Noise rock (also known as
noise punk) describes a style of
post-punkPost-punk is a popular musical movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
rock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
, but incorporates
atonalityAtonality in its broadest sense describes music that lacks a tonal center, or key. Atonality in this sense usually describes compositions written from about 1908 to the present day where a hierarchy of pitches focusing on a single, central tone is not used and the notes of the chromatic scale...
and especially
dissonanceIn music, a consonance is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance — considered unstable...
, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.
Visual and conceptual elements
Many noise rock groups have a confrontational performance style which mirrors the aggression of their music. This reaches back to
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
and
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
, who were famous for destroying their instruments on stage, and
Iggy PopIggy Pop is a songwriter, and occasional actor. Although he has had only limited mainstream commercial success, Iggy Pop is considered an influential innovator of punk rock, hard rock, and other related styles...
, of
the StoogesThe Stooges are an American rock band that were first active from 1967 to 1974, then reformed in 2003. The Stooges sold few records in their original incarnation and often performed for indifferent or hostile audiences...
, and
Darby CrashDarby Crash was an American punk musician who, along with long time friend Pat Smear , co-founded The Germs...
, of
the GermsThe Germs are an American punk band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane West replacing Darby Crash. Their 1977 single, "Forming"/"Sexboy", is generally regarded as the first punk record from Los Angeles...
, who lacerated their bodies in a spectacle comparable to the
performance artPerformance art is art in which the actions of an individual or a group at a particular place and in a particular time constitute the work. It can happen anywhere, at any time, or for any length of time. Performance art can be any situation that involves four basic elements: time, space, the...
of
Chris BurdenChris Burden is an American artist.-Biography:He studied for his B.A. in visual arts, physics and architecture at Pomona College and received his MFA at the University of California, Irvine from 1969 to 1971....
and
Vito AcconciVito Hannibal Acconci is a Bronx, New York-born, Brooklyn-based architect, landscape architect, and installation artist.-Biography:...
.
AcconciVito Hannibal Acconci is a Bronx, New York-born, Brooklyn-based architect, landscape architect, and installation artist.-Biography:...
was also a significant inspiration for
no waveNo Wave was a short-lived but influential popular music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City...
. Some performers, such as
Black FlagBlack Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established largely as the brainchild of Greg Ginn: the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes...
and
the Birthday PartyThe Birthday Party was an Australian post-punk group, active from 1976 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career. Though often indirect, their influence has been far-reaching...
, for example, also physically assaulted audience members, on occasion.
1980s noise rock musicians tended to adopt a Spartan, utilitarian mode of dress following the
hardcore punkHardcore punk, often just called hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated primarily in North America in the late 1970s. The new sound was generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock...
ethos and in partial reaction against the more ostentatious elements of
punk fashionPunk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited. The distinct social dress of other subcultures and art movements, including...
.
Steve AlbiniSteven Frank Albini is an American audio engineer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, avid snorkeler and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
articulated an ethical stance that emphasized restraint, irony, and self-sufficiency. The
Butthole SurfersThe Butthole Surfers are an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but the core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been together since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
were an exception in their desire to dress as bizarrely as possible. Several bands also made public reference to drug use, particularly
LSDLysergic acid diethylamide, LSD-25, LSD, formerly lysergide, commonly known as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family...
(
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
, the Butthole Surfers) and
heroinHeroin, or diacetylmorphine , also known as diamorphine , is a semi-synthetic opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. It is the 3,6-diacetyl ester of morphine...
(
the Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American art rock band formed in New York City, New York. First active from 1965 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists...
,
Royal TruxRoyal Trux was an American alternative rock band from 1987 to 2001, founded by Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema .-History:...
). Many contemporary noise rock musicians, such as
the LocustThe Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for theirunique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
and Lightning Bolt, have a very theatrical mode of presentation and wear costumes. Some bands incorporate visual displays, such as film or
video art
Video art is a type of art which relies on moving pictures and comprises video and/or audio data....
.
Precursors
The origins of noise rock are in the first rock musicians who explored extreme dissonance and electronic
feedbackAudio feedback is a special kind of feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
. This begins with commercially successful figures like
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
,
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
, and
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997....
. Underground rock musicians such as
the StoogesThe Stooges are an American rock band that were first active from 1967 to 1974, then reformed in 2003. The Stooges sold few records in their original incarnation and often performed for indifferent or hostile audiences...
