Muslimgauze
Encyclopedia
Muslimgauze was a music project of Bryn Jones (17 June 1961 – 14 January 1999), a prolific British
ethnic electronica
and experimental music
ian, influenced by conflicts in the Muslim world
with an emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With dozens of albums released under the Muslimgauze name, Jones was remarkably prolific, but his mainstream success was limited due in part to his work being issued mostly in limited editions on small record labels. Nonetheless, as critic John Bush writes, "Jones' blend of found-sound Middle Eastern atmospheres with heavily phased drones and colliding rhythm programs were among the most startling and unique in the noise
underground."
The name Muslimgauze is a play on the word muslin
(a type of gauze) combined with Muslim, referring to Bryn Jones' preoccupation with conflicts throughout the Muslim world.
, Israel
's 1982 invasion of Lebanon
to stem attacks from Palestinian Liberation Organization guerrillas stationed in South Lebanon. This event inspired Jones to research the conflict's origins, which grew into a lifelong artistic focal point, and he became a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, and often dedicated recordings to the Palestinian Liberation Organization or a free Palestine
. Jones's research further grew to encompass other conflict-ridden, predominantly Muslim countries including Afghanistan
, Pakistan
, Chechnya
, Iran
, and Iraq
. He concluded that Western interests for natural resources and strategic-political gain were root causes for many of these conflicts and should Western meddling halt, said regions would stabilize.
Jones frequently netted criticism for never having visited the Middle East
. He explained in a 1994 interview, "I don't think you can visit an occupied land. It's the principle. Not until it's free again."
References in dedications, album, and track titles demonstrate Jones had extensively researched the conflict regions in the Middle East
, as well as Chechnya
, Afghanistan
, India
, Pakistan
, and Indonesia
, among others. Musical references also extended to other creeds and ethnicities including Hindus, Tibetan Buddhists, and Sri-Lankans. Jones acquired this knowledge through local library research, which included available books and periodicals with additionally information gleaned from radio and news broadcasts.
When asked what he would do if conflicts in the Muslim world were peaceably resolved, Jones replied his music would champion other conflict regions such as China's occupation of Tibet
. He also admitted Muslimgauze music could be appreciated outside a political context as the majority of it is instrumental; politicized only by track and album titles as well as occasional newscast and ethnic music samples. It was his hope that listeners would read album and track title references and verify for themselves the meanings through independent research and thought.
(1982) and "Castro Regime" on Triptych (1982).
After operation Peace of the Galilee, the first Muslimgauze album, Hammer & Sickle (1983) appeared on another of Jones's label monikers, Hessian. Under the Muslimgauze alias, music switched from emphasis on pure synthesis to percussion textures, which grew to encompass acoustic drum kits, drum machines, assorted ethnic hand percussion, and even rudimentary objects like pots and pans. Synthesis and tape loop samples were often relegated to accompaniment.
Releases at the time were occasionally on cassette, more often vinyl EPs and LPs; the longest running of Jones' label monikers, Limited Editions, started with Hunting Out with an Aerial Eye
(1984) followed by Buddhist on Fire
, put out by Recloose the same year. Since then, Jones roughly released an album a year, given scarce financial resources until 1988, when he began making inroads with then-emerging labels Staalplaat
, Soleilmoon
, and Extreme Records
. In 1988, Staalplaat
released the first Muslimgauze CD, Iran
, the subsequent catalog migrated to mostly that format.
By the late 1980s, Jones ran out of funding to self release, and other labels that did put out Muslimgauze releases such as Recloose and Permis De Construire (which put out Coup D'État
) did not pay promised royalties. Recloose head Simon Crab cited lack of sales and damaged records from fire bombing as his reason.
At this time distributors Soleilmoon
, Staalplaat
, and Extreme Records
transitioned to a label proper with the advent of the compact disc format, which became less expensive to produce and ship than vinyl over time and gradually took on the Muslimgauze catalog. After a positive experience with the release of Intifaxa (1990) with Extreme, Jones remained with the label until his final release with it, Citadel
, in 1994.
(1991) a formalized agreement was reached with Extreme Records
, which helped fund professional studio recordings, designed attractive packaging, and utilized a more extensive distribution network. Though pleased at first, Jones was frustrated with Extreme's one-release-a-year policy and in 1993 signed to then-sibling labels Soleilmoon
and Staalplaat
, which offered a more frequent release schedule. 1993 saw the release of Vote Hezbollah
, Veiled Sisters
and a re-release of Iran
on Soleilmoon
and Hamas Arc
, Satyajit Eye
and Betrayal
on Staalplaat
.
