Noisextra - The Noise Podcast.

Damion Romero’s project Speculum Fight rides the American noise railways as we discuss 1997’s “Highball” CD on WIN Records. Damion gave us some background information on this album as well as his equipment and inspiration around this time. Put on your engineer’s cap and enjoy the scenery thru the lens of Speculum Fight.

As nearly every classic Japanese noise artist has sited Tangerine Dream as a huge influence, we thought it was time to cover them and their “Zeit” double album from 1972. One of the very first full on experimental ambient records, “Zeit” sends us all on an abstract sonic path while we dig up the roots of what makes up everyone from Aube to Merzbow to Nord and countless other noise legends. Touch the haunting heavens with this masterpiece of experimental art.

Are we in the cosmos? Underwater? The jungle? It’s possible we are in all three at the same time with Nord “Electronic Initiation.” Nord is one of the earliest Japanese noise projects, and this brain buster of a CD came almost 20 years into Nord’s existence. Midway through the episode, we got messages from Kimihide Kusafuka, aka K2, aka owner of Kinky Musik Institute, the label that put this CD out. Kusafuka gave us some behind the scenes info on “Electronic Initiation” including one bit of information that changed our whole perception of the album.

Aaron Dilloway takes us on a time traveling journey, as far back as the 1920s, to get into some of the earliest roots of experimental music with “Sounds of New Music” on the legendary Folkways Records. This compilation features works from avant garde composers like John Cage and Edgar Varese, as well as some strange instructional tracks and other primitive sonic experiments. Hear the sounds of the distant past and understand the sounds of the future.

Shredding down the sun-drenched modified noise guitar highway we go with Solmania’s “Trembling Tongues.” A very unique Japanese noise project, Solmania delivers some psychedelic overdrive noise. We go through an interview with Masahiko Ohno from Bananafish #9 and and get into his own noise world. Greh pronounces Solmania one way, Tara pronounces it another way, and Mike bounces between the two, which is only fitting when discussing this wild CD of noise madness.

Pete Swanson joins us to melt icebergs and flood alleyways with “Cities in Fog” by Jeff Greinke. Swanson recommended this strange '80s muted atmospheric haze for us to cover and we couldn’t have been happier to swim in this watery abyss. Pete brings his deep knowledge of obscure experimental scenes and sounds as we discuss where this album comes from and where it takes us. Let the dark tides roll in.

In our first journey to the Netherlands, we encounter the fantastic DMDN “Agonistes 1&2” cassette on G.R.O.S.S. and fall headfirst into its grinding swirl. Sjak Van Bussell, the man that is DMDN, gave us some incredible information behind this tape. He also filled us in on other aspects of his work, including his band THU20, his label Midas Music, and his time touring with Merzbow and the Haters in 1989. Celebrate noise.

Through the advent of teleportation technology, Chris Sienko returns to Noisextra and we all go the farthest back in time yet with Robert Ashley’s “The Wolfman.” Sienko lays down some serious information. “The Wolfman” is an absolute precursor to noise as we know it, and we dig our claws into this destructive piece of sound as well as Ashley’s work in the 1980s. Noise history lesson is in session.

It is time for another entry in the Pure series as we dig into one of the more obscure titles under the Pure banner in the form of Rend “Proberta Gerber.” We were able to get in touch with Sean, the man behind Rend, and he provided us with some great information not only on this CD, but also on his work with the Plague in Perspective label. No time like now to dig deep and get washed away by Rend.

Jonathan Canady of Deathpile, Dead World, Blunt Force Trauma and so much more joins us to discuss a milestone in the world of noise and industrial—“Information Overload Unit” by SPK. Jonathan came prepared to go deep on all aspects of this album. In addition, we talk about Jonathan’s time working for Relapse as well as his early days of sound making. The overload has begun.

We are joined again by Chris Sienko to discuss his time in the trenches as one of the people behind As Loud As Possible magazine. Chris details how the issue came together, why there were no more issues, and stories of articles and interviews he was a part of, both published and unpublished. A fascinating look at what it takes to put together a magazine of this size and scope.

Noise ambient plague sounds take hold as we discuss Gruntsplatter’s “Pest Maiden” from 1999 on Troniks. “Pest Maiden” exists in 3 forms, a two song 7”, a limited cassette, and a CD which features the complete picture. We go deep into the CD and it’s many references to the plague. Rounding out this episode, not only did we talk with Scott Candey, the man behind Gruntsplatter, but we also interviewed Jonathan Canady (Deathpile, Blunt Force Trauma) and Phil Blankenship (Troniks, The Cherry Point) to discuss working with Scott and their relationship to his work.

We head back to the 1980s and get completely knocked out by Contagious Orgasm’s “Confession of Mannequin” on SSSM. An incredibly unique band in the noise/industrial/experimental underground, Contagious Orgasm’s second release is gives us a lot of sounds and images that will continue throughout their decades of work. Not only is the tape a stunner, the packaging is a true '80s cassette culture artifact. Join us and walk through the surreal world of sound created by Contagious Orgasm.

We go into the world of microbiology and old school noise with Bacillus’s “Epidemic” cassette from 1995 on his own Clotted Meat Portioning label. Viruses, pandemics, diseases and short bursts of pure noise all rear their head in our discussion. We also spoke with Peter Keller of Bacillus through the safety of technology. True '90s American noise.

For the second entry in our Trashware series Jay Howard of Circuit Wound joins us to discuss noise gear. Jay came from a death metal background and began his noise creation already armed with essential weapons without even realizing it. We get into studio set ups, preferred pedals, sound sources and more. Get out your pen and paper and take notes on this noise gear class.

Chris Sienko wowed us with the unknown-to-us RRR Taste Test tape series. In the early 90s, RRR made sampler tapes of items in the RRR catalog. They look amazing. They sound amazing. They are amazing. The tapes send us into a discussion of our early noise explorations, including shows at the Fireside Bowl and the mystery of discovering noise in the 90s.

We were thrilled to have our guest Jay Howard of Circuit Wound bring his copy of Thirdorgan "Pessimistic Cyborg" to the Noisextra studio and proceed to shred our mechanical insides. The whole crew is left numb and dazed, but wanting more. We also dug up a very rare interview with Akihiro Shimizu and relay some of what he had to say. So ahead of the curve, there is no better time to dive head first into Thirdorgan.

We are joined by Chris Sienko of As Loud As Possible magazine to discuss the legendary Emil Beaulieau "Anti Performance" cassette from 1991. After having been mentioned on nearly every Noisextra episode, we finally devote an entire episode to the "greatest living noise artist." Chris dug in extensively to which anti-record is being played when as well as the history behind each record. We also discuss visiting RRR, and all try our own versions of Beaulieau’s dance moves. Straighten your tie, sharpen your record needle, and destroy all music.

Chris Groves of Cipher Productions and Night Science magazine stops by the Noisextra studio and we chat about putting together a magazine, running a label, early adventures in discovering noise, particularly in his homeland of Tasmania. Check out Cipher Productions Follow us on Instagram: @noisextra Follow us on Twitter: @noisextraaa Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/noisextra

We are joined by Ryan Martin of Dais Records, Robert & Leopold & Copley Medal to discuss Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck’s “Asshole/Snail Dilemma.” Ryan is writing a book on R&G and the entire Schimpfluch Gruppe, so we couldn’t have had a better person to dig into this album. We cover the early days as well as the era that this CD is a part of. Pull up a plate of spaghetti and wash your brains with Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck.