Noise without borders /////////////////////////////// Ruido sin fronteras ///////////////////// Larm ohne Grenzen @@@@@@@@@
国境なきノイズ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Kebisingan tanpa batas ++++++++++++++ Уровень шума без границ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Bruit sans frontieres 0000000000000000000000000000000000 Issue 3: may-july 2016
Contents Catalog • Interviewee’s Social Media • Other Contributor’s Social Media • Honorable Mentions From the Editor • Editor’s Note • Contact Info Interviews • Heaven’s Gate (US) • MC Jumanji (US) • Ghosts of Dead Tables (US) • Kinnara : Desi La/緊那羅：DESI LA (Japan) • Weston Flannel (US) • Matt Maxey (US) • Sarana (Indonesia) • Natalia Zombie (US) • Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt (Germany) Writings/Articles/etc.
• Where are they now: Dan of Earth (US/Issue #2) • Noise of BOOKWAR by Ivan Bookwar (Russia)
• Breaking up with Bryn Jones by Kweku Shabazz (US) • My first time with Kitten Play by A.R. Jyoti (US)
• How to make: Cloud Pancakes by “Toriko” (Canada) • A PHILOSOPHY OF NOISE (OR HOW TO MAKE THE AVANT-GARDE INCLUSIVE) by Christopher Durnin (US)
• “Downerpunk” excerpt by Malcolm Xanax (Guyana) Art • Untitled #1 and #2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) • Poem by Bonehole (UK)
Catalog I. Interviewee’s Social Media • Heaven’s Gate ◦ Website: http://heavensgate.com/ • MC Jumanji
◦ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JumanjiMusic ◦ Twitter: @McJumanJi ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mcjumanji • Ghosts of Dead Tables ◦ Bandcamp: https://ghostsofdeadtables.bandcamp.com/ • Kinnara : Desi La/緊那羅：DESI LA ◦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Bruha-DESI-La/172236929506014 ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/la-bruha-desi-la ◦ Twitter: @labruhadesila ◦ Label: https://labruhadesila--afrovisionary-creations.bandcamp.com/ • Weston Flannel ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/unkownmc ◦ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzEhoNC9qRA&feature=youtu.be • Matt Maxey ◦ Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mattmaxey770 ◦ Facebook: @DeafinitelyDDope • Sarana ◦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saranasound/ ◦ Bandcamp: https://saranamusic.bandcamp.com • Natalia Zombie ◦ Label: https://radioactivewastelands.blogspot.com/ ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nataliazombie • Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/berlindolls ◦ Bandcamp: https://seandrrickcoopermarquardt.bandcamp.com/ II. Other Contributor’s Social Media • Dan of Earth ◦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bibletrons ◦ Colbeck Labs: http://www.sdiy.org/colbecklabs • Ivan Bookwar ◦ Bandcamp: http://bookwar.bandcamp.com/ • Christopher Durnin ◦ Bandcamp: https://dontsayanythingtheywontseeyou.bandcamp.com/ • Tristan Eyles ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/minimalimpactnoise ◦ Label: http://minimalimpactnoise.blogspot.com.au/ ◦ Tumblr: http://jpegtothehead.tumblr.com/ • Bonehole • Bandcamp: https://bonehole.bandcamp.com/album/silent-deadly-nights ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bonehole III. Honorary Mentions • Ibrahim Khider ◦ Website: http://www.ibrahimkhider.com/ ◦ Podcast: http://feedbackmonitor.com/ • Ciaran MacAoidh ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/macthecrouton ◦ Mixcloud/Podcast: https://www.mixcloud.com/The_Crooked_Button/ • Multiracial Media ◦ Website: http://multiracialmedia.com/ ◦ Being Biracial: http://beingbiracial.com/ ◦ Twitter: @MultiracialMDA • Raminder Mulla ◦ Portfolio: http://chc08rm.dns-systems.net/ • DJ Nasai ◦ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/eats4ays • Grigory Portagorin ◦ VK: http://vk.com/yauzabeat ◦ Bandcamp: https://yauza.bandcamp.com/ • Sergey Efremov ◦ Bandcamp: http://p-mm.bandcamp.com/ • Curtis Tuckfield ◦ Bandcamp: https://curttuckfield.bandcamp.com/ • Rishad Alam ◦ Bandcamp: http://rishadalam.bandcamp.com/ Editor’s Note
This issue, like all so far was fun, yet had a few delays. I am, however very proud of this particular one because our interviewees are way more diverse than the initial all-male and mostly white subjects.
There’s also a better format, more social media links and the introduction of an art column – printers can handle color, I was pretty hesitant to add pictures at first because I heard people were trading the zine so I figured make it as less wasteful as possible for noisers.
Having said that, this magazine may be on hiatus for a bit, in a few months or so i’ll be a brick mason’s apprentice – won’t have enough time like I had in 12th grade, this is a one-man project, after all.
Anyways, Noisers/Noisettes/Noisexirs – I hope you enjoy!
Editor’s Social Media
Facebook: https://goo.gl/EtmTSY Twitter: @NWBMagazine Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kumivert LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-johnson-882987120 Email: [email protected]
Affiliates: Deafhead Records – Deafhead Records is a copyleft netlabel in Sweden dedicated to releasing noise music from all around the world, feel free to send any demos to the CEO, Eric Axner or me, the A&R.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deafheadrecords1 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/deafhead-records Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv9bCxOTaGMPe0qMX95Ia6g Email: [email protected] -Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ealaxner
Interview with Heaven’s Gate (US)
1. Tell us who you guys are.
We were in the Group for 12 years and they asked us to maintain the website, emails and the physical and intellectual property. We continue with the this task for over 19 years.
2. For those unaware, tell us about the group you're representing.
The simple understanding is that there is a real, physical level above the humans one here on earth. It is not a spiritual existence. It is real individuals, in real bodies, in real crafts taking care of the issues of their planet.
The Next Level, as it is called, created this planet and all the life on it. The Next Level are the care takers of not only this planet but all the systems of the universe. From that, all the other understandings follow.
They periodically come down to this planet to check in on this civilizations development. The last time they took a very close up observation, in human form, was from about 1972 to 1997. The time before that was 2000 years ago. At those times they talk to those interested about the opportunity of the Next Level and how a very select few can enter into it only after a long period of transition and instruction.
3. Now, right into it, what do you think happened to the 39 members that left us in 1997?
They went into the Next Level.
4. What did Do [could I call him Do?] instruct the remaining members to do?
There were a few left behind. Us two here in Arizona were asked to take of the task we described. Others took care of other things from different parts of the country and their tasks were completed back in 1997 and 1998.
All of us knew we would have to wait for another opportunity to enter the Next Level.
5. Are people you know aware of your involvement in the group? What do they think about that, is there a stigma?
Some do, some don’t. The degree of acceptance or problems with it vary, but are limited.
6. What do you guys do for a living outside of taking care of the website and promulgating the teachings of Do?
We work regular jobs, just like everyone else has to do.
