptops and a collection of anonymous nobs and buttons sandwiched between them. Indeed, stage presence is evidently not a priority of Merzbow and other key noise artists; but it simply doesn't have to be.

The sheer scale of sound that penetrates the body is enough to make one forget about surroundings, specific moments in time/history and unecessary obsessions with image and identity, which all seem so prevalent in contemporary music.

Furthermore demographically speaking (not that it particularly matters), the crowd tonight was a fantastic melting-pot of sub-culture and non-identity. Old-punks, the curious, young indie-types, students, middle-aged couples, men in suits, goths, WIRE magazine enthusiasts, whoever and whatever were all seeking identity within a decentralised structure of non-identity. Such a fantastical barrage of noise ultimately transcends obsessions with image and deconstructs unecessary self-imposed barriers that are implemented by pointless sub-cultures and their inevitable, inherent prejudices.

As the chosen few become increasingly intoxicated and baffled by Merzbow's sonic prowess, Akita maintains the otherworldliness by introducing what seemed like some sort of silver, custom-made, futuristic DIY guitar. It almost seemed Giger-esque. He summoned several lashes of excruciatingly blissful, high-pitched and strident screeches that attacked and teased a different part of the ear every time they were released, further penetrating a wall of noise which one would think could no longer be penetrated. Just as the dosage of sonic terror became almost too euphoric, Akita gradually demolished his innovation as each layer of noise distilled into nothingness, leaving the masses exhausted and in awe. Clichéd or not, it all seemed to end so quickly.

The intensity of the noise orchestrated tonight was simply unbelievable and irrespective of one's assumptions regarding the constitution of noise, I beseech everyone to partake in such an intensive and all-encompassing experience at least once in their lifetime. I guarantee that the results will surprise you greatly.

Thank you for reading.

So It Begins...

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:41:00 GMT

Hello there and thank you for your time.

I intend to use this thing as a place to concentrate and centralize my reviews, aphorisms and general musings about alternative music and performance. Yep, another one. Sorry.

However I hope, my focus on the avant-garde, noise, experimental and everything in between will provide a refreshing, original and perhaps unconventional portrait of everything noisy in and around London. Right now, the city seems to have a fantastic assortment of forthcoming noise/alternative/experimental/whatever gigs. Globally speaking, such an onslaught of sound must be unrivalled and it is my intention to discuss why (and perhaps why not) it is indeed an exciting time to be obsessed with the more avant-garde side of life in the capital.

Anyway, that's clearly enough empty, abstract rhetoric for one day. Expect the following to gradually emerge in the next few weeks:

19/04/2008 Merzbow - ULU - REVIEW

22/04/2008 Carlos Giffoni, Ramleh, Consumer Electronics etc - Gramaphone - REVIEW

01/05/2008 HEALTH - Luminaire - REVIEW

02/05/2008 Talibam!, John Wiese - REVIEW

Possibly some stuff about the best music blogs on the internet too, but who knows?

As ever with these things, it would be great to hear from people who come here. I'd love to get in touch with like-minded souls from all over the place. Also, if you think you dislike me or any of the stuff covered here, it would be more than fantastic to hear what you say (this isn't me being provocative). It's important not to get trapped in some sort of unecessary, pretentious bubble.

Take care,

Christopher.