Noisegate
Encyclopedia
Noisegate was a group of artists dedicated to the exploration of sound as an artistic medium, based in Oakland, CA
. Constantly recording, touring, and collaborating with other experimental artists and filmmakers, they became a staple of the Bay Area experimental music and sound-art scenes between 1995 and 2002.
, Nicolas Lampert and Tae K Kim began to experiment with using timbre
as a basis for a musical language. In November 1995, Excavation Day was released. This tape-only release, limited to 500 copies, is an early document of their development. Barren Earth was released in the summer of 1996, and at this point, Noisegate's musical language had expanded to include a much wider range of textures, all of which were composed into one another. An early version of "Solar Eclipse" was on this release.
In the fall of 1996, now consisting of Trevor Paglen
, Nicolas Lampert, and Sean Thomas
, Noisegate embarked on their first major tour of the United States, with filmmaker Laura Klein. Upon their return, Chris Fitzpatrick was enlisted to run sampler. This new lineup began reworking the music which became the Towers Are Burning LP, produced by Lars Savage and released in 1998 by the One Hundred Years of Solitude label. After several tours supporting the LP across the US and in Canada, it was decided to record two more tracks, and release all four on Tumult Records and Legion Records
as the Towers Are Burning CD. One of these tracks, "Alamogordo", featured Dave Edwardson
of Neurosis
on bass guitar and vocals. Noisegate also recorded As We Were Walking, a split-release with KK Null
on Wagenhault Records.
After more touring, Nicolas Lampert left Noisegate and Chris Fitzpatrick and Trevor Paglen
began work on Suspended Animation (Vol. 1), where the new emphasis of the compositions were fluidity and subtlety. Suspended Animation was released in May 2000, and supported that summer with a lengthy multimedia tour of the US, accompanied by filmmaker Jon Frechette. This tour included a string of West Coast tour dates with Bastard Noise
.
We Stood There Watching was a recorded version of the interpretations of Suspended Animation that Noisegate performed on their U.S. tour, and was released exclusively in Europe in December 2001 on Manufracture, and supported by a European tour in January 2001. Where in the past, Noisegate tours have created rich and immersive multimedia environments, for this tour, the opposite was achieved. The performances occurred in absolute darkness with the performers unseen, disarming rather than facilitating spectacle.
Noisegate amicably disbanded in 2002 to pursue other projects.
Compilations featuring Noisegate:
Reviews
Labels
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Constantly recording, touring, and collaborating with other experimental artists and filmmakers, they became a staple of the Bay Area experimental music and sound-art scenes between 1995 and 2002.
Biography
Noisegate began in 1995, when Trevor PaglenTrevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen is an American artist, geographer, and author.He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a PhD in geography from the University of California at Berkeley, where he currently works as a researcher.Paglen is the author of three books...
, Nicolas Lampert and Tae K Kim began to experiment with using timbre
Timbre
In music, timbre is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments, such as string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments. The physical characteristics of sound that determine the...
as a basis for a musical language. In November 1995, Excavation Day was released. This tape-only release, limited to 500 copies, is an early document of their development. Barren Earth was released in the summer of 1996, and at this point, Noisegate's musical language had expanded to include a much wider range of textures, all of which were composed into one another. An early version of "Solar Eclipse" was on this release.
In the fall of 1996, now consisting of Trevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen is an American artist, geographer, and author.He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a PhD in geography from the University of California at Berkeley, where he currently works as a researcher.Paglen is the author of three books...
, Nicolas Lampert, and Sean Thomas
Sean Thomas
Sean Thomas may refer to:*Tom Knox , pseudonym for the author Sean Thomas*Seán Thomas, former manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team*Sean Thomas, guitarist for the band Kisschasy...