7. What is an average day for a member? There hasn’t been any members since 1997. When the Group was active each member would work a normal job to earn some income and perform regular chores around the house to keep everything in good shape.
The difference is that all the tasks were performed in a Next Level approach and manner.
8. Are any current events (ISIS, the wars in Donbass, etc) symbolic of anything in your teachings?
No, they are just the activities of man. The evolution of a civilization takes a very long time.
9. Being a Christian inspired group, to the best of my research-what is your stance on Afrocentric Abrahamic groups like the Nation of Islam, Black Hebrew Israelites, 5 Percent Nation, etc?
All religions are just stepping stones.
10. Years ago, Electronic artist Flying Lotus released a mixtape called Duality under the Alias "Captain Murphy"-he heavily sampled the "Exit tapes" in quite a few tracks, did you know about this?
No. He should have asked for the licensing rights to do something like that, since it infringes of copyrights and trademarks.
11. For fun this time, could you give these tracks (non-Captain Murphy, ofc) a quick listen and tell me what you think? What music do you guys like?*
No. Thank you.
*Editors Note: The songs in question were: Motorola by Lil Uzi Vert, Young Hate by Hanatarash, Dharam Hinduja by Muslimgauze, Passing Complexion by Big Black and Bass Rattle Stars out the Sky by Death Grips. Interview by MC Jumanji (US)
1. Introduce yourself for the magazine.
Yoooo what up! It's your boy Jumanji. MC, hypeman, lyricist, freestyler, wordlover, homeboy. Representing for Miami and the 305. Hold tight the American Grime movement.
2. How did you get into Grime in the first place?
I was a drum and bass mc. I met up with Juan Basshead who was pushing dubstep at the time and he wanted me to try to flow over 140bpm. To practice, he told me to check out grime like Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. I started the American Grime podcast and started getting tons of submissions of artists I had never heard before. That was a blessing. Got to hear songs from Sctoland all the way to Australia. Was sick.
3. What made you choose the name MC Jumanji?
When I was in school I'd used to wanna cuss in class but couldn't, so I thought of the most random word I could think of and used it as a placeholder. "Jumanji your mom" and "Jumanji on your face" were always just random insults I'd throw out. So the nickname stuck. I always tell people it's cuz I'm wild.
4. In your opinion, what would be the biggest obstacle in making Grime popular in the States?
The main issue is that people in America don't wanna try something new. Our radio stations, our night clubs, they're all geared towards what's already been done. They figure why change and take a risk on their money. So it's not just a battle of perception of the genre, but a battle to compete with what's already established. But that's the beauty of music. There's always an underdog fighting to be heard. Something under the radar, ready to blow.
5. What would be a good list of first listens for people starting to get into the genre?
I think a few artists in the UK have done a great job of making grime that Americans can relate to. Obviously Stormzy and Skepta. These guys have really made the effort to crossover to America and they're songs are infused with great one liners and cheeky lyrics. I think they should introduce themselves to some of the classic artists.. Wiley, Tinchy, Crazy T and Kano. Hear the OG tunes that made grime so good.
6. What's your reception like the UK? I remember one of your songs went, "They say we Americans just don't sound hype/right"
It's a mixed bag of responses. Some think it's sick that grime is going global and inspiring other artists to jump into a genre that was solely UK based. Others turn ultra nationalistic and want grime to stay UK and don't rate me specifically on my accent. I think that's shit. I rate many UK artists and don't care about their accent. From Fekky to Shakka. I think it'll just take time for people to get used to something new. Until then, I'll just keep making bangers. 7. What do you think about alternative rap like Death Grips and B L A C K I E? Fun fact, B L A C K I E initially called his genre "US Grime" and even rapped to Rhythm and Gash: http://y2u.be/eJQoRm5nHcE
B L A C K I E kind of reminds me of the punk scene more than anything. I'm not throwing shade in any means, but a lot of his performances are very high energy and chaotic. I think he feeds off of that. So does the crowd. But grime is more nuanced. Lyricism, word play, alliteration, and timing are everything to grime. More power to these guys for being great performers and I welcome them to jump into the mix and add their styles.
8. What gear do you use if any?
Man, I've used all types of set ups. Whether it be a stage mic, plugged into an XLR to USB converter, plugged into my laptop... or going into studio and using high end Seinhauser or EV mics, in the end, I just wanna make tunes. The engineers and studios can figure out how to make me sound the best, but me, I just want to make the music.
9. If you weren't doing music, where would you be right now?
If I wasn't making music I'd hate life. Stuck in some 9-5 with no prospect of getting out of the cubicle life. I'm an artist. I have the need to create and expand my consciousness. You can't do tht behind a desk 8-10 hours a day. They are robbing your creativity. So without music, I'd be a very sad person living a very sad existence.
10. Are there any shout outs, plugs, thank yous and/or anything you'd wanna address before we finish this?
Wanna shout out Juan Bashead and Basshead Music. My management team, Serg and Seppi. Shout out to Dub Factory in Orlando -- Ari & Tim. These guys put a lot of work in on my behalf. SHout out to United D&B, Stank Love, Somejerk and all of the Miami crews doing it big. One time to Chefal, Hatcha and Bluesy, my LDN bredren. Lewi B and Rapture for sure. Shout to Twisty and Omnibud up in Baltimore. Dev79 in Philly. 6Blocc in LA. ALl the other Grime MCs stateside: Argyle Bixby, Quick Tempa, 3i Joe, Hoodzpah, Werd2Jah, King Kandji, NK REZz and Bookz. Shout out the #americangrime team. Benzmixer and Lory Kong. My mother, my girl and my daughter! My team! All these people hold me down and show real love so I got nothing but respect and love for them back. Annnnnnnnnd be sure to catch my new video "F*ck All That" on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_hRXv6VLlo Interview with Ghosts of Dead Tables (US)
1. Tell us who you are:
"Hi! I'm Laura of Ghosts Of Dead Tables."
2. You're heavily influenced by powerviolence and grindcore it seems, how'd you get into those genres?
"Well, I wouldn't say that I am in any way influenced by the "Power-Violence" scene at all. Even though I am a fan of bands such as Spazz, Lack Of Interest, etc, I'm not influenced by that scene. A lot of people these days confuse that scene with Grindcore. It's just a result of people always feeling the need to put everything into "sub-sub genres". I've always seen that as a really dumb thing to do. Sure, you couldn't put bands like Anthrax or Napalm Death under the same banner because it would make no sense. But, a lot of people come up with these really fucking stupid labels for bands that really aren't that different at all. But, going back to your actual question, early Grindcore (along with early Death Metal) are where my roots are as a musician. Even though I had been into music since 1986, It was at the end of 1990 and the entirety of 1991 when I became acquainted with styles like Grindcore and Death Metal. Hearing bands like Napalm Death, Carcass and Terrorizer were the spark for myself becoming a musician.
