Merzbox
Encyclopedia
Merzbox is a box set compilation
by the Japanese
noise musician Merzbow
, released in 2000 by Extreme Records
. It consists of 50 CDs, spanning Merzbow's career from 1979–1997; 30 discs are taken from long out of print
releases, while 20 are composed mainly of unreleased material. The box also contains two CD-ROMs, six CD-sized round cards, six round stickers, a poster, a black long-sleeve T-shirt, a medallion, and the Merzbook, all packaged together in a "fetish
" black rubber box. It is limited to 1000 numbered copies. Also available is a special edition with extra posters and two bonus CDs with remixes by Merzbow. A Merzbox Sampler
was released in 1997.
The Merzbook, written by Brett Woodward, is a 132-page hardcover
book with over 100 images. It contains an extensive biography, culled from previous interviews and articles, a new interview, and essays by Achim Wollscheid, Jim O'Rourke
, Damion Romero, Eugene Thacker
, and Jonathan Walker. Masami Akita provides extensive liner notes
for each disc. The book was also released separately with the Merzrom included.
The Merzrom is an interactive multimedia CD-ROM, designed by Troy Innocent. A second CD-ROM contains various Extreme press and a catalog. The "Merzdallion" medallion was designed by Marcus Davidson. Art direction and design were by Doriana Corda. Audio mastering was by François Tétaz
.
, but kept getting delayed until it was finally released in 2000. It was officially launched on June 16, 2000 at Sónar
, Barcelona, where Merzbow also performed.
The Merzbox was exhibited at Kunsthalle Wien
, Vienna from April 4–7, 2002. Merzbow performed opening and closing concerts. All 60 hours were webcast live.
Between the final recordings of the set and it's release, Merzbow switched to using a laptop, having first acquired a Macintosh
to work on the artwork for the set.
Masami Akita has stated in a 2009 interview that he has enough unreleased material for another 50 CD box.
's "Cartridge Music". The term itself was taken from Otto Muehl
. This recording was used as raw material for other works such as Material Action 2 N.A.M.
's The Solar Anus
.
's scratched films.
and a typesetting machine (Kiyoshi Mizutani worked at a typesetting company at the time). Includes raw material from Material Action for 2 Microphones.
, which was later destroyed by Bara on stage in the late 90s.
school of Tibetan Buddhism
. Made with different equipment and instruments than other recordings of the same period. Featuring instruments recorded on tape, then slowed down or played backwards.
, which is from the same period. Loops were included on Loop Panic Limited
.
project where Akita made xerox art using discarded pornographic magazines taken from the trash. The voice on "Night Noise White" is taken from the "Halt Tape".
album. Includes samples from François Bayle
, Conlon Nancorrow, Ivo Malec
, Luc Ferrari
.
.
to Takinogawa. "Electric Red Desart" includes a field recording of the Hinin Gyōretsu festival in Kamakura
.
noise" made using household objects, violin sound is violin bow on plastic cassette case or wood, acoustic guitar is a rubber band, Tibetan trumpet is a toilet paper tube, electrical sounds are made with metal. "Environmental drums" are the floor, gas stove, the spring of a table lamp.
Names are taken from the Latin names
of the Dsinezumi Shrew
, Japanese stoat
, and Japanese least weasel
. Another title was inspired by Frank Zappa
's "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet
".
, effects, and mixing. Name taken from the SCUM Manifesto
.
version of "Wild Thing".
s from Hannover Interruption and Cloud Cock OO Grand. "Rocket Bomber" uses raw materials from Sadomasochismo.
project with Seido and Bara.
's self-titled song from their album Cottonwoodhill
. It's also a reference to Nurse with Wound
, who used the same bit on Brained by Falling Masonry.
samples. Yuuri Sunohara is a director, producer, model etc. for Kinbiken/Right Brain. "Apple Rock" includes unused material originally made for Flying Testicle
.
and Green Wheels
. The material for the CD-ROM was use for the book Anal Baroque. "Liquid City 17-1-95" was recorded on the same day as the Great Hanshin earthquake
. "Tiabguls" is a Throbbing Gristle
tribute.
