Fight Your Own War: Power Electronics and Noise Culture

by Jennifer Wallis (Editor)

Power electronics is a genre of industrial or 'noise' music that utilises feedback and synthesizers to produce an intense, loud, challenging sound. To match this sonic excess, power electronics also relies heavily upon extreme thematic and visual content – whether in lyrics, album art, or live performance. It is a genre that often invites strong reactions from both listeners and critics, if not dismissed or ignored altogether.
FIGHT YOUR OWN WAR is the first ever English-language book primarily devoted to power electronics, bringing together essays and reviews that explore the current state of the genre, from early development through to live performance, listener experience, artist motivation, gender and subcultures, such as 'Japanoise'.
Written by artists, fans, and critics from around the world, FIGHT YOUR OWN WAR provides comment on a musical form that is at once theatrical and absurdist, while bringing to listeners a violent, ecstatic, and potentially consciousness-altering experience. In considering this 'spectacle' of noise, how far can we simply label power electronics as a genre of shock tactics or of transgression for transgression's sake?

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

340 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2016

Reviews

[Warren Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your approval of this collection of reviews, articles, and interview snippets will largely be based on your preconceptions, so go into it with an open mind. For example, there have been criticisms of this book for poor writing, but the book largely consists of the honest words from engineers and musicians with a specific means of expression, and writing prose is not it. I've also seen negative reviews from those who consider themselves highly familiar with Power Electronics but believe that they know better than the curators and contributors to this book. At the same time, I've seen positive reviews from those who know nothing about PE or noise music, and yet found their interest sparked by this book. I've read disapproval from those who simply do not like PE, and gushing reviews from those who are already established fanatics.

So don't go into this work with what you think you know already about literature, art, politics, or music. The main question I attempt to answer for anyone possibly reading this review is: should you give this book your time?

The short answer is that if you have come this far and are even bothering to read this review, then sure, why not? You can read the book episodically, choosing to check out a short article here and there while you wait at the BMV or are sitting on the toilet. You do not have to be a musician or an expert in noise music to get something out of it. Just don't expect high philosophy or any revelations to help you "get it." This is mostly a listing of some influential artists who practice this form of expression, and the personal experiences of some noise artists with the industry. It is a good overall introduction to this strange but fascinating and often rewarding artform.

But why would anyone be interested in such a work about listening to and creating sounds that most people would turn off as quickly as possible? Well, the fact is that noise demands our focus, and we can all identify with that. You may have found yourself lulled into a trance by the hum of the car engine and the hiss of the eighteen-wheeler trucks rushing past on a long commute. Or you may intentionally subject yourself to the metallic frictions of a set of singing bowls to unwind after a hard day. Or you may have found your otherwise reserved character whipped into a frenzy by loud music at a live concert. I myself have always liked the drone of my Evinrude outboard motor as I scuttle along the bayous and waterways in my Boston Whaler. Noise is powerful. It can evoke emotions without words, and it can heal. Thus, noise music is truly music--stripped down and at its most primal level.

My own reasons for reading this book was because "industrial" was one of my most formative musical genres and I wanted to go further down the rabbit hole with a subgenre I had not experienced in my youthful past. As early as 9 years old, bootlegs and overcopied tapes of SPK, NON, Nurse with Wound, Monte Cazzaza, and Clock DVA were reaching my ears through my older musician cousin and his cronies. These were not necessarily "noise" projects, but they all employed a lot of experimental sounds, innovative percussion, and harsh electronic noise. SPK's "Leichenschrei" absolutely changed my life and the way I heard music forever. I still consider it perhaps the best industrial album of all time. As a fan of horror movies even as a kid, the images and feelings these sounds evoked were right up my alley so to speak. By the time I was a teenager in the late 80s and early 90s, I was still drawn to bands with an industrial aesthetic, but which were more accessible to my need for music with which to mate and party, so bands like Ministry, NIN, Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, Cabaret Voltaire, Nitzer Ebb, and Foetus took over. In the last five years, I have revisited my old records, but I am middle-aged and have been through so much more bullshit, and so I found my older self finding a bit more release from more esoteric noisy works like the brilliant Clock DVA album "Deep Floor," the lucky feedback anomalies of Nurse With Wound's "Soliloquy for Lilith," the ominous factory noises of Stratvm Terror, and the Dada-influenced sound collages of P16.D4.