,
the Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American art rock band formed in New York City, New York. First active from 1965 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists...
, and the MC5 incorporated elements of
free jazzFree jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s.Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
and
minimalismMinimalist music is an originally American genre of experimental or Downtown music named in the 1960s based mostly in consonant harmony, steady pulse , stasis and slow transformation, and often reiteration of musical phrases or smaller units such as figures, motifs, and cells...
. More obscure musicians, such as
the MonksThe Monks are a garage rock band, primarily active in Germany in the mid to late 1960s. They reunited in 1999 and have continued to play concerts, although no new studio recordings have been made...
, San Francisco's
Fifty Foot HoseFifty Foot Hose is a psychedelic rock band that formed in San Francisco in the late 1960s, and reformed in the 1990s. They were one of the first bands to fuse rock and experimental music...
, and Japan's
Les Rallizes DénudésLes Rallizes Dénudés are an influential, yet reclusive Japanese psychedelic noise band. They were formed in 1967, and the band was known for their ties to avant-garde theater groups and leftist political groups, as well as for their feedback-drenched live shows and use of strobe lights and mirror...
, also incorporated the effects of dissonance. The German groups described as
KrautrockKrautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scene that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain...
are significant influences on later noise rock, particularly
CanCan were an experimental rock band formed in West Germany in 1968. One of the first "krautrock" groups, they rejected American influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music....
and
FaustFaust is a German krautrock band, originally comprising Werner "Zappi" Diermaier, Hans Joachim Irmler, Arnulf Meifer, Jean-Hervé Péron, Rudolf Sosna and Gunther Wüsthoff, working with producer Uwe Nettelbeck and engineer Kurt Graupner.-History:...
.
Lou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician best known as the guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground as well as a successful solo artist whose career has spanned several decades. The Velvet Underground gained little mainstream attention during their career,...
's 1975 album
Metal Machine MusicMetal Machine Music, subtitled *The Amine β Ring, is an album by Lou Reed. It was originally released as a double album by RCA Records in 1975...
, which entirely eschewed song structure in favor of a minimalist wave of guitar feedback, also anticipated and influenced many later developments in noise rock. The classic punk rock groups (the Sex Pistols,
the ClashThe Clash were an English rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk rock. Along with punk, they experimented with reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap and rockabilly...
, and the Ramones) tended to avoid extreme dissonance, preferring a more traditional, straight-ahead approach to rock'n'roll. One exception was the L.A. punk group
the GermsThe Germs are an American punk band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane West replacing Darby Crash. Their 1977 single, "Forming"/"Sexboy", is generally regarded as the first punk record from Los Angeles...
, who pursued punk rock with an amateurish, free-form tenacity. Subsequent
post-punkPost-punk is a popular musical movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
groups delved much deeper into noise.
1970s
The New York
No WaveNo Wave was a short-lived but influential popular music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City...
scene, featuring such artists as
MarsMars was a New York City No Wave band formed by vocalist Sumner Crane in 1975. He was joined by China Burg , Mark Cunningham , and artist Nancy Arlen , and briefly by Rudolph Grey. The band played one live gig under the name China before changing it to Mars...
and
Teenage Jesus & the JerksTeenage Jesus & the Jerks were an influential New York post-punk group who formed part of the city's No Wave movement.Founded by one-time CBGBs waitress Lydia Lunch and saxophonist James Chance, the group was active from 1976 to 1979, releasing only a handful of singles.Chance eventually left to...
, which began to coalesce in 1978, was also an essential development in noise rock. While
no waveNo Wave was a short-lived but influential popular music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City...
included a variety of post-punk, experimental tendencies (different groups incorporated elements of
free jazzFree jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s.Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
,
soulSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
), the most abrasive groups would find their innovations streamlined into noise rock tradition.
ChromeChrome was a rock music group founded in San Francisco, California in 1976.Inspired by mid-70s punk rock and rock groups such as Hawkwind and Black Sabbath, Chrome's music incorporated synthesizers and samples, and frequently emphasized themes of science fiction and paranoia...
, from San Francisco, produced their own style of psychedelic punk, which shared some common ground with the No Wave groups.
Australian noise rock also developed in the late 1970s.