, Magnesia Nova
, and Pinkream
.
, who creates oversized sculptures of everyday objects, including soft sculptures.
overdub and final mix in 1997.
's Dark Brain of Piranesi, an essay about Giovanni Battista Piranesi
's Carceri prints.
Merzbow remix, followed by the original.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by the Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
noise musician Merzbow
Merzbow
is the main recording name of the Japanese noise musician , born in 1956. Since 1979 he has released in excess of 350 recordings.The name "Merzbow" comes from German artist Kurt Schwitters' artwork, "Merzbau”. This was chosen to reflect Akita's dada influence and junk art aesthetic...
, released in 2000 by Extreme Records
Extreme Records
Extreme Records is an Australian based record label.The label was founded by Ulex Xane, and initially specialised in underground experimental and industrial cassettes...
. It consists of 50 CDs, spanning Merzbow's career from 1979–1997; 30 discs are taken from long out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
releases, while 20 are composed mainly of unreleased material. The box also contains two CD-ROMs, six CD-sized round cards, six round stickers, a poster, a black long-sleeve T-shirt, a medallion, and the Merzbook, all packaged together in a "fetish
Latex and PVC fetishism
Latex fetishism is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism and rubber fetishism are closely related to latex fetish, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride and...
" black rubber box. It is limited to 1000 numbered copies. Also available is a special edition with extra posters and two bonus CDs with remixes by Merzbow. A Merzbox Sampler
Merzbox Sampler
Merzbox Sampler is a compilation album by the Japanese noise musician Merzbow. The tracks were taken from various discs that later formed the 50-CD box set Merzbox.-Track listing:-External links:*...
was released in 1997.
The Merzbook, written by Brett Woodward, is a 132-page hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
book with over 100 images. It contains an extensive biography, culled from previous interviews and articles, a new interview, and essays by Achim Wollscheid, Jim O'Rourke
Jim O'Rourke (musician)
Jim O'Rourke is an Irish-American musician and record producer. He was long associated with the Chicago experimental and improv scene...
, Damion Romero, Eugene Thacker
Eugene Thacker
Eugene Thacker is an author and associate professor at The New School in New York. Thacker is known for his work in philosophy, media theory, and the study of genre horror and science fiction. In addition to his writing on science and technology, Thacker has written on the work of Georges Bataille,...
, and Jonathan Walker. Masami Akita provides extensive liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
for each disc. The book was also released separately with the Merzrom included.
The Merzrom is an interactive multimedia CD-ROM, designed by Troy Innocent. A second CD-ROM contains various Extreme press and a catalog. The "Merzdallion" medallion was designed by Marcus Davidson. Art direction and design were by Doriana Corda. Audio mastering was by François Tétaz
Francois Tetaz
François "Franc" Tétaz is an Australian film composer and music producer, who won the Australasian Performing Right Association / Australian Guild of Screen Composers 2006 'Feature Film Score of the Year' Award for Wolf Creek .-Biography:In 1992, François Tétaz with Charles Tétaz and Darrin...
.
History
Extreme's original plan was to reissue Collaborative, their only vinyl release, for the label's tenth anniversary. There was then discussion of reissuing other early releases, with talk of a ten disc box, the number was finally set at 50 discs. The Merzbox was originally scheduled for release in late 1997, and available for pre-orderPre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item which has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came when people found it hard to get popular items in stores due to their popularity. Companies were then given the idea to allow people to reserve their own personal copy, before the release, ...
, but kept getting delayed until it was finally released in 2000. It was officially launched on June 16, 2000 at Sónar
Sónar
Sónar is an annual three-day music festival held in Barcelona, Spain. It is described officially as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music is by far the main aspect of the festival....
, Barcelona, where Merzbow also performed.