I saw getting into styles like Death Metal and Grindcore as the logical progression from where I started from, really. It was very common (especially in the 80's and 90's) for people to start out with very mainstream styles such as Glam Rock or a little later, stuff like Alternative Rock, (which contributed to bringing much better bands to the more commercial ranks than Glam). Just to get this out of the way: I fucking HATE Glam Rock with a fucking passion. Even though that style of rock was my introduction into the world of music. I only got into that by default. Had I known about styles such as Speed/Thrash Metal or even Hardcore/Punk, I would have completely avoided that scene. But, when you are a grade school kid in the late 1980's and you are stuck in the middle of nowhere of the American Mid-West, you are pretty much fucked. So, once I got into Glam, I would search for bands that were heavier. Eventually, I got into stuff like AC/DC, Anthrax, Helloween, Living Colour and Faith No More. Sure, some of it was still fairly commercial. But, it was far better music than what I had originally started out with.
The video that I linked to you where I was the vocalist in Chump Change, that was an improv jam that I did with Buddy and Evan from the Ohio Grindcore band, Drogheda. I had attempted to do this stuff with a few other configurations. But, it wasn't successful since some of the other people didn't really know what I was going for, or lacked the musical ability to pull it off. That show was the first time that I was able to get something together that was satisfactory. That's not to take anything away from the others, though. The other attempts, even though they fell short of the goal, were still a lot of fun in their own right."
3. Back on the genre questions, how did you get into noise?
"Even though I wasn't aware of Noise, Experimental, etc until the early to mid 90's, I had an affinity for weird noises since I was the age of five. One of my uncles played guitar in a Blues/Rock band. There were times when I would watch him play and he would incorporate feedback into his playing since he was a big fan of Jimi Hendrix. I always thought that the feedback bits were much more interesting than the actual music was. I would request that he do more of the feedback bits. He would just laugh and shake his head in disbelief. I remember when I received a portable tape recorder for my 8th birthday. I would make tapes of different sounds in a very primitive attempt at collage recording. It was really nothing more than hearing a cool sound and recording that, hearing another cool sound and recording it, etc, etc. It was more about seeing what it sounded like with the sounds of, say, birds chirping followed by the sound of a particularly noisy car or truck engine, etc. I had tons of tapes like that. But, the tapes themselves were very poor quality since they weren't name brands like Sony or TDK. So, they wouldn't last or the ones that did survive would eventually meet their end due to being eaten once the tape recorder began to wear out.
By the time I was 18, I moved up to recording with a cheap Shure microphone that I plugged into the Auxiliary jack on my home stereo. By this time, I had become familiar with the Noise scene via Relapse Records. I had been into Death Metal and Grindcore for around 5 years by that point. I had also been playing guitar for about 3 years. But, I would mess around with feedback a lot because the second guitar that I had received had a variety of coil tap switches on it. So, it was quite useful for Noise. It was pretty fucking useless as an actual guitar, though. It was very poorly made and didn't play well at all.
I would record lots of stuff and drive my parents insane. They didn't know what to think about the Noise stuff at all. It was a common occurrence for my parents to come home from work and I would be blaring Noise from my bedroom. I always took the precaution of wearing earplugs since it was so insanely loud. I would do some guitar based noise here and there. But, that became boring very quickly since I lacked any effects to process it. Eventually, I purchased a DOD Death Metal distortion box and a very cheap microphone that had a 1/4" cable attached to it. Even though this was still very basic. I found it to be much more satisfying to play. In the end, I bought three or four of these cheap microphones because I would always break them, eventually. There were times where I would tape them to things like the insides of large cans and I would throw them around the room. So, that would cause them to break. Other times, I would be swinging them over my head as I adjusted the knobs on the distortion pedal. There were a few times where I would get out of control and accidentally smack myself in the face with the microphone. That wasn't so fun. But, oh well. It was just stuff that happened. It was pretty amusing looking back on it, though, when I had to explain this to my parents.
I would also create feedback loops using my distortion pedal and the Crate G40XL guitar amplifier that I had. I would get the most insane sounds out of this set-up. It was quite nice. The one downside to ths, though, (one that I hadn't forseen), was that I was slowing destroying the amplifier. But, it DID last, up until the point of when I sold it off in early 1998. I remember when I ran into the guy that I sold it to at a local music store later in the summer months. He was NOT happy to see me. But, hey, that's the way shit goes. There was another time where I used that same pedal for creating feedback loops with my home stereo. THAT was a VERY bad idea. The day after I did this, I was listening to a tape by the English Death Metal band, Benediction. I had my back to the stereo as I was inspecting my cassette tape shelf. Once I had selected another tape to play, I turned around and saw a THICK cloud of white smoke pouring out the receiver. I quickly shut everything down and unhooked the tape deck and speakers from the receiver. I noticed that the receiver was boiling hot. So, I let it cool down. Later, when I took the casing off, the electronics were scorched black. So, that was the end of that receiver. I went three or four months without a stereo. So, that really sucked. I got a new reciever that Christmas. Since it was brand new, it had no jacks to attempt any feedback loops. Not that I would have anyway. I learned my lesson after that shit. In November of 1997, I purchased my first four track recorder, along with a drum machine. I would bounce back and forth between doing Death Metal/Grindcore stuff and Experimental/Noise stuff. That was a lot of fun. But, my skills were very primitive when it came to operating this equipment. So, the recordings were pretty poor most of the time. But, I was enjoying myself. So, I didn't really worry about it. As time went on, I got better at it. But, I was still fairly inconsistent because I moved out the following year and I was getting drunk and smoking a lot of marijuana in those days. So, it was pretty chaotic. This phase of the recording experience lasted until November of 2002. I stopped at that point because I made a very poor choice in "upgrading" from a six channel Peavey outboard mixer to a twelve channel Behringer outboard mixer. This mixer was a fucking piece of garbage. Sure, if I were using it for Noise stuff, it would have been fine. But, as far as using it as an outboard mixer was concerned, it was a fucking disaster. So, that pretty much killed my enthusiasm at that point in time. I sold off all of my recording equipment and didn't get back into it until late last year. But, I only use this particular recording gear for recording Death Metal/Grindcore stuff that is solely for my own listening pleasure."
4. Could you tell us more about your projects, Anthromorphic Lesbianism and Ghosts of Dead Tables?
"Anthropomorphic Lesbianism is one of my many side projects where an idea pops up, I run with it for a short time and then it basically stops. I've played one show with that project at the 2014 Indiana Noisefest that I put on in my hometown. I've also recorded a few tracks with it. Some were published on the Bandcamp page for my "net label" called High School Radio Subversion Network. Some of the others were released as a split with The Smudge. He's a dude from Wisconsin. The name for this page originated from a series of conversations that I had with this chick that I met in a chat room. She was into Noise and other stuff. She had helped out at her school's radio station when she was younger. She took over the Heavy Metal program and would play stuff like Merzbow and Brighter Death Now to irritate the listeners. I thought that it was absolutely hilarious. So, during one of our conversations, I mentioned what a subversive idea that was. The name was born from that point on. There's many different little side projects on that page. Anything from Spoken Word stuff (influenced by stuff like John S Hall's work with Kramer, along with Wesley Willis), Ambient, weird shades of Psychedelic stuff, etc.