As someone who always had more musical supply than demand, Jones additionally released material on nearly any small label that approached him, including Parade Amoureuse, Minus Habens Records, Concrete Productions, Daft, and Jara. A drawback with releasing on so many labels was gratuitous editing by producers and, through design or circumstance, no royalties. Extreme
cited betrayal by distribution networks that were unscrupulous or filed for bankruptcy and could not pay—though they also claimed to have eventually remunerated Jones. Lack of due royalties was a source of ongoing stress throughout Jones's career.
In 1995, he had six releases; in 1996, 15; in 1997, nine; in 1998, 16. After his death, the many record companies with which he had associated released unreleased material and re-pressed older, out-of-print material. In 1999, the year of his death, 22 new (and old) albums and EPs on several media were released.
As frequency of releases increased, Jones was able to musically respond to events in the Muslim world as they occurred. Cases in point were the 1993 Oslo Accords
, which surfaced as Betrayal
and 1994's Hebron Massacre
(also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre
) released under the same name just months after the tragedy.
Toward the end of his life, Jones involved himself in more collaborative efforts in projects like the Rootsman, Apollon, and Systemwide. Jones also made arrangements to release with other labels in addition to his mainstays (something done throughout his career, moreso toward the end) such as D.O.R., Third Eye, BSI, Klanggalerie, and DAFT. In addition, the frequency of live shows increased, some recorded such as at On Air West in Japan
, Mort Aux Vaches
for VPRO
Dutch
Radio, and aboard the Mortorschiff Stubnitz
. It seemed no combination of labels, collaborations, or live performances could exhaust his musical output. Media scrutiny increased too (albeit mostly on independent publications) with a total of eight interviews in 1998.
He always stated that he never had time to listen to other people's music, although in a 1992 interview with Impulse Magazine, he mentioned that he enjoyed traditional music of Japan
, the Middle East
, and India
, as well as the works of artists such as Can
, Throbbing Gristle
, Wire
, and Faust
. However, despite a few collaborations, Jones didn't trust anyone when it came to remixing his music. Instead, he took pieces of music sent to him and remixed them to his own liking.
Bryn Jones is survived by his nephew Gareth Jones, who reportedly is in charge of the Muslimgauze estate, which includes rights-of-ownership and royalties.
, techno
, house
, traditional-ethnic-percussion, experimental-electro-acoustic and Jamaican dub
, among a myriad of other styles that he fashioned into his own. Commonalties are often samples and loops of ethnic music from the places such as the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia; field recordings of said regions; and as the recurrent use of percussion. Another defining trait was the mongrelization of disparate ethnic and urban music stylings. On occasion, Jones eschewed stylings he was known for—namely ethno-percussion, to create beatless pure electronic textures or 4/4 dance-oriented material. Muslimgauze music also features more abstract content such as noise and drone on selections from No Human Rights for Arabs in Israel (1995) as well as The Remix (2005), Izlamaphobia
(1995), and pure electro-acoustic on Azzazin
(1996). Add to that, collaborative efforts with projects such as Apollon, the Rootsman
, Bass Communion
, Systemwide, and Suns of Arqa
—artists who influenced Muslimgauze directly or indirectly and added further breadth to the oeuvre.
Jones produced music with the use of synthesis; drum machines (sometimes used as a sample trigger); sound modules; tape, Digital Audio Tape
(DAT) and CD samples and loops; and a wide array of percussion and chimes. Many Muslimgauze albums were recorded in professional studios with the aid of sound engineers to add depth and further audio singularities. Computers were sometimes used in the editing process. In his last few years, Jones had personal access to increasingly sophisticated synthesis and recording equipment but never owned a personal computer.
. At the behest of Bourbonese Qualk
, mainstays of the Recloose label, Jones performed a half hour set. The show consisted of Jones singing to a backing track while Simon Crab then members of Bourbonese Qualk
, added instrumental accompaniment. By all accounts the show went reasonably, but Jones was traumatized by the experience enough to swear off live performance until the 1990s.
