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Jimmy Screamerclauz
Jimmy ScreamerClauz produces some of the most disturbing animation ever seen; he also brews up a fairly unpleasant & unsettling sonic work too. I first became aware of Jimmy’s work with last years Where Black Birds Fly- this feature-length animated film blended together eye-scorching psychedelic imagery with all manner of depravity. This was his second animated feature- his first 2012's Where The Dead Go to Die is simply put one of the most unsettling things I’ve seen in some time…lulling you into a false feeling of safety with it’s basic & crude animation- then feed you one unsettling act after another. Sonically Jimmy creates a disturbing sample heavy blend seared electro beats, industrial unpleasant-ness & soured ambience, he’s also created some unsettling blends of industrial noise & psycho ambience for a few underground horror films, including the soundtrack for the American Guinea Pig series. Jimmy kindly agreed to give M[m] an email interview- first discussing his visual work, then moving onto his sonic work…but please approach this interview with caution, as a lot of Jimmy’s answers are as unsettling as his work.
Justin Kerswell
If you have more than a passing interest in the slasher genre you will be aware of Justin Kerswell- he’s a UK writer/ commentator- he wrote one of the few books on the genre Teenage Wasteland. He runs & writes for hysteria-lives, a renowned slasher focused website, that’s been active since 1998. And lastly, but hardly least he’s part of The Hysteria Continues- a group slasher fans/ experts who’ve recorded commentaries for a whole host of slasher reissues put out by cult film labels such as Arrow Video & 88 Films. Justin very kindly agreed to give M[m] an email interview, discussing every-side of his passion for the slasher film
Renaldo and the Loaf
Renaldo and the Loaf are a British two-piece that brew-up a bizarre, surreal & distinctive blend of avant-grade pop, wonky (off) world music and general sonic quirkiness. The band originally existed between the years 1979 & 1988. They regrouped in 2006, and late last year released their first album in 30 years Gurdy Hurding. The bands two members Renaldo Malpractice (aka Brian Poole) & Ted the Loaf( aka David Janssen) kindly agreed to do an M[m] an email interview, and below you’ll find a lengthy full career covering interview
Howard Stelzer
Howard Stelzer is a respected & distinctive-sounding electro-acoustic noise maker from Lowell MA. His work often blurs the lines between ambience, subtle noise-making, creative drone layering, and general moody yet often detailed texturally sound making. Late last year (via Ballast) he released a six cassette box set Normal Bias - this excellent release highlighted both the scope of his sound, and his ability to create varied & memorable sound-works. Howard kindly agreed to give M[m] an email interview, where we discuss his influences, working methods, and his work in general.
Reason Art Records/Train Cemetery
Sergey Pakhomov is one of the few people creating & releasing walled Noise/ HNW in Russia- he runs the tape & digital download label Reason Art Records, as well as having his own wall project Train Cemetery. He kindly agreed to give M[m] an email interview, discussing both the label, his project & more.
Hardy Fox/Charles Bobuck
For over 40 years Charles Bobuck was one of the key minds & songwriters behind avant-pop/ art collective The Residents. In late 2015 he decided to depart the band, due to his declining health, and since he has gone onto create a building body of solo work. One such release was last years Bobuck Plays The Residents, which saw Charles doing his own unique (and often wholly different) version’s of Resident songs he penned during his time with the project. I caught-up with Mr Bobuck’s official spokesman, Hardy Fox- he used to be a key member of The Residents management team (The Cryptic Corporation), & who left connections with the project shortly after Charles departure. Below is an email interview, discussing both Charles & Hardy’s time with the project, why they both left, Bobuck Plays The Residents, and future work.
David Kerekes & David Slater
Since the very first moving images were shown the idea of death on film(be it simulated or real), has shocked yet fascinated mankind. Killing for Culture is a lengthy, highly detailed, and thorough tome- looking into & discussing the history of death on film- be it snuff, mondo films, televised deaths, internet executions, etc. The book originally appeared back in 1993 as a 285 page publication- late last year a new & updated version of the work was released doubling the page count. I tracked down the books authors David Kerekes & David Slater- for a email discussing the recent publication & their work together in general.