Ghosts Of Dead Tables is my main project. That's been going since May the 2nd of 2011. The name for this project originated from a night of extreme Marijuana use and talking to people in chatrooms. On this night, there were many conversations going on. I was just relaxing, smoking and reading. In my stoned state of mind, I saw the words "ghosts", "dead", "tables" randomly on the screen within all of these conversations. I decided to name the project Ghosts Of Dead Tables and that's what I have ran with as far as my main project is concerned. The other page came to be on the 11th of November of that same year.
I like to mix up stuff when it comes to Ghosts Of Dead Tables. It makes it more fun and maintains my interest that way. I've used dynamic mics, contact mics, effects pedals, radios, samples, guitar, and homemade sound generators as sound sources. Lately, I've been recording guitar noise with one of my little side projects called Kathy's Special Brownies. I've also been recording stuff with some set ups that I will be using for a show coming up in early July. This will be the fifth live performance that I have done with Ghosts Of Dead Tables. They are so sparse since there is nowhere to do anything in my hometown. The two shows that I did put on were very expensive to organize since I had to rent a building and pay all of the bands. But, it was worth it, since I accomplished what I set out to do. Having said that, any Noise shows that I put on from here on out will be on a much smaller scale. I would like to do a couple shows a year if at all possible." 5. I also see a furry overtone too, are there other furries who make noise? I usually associate EDM with the subculture.
"Well, I don't really consider myself a part of the "furry" fandom at large. Okay...when I was a child I was a fan of a cartoon program called the Get Along Gang. Obviously, I was a fan of other cartoons. But, this one was special to me. At that age, I was absolutely fanatical about it. From 1984 to 1989, that was the highlight of my Saturday mornings. But, once it wasn't shown in my area anymore, that was the end of that. Time went on and music became a much larger focus. Fast forward to April 13th of 2013. I rediscovered the Get Along Gang due to someone posting a Youtube video of the opening to the program. It was quite funny because even though I hadn't given this show a single thought since 1990, the memories came flooding back instantly. From there it led to buying DVD's of the program, buying dolls, figurines and books based on the characters. I even got a company to make up shirts with a couple of the characters on them. My living room is full of this stuff. About a month after getting back into this stuff, a fellow Noise artist suggested writing some fan-fiction based on these characters. I thought that it was a brilliant idea and I've been doing that ever since. I write purely for my own enjoyment, though. I only shared one story on a forum and there has been a few people that I have sent stories too. Most people find the stories to be too long. Fuck them and their lack of an attention span.
But, as far as that "furry" label goes. I honestly don't give a fuck about all of that shit. I'm just doing something that I like and that's all there is to it. Sure, I do keep up on a handful of artists whose work I enjoy. But, it's all just entertainment at the end of the day. I don't treat it as a fucking lifestyle or anything like that. Having said that, I wouldn't judge anyone that did. To each their own. As far as the EDM scene goes, I am not involved with that at all. So, I can't comment on that one.
But, as far as the fanfic writing is concerned: my love for music, noise, etc has been a pretty big part of that. A few of the main characters are fans of that type of music. The idea for including things from my own life came from the influence of Larry David. He was one of the creators of the television sitcom, 'Seinfeld', along with the show, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', (of which, he was the sole creator). He would use a lot of his own experiences in writing scripts for both of these programs. So, I used that idea as well in the course of my writings. So, I have included many original characters in these stories. (Rather than following the same model as most fanfic writers)"
6. You seem to have a good set up, what gear do you use?
Thanks! Well, I described the sound sources in that other question. As far as recording gear goes, all I use is just a tiny Sony voice recorder. I had considered buying a small digital multitrack recorder years ago. But, I remember some of the people I knew back in the day using those and they had problems with the machines crashing, data losses and all of that shit. So, I decided to approach it from a much more basic manner. I do have a small Peavey mixer, (back to that again), for running multiple sound sources. But, it's been a really long time since I used it. It will happen again eventually, I'm sure."
7. How long have you been doing noise?
"1995-2002, 2009 to the present day. That's in any serious manner, of course. I don't count the stuff from my childhood."
8. Before I actually got into the noise scene myself I thought it'd be all male and less diverse, did you have any misconceptions starting out? "No. Not at all. When I was just into stuff like Death Metal and other associated styles, I knew of plenty of bands that had female members. Bands like Nuclear Death, 13, Mythic, Demonic Christ, just to name a few of the better ones. Plus, the Hardcore/Punk scenes had a fair amount of women involved. So, I knew that there had to be some women in the Noise scene as well. The first one that I came across was Mayuko Hino from C.C.C.C.. There are others as well. But, she was the only one that was an influence in any way. That C.C.C.C. material was fucking amazing! I've seen others here and there from Youtube videos and whatnot. I also have to mention Delia Derbyshire. Even though the stuff that she did wasn't Harsh Noise, it was still totally awesome stuff. (Especially for that time period)"
9. Where would you be without music?
"Dead. Music was the thing that got me through my early years. I was pretty fucking miserable most of the time. No need to go into detail about that. Just your basic hell that most outcasts go through. (Without sounding too dramatic)"
10. Are there any shout-outs, plugs, thank yous and/or anything you'd wanna address before we finish this?
"Well, first of all, thanks a lot for the interview. Shout-outs, eh? Steve from Griaule & Amishrobots, Billy from Galactic Intolerance Records/The Smudge, Pat from Hellwitch, Rob from the Undressing Underground podcast and last, but not least, Portia Porcupine!!" Interview with Kinnara : Desi La/ 緊那羅：DESI LA (Japan)
1. Tell us who you are, my man!
I am Kinnara : Desi La (Desi La for short) : a musician, graphic designer, photographer, artist, event and label organizer.
2. When I first heard about you years ago, I was pretty excited to see a brother make noise. How'd you get into noise? How'd you get your stage name too?
I started listening to music in elementary school but in junior high I listened solely to heavy metal. my parents religious people took away my extensive collection and I was forced to listen to new music. obviously I still had a taste for loud music but I found over things here and there, often experimental in nature. By high school I was into avant guarde music and that is technically noise though not often called so. as for this generation of noise music, I saw Merzbow play on MTV introduced by Sonic Youth. I decided to find his cd. Though I played guitar and other instruments, I developed a taste for experimental methods via tape recorder, etc. Just using effects was ideal but I didn`t know how to make feedback so I didn`t do noise the “traditional” way. I went to see Ikue Mori at a famous experimental club in NYC and saw that she was using small drum machines for her music, not pedals. So that was the impetus to try to find a new way to perform electronically. The meaning of my name is secret.
3. Again, I learned about you through your critique of Cut Hands, did you get a reaction from William Bennet?
No, I directly did not. The wire printed my diatribe and the next issue there was some fool who wanted to argue that my point of view of wrong. The fact that the WIRE went out of their way to have a white person counteract my point of view instead of looking at themselves and how they contributed to this biased climate told me that they weren`t interested in my voice or that of other vocal black people. However my comments did exploded and get noticed as to this day I get contacts from people who read my small argument. I also believe that the WIRE has possibly black listed me because I (if I do recall) said that they were diminishing coverage on purpose of black experimental artists not jazz related. Despite the extensive work I have done, neither myself or any of the DARK MATTER contributors have ever been included in their magazine. Everyone now talks about being unapologetically black but then I felt even for small matters a need to be unapologetic for reclaiming our words was important.
