A Celebration of Middle Fingers

There is a reason I listen to noise. And it’s not pretentious. People, all the time, give me shit for listening to noise. Why just the other month one of my cohorts at my college radio station said, "Chris and Colin had a show and they would just blast obnoxious harsh noise." She’s a nice girl so I just nodded my head accordingly. But it seems to me that noise enthusiasts and noise musicians, which I still fancy myself, get a lot of shit for being into a genre of music that is generally disregarded as untalented and useless. My friend Colin played a noise set last year at our school coffehouse’s open mic and was laughed at by some faggy guitar-wannabe who fancies himself a guitar hero. At work I get a lot of the same responses. "You listen to noise?" "Oh sorry we can’t be pretentious and intellectual like you, listening to noise." And my personal favorite, "what the fuck is that shit we are listening to? It sounds like Hitler is on the radio! (In response to a Whitehouse song I was playing)."

It has continued over the recent weeks with other employees expressing their dismay at any type of noise-affiliated music I will play, whether it is ambient or drone, which to me sounds like the soundtrack to the mindless industrious tedium that is working. In response, I have ceased playing my ipod whenever someone is working with me in the back so as to not inconveience them and allow them the pleasure of lisetning to their own music, which I assure is SO MUCH better. I have also heard things from people saying that I am trying to impress people, which to be completely honest couldn’t be further from the truth. I really don’t give a shit what people think of my music taste, because as past history trends show IT IS OBVIOUS the type of person you are is determined by the kind of music you listen to. Right? Nonetheless I feel I have the need to defend my music and the reason I choose to listen to this particular type of music. Why? Because it means that much to me.

My freshman year in college I felt so ostracized. It was the first time I realized that I was an outcast and that people generally regarded me as weird. I would walk into my room, blast some harsh noise and veg-out while people walked by my room and scream to mock the music I listened to. I started listening to noise towards the end of high school. It seems that ever since my "emo-phase" at the beginning of high school, I had wanted to listen to music that harsher and harsher to overcompensate. I was also an extremely angry adolescent that needed loud and angry music to piss off everyone who came near me and get me eager to break stuff. It wasn’t until my senior year that I started listening to Wolf Eyes and getting angrier and more reclusive, even more so than usual. The first thing I did when I heard my first Wolf Eyes song was throw my calculator through my window and scream. That was what this music made me want to do: destroy my house, destroy my peers and destroy everything they ever believed in.

After graduation I went straight to D.C to attend my summer program for incoming minority students. At the time I was so angry and so devoid of so many emotions. I would blast Wolf Eyes from my room and people would walk by and just look at me like I was the most abnormal thing they've ever seen. I can remember one time a girl said the sounds coming from my room were scaring the fuck out of her because there was a thunder storm outside, which I was oblivious to being that I was blasting the Wolf dudes so loudly. That summer I also happened to run into a friend I had known from the L.A music scene that as it turns out, played harsh noise. I had gone to a show to see a band called Wives, a noisy post-punk outfit from my hometown of Los Angeles. I had to support L.A. My friend Jeff found me and we started talking about L.A and what had been going on since I left. He excused himself for a second and left. He came back in with a huge stack (amplifier) and immediately proceeded to blast out 5 minutes of pure destruction. It was the first time I had witnessed a harsh noise set and I was hooked. Afterward I told him I had no idea he did that or that anyone could do that, with sound. He just smiled and we continued to talk about L.A bands.

After the program ended, I went back to L.A for two weeks. While I was there I went to my local record store, where I used to work and found my friend Adrian, who was the brother of my high school friend and junior year English teacher Bobby Montes. I started talking to him about Bobby’s wedding and the music I was listening to. He asked me what I was playing right now and I told him that I was really digging the new Wolf Eyes as well as my friend Jeff, whose performance name was Impregnable. He was astonished and then let me in on a secret. He showed me some noise cdr’s that he had purchased and then pointed me into a direction of the store that I rarely went, which was the RPM section. There I found a Dead Machines major recording (Futures) and a recording from another noise band I recognized, Black Dice. I purchased these records, went home and that was it. It was over. I was a full blown noise addict. From here on out, I dedicated my life to finding the noisiest, thrashiest music I could possibly get my grubby little fingers on.

That year in college, my first year, I proceeded to listen to new bands such as Yellow Swans, Oscillating Innards, The Cherry Point and my personal favorite Prurient. I saw Yellow Swans high out of my fucking mind, which made them that much more enjoyable and when I saw Prurient, it was like my whole world was expanded. Since then I have dedicated every waking moment to finding new bands and new artists that sound like I feel: fucked up, disjointed, angry, aggressive, loud, abrasive, destructive and generally— as if the world is ending every time I take a breath.