This led me to a happy accident when I discovered the album "Raya and Sekina" by the Richard Ramirez project An Innocent Young Throat Cutter, and I was shocked how 40 minutes of a wall of static had repeat-listening potential, and even served as a kind of rejuvenating meditation for me. Around the same time, I listened to a devastating PE work called "Geography of Hell" from Sarajevo, and perhaps no other form of music could convey the anger, confusion, and madness of living in Serbia at the time of NATO bombings and civil war. I wanted to learn more about this genre and by chance came across this book. There are several chapters detailing the big names in various noise scenes as they developed around the world, so you get a good sampling of talent.

After learning in this book about the plethora of musical output in this genre, I've come to experience and appreciate noise artists that still carry their old industrial membership cards, artists like Ramleh, Stress Orphan, and the Rita. I was absolutely blown away by album "G.R." which puts the listener squarely in the head of the Green River killer, an incredibly disturbing yet moving psychological experience that further sold me on the power of this art form. I am now proud to add such albums as "Will" by Hunting Lodge to some of my favorite listening experiences. For example, the second track of that recording, "We Are They," literally makes you feel like you are trapped on a runaway train or a malfunctioning rollercoaster, with all the exhilaration and terror that goes with it. Then there is the track "Ice Pick Method," with its industrial clanging and hammering providing an arrhythmic pulse beneath blood curdling screeches and distorted elephant trumpeting, sounds that are reminiscent of the thumping and screaming you hear coming from a haunted house attraction while you anxiously await your turn in line.

Not all PE or noise appeals to me, especially from projects that focus on shock and death with little context and lots of pretentious posing. The book does a good job pointing out that the genre has become associated with some very unsavory preoccupations which in some cases is deserved, as there certainly are some examples of PE cranked out by mentally ill or immature musicians who think their work needs to fit into a check-box formula of album sleeves with grainy black-and-white images of corpses and Nazi imagery, with track titles that randomly contain words about paraphilia and white supremacy. The book does feature many artists with true passion for their work who explain their own personal connection with Noise and Industrial culture in a straightforward manner that I respected as honest and mature.

If you have a story like mine that has led you on a path of musical discovery in the diverse and bizarre world of Industrial music, you will enjoy this book and the journey it will set you on.

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Painful at times. A handful of decent pieces don't do much to save this from the predominant high-school student level writing (at best). Who are half of these people, and who cares about half of these chapters? As the book progresses it just gets worse and worse. Mikko Aspa's piece, some of Richard Stevenson's pieces, and the UK piece are perhaps the only worthwhile reads here. Non-essential.

[Mark Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first, a confession: whilst I was looking forward to reading this book, I bought it primarily because a musical project that I did for about eight years was mentioned in it, which left me feeling lovely, and I was glad to be included about a book on noise music, as well as knowing of the contributors.

Whilst being a fan of noise music but not particularly the subgenre of power electronics, this is the first book that I’ve managed to make it through on the topic, but it’s given me the impetus to go back and continue reading them (They are, for reference, the Irish academic and noise musician Paul Hegarty’s Noise/Music: A History, and David Novak’s Japanoise: Music at the Edge of Circulation), especially since they are felt throughout this volume.

As far as noise music goes, however, power electronics was never particularly something that I was drawn to, especially given the often ridiculous vocals that accompany the noise – my interests lay more at the harsh noise / wall noise (static noise) end of the spectrum, so I thought this book might be an interesting overview of the topic, although as such I'm aware that it mightn't quite be the book for me.