Jones resumed live performance in 1995 at the behest of record store owner and DJ Simon Scott. Part of Jones's apprehension with live performance was in trying to figure out how to present the music. He concluded the best way was refrain from vocals with lyrics and instead play live percussion atop a backing track. He also did DJ sets that consisted of exclusively his own material. Contrary to his 1986 experience, Jones did enjoy doing live shows and frequently did them in his last years in diverse places such as the UK, throughout mainland Europe
, and even Japan
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ethnic electronica
Ethnic electronica
Ethnic Electronica combines elements of Electronic and World Music and was developed in the 1990s. The term Ethnic Electronica appears in music zines, in online music-related forums and blogs, and also in a title of a 2003 compilation "Another Life: A Journey Into Ethnic Electronica"...
and experimental music
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
ian, influenced by conflicts in the Muslim world
Muslim world
The term Muslim world has several meanings. In a religious sense, it refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, it refers to Islamic civilization, inclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization...
with an emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With dozens of albums released under the Muslimgauze name, Jones was remarkably prolific, but his mainstream success was limited due in part to his work being issued mostly in limited editions on small record labels. Nonetheless, as critic John Bush writes, "Jones' blend of found-sound Middle Eastern atmospheres with heavily phased drones and colliding rhythm programs were among the most startling and unique in the noise
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
underground."
The name Muslimgauze is a play on the word muslin
Muslin
Muslin |sewing patterns]], such as for clothing, curtains, or upholstery. Because air moves easily through muslin, muslin clothing is suitable for hot, dry climates.- Etymology and history :...
(a type of gauze) combined with Muslim, referring to Bryn Jones' preoccupation with conflicts throughout the Muslim world.
Political beliefs
Jones claimed Muslimgauze was formed in response to Operation Peace of the Galilee1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's 1982 invasion of Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
to stem attacks from Palestinian Liberation Organization guerrillas stationed in South Lebanon. This event inspired Jones to research the conflict's origins, which grew into a lifelong artistic focal point, and he became a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, and often dedicated recordings to the Palestinian Liberation Organization or a free Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Jones's research further grew to encompass other conflict-ridden, predominantly Muslim countries including Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He concluded that Western interests for natural resources and strategic-political gain were root causes for many of these conflicts and should Western meddling halt, said regions would stabilize.
Jones frequently netted criticism for never having visited the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. He explained in a 1994 interview, "I don't think you can visit an occupied land. It's the principle. Not until it's free again."
References in dedications, album, and track titles demonstrate Jones had extensively researched the conflict regions in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, as well as Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, among others. Musical references also extended to other creeds and ethnicities including Hindus, Tibetan Buddhists, and Sri-Lankans. Jones acquired this knowledge through local library research, which included available books and periodicals with additionally information gleaned from radio and news broadcasts.
When asked what he would do if conflicts in the Muslim world were peaceably resolved, Jones replied his music would champion other conflict regions such as China's occupation of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. He also admitted Muslimgauze music could be appreciated outside a political context as the majority of it is instrumental; politicized only by track and album titles as well as occasional newscast and ethnic music samples. It was his hope that listeners would read album and track title references and verify for themselves the meanings through independent research and thought.
Early musical career
Jones first released music in 1982 as E.g. Oblique Graph on Kinematograph, his own imprint, and the independent co-op label Recloose, run by Simon Crab. E.g. Oblique Graph came from the do-it-yourself (DIY) ethos of the time and was musically composed of electronic/experimental drone with occasional synth-melodic hooks and use of radio broadcast samples. Track titles were sometimes politicized such as "Murders linked to Gaullist Clique" on Extended PlayExtended Play (cassette)
This cassette is a very rare release by Bryn Jones under the alias E.g Oblique Graph. Two versions of the tape are believed to exist with the following tracklistings and track timings. All of the songs were later released on the 2X12" version of Completely Oblique...
(1982) and "Castro Regime" on Triptych (1982).
After operation Peace of the Galilee, the first Muslimgauze album, Hammer & Sickle (1983) appeared on another of Jones's label monikers, Hessian. Under the Muslimgauze alias, music switched from emphasis on pure synthesis to percussion textures, which grew to encompass acoustic drum kits, drum machines, assorted ethnic hand percussion, and even rudimentary objects like pots and pans. Synthesis and tape loop samples were often relegated to accompaniment.