, Noisegate embarked on their first major tour of the United States, with filmmaker Laura Klein. Upon their return, Chris Fitzpatrick was enlisted to run sampler. This new lineup began reworking the music which became the Towers Are Burning LP, produced by Lars Savage and released in 1998 by the One Hundred Years of Solitude label. After several tours supporting the LP across the US and in Canada, it was decided to record two more tracks, and release all four on Tumult Records and Legion Records
Legion Records
Legion Records was started in 1997 by Michael Brosnan under the name Goatboy Records then changed to Goatboy Farms Recordings. It was centered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The final name change occurred in 1999 for, publicly, unknown reasons...
as the Towers Are Burning CD. One of these tracks, "Alamogordo", featured Dave Edwardson
Dave Edwardson
Dave Edwardson is the bassist and back-up vocalist for the Californian sludge metal band, Neurosis. His vocal style in the band resembles a low growl but it is not deep enough to be a death grunt since it is higher in pitch and more throaty. He is also a member of experimental/noise group, Tribes...
of Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...
on bass guitar and vocals. Noisegate also recorded As We Were Walking, a split-release with KK Null
KK Null
KK Null is a Japanese experimental multi-instrumentalist. He began as a guitarist, but soon added composer, singer, electronic musician and drummer to his list of talents, and also studied with the Butoh workshop....
on Wagenhault Records.
After more touring, Nicolas Lampert left Noisegate and Chris Fitzpatrick and Trevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen is an American artist, geographer, and author.He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a PhD in geography from the University of California at Berkeley, where he currently works as a researcher.Paglen is the author of three books...
began work on Suspended Animation (Vol. 1), where the new emphasis of the compositions were fluidity and subtlety. Suspended Animation was released in May 2000, and supported that summer with a lengthy multimedia tour of the US, accompanied by filmmaker Jon Frechette. This tour included a string of West Coast tour dates with Bastard Noise
Bastard Noise
-History:The Bastard Noise was founded in 1991 by Henry Barnes, W. T. Nelson and Eric Wood, initially as a side project of powerviolence band Man Is The Bastard.-Project personnel and past contributors:...
.
We Stood There Watching was a recorded version of the interpretations of Suspended Animation that Noisegate performed on their U.S. tour, and was released exclusively in Europe in December 2001 on Manufracture, and supported by a European tour in January 2001. Where in the past, Noisegate tours have created rich and immersive multimedia environments, for this tour, the opposite was achieved. The performances occurred in absolute darkness with the performers unseen, disarming rather than facilitating spectacle.
Noisegate amicably disbanded in 2002 to pursue other projects.
Discography
Full-length Releases:- Noisegate, We Stood There Watching (2001) (limited European-only release) Manufracture Records
- Noisegate, Suspended Animation (vol. 1) (2000) Tumult Records
- Noisegate, The Towers Are Burning (1999) (full-length compact disc) Tumult Records
- Noisegate, As We Were Walking (1999) (split 7” with KK NullKK NullKK Null is a Japanese experimental multi-instrumentalist. He began as a guitarist, but soon added composer, singer, electronic musician and drummer to his list of talents, and also studied with the Butoh workshop....
) Wagonhault Records
- Noisegate, Towers Are Burning (1998) (original LP version, edition of 1000, out of print)
- Noisegate, Barren Earth (1996) (tape edition of 500, out of print)
- Noisegate, Excavation Day (1995) (tape edition of 500, out of print)
Compilations featuring Noisegate:
- In Formation: A Tribute To Throbbing GristleThrobbing GristleThrobbing Gristle were an English industrial, avant-garde music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions...
(Released on ADR and Invisible Records)
- Audio Terrorism: 99 Bands (Released on C.N.P Records)
External links
MembersReviews
- Noisegate, The Towers Are Burning Epitonic.com
- Noisegate, The Towers Are Burning Allmusic
- Noisegate Tumult Records
- Biography Answers.com
Labels
- Tumult Records
- Manufracture Records
- Legion RecordsLegion RecordsLegion Records was started in 1997 by Michael Brosnan under the name Goatboy Records then changed to Goatboy Farms Recordings. It was centered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The final name change occurred in 1999 for, publicly, unknown reasons...