So why do I listen to noise? Is it because of the confrontational aesthetic that accompanies its subculture? Is it because music has progressed so far that, the only place it has to go now is in the complete opposite direction? Is it because, as a media savvy society, our lives are bombarded with images of commercialism that beckon our every movement and response and noise is the epiphany to the eradication of this promotion? Is it because music has become such a squalid wasteland of pop stars and repetitive dance beats, where every gyrating poster-child is immediately given credit as an "artist" and this needs to be stopped with anti-art, which in turn is radicalized as "new art"? Is it because I’m sooo intellectual that structuralized harmony and rhythm has found its discord with me and I want to aurally and artistically challenge myself with a series of abrasive sounds that confront my very notion of what it means to be conventional? Is it any of these things?

Not really. Kind of. Maybe. I mean to a certain extent all these things are true. But these are general statements that are more obvious than the sky. I’m not treading water that hasn’t been boated through before. We’ve all seen that cover of Black Flag’s "Damaged" with the kid standing in front of a broken mirror. For many kids that was their "moment". I used to be a hardcore/thrash kid and I used to fuck a lot of shit up. I guess I just naturally progressed from one type of fucking up to another. To a certain extent, noise is over-intellectualized and I’m sure I’m guilty of this as well. But to be completely honest it is, as noise musician John Olson put it simply, " celebration of middle fingers". Kids come together. They go insane. They break things, and at they end thank the artists for meaning so much to them. So when people ask my why I like noise music, I don’t respond with any of the aforementioned reasons like they might expect. I usually just respond, "cause it makes me want to fuck shit up." Truer words are never spoken.

-C

Scumbag Casanova

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Top Ten of 2007
Since I pretty much comandeered this blog and shit I feel it's my time to announce my coveted TOP 10 ALBUMS of 2007. In the past these lists have been more official since I used to write for my school newspaper, which is some what reputable, at least after the publicity we got this year for the Karl Rove protest, but I digress. 2007 was pretty much a fucking amazing year for music. 2006, to be completely honest kind of sucked. My top 10 last year was kind of forced as I had to struggle to find those last 4 or 5 albums I thoroughly enjoyed. There were only like 3 or 4 that I really REALLY loved. This year though was different, from start to finsih there was just an unbelievable amount of amazing music that was made. It started in January when ROADKILLOVERCOAT by Busdriver was released and went right up to the very end as bands like Yellow Swans and Black Dice just barely released their albums within 2007. This was just an amazing year and as the list gets closer to my favorite album I will have more to say. That's how it works. That's how I organized it and I guess since this is my blog, I can write however I damn well please. Anyway, yeah this is the list of the most amazing music I heard for 2007.

10.) Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam: This almost isn't fair. Everything these guys touch turns to gold. "Peacebone" is a great single and video. "Fireworks" is amazingly touching and "Rvd. Green" is just an awesome song. Great job!

9.) Roman Torment - Handmaiden: Simply fucking brutal. I know I take a lot of shit for liking harsh noise and some people "don't get it" but two guys like Roman Torment prove there really is nothing to get. If it makes you want to destroy everything, everyone and fuck shit up, it's probably an amazing record.

8.) Kevin Drew - Spirit If...: Once again, another surprise on my list. Most BSS solo records have been good but not great, with the exception of Emily Haines. But this album throws in everything you can imagine. "Pressure Kids" is a great opener. "TBTF" is the catchiest dirty song this side of Nantucket and "Frightening Lives" is one of the top 3 songs of the year. Props to Kevin Drew for proving me wrong and giving me a pleasant reach around (surprise).

7.) Grinderman - S/T: With a song like "No Pussy Blues" you know it's going to be on the list. Not only is this just a kick ass fucking album, but it's good to see Nick Cave returning to the style that originally made him so legendary: whacked out, howling punk riffs. "Honeybee" is a shot of raw power, much like "Dead Joe" was for Cave in the early 80's. And while Grinderman is a grown up and more mature Birthday Party, there is no doubt that if Nick Cave could have seen himself in the future from 1981, he would have said, "yeah I'm still kicking ass even in the future."

6.) Prurient - Adam Tied to Stone: Dominick Fernow is making it a habit of ending up in my top 10 every year. And to be completely honest I don't care because every year there is something he released that outdoes what he did before and makes your skin crawl. This album is pure repulsion at its best. True story: halfway through the first track, as I was eating a hamburger at the airport, I had to switch it to something else because I felt as if I was going to vomit. "Returning Rape" is a misogynistic take on the confines of love, while "Tied To Stone" simply makes you sick to your stomach in the sexiest of ways. What is there to be said about Prurient that I haven't said before. The man is amazing and a fucking genius. There really is nothing more to say.

5.) Kites - Hallucination Gulliotine/Final Worship: 2007 was a busy year for Chris Forgues, aka Kites. He managed to put out two records this year (Superior Moon, HG/FW), immediately after putting out "Peace Trials" in 2006, which was easily one of the best records of THAT year and a landmark in noise achievement. Well, he did it again with this record as it outdoes "Peace Trials" and "Superior Moon" and leaves most noise acts in the fucking dust. "Glitter in the Hall of Triumph" is an acid induced bad trip through Providence and from here on out the album just gets more heavy and unfortunately for the tripping listener, more psychedlic, or maybe it's psychological. I don't know. Listen to the mindfuck that is "Nice Garden/Lady Compact" and then get back to me, junkie.