Releases at the time were occasionally on cassette, more often vinyl EPs and LPs; the longest running of Jones' label monikers, Limited Editions, started with Hunting Out with an Aerial Eye
Hunting Out with an Aerial Eye
Hunting Out With An Aerial Eye is an 1987 album by Muslimgauze. The album was released as a 12" vinyl playable at 45 RPM.-Track listing:Side A#"Under The Hand Of Jaruzelski" - 6.14#"Ensan Entehari" - 5.26Side B...
(1984) followed by Buddhist on Fire
Buddhist on Fire
Buddhist On Fire is a 12" vinyl release by Muslimgauze. The first pressing was released coupled with Triptych.-Track listing:Side A#"Soviet Occupied Territories" - 5.40#"Turkisk Falaka" - 8.20#"Priest" - 6.58Side B#"Reuters" - 6.34...
, put out by Recloose the same year. Since then, Jones roughly released an album a year, given scarce financial resources until 1988, when he began making inroads with then-emerging labels Staalplaat
Staalplaat
Staalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
, Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon Recordings is an American record label that began in 1987 as a cassette label, operating from the back of a record shop called the Ooze in Portland, Oregon, USA. The first releases were by Smegma, Muslimgauze, Coil, and Nocturnal Emissions. Compact discs releases soon followed in...
, and 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...
. In 1988, Staalplaat
Staalplaat
Staalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
released the first Muslimgauze CD, Iran
Iran (Muslimgauze album)
Iran was the first Muslimgauze album pressed to CD, and the first CD to be released on the Staalplaat label. A repressing was made by Staalplaat in 1988 after the first pressing sold out...
, the subsequent catalog migrated to mostly that format.
By the late 1980s, Jones ran out of funding to self release, and other labels that did put out Muslimgauze releases such as Recloose and Permis De Construire (which put out Coup D'État
Coup D'Etat (Muslimgauze album)
Coup D'Etat is an album by Muslimgauze. Although the album was only pressed to 12-inch vinyl, it was later coupled with Abu Nidal and released on CD as Coup D'Etat/Abu Nidal....
) did not pay promised royalties. Recloose head Simon Crab cited lack of sales and damaged records from fire bombing as his reason.
At this time distributors Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon Recordings is an American record label that began in 1987 as a cassette label, operating from the back of a record shop called the Ooze in Portland, Oregon, USA. The first releases were by Smegma, Muslimgauze, Coil, and Nocturnal Emissions. Compact discs releases soon followed in...
, Staalplaat
Staalplaat
Staalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
, and 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...
transitioned to a label proper with the advent of the compact disc format, which became less expensive to produce and ship than vinyl over time and gradually took on the Muslimgauze catalog. After a positive experience with the release of Intifaxa (1990) with Extreme, Jones remained with the label until his final release with it, Citadel
Citadel (Muslimgauze album)
Citadel is an album by Muslimgauze. The album also received a promo pressing and a bootleg pressing combined with Sufiq by Russian bootleg label Ars Nova. An additional various artists sampler CD was included with some orders, not containing any Muslimgauze tracks.-Credits:*Engineer - J...
, in 1994.
Later musical career
It was with the release of United States of IslamUnited States of Islam
United States of Islam is a studio album by British electronic musician Muslimgauze, released by Extreme Records in June, 1991. The album is dedicated to "Palestinians killed by Israel on 'Allthnen As Aswad' at Temple Mount in occupied Jerusalem".-Track listing:#"United States of Islam " –...
(1991) a formalized agreement was reached with 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...
, which helped fund professional studio recordings, designed attractive packaging, and utilized a more extensive distribution network. Though pleased at first, Jones was frustrated with Extreme's one-release-a-year policy and in 1993 signed to then-sibling labels Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon Recordings is an American record label that began in 1987 as a cassette label, operating from the back of a record shop called the Ooze in Portland, Oregon, USA. The first releases were by Smegma, Muslimgauze, Coil, and Nocturnal Emissions. Compact discs releases soon followed in...
and Staalplaat
Staalplaat
Staalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
, which offered a more frequent release schedule. 1993 saw the release of Vote Hezbollah
Vote Hezbollah
-Credits:*Engineered and mixed by John Delf*Written, performed, recorded and remixed by Muslimgauze-Pressings:#Pressing 1:#*Label & catalog number:Soleilmoon Recordings SOL 17 CD#*Date released: 1993 June 15#*Format released: CD...
