Henry Rollins: The Column! Noise Music Is the Real Thing

By Henry Rollins Thu., Oct. 18 2012 at 3:30 AM

The listener, if interested, gets to check out work that is always in progress, constantly moving and morphing, rather than a set of finalized ideas. This blew my mind. This idea makes other music seem like preserves in a jar. Perhaps these noise bands have more in common with Kluster, Can and Sun Ra.

By letting the noise go free and constantly going deeper, they fairly incinerate the past as they keep moving ahead. This method of getting music to people has its upsides but can make things challenging. Being unique is never easy, and often by the time culture catches up with you there are only a few people who notice.

You have to be doing this for yourself and for the raw experience. This is another aspect of these kind of music that commands my respect. This is what punk rock should have done but it got let into the club, found a comfortable chair and ordered a drink. By comparison, Olson and Connelly are post-music sonic assassins.

It was a great night hanging out with two of my noise heroes. I was impressed by the music they kept putting on the turntable, everything from jazz, to the Doors to Argentine hard-rock bands I had never heard of. These were extremely switched-on, intense artists who, after literally hundreds of releases, seem as into it as ever. That's how the real thing is. Don't forget to turn it up.

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Henry Rollins, Noise music

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shanedunn138

Finally someone recognizes something that a lot of people do but seems no one understands. If you want check out my stuff at http://personalkillingagenda.bandcamp.com/

scotchallenguarde

My fourth album. Tis free so please download and listen! Absolutely nothing to lose. Good music. Full album. Free. http://devilnoiserecords.blogspot.com/2011/10/dn099-scotch-allenguarde.html

parentalbeings

ontichoric.bandcamp.com

ms_ayulestari

@agamahendra abang ceppet sembuuh ya papanya, cpt sehaat!! ☺ big hug!

gregon3000

some really good experimental noise: http://godgenerator.bandcamp.com/

adeathcinematic

nice write up. very much like the idea of never being done and alway searching for that raw expression, the incessant need to do it beyond reason or rationale.... oh, to spam or not to spam. so tempting but i choose not to spam.

dpnem

@vuzhmusic It was a lovely way for me to start my Friday. Makes a lot of sense that Rollins would gravitate to noise.

garymcdonald

Check out Raven. He's pretty much active on the noise scene.http://www.facebook.com/ravennoise

Lorenzo Esteban

I like his column I read it every thursday.

GeorgeH

Zebratronics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrZnvm__c4o

Guerro

NON, Boyd Rice. They may not have invented it but damn close.

tristan.e.whitehill

henry is great supporter of underground labels! thurston moore aswell!, chk out xiphiidae and pospulenn (kane pour) from florida for a noisey but pleasing series of releases

lunaseaux

http://soundcloud.com/lunaseaux/the-devils-suicide

tcart01

I think Brighter Death Now and Hive Mind are great noise artists.

KRACH

no mention of NON, Whitehouse, Merzbow, Throbing Gristle, Genocide Organ or anyother "noise" groups that have been doing this for years and years, as if all this started with wolf eyes (no disrespect to W.E)

xshowerviolencex

Hey Hank if you like real punk check out my dad's band SAFE WORD.

XGINO_LATINOX

MAMA HUEVO PATO

worms

there is also a genre called Rhythmic Noise that is more towards the industrial spectrum. It combines crunchy noise with heavy beats. here is an example: http://soundcloud.com/wormsoftheearth/03-enshrined-in-the-sacred

VLV_VLV

i'll take one noise please

VLV_VLV

for sell: one noise cd

oblate7771

@VLV_VLV which one?

oblate7771

Tell it like it is, Mr. Rollins!

EBNC

Rollins gets it.

earldabs

1 Like

So you guys really think Rollins hasnt heard of Merzbow? Maybe you guys should let him know about Einsturzende Neubauten or Black Flag too?

Merzbro

Merzbow is indispensable - not only in his noise, but also his less "true" noise recordings. If you're looking for an in with noise, check out his album "Merzbeat." Imagine Boredoms, except now it's only Yamantaka Eye, and he's playing 7 instruments and recording it with a Sony Ericson.

william.k.herd

check out Merzbow, Skullflower, Holy Filament, Objectum Sexual.

JennieVasquez topcommenter

My ignorance is really showing this week. I have never heard of the term noise music. When I first read the title I thought it was going to be an article on the sound made by everyday noises like when you veer to far to the right on a highway and drive over the grooves designed to keep truckers awake. I've always thought that was kind of a neat noise.

phhPAWL

@JennieVasquez There's actually a lot of great music in the experimental and "noise" (for lack of a better word) realms that ultizes a lot of field recordings and found sounds in the manner you suggest. I'd definitely check out Graham Lambkin/Jason Lescalleet's The Breadwinner, Francisco Lopez's Through The Looking Glass box set, and The Hafler Trio's many works.