The Merzbox was exhibited at Kunsthalle Wien
Kunsthalle Wien
The Kunsthalle Wien is an institution in Vienna for temporary exhibitions of contemporary international art. It opened in 1992, and was originally located on Karlsplatz, in a container-shaped building designed as a temporary site by the Austrian architect Adolf Krischanitz...
, Vienna from April 4–7, 2002. Merzbow performed opening and closing concerts. All 60 hours were webcast live.
Between the final recordings of the set and it's release, Merzbow switched to using a laptop, having first acquired a Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
to work on the artwork for the set.
Masami Akita has stated in a 2009 interview that he has enough unreleased material for another 50 CD box.
OM Electrique
The first noise recordings of Merzbow. Previously unreleased.Personnel
- Masami Akita – tape recorder, percussion, meditation, guitar, Merztronics, taped drums, voice, water
Metal Acoustic Music
Earliest Merzbow recording available until the release of the Merzbox.Remblandt Assemblage
First work using tape manipulation. Only a few copies distributed.Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, prepared acoustic guitar, noise, tabla, percussion, microphone, voice, radio, concret sounds, egg cutter
Collection Era Vol. 1
Collection Era is compiled from the 10 volume Collection series. The first five were recorded for Ylem, which went out of business before they could be released. So, Akita released them himself, and then recorded five more.Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, ring modulator, violin, tabla, voice, guitar, percussion, drums, radio
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – drums on track 1, percussion on track 2, organ on track 3
Collection Era Vol. 2
Note: The contents of CD 5 and CD 6 were switched (5 has eight tracks and 6 has seven), the info below is as it appears in the Merzbook.Personnel
- Masami Akita – taped drums, tabla, guitar, tapes, Synare 3, percussion, ring modulated recorders, voice, endless tape, noise, rhythm box
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – wood bass on track 6
Collection Era Vol. 3
Personnel
- Masami Akita – guitar, tape, damaged tape recorder, bass guitar, Dr. Rhythm, ring modulator, percussion, rubber guitar, violin, tape loops, Synare 3, tabla, drums, synthesizer
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – guitar on track 1, piano on track 4, violin on tracks 7 & 8
Paradoxa Paradoxa
The first Merzbow live performance.Personnel
- Masami Akita – Merztronix, tape, solar organ on track 2, violin, Dr. Rhythm, alto saxophone, radio, feedback
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – solar organ on track 1, violin, tape, piano
- Masahiro Kurose – live recording
Material Action for 2 Microphones
"Material Action" was a term for using household objects to make quiet sounds, which were then amplified, inspired by John CageJohn Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
's "Cartridge Music". The term itself was taken from Otto Muehl
Otto Muehl
Otto Muehl is an Austrian artist, who is best known as one of the co-founders as well as a main participant of Viennese Actionism. In 1972 he founded the Friedrichshof Commune that existed for several years before falling apart in the 1990s...
. This recording was used as raw material for other works such as Material Action 2 N.A.M.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – condenser microphone, environmental percussion, scratched sound, tapes, turntable, radio
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – condenser microphone, percussion, additional synthesizer
Yantra Material Action
Originally intended to be the first Merzbow LP, but it went unreleased, the label then asked again to release the LP, but Akita decided to record new material, which became Material Action 2 N.A.M. Includes reworks of past recordings with added effects and new instrumentation.Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, junks, noise, percussion, radio, drums, guitar
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – percussion, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, tapes
- H. Kawagishi – sound engineering
Solonoise
Solonoise means "Solar-Noise", inspired by Georges BatailleGeorges Bataille
Georges Bataille was a French writer. His multifaceted work is linked to the domains of literature, anthropology, philosophy, economy, sociology and history of art...
's The Solar Anus
The Solar Anus
The Solar Anus is a short Surrealist text written by the French writer and philosopher Georges Bataille, as well as the name of a performance art piece by Ron Athey....