4.)Health - S/T: I may be a bit biased because they are from L.A and they are awesome dudes, but Health fucking rules. This album is the culmination of three years of unbelievable performances and just a masterpiece in noise rock/punk/indie/whatever-turns-you-on baby. In addition, the drums are just fucking spectacular on this album as noted by many other critics. "Triceratops": orgasmic. "Crimewave": Christ-like. "//m\\": sextacular. These young guys are going to be around for a while so get used to it world. Note: if you don't like fucking awesome music and hate the notion of "in-your-face" attitudes coming from drums, don't listen to this record.

3.) Aaron Dilloway - Concealed: This one was tough because I keep bouncing back and forth between my number 2 and number 3. Plus I JUST found found out this album came out in April of this year which makes it elligible. How can put this simply: DILLOWAY IS A FUCKING GOD. Every so often an album comes out to change my life and for this year or at least this stretch of years, it's this album. Not since Prurient's "Black Vase" have I been so enamored with an album. The album is two tracks of loops and delays that range from beautiful and heart-breaking to scumy and destructive. Aaron Dilloway is my hero. I wish I could make music like him. This album is too amazing to be denied. I'm sorry it's not number 1 because it's such a personal album to me and as I said earlier, "Dilloway is punk rock for those hanging on by a thread." Concealed solidifies his position among noise legends and ensures that Dilloway will always be relevant. The transitions in this album occur seamlessly, and I could go on for hours but in the end, it's just simply a FUCKING MASTERPIECE. Dilloway isn't just noise, he's a fucking religion.

2.) Pissed Jeans - Hope for Men: What other reason do I have to give for this album other than it simply kicks more ass than Mike Tyson at a camp with retarded kids? "Shallow" was amazing and powerful enough, but Hope For Men if possible, outdoes it by miles. CAN YOU SAY RAW FUCKING POWER? The most kick ass album of the entire year by fire. "People Person" is a violent jaunt through the land of amazing, while "Caught Licking Leather" is a scared ramp through the bad areas of town, mainly the area where all the S&M stores are at. In addition to that, some of the songs are simply hilarious in their seedy nature. I thought nothing could outdo "Ashamed of my Cum" from "Shallow" but then "The Jogger" comes along and I remember, oh yeah IT'S PISSED FUCKING JEANS.

1.) Panda Bear - Person Pitch: Remember how I said, everything these dudes touch turns to gold? Yeah, case in point this landmark, masterpiece, seminal record from Animal Collective member Panda Bear. The reason this is number one is because I have never heard anything like this before. Brian Wilson, maybe. But if he hadn't have gotten helped by Rhonda, maybe the music would have gone to even more magical place. This is what Panda Bear did. "Comfort in Nautiva" is a great opening track with the echoes of glee in the background and "Bros" is the symphony that Panda Bear was certainly aiming for. But "Take Pills" is just an amazingly poingant and beautiful song that is gorgeous in sound and in content, which is hard to do for a "noise" album. This year was bookended by two great albums from Animal Collective associates and this one outdid "Strawberry Jam" in every aspect, which is pretty fucking amazing considering that album is also on my top 10. This album is one of the most gorgeous records I've heard in a long time, since I first heard Explosions or Mogwai. If I were Panda Bear, I might think about just taking this solo because he obviously doesn't need Avey and Geologist to be amazing. And if I were those other two, I would make damn sure Panda Bear sticks around because while these three together make amazing music, Panda Bear along proved on this album that he can craft an album worthy of praise, and tears. That's not an easy thing to do--make music pricks cry. And with this album, I am almost certain that the tears were coming down in buckets. Simply amazing.



Honorable Mentions: Black Dice - Load Blown, Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice, Do Make Say Think - You--You're History in Rust, Busdriver - Roadkillovercoat, Gowns - Dangers of Intimacy


No good hardcore records this year. Fucking shame. Not surprising.

- C

Scumbag Casanova

Friday, December 14, 2007

LAST GREAT SINGLE OF 2007!
I think 2007 was saving its best rap single for last. It's not really rap so much as it is soul, hip hop and straight out pimp as shit.

Snoop Dogg's new single "Sexual Eruption" (that's Sensual Seduction as the clean version) is honestly one of the best soul-hip hop songs I've heard in a long ass time and it's definitely the best single Snoop has put out since like Gin and Juice. This is why Snoop Dogg is and will always be the mack daddy of my generation. I grew up idolizing this guy and I've come to realize 10-15 years later, I never really stopped.

So yeah, Sexual Eruption. Youtube it, myspace it. Whatever just listen to the damn song. It's tight as all shit.

- Cmo