4. Dark Matter Records, could you tell us more about that?
Afrovisionary was created to fill the void for the lack of dialogue about black diaspora experimental thought in relation to all arts. This covers of course music, and art but also black architecture, a subject rarely discussed openly. At that time, the phrase Afrofuturism was being thrown about and I also adopted it for myself before it became a fashion statement.
5. Expanding on the last question, how did you find the artists?
Black experimental was starting to resurge with shabazz palaces and death grips so I went looking for other experimental artists. Slowly I started to find them via facebook and online experimental music pages. DARK MATTER was established as a netbased label releasing free music from various black diaspora artists internationally. I started it with the compilation MUTANTEXTURES and then followed that up later with MUTANTEXTURES 2. In between there have been about 6 individual releases.
6. Correct me if i'm wrong but you're currently based in Japan, yes? If so, how did you establish yourself as an artist there?
I am based in Tokyo, Japan and have been for over 16 years. As an artist, there has been three incarnations of myself. The first was La Bruha La Negra, which was me solo on Chango (Korean drum) and vocals along with noise effects. After struggling with this for a couple of years it became too taxing physically so I moved toward creating more via computer naturally. Also the palette of sounds is wider electronically than otherwise. La Bruha Desi La was born but didn`t evolve a proper live set until approxiately a year after recording. Though performing the same way, I shortened my name to Kinnara : Desi La a year ago. As for how did I establish myself, simply I sent my demo to clubs and paid fees to perform initially. This is common in Japan if you are not invited to play. Afterwards making friends little by little, I created BEAUTIFUL MACHINE and performed there.
7. Overall, how is your reception in the Japanese noise scene and the noise scene as a whole?
My reception has been horrible thus far. This goes not just for Japan but for all over the world. People have been attracted to my music I guess but I am rarely invited to perform so I took it upon myself to create my own event, BEAUTIFUL MACHINE which mixes dance music from local DJ`s along with noise musicians. With this event which has been organized roughly 9 times, it has been easier to play my music but only by a little. I will say that I have performed more this year than at any time in my life in Japan so I will continue to push on with my eye on international performances. Factors contributing to not being able to play revolve around simply not always having the right friends or circumstances.
8. What setup/gear do you use?
I never talk about my gear. It is simple but very direct is all I will say.
9. If you weren't making music, where would you be now?
I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. There is no alternative.
10.Are there any shout outs, plugs, thank yous and/or anything you'd wanna address before we finish this?
Afrovisionary, the website that I operated representing black experimental thought in all of the arts is now defunct. However the netlabel, DARK MATTER is resurging again this summer after over a year`s abscence. DARK MATTER already has 4 releases ready to go and more for the remainder of the year. I, myself will be performing for the first time in the Kansai area (known for the boredoms) of Japan later this month and focusing on touring internationally next year. Looking for festivals in Europe interested in my work. Interview with Weston Flannel (US)
1. Introduce yourself to the zine, my man.
I’m me, I have a lot of aliases, my stage name is Weston Flannel, because flannel is my favorite shit to wear.
2. Fair enough. What type of music do you make under Weston Flannel?
Mostly rap, some experimental shit.
3. Tell us more about that experimental shit, akh.
The experimental shit comes when i’m bored or high as hell, most of it isn’t uploaded yet.
4. If you could, what genre/s could you confine your experimental music to?
Maybe rap, that’s kind of my forte since I was surrounded by (good) rap since I was a kid, mainly old school.
5. What is good rap to you/your influences?
The rap i heard as a kid was shit like Tribe Called Quest, EMPD, Redman, Wu Tang, and Black Moon. My influences and the shit you can catch me listening to is shit like Yung Lean, Bones, Xavier Wulf, OFWGKTA, and some Vaporwave, And if i wanna get hype then Death Grips.
6. How huge of an influence are they to you? Which group/s inspired you the most?
I'd say the biggest influence on me is Odd Future, like their sound is weird but I love it.
7. What's your stance on mainstream "weird trap" -- like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Ugly God, etc?
I don't really pay attention to shit like that, but it cant be so bad that I absolutely despise it.
8. Well what type of music do you despise, if any?
I make fun of a lot of trap rappers like Young Thug and Fetty Wap, but I can’t think off of the top of my head any music that I despise.
9. Cool, cool. What's your recording set up like?
It’s basically my turtle beach headset because I can’t afford a real mic. I use audacity and make beats using LMMS or Fruity Loops.
10. Finishing off, are they any plugs, shout outs, plugs and/or anything that wasn't addressed that you'd like to address?
Maybe to my n-word DJ Nasai, you can find his shit at https://soundcloud.com/eats4ays Interview with Matt Maxey (US)
1. Tell us who you are.
My name is Matt Maxey, and I'm just an ordinary person trying to do extraordinary things trying to make a difference. As you can see, I'm terrible with talking about myself haha
2. What got you into rapping in ASL?
I first started translating rap into ASL as a way to enhance my sign language. I couldn't truly conversate with deaf peers once I attended Gallaudet University, and music was always my outlet for getting better at signing faster. Once I realized people were learning as well from my videos plus feeling inspired and motivated, I couldn't stop!
3. Were you born deaf or did your hearing loss happen gradually?
I was born with a severely profound hearing loss, and had hearing aids since I was 2 years old. I've always been in the hearing environment with speech therapy, mainstream schooling, and no knowledge of sign language until high school.
4. How do you prep for videos? How much time do you spend on them?
I usually prep for my videos just by making a mental list of tracks that jam to me, usually it's always spur of the moment in making a video clip, then I'll look and review it and if it's #deafinitelydope to me, I brush up on the signing, make sure I know all the lyrics, redo them and then let them go to the public. I've done videos that has taken me only a hour and others that take me many months before I finally feel comfortable. It's all about the patience and making sure the signing can be understood.
5. What gear/setup do you have, if any?
No gear, setup, nothing, it's just an Iphone and some tunes to jam to!
6. How do people react when they find you rap in ASL?
"Oh That's Cool." I don't even bother most of the time, it's not my style to go up to people and say "You have to watch my new youtube video!". I find it more fulfilling knowing that people go out of their way to find the videos, rather than me cramming it down their throats with relentless advertising. That just pushes people away when it comes to artistic creativity, and my message is trying to bring people together, so I just have to let my fans spread the word for me in a sense.