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – electronics, ring modulator, violin, voice, treated tapes, acoustic guitar, Nil Vagina tape loop, treated percussion, Synare 3, TV, styrofoam
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – violin, electric piano on track 1
Expanded Music
Conceptual works manipulating various inputs using feedback processed audio mixer. Inspired by Stan BrakhageStan Brakhage
James Stanley Brakhage , better known as Stan Brakhage, was an American non-narrative filmmaker who is considered to be one of the most important figures in 20th century experimental film....
's scratched films.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – TV test signal, feedback mixer, damaged tape recorder, Dr. Rhythm, tapes, percussion, synthesizer
Nil Vagina Tape Loops
Featuring a four track tape recorder found in the street. A different sound was recorded on each track, and then played back randomly.Personnel
- Masami Akita – Sony 464 tape recorder, Nil Vagina tape loop, treated tapes, percussion, Synare 3, Dr. Rhythm
Material Action 2 N.A.M
The first Merzbow LP. The 2 in the title refers to Yantra Material Action, which was meant to be the first LP. Sounds include styrofoamStyrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
and a typesetting machine (Kiyoshi Mizutani worked at a typesetting company at the time). Includes raw material from Material Action for 2 Microphones.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, junk percussion, electro-acoustical noise, organ, tape collage, recording, mixing
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – tapes, synthesizer, violin, machine noise
- H. Kawagishi – engineering
Mechanization Takes Command
First release on ZSF Produkt. Akita changed the name of his label since he wanted to release other artists. Featuring the Synare 3Synare
The Synare was a series of electronic drums made by Star Instruments in the mid 1970s through the 1980s. The Synare was a drum synthesizer, meaning it was essentially a synthesizer, but instead of being controlled by a keyboard, it was triggered by hitting rubber pads which were pressure...
, which was later destroyed by Bara on stage in the late 90s.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – Pearl drum kitPearl DrumsFounded in 1952, the is a multinational corporation based in Japan with a wide range of products, predominately percussion instruments.-History:Pearl was founded by Katsumi Yanagisawa, who began manufacturing music stands in Sumida, Tokyo on April 2, 1946...
, various percussion, tapes, TV, Synare 3, voice, tabla, Dr. Rhythm, ring modulator, guitar, feedback, synthesizer, recorder, scrap metals, devices
Dying Mapa Tapes 1-2
Title inspired by the NyingmapaNyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
school of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
. Made with different equipment and instruments than other recordings of the same period. Featuring instruments recorded on tape, then slowed down or played backwards.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, radio, ring modulator, percussion, noise, rhythm box, guitar
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – violin, percussion
Dying Mapa Tapes 2-3
Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, radio, ring modulator, percussion, noise, rhythm, junk electronics, TV, guitar, bass
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – violin, percussion
Agni Hotra
Originally intended to be the second Merzbow LP, but it went unreleased. Includes outtakes from Ushi-TraUshi-Tra
Ushi-Tra is a cassette release by Merzbow. Recorded at Merzbau Studio, Tokyo April 1985 except B4 at Studio K. Live February 1985. Packaged in 12-page, 8.5" by 5.5", photocopy booklet with interview, graphics and discography.-Track listing:Side A:...
, which is from the same period. Loops were included on Loop Panic Limited
Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets
Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets is an 1986 double LP by Merzbow issued on RRRecords. The album was originally released in vinyl and features 10 tracks...
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – distorted tape loops, metals, recorder, tapes, tape reel, percussion, shakujoShakujoA khakkhara is a Buddhist ringed staff used primarily in prayer or as a weapon, that originates from India. The jingling of the staff's rings is used to warn small sentient beings to move from the carrier's path and avoid being accidentally trodden on...
, bells, noise
Pornoise 1kg Vol. 1
The original Pornoise 1kg box consisted of five cassettes with pornographic art, the 1kg refers to the total weight of the package. Pornoise was a mail artMail art
Mail art is a worldwide cultural movement that began in the early 1960s and involves sending visual art through the international postal system. Mail Art is also known as Postal Art or Correspondence Art...
project where Akita made xerox art using discarded pornographic magazines taken from the trash. The voice on "Night Noise White" is taken from the "Halt Tape".
