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Merzbow.
What would you say if the King of Noise was coming to Adelaide? Where is noise? What is noise? Better still, a) who is this King and b) why the hell is he coming to Adelaide? Well here we go. The good people at Big Star Records Rundle Street have arranged incognito with the equally good people of the What Is Music festival (Oren Ambarchi and Robbie Avenaim) to bring Japan's Masami Akita better known to the world as Merzbow, to the Big Star basement for one night only.
Merzbow is a name some of you may have heard before. The fact that the man has been making uncompromising music since 1979 both in the solo stance and with an army of collaborators is testament to his sheer determination and artistic vision. He has worked with artists as varied as AMM, Emil Beaulieau, Thurston Moore, Masonna, Genesis P-Orridge, Pan Sonic, Sunn O))), Smegma and Mike Patton. In total he has appeared on more than 300 records, not including the 50 CD box set 'Merzbox' released on Australian imprint Extreme.
Merzbow is visiting Australia upon request of the organisers of What Is Music, an experimental music festival taking in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne next month. The men behind it, legendary Australian sound improvisers Oren Ambarchi and Robbie Avenaim, have compiled a feast for the senses. Other artists set to visit are UK power electronics duo Whitehouse, Japanese free rock group Fushitsusha (featuring the one and only Keiji Haino) and German new-wave improvisers Annette Krebs (guitar) and Andrea Neumann (inside piano, electronics). To say Merzbow is in fine company would be an understatement. His voluminous digital noise-core will shock, deafen, mystify, satisfy.
It is hard to say exactly what Merzbow sounds like. He is not influenced by music in general, although he became fond of the electro-acoustic work of Frenchmen Pierre Henry and Luke Ferrari well after he had commenced creating music himself. He has said that his music is merely his (organic) reaction to other music. In many instances it is void of many of the things found in conventional music such as melody, rhythm, structure. It is truly freeform music. Of late Merzbow has been incorporating subtle melodic elements to complement the driving force of the electronic waves of destruction. With that said, the music of Merzbow is very beautiful. There is something calming about his noise. It sits there. It creeps up on you as well as beat you over the head. It sounds like it came from another world sometimes - most of the time. He has explored the sounds of the ocean and of the animal kingdom and beyond. He famously once said, "I decided to destroy all conventional music". The fact that he has gone about following his vision, that is, to make the music he wants to hear (often at super-high volumes), and picked up legions of followers and admirers shows that not only is he a unique artist, but he is a true ambassador for the underground.
Merzbow is playing at the aforementioned Big Star Basement 197 Rundle Street on Monday February 9. Access is via the back alley and doors open at 8. Support will come from Adelaide noise-merchants Bonsai Kitten and Isomer. Capacity is strictly limited to 100 so if you want to see one of the world's premier noise artists in a very intimate setting, get yourself a ticket quick smart. At $20 a pop it is an absolute bargain. See just how much a man with a laptop can do. You'll thank me. Trust me.
Lenin Simos
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Merzbow plays the Big Star Basement 197 Rundle Street on Monday February 9 with Adelaide noise-merchants Bonsai Kitten and Isomer.
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