The worst part for me is that much of Noise seems highly impersonal. I am not interested in audio art in which the artist has removed his personality. In fact, just the opposite. I want to hear audio art that reveals something of the artist's life experiences -- not in a confessional way -- but in a psycho-emotional, existential way. Let's face it, as far as audio art goes, it's all been done before. What remains for us as audio artists is to present unique soundpictures that reveal something unusual or different about our individual experiences.
As far as I am concerned, the audio artist who employs noise structures should magnify, should increase the range of sound materials he uses -- not reduce them! There is this big audio canvas in front of him. Why does he only throw a few globs of grey and brown paint at one corner of the canvas and then smear it around a little. Hell, I want to see reds, and oranges, and deep vivid yellows & blues, and lurid green tones -- and black of course.
Also, what has happened to fun and a sense of humor? Much of what I have heard from Noise artists is kind of emotionally-blank or merely trashy in an off-hand way. I am no fan of shitnoise. Shitting is for the toilet. Audio art is for the mind.
I think that audio artists need to forget about genres and just make sounds! Noise, ambient, techno, and a million-zillion other sub-genres are just limitations and restrictions on creativity. Whatever happened to Experimental Music, in which the artist explores new possibilities, new ideas, really stretches his imagination? Forget about boundaries. Forget about fitting into a genre or style. Welcome failure! -- because out of failures arise new, previously-unthought-of sound structures.
I have called much of my work "organized accidents". I am not afraid to fail. I do not fear miscues and mishaps. When I have the audio canvas in front of me I am going to throw everything at it!
-- Hal McGee, from "Close The Doors Of The Noise School and Burn It To The Ground", Rigodon #1 zine, The Netherlands, 2004 (?)
As far as I am concerned, the audio artist who employs noise structures should magnify, should increase the range of sound materials he uses -- not reduce them! There is this big audio canvas in front of him. Why does he only throw a few globs of grey and brown paint at one corner of the canvas and then smear it around a little. Hell, I want to see reds, and oranges, and deep vivid yellows & blues, and lurid green tones -- and black of course.
Also, what has happened to fun and a sense of humor? Much of what I have heard from Noise artists is kind of emotionally-blank or merely trashy in an off-hand way. I am no fan of shitnoise. Shitting is for the toilet. Audio art is for the mind.
I think that audio artists need to forget about genres and just make sounds! Noise, ambient, techno, and a million-zillion other sub-genres are just limitations and restrictions on creativity. Whatever happened to Experimental Music, in which the artist explores new possibilities, new ideas, really stretches his imagination? Forget about boundaries. Forget about fitting into a genre or style. Welcome failure! -- because out of failures arise new, previously-unthought-of sound structures.
I have called much of my work "organized accidents". I am not afraid to fail. I do not fear miscues and mishaps. When I have the audio canvas in front of me I am going to throw everything at it!
-- Hal McGee, from "Close The Doors Of The Noise School and Burn It To The Ground", Rigodon #1 zine, The Netherlands, 2004 (?)