Overall, it is interesting, but I felt that somehow – I can’t quite put my finger on it – this book evaded the topic. The subtitle Power Electronics and Noise Culture never feels resolutely (and thoroughly) addressed. Saying that, there is a huge swathe of articles about power electronics artists, and articles about both notable noise releases and aspects of noise culture such as noise zines.

I primarily bought this for my friend Clive Henry’s article on wall noise, Listening to the Void: Harsh Noise Walls which is an excellent exploration and quasi-history of the genre, but what’s interesting is that the book doesn’t feel like it’s a book on noise culture; it feels like it’s a book on PE, and chapters like this, or on japanoise, feel somewhat out of place, despite being some of the best in the book. I suppose what I’m saying is that I wish this book had a tighter focus, almost, and excluded non PE artists – I feel it would work better as a book. But then I also would read an entire book about Harsh Noise Wall, and I’m probably in a very, very small minority.

To discuss the book a little more, it is laid out in three parts: Scenes, Performance and Readings. The opening chapter, The Genesis of Power Electronics in the Uk, sets the scene quite well, as does Mikko Aspa’s chapter on The Rise of Power Electronics in Finland but some of the chapters are personal reminiscences of a scene based around a band’s viewpoint of their place in it – which while totally valid, I wish wasn’t the case. My favourite chapter of this first section was Chronicling US Noise and Power Electronics covering as it does a wide range of noise, projects and stances.

The second section, Experience and Performance, talks about noise performance, various notable venues and the like. Again, the most interesting chapters for me were the non-PE chapters, Clive Henry’s HNW chapter and Power [Electronics]: Exploring Liveness in Noise. It’s weird, I think as I write this I feel like the reason that that’s the case is because I’m just not really a fan of power electronics, so reading this book was a love/hate affair. I think, in addition to, and converse to my idea of just having this book as a book about Power Electronics, that it would’ve been stronger for me if it was a book about noise and noise culture, with all genres covered.

The third section is the most interesting in regards to PE. The first chapter, Questionable Intent: The Meaning and Message of Power Electronics was interesting, addressing the fact that a lot of PE projects use highly controversial imagery without comment or context. I feel that a lot of projects with very, very dodgy messages are almost let off the hook because it’s “art”, which shouldn’t necessarily be the case. You can talk about controversial topics, but when you make a career trading off controversy, sexism, racism, etc., you shouldn’t be surprised if people try and hold you accountable. What I would’ve liked in this book would’ve been a much more in depth treatment of race, culture and PE than was offered. The most interesting chapters of this section were the two that viewed Power Electronics as a form of high-impact comedy; where the lyrics and vocals are so ridiculous that it can only be viewed as such. I’m not sure if I agree, but it’s an interesting thesis nonetheless.

What’s interesting though, is that the book ends with a chapter called Talking About Noise: The Limits of Language and the practical inabilities of accurate description. Which is perfect for a book where the music discussed is pure noise.

[Justice4Gaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be in absolutely no doubt: vis-á-vis core contributions to the counter-cultural canon, Fight Your Own War is worthy to stand beside Killing for Culture on the sanguineously saturated shelf of any serious student of sinistrality. That said, these are very different books in terms of the sensory modality that they interrogate and, hence, of associated factors. Let's engage issues around each in turn...

Killing for Culture is a foundational text of necroscopia studies. It is not, nor does it claim to be, aimed at intellectuals. One need not be an intellectual (or, indeed, intelligent or an adult) to appreciate the atrocitotropic appeal of an on-screen beheading, immolation or autopsy procedure. But this very un-intellectualism and extra-academicality safeguard the text and it's authors from certain traps inherent in more cognitively ambitious critical projects, viz., conformism (an all-too-common trait in an academic environment), theoretic over-elaboration, pretension (more bluntly: BS), moralism and/or priggishness, emotional detachment, etc, etc.