, Veiled Sisters
Veiled Sisters
Veiled Sisters is a double-CD album by Muslimgauze. "Dedicated to the P.L.O. for their work in trying to improve Palestinian lives."-Bootleg version:...
and a re-release of Iran
Iran (Muslimgauze album)
Iran was the first Muslimgauze album pressed to CD, and the first CD to be released on the Staalplaat label. A repressing was made by Staalplaat in 1988 after the first pressing sold out...
on Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon
Soleilmoon Recordings is an American record label that began in 1987 as a cassette label, operating from the back of a record shop called the Ooze in Portland, Oregon, USA. The first releases were by Smegma, Muslimgauze, Coil, and Nocturnal Emissions. Compact discs releases soon followed in...
and Hamas Arc
Hamas Arc
Hamas Arc is a studio album by Muslimgauze. It was originally released in 1993 and was repressed in 1999 and again in 2003. Included with the CD was an insert that could, along with a blank digital audio tape and six international reply coupons , be redeemed for a copy of the DAT-only release...
, Satyajit Eye
Satyajit Eye
Satyajit Eye is a digital audio tape-only studio album by Muslimgauze. It was the first DAT album by Muslimgauze, as well as the first DAT release on Staalplaat...
and Betrayal
Betrayal (Muslimgauze album)
Betrayal is studio album by Muslimgauze. The cover of the album is close-up image of Yassir Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin shaking hands during the Oslo Accords...
on Staalplaat
Staalplaat
Staalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
.
As someone who always had more musical supply than demand, Jones additionally released material on nearly any small label that approached him, including Parade Amoureuse, Minus Habens Records, Concrete Productions, Daft, and Jara. A drawback with releasing on so many labels was gratuitous editing by producers and, through design or circumstance, no royalties. Extreme
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...
cited betrayal by distribution networks that were unscrupulous or filed for bankruptcy and could not pay—though they also claimed to have eventually remunerated Jones. Lack of due royalties was a source of ongoing stress throughout Jones's career.
In 1995, he had six releases; in 1996, 15; in 1997, nine; in 1998, 16. After his death, the many record companies with which he had associated released unreleased material and re-pressed older, out-of-print material. In 1999, the year of his death, 22 new (and old) albums and EPs on several media were released.
As frequency of releases increased, Jones was able to musically respond to events in the Muslim world as they occurred. Cases in point were the 1993 Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
, which surfaced as Betrayal
Betrayal (Muslimgauze album)
Betrayal is studio album by Muslimgauze. The cover of the album is close-up image of Yassir Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin shaking hands during the Oslo Accords...
and 1994's Hebron Massacre
Hebron Massacre (Muslimgauze album)
Hebron Massacre is a CD album by Muslimgauze. According to a message on the front cover, "This music was written in response to the February 25, 1994 tragedy in Hebron". The album was released in a numbered limited edition of 2,000 copies. Approximately 1,848 copies were issued. The album was...
(also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre
Cave of the Patriarchs massacre
The Cave of the Patriarchs massacre was a terrorist attack that occurred when Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli settler and member of the far-right Israeli Kach movement, opened fire on unarmed Palestinian Muslims praying inside the Ibrahim Mosque at the Cave of the Patriarchs site in Hebron in the...
) released under the same name just months after the tragedy.
Toward the end of his life, Jones involved himself in more collaborative efforts in projects like the Rootsman, Apollon, and Systemwide. Jones also made arrangements to release with other labels in addition to his mainstays (something done throughout his career, moreso toward the end) such as D.O.R., Third Eye, BSI, Klanggalerie, and DAFT. In addition, the frequency of live shows increased, some recorded such as at On Air West in Japan
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...
, Mort Aux Vaches
Mort Aux Vaches
Mort aux Vaches is the name of a series of albums released by the Staalplaat record label in collaboration with the Dutch radio station, VPRO. The name translates literally from French as “Death to Cows,” with “cows” being French slang for German cops - it is equivalent to “Death to Pigs” in English...
for VPRO
VPRO
The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...
Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Radio, and aboard the Mortorschiff Stubnitz
Stubnitz
The Motorschiff Stubnitz e.V., a registered non-profit association, is the operator of an 80m former freeze & transport vessel of the GDR high seas fishing fleet based in Rostock. Since 1993 it has been transformed into a mobile platform for music, cultural production, documentation and communication...
. It seemed no combination of labels, collaborations, or live performances could exhaust his musical output. Media scrutiny increased too (albeit mostly on independent publications) with a total of eight interviews in 1998.