Personnel
- Masami Akita – distorted Sony 464, feedback mixer, radio, loop tapes, Synare 3, rhythm box, ring modulator, devices
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – taped typesetting machine noise and taped synthesizer on track 2–4 with distorted process
Pornoise 1kg Vol. 2
Field recordings on "Dynamite Don Don" include street sounds recorded from a moving bicycle, and a house being demolished across from Akita's apartment.Personnel
- Masami Akita – distorted Sony 464, feedback mixer, loop tapes, Synare 3, ring modulator, field recording tapes, devices
Pornoise 1kg Vol. 3
The voice on "UFO vs British Army" is taken from the "Halt Tape", recorded from a TV broadcast. Some other samples are from horror films.Personnel
- Masami Akita – distorted Sony 464, feedback mixer, loop tapes, Synare 3, ring modulator, devices
Pornoise Extra
Additional tracks from the Pornoise 1kg sessions. Original release had different track titles.Personnel
- Masami Akita – feedback mixer, radio, loop tapes, Synare 3, rhythm box, ring modulator, distorted Sony 464, devices
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – sampled electric piano
Sadomasochismo/Lampinak
Includes unused tracks for Batztoutai with Memorial GadgetsBatztoutai with Memorial Gadgets
Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets is an 1986 double LP by Merzbow issued on RRRecords. The album was originally released in vinyl and features 10 tracks...
Personnel
- Masami Akita – various metal percussion, chain, loops, noise electronics, Synare 3, tapes
Mortegage/Batztoutai Extra
Original recordings for the Batztoutai with Memorial GadgetsBatztoutai with Memorial Gadgets
Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets is an 1986 double LP by Merzbow issued on RRRecords. The album was originally released in vinyl and features 10 tracks...
album. Includes samples from François Bayle
François Bayle
François Bayle is a composer of Musique concrète or acousmatic music.In the 1950s he studied with Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen. In 1960 he joined the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française, and in 1966 was put in charge of the Groupe de Recherches Musicales...
, Conlon Nancorrow, Ivo Malec
Ivo Malec
Ivo Malec is a Croatian composer and music educator. One of the earliest Yugoslav composers to obtain high international regard, his works have been performed by symphony orchestras throughout Europe and North America. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts Zagreb and the Conservatoire de Paris,...
, Luc Ferrari
Luc Ferrari
Luc Ferrari was of an Italian heritage but French born composer, particularly noted for his tape music.-Biography:...
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, voice, electronics, scrap metals, percussion, field recordings
Enclosure/Libido Economy
Includes raw material from EcobondageEcobondage
Ecobondage is an album released by the Japanese noise musician, Merzbow. The original version of the album was released by ZSF Produkt was limited to 300 copies....
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – bowed instruments with piano wires, ring modulator, tapes, feedback mixer, effects, percussion, turntable
Vratya Southward
More works using Ecobondage materials. In 1987, Akita moved from AsagayaAsagaya
, a suburb of Tokyo located in the Suginami ward west of Shinjuku. Main access to Asagaya is via the Chūō-Sōbu Line, 12 minutes out from Shinjuku station.-Geography:...