The Birthday PartyThe Birthday Party was an Australian post-punk group, active from 1976 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career. Though often indirect, their influence has been far-reaching...
took a great deal of influence from
rockabillyRockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, and is also formative on the
deathrockDeathrock or deathpunk is a term used to identify a sub-genre of punk rock incorporating horror elements and spooky atmospherics, that emerged on the West Coast of the United States in 1979.-Characteristics:...
genre, while
The ScientistsThe Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
anticipated
grungeGrunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
.
1980s
A number of noise rock bands emerged from many different scenes in North America in the 1980s. These included
The Jesus LizardThe Jesus Lizard is an alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas, and based in Chicago, Illinois from 1989 to 1999.-Formation and the Touch and Go years :...
and
Big BlackBig Black was an American noise punk band founded in Evanston, Illinois, United States, that was active between 1982 and 1987. They were headed by singer, lyricist, guitarist, and co-songwriter Steve Albini....
(Chicago),
Butthole SurfersThe Butthole Surfers are an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but the core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been together since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
,
Scratch AcidScratch Acid was an Austin, Texas noise rock group formed in 1982. When they first began, their lineup was Steve Anderson , David Wm. Sims , Brett Bradford , David Yow , and Rey Washam...
, (Texas),
Black FlagBlack Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established largely as the brainchild of Greg Ginn: the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes...
(Los Angeles),
The MelvinsThe Melvins are an American band that usually perform as a power trio, but as of 2006, have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, Singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members. They are considered one of the godfathers of grunge...
(Montesano, Washington),
Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley ....
,,
SwansSwans were an American post-punk band active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in 1982, the Swans employed...
, ,
White ZombieWhite Zombie was a Grammy Award-nominated American rock band named afterthe 1932 film of the same name, which starred Béla Lugosi.Based in New York, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band. White Zombie are better-known for their later heavy metal-oriented sound, with lyrics heavily...
, and
HelmetHelmet is an American alternative metal/post-hardcore band from New York formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist/guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....
(New York),
PixiesThe Pixies are an American alternative rock band that formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986. The group disbanded in 1993 under acrimonious circumstances but reunited in 2004. Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal, and David Lovering have been the band's continual members...
and
Dinosaur JrDinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur prior to legal issues that forced the group to change their name, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005...
(Boston),
FugaziFugazi is an American punk band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The band's continual members were guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty. Fugazi are noted for their DIY ethical stance and manner of business practice...
,
Pussy GalorePussy Galore was an American noise rock band that formed in Washington D.C. during 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990.-History:...
and
Royal TruxRoyal Trux was an American alternative rock band from 1987 to 2001, founded by Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema .-History:...
(Washington DC),Chop Shop (New York). among many others. These bands were initially referred to as "pigfuck" by
Robert ChristgauRobert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-professed "Dean of American Rock Critics". In print, he often abbreviates his name as Xgau....
, in a reference to
BertolucciBernardo Bertolucci is an Italian film director and screenwriter, probably best known for such films as Last Tango in Paris, The Last Emperor, Stealing Beauty, and The Dreamers.-Early years and background:...
's
Last Tango in ParisLast Tango in Paris is a 1972 Italian film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci which portrays a recent American widower who takes up an anonymous sexual relationship with a young, soon-to-be-married Parisian woman. It stars Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider and Jean-Pierre Léaud...
, though the increasingly melodic tendencies of many of these groups quickly rendered the tag misleading. The Minneapolis label Amphetamine Reptile released a great deal of music in this tradition.
British noise rock included
The Birthday PartyThe Birthday Party was an Australian post-punk group, active from 1976 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career. Though often indirect, their influence has been far-reaching...
(who had emigrated from Australia),
This HeatThis Heat were a British experimental music group formed in late-1975 in Brixton, London by multi-instrumentalists Charles Bullen , Charles Hayward and Gareth Williams .This Heat were active in the ascendancy of British progressive rock and punk rock, but stood apart from...
, the Fall,
Joy DivisionJoy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences,...
,
Gang Of FourGang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
,
Scritti PolittiScritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Although there have been various changes in line-up, singer-songwriter Green Gartside was the founding member of the band and the only member to have remained throughout the group's...
,
The Pop GroupThe Pop Group was a post-punk band from Bristol, England whose dissonant sound spanned punk, free jazz, funk and dub reggae. Their lyrics were political in nature more often than not....
,
Swell MapsSwell Maps were an experimental English rock group of the 1970s from Birmingham, that foreshadowed the birth of post-punk.Influenced by the disparate likes of T.Rex and the German progressive outfit, Can, they created a new soundscape that would be heavily mined by others in the post-punk era...