He always stated that he never had time to listen to other people's music, although in a 1992 interview with Impulse Magazine, he mentioned that he enjoyed traditional music of Japan
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...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, as well as the works of artists such as Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
, 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...
, Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
, and Faust
Faust (band)
Faust are a German krautrock band. Formed in 1971 in Wümme, the group was originally composed of Werner "Zappi" Diermaier, Hans Joachim Irmler, Arnulf Meifert, Jean-Hervé Péron, Rudolf Sosna and Gunther Wüsthoff, working with record producer Uwe Nettelbeck and engineer Kurt Graupner.-History:Faust...
. However, despite a few collaborations, Jones didn't trust anyone when it came to remixing his music. Instead, he took pieces of music sent to him and remixed them to his own liking.
Death
On Wednesday, 30 December 1998, Bryn was rushed to the hospital in Manchester with a rare fungal infection in his bloodstream, for which he had to be heavily sedated. His body eventually shut down, and he died on 14 January 1999.Posthumous activity
Since Bryn Jones's death in 1999 at the age of 37, Muslimgauze music continues to be released; this is planned to continue until his catalog is fully available for sale to the public. He often inundated labels and collaborators with music; consequently, the latter had to be selective of what was finally put out. Because of demand for unreleased music, labels continue to air material previously unreleased. New material is often stylistic variations of previously released albums. In fact, Jones made large numbers of studio variations of nearly all his music.Bryn Jones is survived by his nephew Gareth Jones, who reportedly is in charge of the Muslimgauze estate, which includes rights-of-ownership and royalties.
Musical styles
Muslimgauze music is often difficult to describe as sheer volume; content diversity and often singular stylings make for a confounding task. Nor did Jones produce any hit albums or songs, rather he made music both as audio aesthetic exploration and to express outrage over perceived injustices in and against predominantly Muslim countries. Muslimgauze did incorporate elements from a variety of genres including ambientAmbient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, traditional-ethnic-percussion, experimental-electro-acoustic and Jamaican dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, among a myriad of other styles that he fashioned into his own. Commonalties are often samples and loops of ethnic music from the places such as the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia; field recordings of said regions; and as the recurrent use of percussion. Another defining trait was the mongrelization of disparate ethnic and urban music stylings. On occasion, Jones eschewed stylings he was known for—namely ethno-percussion, to create beatless pure electronic textures or 4/4 dance-oriented material. Muslimgauze music also features more abstract content such as noise and drone on selections from No Human Rights for Arabs in Israel (1995) as well as The Remix (2005), Izlamaphobia
Izlamaphobia
Izlamaphobia is an album by Muslimgauze. It represents the first in the series of Muslimgauze limited editions released by Staalplaat.-Editions:...
(1995), and pure electro-acoustic on Azzazin
Azzazin
Azzazin is an album by Muslimgauze. The album has slightly different artwork depending on the pressing. The sequel to the album is Azzazin 2.-Pressings:*Staalplaat 1st edition limited edition of 500 copies in digipak....
(1996). Add to that, collaborative efforts with projects such as Apollon, the Rootsman
The Rootsman
The Rootsman is a musician and DJ based in Bradford, England.-Biography:His musical career began when he was living in Edinburgh, Scotland and taught himself to play guitar in 1978 at the age of 13 and formed his first punk band. With his group "State Oppression" he made his debut gig in 1981,...
, Bass Communion
Bass Communion
Bass Communion is a side project of Steven Wilson, best known for his lead role in the rock band Porcupine Tree. Records released under the name "Bass Communion" are in an ambient or electronic vein - lengthy drone-heavy compositions...
, Systemwide, and Suns of Arqa
Suns of Arqa
Suns of Arqa are a World Music collective founded in 1979 by Michael Wadada. Since the group's formation, over 200 people from around the world have played and recorded with them, and in many cases these were like-minded musicians Wadada met as he travelled the world...
—artists who influenced Muslimgauze directly or indirectly and added further breadth to the oeuvre.
Jones produced music with the use of synthesis; drum machines (sometimes used as a sample trigger); sound modules; tape, Digital Audio Tape
Digital Audio Tape
Digital Audio Tape is a signal recording and playback medium developed by Sony and introduced in 1987. In appearance it is similar to a compact audio cassette, using 4 mm magnetic tape enclosed in a protective shell, but is roughly half the size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm. As...