Fight Your Own War will prove (I predict) a foundational text of cacophonia studies. Unlike Killing for Culture, it is aimed at intellectuals -- and thereby becomes susceptible to the traps referenced above. It is enormously to the credit of the book, it's editorial community and it's multiple contributors that it skirts the traps with (almost) complete success. Further, it does a damn fine job of smashing stereotypes, confounding expectations and shedding light on an under-appreciated and over-stereotyped corner of the counter-culture. Power electronics, noise and contingent genres are NOT the sole preserve of static-recording serial-killer obsessives, poly-performative pedo-promoting "ironists," nazi nostalgic "social Darwinists," black-clad Nietzschean misanthropes, or variants thereon.

Bottom line: although the passionate proponents of un-easy listening responsible for Fight Your Own War will (inevitably) be preaching largely to the converted, there's no doubt that some new folk will first take a read, then take a listen and discover visceral new vistas of sonic possibility opening before them. In a fetid world of adolescent voyeurism, state panopticonism and white-trash populism, Headpress maintain an unflinching affiliation to counter-cultural values, resolutely standing with the shade of William S. Burroughs to champion the individual against the herd. From cacophonia to corpses, from noise to necrophilia, they cover the trangressive waterfront with a katabatic blitzkrieg of heretical heterogeneity, putrefactive performativity and estoeric Otherness. Long -- and loud -- may their feral voice continue.

[scragz · Rating 2 out of 5]

they're all nazis

[Griffin S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and in depth look at the power electronics scene, from its conception into how it currently exists. I have been a huge fan of noise for a long time, so getting to read contributions from some of the more important players within the harsh noise/extreme electronics scene was really great. I would have liked to have seen some coverage of the Posh Isolation scene as, in my opinion, that has been by far the most interesting label/scene (even if they have moved beyond power electronics recently) in a genre that is prone to stagnation and legions of amateurish imitators regurgitating things that have been done countless times over and in much better ways.

This book will definitely serve as a great entry point for people who are interested in noise music, giving them a solid list of artists to check out and a peek behind the curtain regarding the mentality behind the music so to speak. Power electronics is a genre that has been misrepresented more often than given fair and somewhat unbiased or positive reports. In an age where extreme art is often taken at face value, books like these are important to provide a deeper and nuanced exploration. Noise is an incredibly fascinating genre and is often as easy to make fun of as it is easy to take extremely seriously. It can fluctuate from cringy self-seriousness to transcendent beauty.

I really enjoyed this book and feel as though newcomers may benefit more from it than diehard fans.

[Casper Veen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent book about noise and power electronics. Really made me enjoy this kind of music even more. And got a lot of great artist recommendations out of it too! Really recommended for anyone into noise.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mixture of the very essential and the less so. Worth the price of admission for the chapter on HNW alone though.

[Matan Meir]

משעמם

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pamphlets of Destiny: Jennifer Wallis (editor) - Fight Your Own War https://gnomeship.blogspot.com/2019/0...

[melancholinary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The decision to stylised and written the first book that devoted specifically on Power Electronics as a fanzine is somehow slightly off for me - although with a valid justification on the introduction pages. I don't think it's necessary to put reviews of seminal Power Electronics releases between the gaps, could have been better if there is more pages exploring on the visual representation of Power Electronics. However, lots of writing in this book are really fascinating and surprisingly diverse considered the nature of how Power Electronic perceived by 'public' - love Sonia Dietrich's written piece in this book.

[Kriegslok · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has hovered about the periphery of the industrial scene for a few decades this was a fascinating collection of reminicences, deconstructions, ramblings, egotrips and historical documentations. As is only right there is probably something in this to annoy, please and inform anyone who has had at least a passing interest in the subject matter at some point. This collection is a globe encompassing one with potted and detailed histories of geographical, individual and genre elements of the scene. Highly recommended!

It also begs for someone to cook up a serious and detailed stand alone warts and all linear history of the foundation of the scene and its progression(?) to what and where it is at today