7. What's your reception like in the Deaf community?
It varies, but it's crazy because it allows me to see the diversity issues that run through the deaf community. There are the "faces" of the deaf community that the world sees based on TV and social media, yet when I become compared with those faces by a deaf peer, they would rather see me succeed than them because they actually know me. I've never turned down conversations no matter how clueless or intelligent one may be, just so that I can leave a positive lasting impact on their encounter with me. I've yet to appeal to the deaf elite due to the content of my work and the fact that I don't come from generations of deaf families or made a storybook history in attending a deaf school. I'm completely under the radar and for the underdogs that have cochlear implants, hearing aids, and learned sign language later in life, I become their biggest inspiration in being okay in breaking away from the traditional deaf mold.
8. Seeing as you're a very unique artist, what do you want to know about you?
I want people to know that these sign language interpretations are unique, and although I know I am not the best nor the most creative, I ultimately wanted to create an outlet for people hearing and deaf to want to learn sign language and expand their horizons. America is too used to being confined in a circle, I'm jumping ship going for the sky and trying to get people to realize it's a more fulfilling destination. Don't let the video content fool you, take the time to talk to me and you'd be surprised.
9. Ultimately, if you weren't rapping, where would you be now?
That just reminded me of Pimp C, "If I wasn't rapping baby, I'd still be driving Mercedes" hah. Truthfully though, I always wanted to be a teacher or a psychologist. As you can see, no matter what I choose, my satisfaction in life comes from actively making a difference.
10. Are there any shout outs, plugs, thank yous and/or anything you'd wanna address before we finish this?
Thanks to the man above and the people that helped me on this journey. #DeafinitelyDope Interview with Sarana (Indonesia)
1. Introduce yourselves for the readers.
Hello! We are SARANA! We are consist of Annisa, Istanara and Sabrina.
2. How did you guys form Sarana?
SARANA is a female dark ambient noise group from Samarinda, Indonesia. We're trying to explore the sound with a simple gear. SARANA is the short for our nicknames.
3. When I started out with noise, I never thought it'd be this diverse-what is the noise scene in Indonesia like?
Indonesia Noise scene has a lot of variety in every region. One of the city who have lots of Experimental/Noise acts is Yogyakarta. Every year, they held a festival called Jogja Noise Bombing Festival. In 2015, We're joined that festival and have collaborated with Palasick and Menstrual Synthdrone (They're both from Yogyakarta). Even we're live in different city/island, but, we're know each other through social media and this is really help us to know that there are so many noise acts here.
4. Your tags on the fantastic 'Heal EP' include Dub and neo-Psychedelia, I really hear Dub influence on the 2nd and 5th tracks; what are your inspirations?
Binatang (Heal's 2nd tracks) is our first recorded track. We're created the spokenword about an extensialism, then we added some equipment. In Kuebiko (Heal's 5th tracks), we're tr
5. How do people react to your music or, how do they react when they find out you all make noise?
Mostly people think that we are making disturbing sound. but to people who understand or create noise like we do, they can totally related and surprise to find out that there's a group of three young female who capable of making noise.
6. What gear/equipment did you guys use for your EP?
We are usually use kaosilator, chord monotron, delay, reverb, and contact collar. Sometimes we're experiment or recorded things that produce sound such as bell, can, boat machine etc.
7. Is there a message or statement in your music?
Yes, there is. Most of them are about feelings. We know it sound cheesy, but that's how it is.
8. Are there bands, musicians, groups you guys would want to collab with?
Xiu Xiu, Thurston Moore, Carol Cleveland Sings, John Maus, Prurient, Timeghost, Pripoy and Lustmord
9. Ultimately, where would you guys be if you weren't doing music? Annisa: I will trying to writing more and escaping to somewhere nice. Istanara: I will continue sketching and i think about getting more cats. Sabrina : i will continue my life.
10. Finishing off, are there any shout outs, thank yous, final words, things you want to address that weren't addressed?
A bazillion thank you to people that always been there to SARANA (Happy Latemonthster, Astrojo, Theo Nugraha, Indra Menus, Jeritan, Saratdusta) and those who appreciate our work. Interview with Natalia Zombie (US)
1. Why Did You Start Radioactive Wastelands net label?
I wanted to make a netlabel devoted mainly to extreme/experimental and ‘post-industrial music’ in all it’s forms. I also think netlabels are extremely vital for new or unknown musicians/producers as they give them exposure and motivation to keep making music! I needed a netlabel to release the bulk of my fucked up music because I know not many netlabels out there would because they are already picky/overloaded with submissions or simply do not exist anymore because of streaming music services. I wanted to take advantage of Bandcamp's free muisc hosting and simple layout because hey do not have as strict requirements when it comes to mastering, copyright laws etc. as the big streaming services. So it is the perfect website to find raw underground, weird and beginner music. Plus, I was hoping to score free music ; )
2. How long have you been producing music and how does your environment influence your music?
I learned cello from 4th grade- 8th grade and picked it up again when I was 18-20. But I hated how the cello was used mainly for harmony in orchestras and I didn't learn how to improvise with it. I have always been a fan of extreme music and I wanted to make more extreme and improvisational forms of music so bought some software when I was about 23. A year or two before I was first exposed to rhythmic/power noise by artists like Synapscape and Viral Lode and I loved it so much I just had to try to produce some. I had also developed a psychotic disorder in my early 20’s right around the time I got out of the military and started producing and so it is like therapy for me. Growing up I visited junk yards with my father and I was fascinated by the decay and sounds of industrial junk. I became a fan of Nine Inch Nails when I was 8 and the preference for industrial music has not left me since. I did some urban exploration, which contributed to my appreciation for industrial photography and sounds. While I was becoming sick I had an industrial job operation a machine in a printing and mailing shop and I was constantly exposed to noise.
3. What software/hardware do you use?
I use Orion Platinum as my DAW. It is outdated from 2006 and no longer released due to low interest but I have to say that it is the easiest DAW to learn on. I am trying to learn other DAWs now; mainly MuLab because it has such a simple layout; but I still think I will never find another simple DAW like Orion Platinum that can churn out music as fast as it. I also use Izotope Trash; an amp simulator that is absolutely essential for making noise and my favorite VST is RadioActive Atomic Effects synth by Robert Todd. I also like the MellowSound by Batsounds VST. It makes creepy choir, strings and brass sounds. It was one of the first VSTs I used on Post Apocalyptic Zombie- Radioactive Zombie Wastelands and Autumn Apocalypse albums. I don’t think it is available for download anymore. I just bought Heavyocity Damage but I’m not even sure if it will work on my old Dell laptop. It is a ‘cinematic percussion’ sampler with junkyard samples! If it doesn’t work I will have to buy another laptop and try to learn how to use it with Mulab or Reaper.
4. What is your typical routine for producing?
I get up and watch 30 minutes-2 hours of news because the news influences me and gives me song title ideas. I have 2 strong cups of coffee to motivate me and I get to work for about 4 hours on and 4 hours off. I usually insert a drum sampler using industrial samples first and stick in a crunchy synth line then add more layers of percussion and give them alternate patterns.
5. Most people don’t like noise, why does it appeal to you?
I love how noise can be both complex and simple at the same time; kind of like how light can be both a particle and wave at the same time. I like the sound of industrial noise because it sounds ‘tough’ and ‘futuristic’. It motivates me to move too.