(DAT) and CD samples and loops; and a wide array of percussion and chimes. Many Muslimgauze albums were recorded in professional studios with the aid of sound engineers to add depth and further audio singularities. Computers were sometimes used in the editing process. In his last few years, Jones had personal access to increasingly sophisticated synthesis and recording equipment but never owned a personal computer.
Discography
He released over 90 original albums on 32 different record labels, creating nearly 2,000 original songs. Many of his pieces were inspired by political facts or events. Many of his releases have been re-pressed as, after 1994, most of his albums were released in limited editions of 200–1,000. Including re-pressings, he had 192 releases as of 2008, but the number is prone to increasing further.Live performances
During the early phase of his career, Jones was known to have performed only one live show in 1986 at the W2 in s-Hertogenbosch, the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. At the behest of Bourbonese Qualk
Bourbonese Qualk
Bourbonese Qualk are an Experimental Music group which existed from 1980 to 2003.Bourbonese Qualk's credentials as early and important contributors to the Industrial scene is born out by their presence on the seminal Elephant Table compilation from 1983. Up until 1987, they were essentially a...
, mainstays of the Recloose label, Jones performed a half hour set. The show consisted of Jones singing to a backing track while Simon Crab then members of Bourbonese Qualk
Bourbonese Qualk
Bourbonese Qualk are an Experimental Music group which existed from 1980 to 2003.Bourbonese Qualk's credentials as early and important contributors to the Industrial scene is born out by their presence on the seminal Elephant Table compilation from 1983. Up until 1987, they were essentially a...
, added instrumental accompaniment. By all accounts the show went reasonably, but Jones was traumatized by the experience enough to swear off live performance until the 1990s.
Jones resumed live performance in 1995 at the behest of record store owner and DJ Simon Scott. Part of Jones's apprehension with live performance was in trying to figure out how to present the music. He concluded the best way was refrain from vocals with lyrics and instead play live percussion atop a backing track. He also did DJ sets that consisted of exclusively his own material. Contrary to his 1986 experience, Jones did enjoy doing live shows and frequently did them in his last years in diverse places such as the UK, throughout mainland Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and even Japan
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...
.
| Date (Year-Month-Day) | Country-Province-City | Venue | Event | Release status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-07-06 | UK-England-Manchester | Turkish Baths | Arabbox | |
| 1995-09-03 | UK-Scotland-Edinburgh | Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh School of Art | Color Climax organised by Blue Room (Edinburgh) & Sonora (Glasgow) | |
| 1995-10-08 | UK-Yorkshire-Edinburgh | Cafe Mex | Sunday Service | |
| 1996-02-18 | UK-Yorkshire-Leeds | The Duchess | Sunday Service | |
| 1996-05-26 | UK-Yorkshire-Leeds | The Duchess | Sunday Service | |
| 1996-08-24 | Germany-Berlin | Staalplaat Sonderangebot Festival | ||
| 1996-10-17 | UK-Yorkshire-Leeds | Le Phono | Brainticket | |
| 1997-06-22 http://www.stubnitz.com/0/archive/details.php?id=5394 | Germany-Rostock | MS Stubnitz/Rostock Harbor | ||
| 1997-07-XX | Spain | 4 am in a Spanish bull ring | ||
| 1997-11-01 | UK-Yorkshire-Leeds | The Duchess | Tandoori Space | |
| 1998-01-27 | Japan-Shibuya | Club Shibuya on Air West | ||
| 1998-06-13 http://www.stubnitz.com/0/archive/details.php?id=1197 | Sweden-Stockholm | MS Stubnitz | Nursery Injection Festival | |
| 1998-09-XX | France-Normandy | The Monastery of Sound | ||
| 1998-10-28 | UK-Yorkshire-Leeds | The Cockpit | Tandoori Space | |
| 1998-11-2X | Germany-Berlin | Volksbühne | Ballroom International |
External links
- Muslimgauze, official site, has reprints of almost all known Muslimgauze articles and interviews from varied publications; also cover art and liner dedications for the entire Muslimgauze catalog
- Staalplaat, European record label
- Soleilmoon, US record label
- Extreme, Australian record label
- The Label, Canadian recording label
- The Arabbox, fansite
- Muslimgauze on Discogs
- Muslimgauze - Nomad War
- O'Connor, Michael. Muslimgauze, Disinformation, 18 October 2000. Accessed 4 February 2007.
- MS Stubnitz