, and
the Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
.
IndustrialIndustrial music is an experimental music style, often including electronic music, that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s to describe Industrial Records artists...
groups (such as
Throbbing GristleThrobbing Gristle is a British industrial music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions. The band consists of Genesis P-Orridge , Cosey Fanni Tutti , Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson , and Chris Carter Throbbing Gristle is a British industrial music and...
) developed in parallel to, and sometimes in collaboration with, the noise rock groups.
The Birthday Party,
Lydia LunchLydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress.-Biography:After arriving in New York City at the age of 16, Lunch moved into a large communal household of artists and musicians in NYC, including Kitty Bruce, daughter of Lenny Bruce...
,
Diamanda GalásDiamanda Galás is a Greek- American-born avant-garde performance artist, vocalist, keyboardist, and composer.Known for her expert piano as well as her distinctive, operatic voice, which has a three and a half octave range, Galás has been described as "capable of the most unnerving vocal terror"...
, and
FoetusFoetus is the primary musical outlet of industrial music pioneer J. G. Thirlwell. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word foetus. Monikers adopted at different times include Foetus Under Glass, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel...
all expatriated to West Berlin in the early '80s, where they developed their own noise rock scene, along with the native German group
Einstürzende NeubautenEinstürzende Neubauten is a German avant-garde music band, originally from West Berlin, formed in 1980. The group currently comprises Blixa Bargeld , Alexander Hacke , N. U...
.
Many of these bands went on to temper the initial ferocity and amelodicism of their approach with an appreciation for rock history.
Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley ....
spoke highly of
the BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
,
Pussy GalorePussy Galore was an American noise rock band that formed in Washington D.C. during 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990.-History:...
covered
the Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962 in London when multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart were joined by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early lineup...
,
Black FlagBlack Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established largely as the brainchild of Greg Ginn: the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes...
drew inspiration from
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English rock band, formed in Birmingham in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple lineup changes, with a total of twenty-two former members...
, and the
Butthole SurfersThe Butthole Surfers are an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but the core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been together since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
worked with
John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones is an English musician, composer, arranger, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist musician.Best known as the...
and emulated
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
.
Nick CaveNicholas Edward Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and musical styles...
, the former singer of
the Birthday PartyThe Birthday Party was an Australian post-punk group, active from 1976 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career. Though often indirect, their influence has been far-reaching...
, continued his work with noise rock, but also explored ballads and literate, complex songwriting in the tradition of
Leonard CohenLeonard Norman Cohen, CC, GOQ is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often deals with the exploration of religion, isolation, sexuality and complex interpersonal relationships...
.
Other noise rock groups strived to further distance themselves from rock tradition. Beginning in 1986, the British group
Napalm DeathNapalm Death are an English extreme metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1981. The band was formed in the village of Meriden , England in May 1981 by Nicholas Bullen and Miles Ratledge....
created "
grindcoreGrindcore, sometimes shortened to grind, is an extreme music genre that emerged during the mid–1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk.Grindcore is characterized by...
" by melding the noise rock of
SwansSwans were an American post-punk band active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in 1982, the Swans employed...
with
hardcore punkHardcore punk, often just called hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated primarily in North America in the late 1970s. The new sound was generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock...
and
death metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
. While later
grindcoreGrindcore, sometimes shortened to grind, is an extreme music genre that emerged during the mid–1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk.Grindcore is characterized by...
groups tended to move in the direction of
death metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, American bands such as
Anal CuntAnal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C. for censorship reasons, is an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988. Since its inception, the band has undergone a number of lineup changes, currently consisting of core vocalist Seth Putnam, guitarist Josh Martin and original...
continued in an extremely dissonant, freeform vein.
A similar scene also began to develop in Osaka, Japan, spearheaded by
HanatarashHanatarashi , meaning "sniveler" or "snot-nosed" in Japanese, was a noise band created by later Boredoms frontman Yamantaka Eye and featured Zeni Geva guitarist Mitsuru Tabata. The outfit was formed in Osaka, Japan in 1984 after Eye and Tabata met as stage hands at an Einstürzende Neubauten show...
and the
BoredomsBoredoms is a noise rock band from Osaka, Japan. The band was officially formed in 1986, although some date the band to bedroom tape experiments from 1982...
