A Week of Noise #1

Today a buddy Marvin got me to check out the band Lightening Bolt because I'm going to do a week of noise bands on my blog. I think noise bands are the most interesting thing going on in music in the world. They play a large part in my own life and what I like to listen to...and I believe they are the place where music is growing...

I just plain and simple...love noise bands...and probably the most famous example of noise bands and noise rock is Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on fireand messing with feedback or Pete Townsend smashing his guitars.

I've seen a lot of noise bands and they are probably among my favourite live music experiences. Some of the really good ones include The Birthday Party, The Stooges, Swans, Luciano Berio (I wore out several Luciano Berio recordings), Gang of Four, Pscychic Tv, Diamanda Galas (I love her!), The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Sometimes these bands have been defined as "shoe gazers" which is a cute funny name...or "industrial" (Factory Records...featured in the movie 24 Hour Party People used to produce a lot of bands that fell under the industrial motif. There was a time when I would just buy any bands that were under the Factory Records label.

I find that listening to noise bands is a way of clearing my audio palette if you will. I find it invigorating and spiritual and exploratory. It's just fucking cool! When I first got together with Stagg I was surprised that he also really loved noise bands...maybe even more than I do...(I thought he mostly only listened to rap). I was surprised that Stagg owned some John Zorn dvds...wow trippy!


Lightening Bolt formed in 1994 when the two membets met at Design School in Providence Rhode Island. They are partly inspired by bands like Boredoms, Philip Glass, Sun Ra, and Ruins. Lightening Bolt has a sensibility a lot like mine. It took me weeks...years...to convince Stagg we should show our art outside on the streets. (and then the cops told us to get a vending permit...ergh!!!) One of the reasons I am so passiate about showing our art outised is because it returns art to a dialogue between the artist and viewer...both verbally and non-verbally. Art is for humans...not for galleries! This band is known for it's guerrila gigs. A geurrilla gig is just what it sounds like. The most popular known guerilla gigs were done by The Jefferson Airplane, Beatles and U2...when they played outside without a concert venue...on rooftops. (here is an article about Guerilla Gigging)

Here is Boredom with a very good song....



And Sun Ra...



Here is "Dracula Mountain" by Lightening Bolt and I think its a great song...



You can listen to more Lightening Bolt at their site...click link...

Enjoy and this music helps reset your attitude! It's like cosmic reset buttons for the soul...