Harold Budd
Today the lineage between mid 20th century minimalism and what passes now as ambient music is mostly obscured. But lying beneath the sedimented layers of electronic haze, lazily sequenced techno and new-age indulgence there is a history that broaches some of avant-garde art's most pressing concerns. Questions around form, the centrality of the author, of the artist's relationship with the wider environment, and even the status of art and artistic consumption itself; all of these were present in the American milieu from which Harold Budd emerged. Born in Los Angeles in 1936 Budd was brought up in the tiny town of Victorville in the Mojave Desert where the light, wide and often desolate spaces would come to exert a permanent influence on him. In the late 50s he played duets with Albert Ayler in a army marching band before taking up studies in composition at the University of Southern California.
Best Of 2016
2016 was another great year with many highly rewarding releases, below you’ll find lists of releases that made this year special for our writers. And in keeping with our sites remit they span a large and varied selection of different musical & sonic genres. Also on a few lists you’ll see the addition of a film list, and this is come in-line with us featuring of more film reviews on the site….and we hope this coverage will expand in 2017.
Anonymous Masturbaudioum
Of the recent wave of sexual fetish themed walled noise projects Swiss based Anonymous Masturbaudioum is probably the most creative, interesting, and worthy.The project has been active since 2009, but it’s only in the last year or so that it’s sound has moved from harsh noise, to a more ‘wall’ sound. So far of the more ‘wall’ focused work the project has put around ten releases. I caught up Anto, the mind behind Anonymous Masturbaudioum- for a email interview.
Rapoon
British experimental musician Robin Storey, the man behind the Rapoon project and former member of avant-garde sound-scape collective Zoviet France, was one of the first to pioneer a style of mesmeric ambient electronic music utilizing delays and looping techniques, sustaining fragments of sound until they became vast environments. Storey has remained quite prolific to this day, releasing several albums of new (and rediscovered old) sounds a year. He was kind enough to provide thoughtful, thorough and elucidating answers to my questions.
Adam Wingard
In September 2016 horror fans where returned to Black Hills Forests & the legend of Blair Witch with Adam Wingard’s Blair Witch. As well as directing the film Mr Wingard also composed the films brooding dark ambient soundtrack, which was produced by US ambient legend Robert Rich. I caught up with Adam via an email interview - discussing how he got involved with project, his soundtrack work on this film & his other films.
Aquarius Records
It’s fair to say that San Francisco based Aquarius Records was one most well known & respected experimental record shop/ mail order business’s in the world. It sadly closed its doors in June of this year, after been open for over 40 years. I caught up with Andee Connors- one of the owners (along with Allan Horrocks) for an email chat about the end of Aquarius Records.
Vomir (un)live performance 15/10/16
On the evening on the 15th of November Winchester Art College( as part of their Minimalism: Location Aspect Moment event ) arranged a rare uk performance of French wall- noise legend Vomir. Below you’ll find two reviews of the set- one from M[m] writer Roger Batty, and the other from respected UK waller Clive Henry.
Cacophonous Records
Cacophonous Records is one of the more important labels to come out of the British/ Irish black metal scene- they released early releases from the likes of Cradle Of Filth, Bal-Sagoth & Primordial. Along with classic/early releases from worldwide black metal projects such as Dimmu Borgir, Gehenna, and Sigh. The label originally formed back in 1992, and has until last year been in a dark slumber. This year has seen the label back in fully working order- with reissues, unreleased older albums( such as the original mix of COF’s classic second album Dusk…& Her Embrace), along with new albums from up & coming british black metal projects. I caught-up with one of the key mind behind the label Fra. Nihil for a email interview.
Chier
Chier is one of the most prolific, yet creative projects to appear from with-in the European walled noise scene in quite sometime. In it’s just over years existence the Toulouse based project has put out around 60 releases, and while I can’t say I’ve heard them all, what I have heard has always been impressive in both it’s textural inventiveness, dark mood, and often searing intensity. So I felt we must secure an interview with the project, and this was done via email. The is interview was very much a collaborative venture between my self Roger, and Julien Skrobek- who also translated the interview between English & French( and back again), as well a coming up with his share of questions.
Darren Charles
For the last few years Darren Charles has been active with-in the northern English retro synth /experimental/ noise underground. He’s connected with projects such as The Dead End Street Band, and more recently Equestrian Vortex. He has also arranged quite a few local shows, bringing together experimental sounds with cult horror movies. As well as having his own weekly on-line radio show, and contributing to the recent & excellent book Horror Folk Revival: Field Studies. Darren kindly agreed to give M[m] a email interview.
Nash The Slash
Nash The Slash is one of the more unusual, creative, and distinctive artists to appear from within the Canadian music scene in the last twenty or so years. The project first came into existence in the late 1970’s, with the early releases offering up a moody & often horror themed instrumental blend of synth ‘n’ beats, and electric Violin ‘n’ mandolin mood scapes. In later releases he brought in elements of new wave, new age, and punk into the mix, and the project went onto to release 11 full lengths & Ep’s. Behind the project was one James Jeffrey "Jeff" Plewman, and as the Nash The Slash persona he always wore a trademark disguise which entailed coving his face in bandages wearing sunglasses and a top hat. Sadly in 2014 he passed away at the age of 66. Recently Artofact have started reissuing Nash The Stash back catalogue, starting with his debut album Nightmare & Dreamscapes. And I caught-up with his business partner for an email interview.
Naughty
Naughty is one of the few female fronted walled noise projects, and behind it is Paris based Charlotte Skrobek. Since the project was launched in 2015 it has fast become one of the more popular Wall acts on the scene. Though Naughty is a relatively new venture Charlotte has been involved with more than a few walled noise & noise projects of the last few years. Most notable of these is Absurde with her husband Julien, as well as solo projects(The Girl with a Stanley Knife, Sleep Paralysis and Flux Nocturne) and a few other collaborations: Flesh Clocks(with Julien) and Cuttings ( with Clive Henry). Charlotte kindly agreed to give M[m] a email interview
Signora Ward Records
Signora Ward Records is an Italian tape label that focus in on very specific types of noise & themes, and those are HNW & Feet and Legs/ Nylon Stockings fetish. The label was stared in 2014, and has quickly become a very popular name with-in the ‘wall’ & extreme sonic scenes, with releases selling out with-in days of release. I tracked down the man behind the label, Dwight Holly for an email interview.
23 Treads
23 treads are a Polish three piece now relocated in New York City. They summon-up a macabre, at times wonky & darkly psychedelic blend of neo folk, which is often repetitive & sonically locked down, with wordy female spoken word vocals on top. In 2015 they released their first album in 15 years-Conspicuous Unobstructed Path, and this turned out to be one of my surprise highlights of the year with was its edgy, stark & often experimental edged take on the neo-folk genre. So I decided to track down the band for a email interview, and the following interview is with lead singer Ingrid Dawn Swen, and main songwriter/ musician Marek Marchoff.
Joseph Szymkowiak
Joseph Szymkowiak has been active in the field of experimental music for six years. His quest for unusual sounds has led him to explore a wide variety of genres, from Noisecore to Ambient, going through Free Improv and Harsh Noise Wall. This variety of interests is also well documented by the label he created : Nahàsh Atrym Productions. Joseph has kindly agreed to give an interview to Musique [Machine] and discuss the deep thoughts and feelings he attaches to his experimentations.
Morte Cammina & Needle and Knife label interview
Australian based Shaun Mack is the only noise-maker I’m aware of making walled noise down-under. He’s behind such projects as Morte Cammina, Girl On The Bridge, Widow Park and Bleak August. And he also set-up a great wall noise only label Needle & Knife. Shaun kindly agreed to give M[m] an email interview
Helm
Last June, following on from 2014's much acclaimed The Hollow Organ EP, PAN records unleashed Helm's Olympic Mess. The record's heady blend of industrial derived loops and textures coupled with an uncommonly light touch has garnered much praise in the music press and earned Helm a place on the Wire's top 50 records list for the second year running. Here Helm's doom punk auteur Luke Younger catches up with Musique Machine to talk recording processes and his take on the state of the avant-garde.