6. Who and/or what are your exact influences?
I am influenced by rhythmic noise/industrial artists like Synapscape, Converter, Nine Inch Nails, Viral Lode. I like to make music with apocalyptic/dystopic themes. I am not a negative person but I do think the world is in the beginning of the 6th great mass extinction and I just like channeling all the fear in the world into music. I am also influenced by tribal music from all cultures all the way up to tribal house. I think of it as they first sort of music.
7. When most people think of noise musicians it's usually a misanthrophic white guy, however in my experience I found the opposite -- warm, down to earth people of all colors and genders. Did you have any misconceptions like this as well?
No, but I do notice that people in general think heavy metal and other extreme music like noise are 'all just a bunch of noise'; meaning that it has no value whatsoever and they think that people who are into that kind of music are really angry all the time. Wrong.
8. You've mentioned noise as being a type of therapy for you, and I get that comment a lot from musicians, do you think noise music can be accessible enough for mainstream psychiatric use in the near future?
Yes, music is already used in some federal prisons where good standing prisoners are allowed access to fully equipped music studios to jam. I personally have a high level of dopamine in my brain; which means I need some kind of creative outlet to channel that towards.
9. Again with noise, there is a lot of DIY, pro bono, copyleft, &c ethos. What is your stance on piracy? Both just downloading for free without permission to sell and to just enjoy?
Obviously pirating is not as important as internet privacy; otherwise the ISPs would enforce laws a lot harsher. They would lose a good number of customers if they did that. I think it is unrealistic to think that any music made in the digital age will not be pirated. Living just off of music is a luxury in today's world. I offer all my music under a Creative Commons license for anyone to enjoy. I used to own a ton of CDs but since the advent of streaming that collection has dwindled. To make up for that I have a large Bandcamp digital collection because I like throwing tips to people if I like their music because that motivates them to make more. But again, it is unrealistic to believe that a music fan should financially support every piece of music they like.
10. Wrapping this up, do you have any shout outs, plugs, thank yous, or just anything that wasn't addressed here? No. Interview with Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt (Germany)
1. Introduce yourself to the magazine, my man.
I am Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt, American expat musician in Germany, accidental guitarist and avant-gardist.
2. How did you get into your type of music?
Well I was always into Electronic and Metal stuff, I wanted to mix the two so I started making ambient and drone with my guitar, accidental guitar music. I also release work under other aliases.
3. What are your other aliases?
My actual name, for starters. MoreBlackThanGod, DroneMessiah, and the S&M Trio are a few.
4. Overall, how much have you released?
Roughly 500 solo works, compilations, splits, albums, Eps and etc. for various labels.
5. Back to the second question, how long have you been making music?
Ever since I was six, I actually just wrote music instead of playing, but that’s how it started. When I was a teenager I got into House Music and started Djing, my interest in other genres happened in Europe.
6. What made you move to Germany?
Well I was in the military, Special Forces as a Paratrooper, 101 Airborne division, same as Jimi Hendrix. Got stationed in Berlin, liked it and stayed when I was honorably discharged.
7. Berlin is a huge hub for electic music, are there any notable artists you’ve known and worked with?
MC Carl Crack of Atari Teenage Riot, Elizabeth Veldon and Balkar Wacholz..
8. What gear do you use?
I experiment with a lot of different instruments and software, if the sounds I make are good, the gear is irrelevant.
9. Where would you be if you weren’t doing music.
Probably another form of art, maybe still in the military or maybe still in Chicago, murder city. Beats me, man, i’ve been an innovator for a long time, can’t imagine anything else.
10. Are there any plugs, shout outs, thank yous, anything you’d like to address before we finish this?
I wanna thank everyone who’s ever supported me, my lovely family and all the Black brothers and sisters making noise music out there. And thank you for the interview too! Where are they now: Dan of Earth (US/Issue #2)
Bibletrons--I still have a couple of long-term projects I've been working on, including a 16- stage audio sequencer. Newest Bibletron designs I've been working on have been the "One Trick Pony" (an all-in-one Harsh Noise Wall device), and an unnamed one which is a stripped down functional equivalent of a Death Metal Pedal. I'm hoping to get all the bugs worked out soon and have a stack of these to offer for sale by this Fall. The "One Trick Pony" is a sort of white noise generator->band-pass- filter->fuzz device. The DM equivalent was an attempt to figure out how pedals like the DM and Metal Zone worked, and sort of re-engineer them using more readily available components. Initial tests are encouraging!
Folks interested in learning more can check out the following: http://www.sdiy.org/colbecklabs/ or https://www.facebook.com/bibletrons <--several audio/video demos of the "One Trick Pony" and DM equiv here! or email: [email protected] Noise of BOOKWAR (Moscow, Russia) – lathe cut production and label
My name in Moscow underground experimental scene is Ivan Bookwar or Bookwar or Букварь (Читай Букварь), I run a label Bookwar Records and cut records on japaneese cutter from 80s that I call Bookwar Machine. I am the only one artist in Moscow area that cuts polycarbonate records at home. Although in other russian cities there are few people doing this, my production consider to be most weird and lo-fi as I don`t give much importance to sound quality – if you want “quality” – go and listen to CDs or digital web shit, don`t buy records. So my records are monophonic with surface noises and my machine actually not cuts but squeezes grooves as I use not diamond but tungsten stylo. Perfect for noise, avantgarde and grindcore – music genres that I do most of the time. How do you cut? You order poly blanks from nearby factory that produces plastics, you remove protective film from it, you grease the surface of a record with machine oil, put stylo on it, start a track and wait till the end of a track – each side you have to cut in real time. After that you will wash a record with liquid soap, dry it up and cut another side. Stupid work, only about 10 7incher per day can be made. By the way, when real vinyl is made, first step is the same – to cut an accetate record the same way, after that in will be covered by silver metall and matrix for the pressing will be made, so each time I do a small matrix for the matrix. I cut for money and also for myself, and when I cut for the label I try to do it more creatively – sometimes I release 10 copies of local avantgarde with unique bonus track on every copy or something like this. The demand is small but still I manage to pay my bills only from Bookwar money, so I can can tell you – underground label and production can bring you money, at least 200$ per month it gives me, yes. Well, be happy, noise scene around the globe, and I will support you as possible. Check the rip from very first lathe cut I made in october 2015 – it`s my own music project and the album is called “Noise Loops’’ – http://bookwar.bandcamp.com/album/noise-loops Keep the noise up!
Breaking up with Muslimgauze by Kweku Shabazz (US)
"The thrill is gone away for good/someday I'll be over it all." -B.B. King
I loved Muslimgauze. Almost to the point of unhealthy obsession. Seriously, I even left a girl after she said 'Gauze was, "the same loop over and over". Who needs confused sex with a Xanax popping goth girl when you can have Mullah Said?
I started listening to his work almost four years ago, through Pandora. At the time, all my energy was devoted through anything related to Islam and Muslims-a quick search gave me the usual Sunni stuff: Native Deen, Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, Dawud Wharnsby, Ahmed Bukhatir and the rest of em.