to Takinogawa. "Electric Red Desart" includes a field recording of the Hinin Gyōretsu festival in Kamakura
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – cymbals, various percussion, electronics, paper pipe, tapes, plastic, voice, flute, toy marimba, scratch records, electric violin on tracks 1–2; feedback mixer, piano strings on metal box on track 3
Live in Khabarovsk, CCCP - I'm Proud by Rank of the Workers
First two of three performances. First performance was stopped for being "too wild", so they then played more conventionally. Includes Batztoutai material on backing tape, and Russian radio.Personnel
- Masami Akita – electric bowed instruments, tape, radio on track 1; drums, tape on track 2
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – piano, low feedback US MP guitar on track 1; piano, guitar on track 2
Storage
Original master was too long to fit on LP, now available unedited. Originally titled War Storage, which is now used for the track titles.Personnel
- Masami Akita – bowed instruments with piano wires, percussion, tapes, effects, guitar
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – submitted raw material on track 2
Fission Dialogue
Unreleased tracks from Ecobondage and Storage period.Personnel
- Masami Akita – cymbals, various percussion, electronics, voice, byan, bowed instruments, paper pipe on track 1 & 2; noise electronics, turntable, scrap metals on track 3
Collaborative
Essay by Jonathan Walker from the original LP is reprinted in the Merzbook.Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, metals, scratch, guitar, mixing on track 3
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – samples, guitar, balalaika, byan on track 3
- Achim Wollscheid – raw materials on track 1, production on track 2
Crocidura Dsi Nezumi
"UnpluggedUnplugged
In music, unplugged usually refers to acoustic music. It may also refer to:*MTV Unplugged, a TV series showcasing popular musical artists playing acoustic instruments*Unplugged , a 2002 demo album by the Ukrainian band 5'nizza...
noise" made using household objects, violin sound is violin bow on plastic cassette case or wood, acoustic guitar is a rubber band, Tibetan trumpet is a toilet paper tube, electrical sounds are made with metal. "Environmental drums" are the floor, gas stove, the spring of a table lamp.
Names are taken from the Latin names
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
of the Dsinezumi Shrew
Dsinezumi Shrew
The Dsinezumi Shrew , also known as the Japanese White-toothed Shrew, is a species of musk shrew found in Japan and on Korea's Jeju Island. It is widespread, and considered to be of "least concern" by the IUCN....
, Japanese stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
, and Japanese least weasel
Least Weasel
The least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population...
. Another title was inspired by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet
The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet
The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet is a Frank Zappa composition, performed by the Mothers of Invention, released on the Mothers' debut album, Freak Out!...
".
Personnel
- Masami Akita – environmental drums, bowed instruments, paper pipe, plastic, woods, flute, insects, effects on tracks 1–2; bowed instruments, motor, noise electronics on track 3
KIR Transformation
From a concert with Achim Wollscheid: first Merzbow played, then Wollscheid played using a recording of Merzbow's set, then Merzbow and Wollscheid played together.SCUM Vol. 1
The Last LP on ZSF Produkt. Track titles influenced by American post-war art. SCUM was project to create new works out of previous Merzbow sessions using cut-upsCut-up technique
The cut-up technique is an aleatory literary technique in which a text is cut up and rearranged to create a new text. Most commonly, cut-ups are used to offer a non-linear alternative to traditional reading and writing....
, effects, and mixing. Name taken from the SCUM Manifesto
SCUM Manifesto
The SCUM Manifesto is a radical feminist manifesto written in 1967 by Valerie Solanas and calling for the elimination of the male sex.-Description:...
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – electronics, tapes, bowed instruments, percussion, metal junks, motor, piano wires, noise generator, drums, guitar, radio
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – junks, effects on raw materials
SCUM Vol. 2
Personnel
- Masami Akita – electronics, tapes, bowed instruments, percussion, metal junks, motor, piano wires, noise generator, guitar, electric shaver, radio, effects
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – guitar, junks, effects on raw materials
Severances
Includes two covers, "Deaf Forever" by Motörhead, and the Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
version of "Wild Thing".
Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, turntables, electronix, drum kit, percussion, voice, metal percussion, bowed instruments, electro-shaver, motor, self-made junk
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – tape materials: guitar on track 1 & 3; keyboard, computer rhythm on track 2
Steel CUM
The EP on Vertical Records was remixed and released without permission, with the cover made using one of Masami Akita's collages. "But a result of EP was fine. So, I'm agreed. But EP is still bootleg."Personnel
- Masami Akita – guitar, drums, tapes, electronics, metal bowed instruments, feedback mixer, turntable
- Kiyoshi Mizutani – drums, guitar on some parts
Cloud Cock OO Grand
During the European tour in 1989, Masami Akita could only bring simple equipment, and created a new live electronics style, different from his acoustical and tape based studio work, leading to the harsh noise Merzbow became known for in the 1990s. Cloud Cock OO Grand was the first example of this style, Merzbow's first digital recording, and the only CD on ZSF Produkt.Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, noise electronics, metals, distorted DBX, turntable, loops, bowed instruments, metal harp, short wave
- Reiko Azuma – bowed instruments on track 4
- Peter Duimelinks – original live recordings
Newark Hellfire, Live at WFMU, USA
Radio session from Merzbow's first American tour.Personnel
- Masami Akita – feedback audio mixer, metals, electronics, electric shaver
- Reiko Azuma – metals, bowed instruments
Hannover Cloud
OuttakeOuttake
An outtake is a portion of a work that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and DVD reissues of many albums and films as bonus tracks or features, in film often, but not...
s from Hannover Interruption and Cloud Cock OO Grand. "Rocket Bomber" uses raw materials from Sadomasochismo.
Stacy Q, Hi-Fi Sweet Leaf
Originally made as raw material for "Crash for Hi-Fi", "Wing Over", "Another Crash for High Tide". Includes the use of a scratched Cloud Cock OO Grand CD.Personnel
- Masami Akita – noise electronics, tapes, scratched CD, radio, sound effect records, guitar
Music for True Romance Vol. 1
Backing tracks made for True Romance, a performance artPerformance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
project with Seido and Bara.
Brain Ticket Death
Track 4 samples BrainticketBrainticket
Brainticket is a little-known experimental krautrock band.-History:Brainticket originally formed in 1968, consisting of members of Belgian, Swiss, and German descent...
's self-titled song from their album Cottonwoodhill
Cottonwoodhill
Cottonwoodhill is the debut album by Brainticket. It features the groove-based track "Black Sand", featuring Dawn Muir singing into a spring reverb unit....
. It's also a reference to Nurse with Wound
Nurse with Wound
Nurse with Wound is the main recording name for British musician Steven Stapleton. Nurse with Wound was originally a band, formed in 1978 by Stapleton, John Fothergill and Heman Pathak...
, who used the same bit on Brained by Falling Masonry.
Sons of Slash Noise Metal
Track 1 & 3 were made as raw material for recordings of the same period. Track 2 is a remix of a fragment.Personnel
- Masami Akita – metals, noise electronics, scratched CD, radio, tapes
Exotic Apple
Includes Arthur LymanArthur Lyman
Arthur Lyman was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. His group popularized a style of faux-Polynesian music during the 1950s and 1960s which later became known as exotica...
samples. Yuuri Sunohara is a director, producer, model etc. for Kinbiken/Right Brain. "Apple Rock" includes unused material originally made for Flying Testicle
Flying Testicle
Flying Testicle was an early 90's noise supergroup consisting of Masami Akita, Yamazaki Maso and Zev Asher. The group put out two releases before disbanding.-Discography:*Lamerican Sextom 7" vinyl - ZSF Produkt...
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – tapes, noise electronix, metals, guitar, EMS Synthi AEMS Synthi AThe EMS Synthi A was a portable analog synthesizer made by Electronic Music Studios Ltd in 1971....
, Roland TR-606Roland TR-606The Roland TR-606 Drumatix is a programmable analog synthesis drum machine built by the Roland Corporation from 1981 to 1984. It was originally designed to be used with the Roland TB-303, a monophonic analog bass synthesizer, to provide a simple drum and bass accompaniment to guitarists without...
Liquid City
Originally intended to be part of a CD+CD-ROM called Scatologic Baroque, but it was canceled. Part of the "World Trilogy" with Magnesia NovaMagnesia Nova
Magnesia Nova is a studio album by the Japanese noise musician, Merzbow. It is notable for being one of the more informative Merzbow releases as it was packaged in a long card wallet with a 24 page colour booklet stapled inside the wallet.-Track listing:...
and Green Wheels
Green Wheels
Green Wheels is a CD + 5" vinyl release by Merzbow. The title comes from a line in a poem by Kurt Schwitters: "Red is the colour of her green wheels."...