Tired of Nasheed, I just typed in "Muslim" and there it was, "Muslimgauze".
Like most of Pandora's suggestions I expected a one-hit wonder from 90's college radio, the cover art seemed to indicate it.
Instead I was slapped in the face by Vanilla Jeballa off of Izlamaphobia. My reaction was plain confusion, what the fuck was this? Why would a Muslim make such cacophonous noise? This ain't Sunnah!
I don't know why I kept listening, but i'm glad I did, after the song was finished I decided to do some research on the artist. Instead of an Arab rivethead trio, I was surprised to find out that it was a lone white guy, one that had over 200 albums worth of work in his unfairly short life.
The sheer output is what kept me listening at first, I began appreciating his causes as soon enough, saw a kindred spirit within him. We were both obssesed with political causes, made ethnic ambient, didn’t have much of social lives and spent every waking moment making music or finding samples.
However, as I got more into his life by reading interviews, the novelty slowly started wearing off. While he certainly was passionate about Palestine, he really comes off as a neo-Orientalist, and even ill informed at times, given the pre-internet era, I do give him leeway and credit for all of his research though.
Not to mention the usual aural tropes he usually used, once you hear 15 Muslimgauze albums, you’ve heard 100 of them.
I still respect ‘Gauze, but not to the point of worship anymore.
My first time with Kitten Play by A.R. Jyoti (US)
Like most of my bedroom romps, this happened with the same guy, last summer, on a Saturday. Everything was pretty normal, we were all over each other, holding hands and saying, “I love you”. Pretty routine stuff.
Before I could take of my pants, he told me he had to get his “cat stuff” and left the room. I confused for a second but I remembered.
Few days before however, he asked me if we could do Kitten Play. I didn’t know exactly what that was but since he cosplayed before (even though I never asked), I assumed it was one of his obscure Japanese cartoons so I decided to indulge him. Besides, he was pretty accommodating to me so it was only fair.
I waited for a minute, and there he was, wearing nothing but cosplay cat ears. I was going to ask him what exactly he wanted to do but before I could have a word in edgewise, he all but pounced on me and pinned me down.
He really held me down, I couldn't even get up, pretty surprising for a 110 pound guy who hated eating. While I was trying to process this and wondering if all this was worth it, I was getting meowed at and getting licked all over my face.
Even though I tried to respect his kinks, I lost it and started laughing my ass off. If you ask anyone who knows me, I laugh like a dying horse getting stomped on the stomach with cleats.
By this point the last thing I remember was both of us getting up and me losing breath from cackling too much.
I woke to seeing him fanning me and crying his eyes out, apparently I was out for 17 minutes and he was scared I died of laughter. As touched as I was seeing he cared that much about me, he was absolutely hysterical, like he almost refused to believe I didn’t croak.
I had to slap him to get him back to his sense, Crosby-esque as it sounds. I made up for it in a way, we cuddled and I kept petting him like a cat, as per his request.
I really miss him. How to make cloud pancakes by “Toriko” (Canada)
Last issue I reviewed food, this time i’ll be making food, well, showing you how to make food, whoever you are.
I call these Cloud Pancakes because the batter is pretty thin, the batch is small and the pancakes themselves are pretty light, adjust your measurements accordingly.
Ingredients: • ¼ cup cornmeal • ¼ cup flour • 1/8 teaspoon salt or ¼ teaspoon sugar • 1 teaspoon baking powder ◦ Gather these dry ingredients in a bowl, sift twice, then mix with a spoon • 1 egg, cracked • ½ cup of milk ◦ With the remaining two ingredients, whisk both in a seperate bowl until you get a good liquid mixture • Stir the dry ingredients again and then pour the milk-egg mixture into the other bowl. ◦ Stir again until you get a consistent batter, add more milk and/or flour accordingly. • On a heated skillet or pan, pour the batter until you get a medium sized flapjack. ◦ Let the first side cook until you see the bubbles on the uncooked side slowly stop forming, 20-35 seconds roughly. ◦ Flip then cook the other side for 20-35 seconds again. • This yielded me a large and medium sized pancake. A PHILOSOPHY OF NOISE (OR HOW TO MAKE THE AVANT-GARDE INCLUSIVE)
By Christopher Durnin (US) art has the very important role in society of pushing it's collective consciousness forward. one of art's roles is to challenge society and in turn extend the boundaries of what the society thinks and believes. in a society a present day society where our freedoms continue to be challenged everyday, art continues to be the one medium in which the only limits we have are the ones that we place upon ourselves. in this essay i will attempt to explain how the freedom that noise music offers it's participants can be used as a means to involve everyone in society, regardless of class or expertise, a situation in which all can participate and create something together in an assured atmosphere. first, noise music offers a medium of art in which there are no set limits for experienced and inexperienced musicians alike. there are no sounds or instruments that are considered inappropriate for the genre. there is no concrete framework for song structure or song length. there are no restrictions for a song in regards to following time signatures, playing the right note or singing in the right key. following from this line of thinking, noise music creates a context in which musicians of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds can gather and create music together because ultimately there is not a "right" or "wrong" way to make noise. as long as an individual is creating noise of some kind, whether electronically or acoustically, it can be said that they are creating noise music. in turn, noise music has the potential to create musical situations in which musicians are not going to be viewed as being more or less talented than the other musicians they are performing with. by having musicians play whatever they want to play at any given moment while other musicians are doing the same thing brings about a situation in which an individual is creating for themselves outside of what everyone else is doing while contributing towards something that everybody is doing collectively. ideally, this brings about an incredibly inclusive atmosphere in which everyone involved can shift there motivation away from attempting to perform against a preconceived standard (something most all musical genre's have built into there very definition) towards focusing instead on the process of collective creation without ego. this helps create an atmosphere in which everybody is playing on the same level regardless of equipment they are using or there their experience playing music. second, noise music eliminates the border between those that have the money to buy expensive equipment and those that wish to invest very little, if any funds at all. many people find there instruments as discarded items that have incredible sound potential whether they were designed for that purpose or not.
Codeinepunk excerpt by Malcolm Xanax (Guyana)
My boyfriend was being a homo and didn’t wanna put out this week. Jerking it didn’t cut it either. I found one willing to do half an hour for 50 New Yauns. For a cocksucker she was classy as shit. Needed the money for Grad School abroad, apparently. Had an upper class name, Ophelia. Sophie, she liked to be called, though. Coloured Broad. Had Eastman playing, my strokes synced with that minimalist piano. I don’t know if that was a compliment. You could tell she was just getting into selling her body. Her reactions were quick and unexpected. Went bareback because she was on the pill. Last time I checked I was pretty clean. For a faggot, at least. After I was done, I pulled out, letting my kids fall on the floor. Father of the year, ain’t I? She pulled out some wine for us to share. It was silent. Know what she told me? Looks like you came in a magna cum laude. I still like guys.
ART_SECTION
Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia) Untitled #1 + 2 by Tristan Eyles (Australia)
Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK) Poem by Bonehole (UK)