. The material for the CD-ROM was use for the book Anal Baroque. "Liquid City 17-1-95" was recorded on the same day as the Great Hanshin earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake
The Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, was an earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It measured 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale , and Mj7.3 on JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20...
. "Tiabguls" is a Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were an English industrial, avant-garde music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions...
tribute.
Red Magnesia Pink
Outtakes from Red 2 EyesRed 2 Eyes
-Track listing:...
, Magnesia Nova
Magnesia Nova
Magnesia Nova is a studio album by the Japanese noise musician, Merzbow. It is notable for being one of the more informative Merzbow releases as it was packaged in a long card wallet with a 24 page colour booklet stapled inside the wallet.-Track listing:...
, and Pinkream
Pinkream
Pinkream is a studio album by the noise artist Merzbow, released in 1995. The album was released as a 3 sided vinyl, meaning that the album features only 4 tracks on 2 vinyls and the second vinyl has only one song...
.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – EMS Synthi 'A', noise electronics, metal, filters, voice
Marfan Syndrome
"Marfan Syndrome for Blue" is first track to use EMS synthesiser. Track 2 is a reference to Claes OldenburgClaes Oldenburg
Claes Oldenburg is a Swedish sculptor, best known for his public art installations typically featuring very large replicas of everyday objects...
, who creates oversized sculptures of everyday objects, including soft sculptures.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – noise electronics, EMS, Synare 3, metals, rubber bass guitar, telephone signal, tape, voice
- Reiko Azuma – voice on tracks 1 & 5
Rhinogradentia
Masami Akita performed solo twice as Zecken, playing this style.Space Mix Travelling Band
Tracks 1 & 2 are based on four channel tape: two channels recorded in 1994 and used on tracks of the same period, and two channels of EMS recorded in 1996. Additional EMS and MoogMoog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
overdub and final mix in 1997.
Motorond
Track 1 was most recent live performance when Merzbox was compiled.Personnel
- Masami Akita – noise electronics, NovationNovation Digital Music SystemsNovation Digital Music Systems Ltd. is a UK musical equipment manufacturer. Founded in 1992 as Novation Electronic Music Systems, the company specialises in MIDI controllers and analog modeling synthesizers, which they have manufactured in China....
Bass Station, metals, pressure pedal - Bara – voice
Annihiloscillator
Selection of recent tracks when Merzbox was compiled. Track 3 is a reference to Marguerite YourcenarMarguerite Yourcenar
Marguerite Yourcenar was a Belgian-born French novelist and essayist. Winner of the Prix Femina and the Erasmus Prize, she was the first woman elected to the Académie française, in 1980, and the seventeenth person to occupy Seat 3.-Biography:Yourcenar was born Marguerite Antoinette Jeanne Marie...
's Dark Brain of Piranesi, an essay about Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an Italian artist famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric "prisons" .-His Life:...
's Carceri prints.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – metal, noise electronix, EMS on track 1 & 2, ThereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
on tracks 1–4, Moog on track 4 - Reiko Azuma – noise on track 2
- Bara – voice on track 2
Decomposition 001
Note: The following two CDs are only included with the special edition of the Merzbox.Merzbow remix, followed by the original.
Personnel
- Masami Akita – filters, EMS Synthi 'A' on track 1
- Eugene Thacker – noise sources, sampling, processing on track 2
Decomposition 002
Merzbow remixes, followed by the originals.Personnel
- Masami Akita – filters, EMS Synthi 'A', metal on track 1–2
- Eugene Thacker – twin Korg MS-20Korg MS-20The Korg MS-20 is a patchable semi-modular monophonic synthesizer which Korg released in 1978 and which was in production until 1983. It was part of Korg's MS series of instruments, which also included the single oscillator MS-10, the keyboardless MS-50 module, and the SQ-10 sequencer...
s on track 3