, who composed extremely short, fast "songs", marked by blasts of rhythm (reflecting an influence from grindcore), screaming, and overloaded guitars. Boredoms singer
Yamantaka Eye, real name , born 1964 in Kobe) is a Japanese vocalist and visual artist, best known as a member of Boredoms. He has changed his name three times, from Yamatsuka Eye, to Yamantaka Eye, to Yamataka Eye, and sometimes calls himself eYe or EYヨ...
also worked with the New York City jazzcore group
Naked CityNaked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
. The
BoredomsBoredoms is a noise rock band from Osaka, Japan. The band was officially formed in 1986, although some date the band to bedroom tape experiments from 1982...
eventually evolved towards a far more meditative sound, taking inspiration from
KrautrockKrautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scene that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain...
.
Gore Beyond NecropsyGore Beyond Necropsy formed in 1989 in Hadano-City, Kanagawa, Japan. The group have had a prolific output of releases. They play a hybrid style of chaotic grindcore/noisegrind which they refer to as "Analdrillinggrind Harshit Core!!"....
,
Ground ZeroThe Ground Zero band was an American Rock Band from Wheaton, Illinois, formed in 1977. The band was composed of Gregg Barker , Pete Mrakovich , Alan Voelkel and Jon Voelkel . Led by Pete Mrakovich’s flamboyant showmanship, Ground Zero created a devoted fan base across the Midwest based on their...
,
Zeni GevaZeni Geva is a Japanese heavy metal group led by singer and guitarist KK. Null, together with guitarist Mitsuru Tabata and drummer Masataka Fujikak...
,
Guitar WolfGuitar Wolf is a Japanese garage punk power trio founded in Nagasaki, Nagasaki in 1987. The band is known for songs with piercing vocals and an extremely loud style of noise-influenced punk which emphasizes heavy distortion and feedback...
, and
Melt-BananaMelt-Banana is a Japanese noise rock band that is known for playing extremely fast andnoisy music mixed with experimental electronica that might be described as new-wave grindcore....
extended the Japanese noise rock style. These bands also reflected the impact of the
JapanoiseJapanoise, or ジャパノイズ, is a portmanteau of the words "Japanese" and "noise": a term applied to the diverse, prolific, and influential noise music scene of Japan. Primarily popular and active in the 1980s and 1990s but still alive today, the Japanoise scene is defined by a remarkable sense of musical...
scene pioneered by
Merzbowis a noise project created in Tokyo, Japan in 1979 under the direction of noise technician . Since 1979, he has formed two record labels and has contributed releases to numerous independent record labels. As well as being a prolific artist, he has also written a number of books and has been the...
.
The British
shoegazingShoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted until the mid 1990s with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
groups developed an entirely distinct form of noise rock. Taking equal inspiration from the
dream popDream pop is a type of alternative rock that originated in Britain in the mid-1980s, when bands like Cocteau Twins , The Chameleons, The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into sensual, sonically ambitious...
groups, in addition to aggressive rock like
the Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
,
The TelescopesThe Telescopes were formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie and could best be described as a noise/space rock band - the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3 being influences and contemporaries.-Original Line-up:...
, and
Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley ....
, My Bloody Valentine produced a warm, feminine, but also dissonant, formless and psychedelic genre that belongs in the noise rock tradition.
Still other noise rock groups explored irregular time signatures and rhythmic experimentation. These groups came to be referred to as
math rockMath rock is a rhythmically complex, guitar-based style of experimental rock music that emerged in the late 1980s. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures , angular melodies, and dissonant chords.Math rock shares its place of origin in the late 80s underground music scene of...
.
Post-hardcorePost-hardcore is a music genre that evolved from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups who emerged from the hardcore punk scene, or took inspiration from hardcore, while concerning themselves...
,
screamoScreamo is a genre of music which predominantly evolved from hardcore punk, among other genres, in the early 1990s. The term "screamo" was initially applied to a more aggressive offshoot of emo that developed in San Diego in 1991, which used short, chaotically executed songs which grafted "spastic...
, and some riot grrl groups also take influence from noise rock.
1990s
The '80s noise rock bands were significant influences on
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and
HoleHole was a Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1989 and disbanded in 2002. The band was fronted by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. Hole achieved considerable commercial success...
, and as a result had some mainstream currency during the period when
grungeGrunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
was played on the radio.
NirvanaNirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's album
In UteroIn Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 13, 1993, on DGC Records. Nirvana intended the record to diverge significantly from the polished production of its previous album, Nevermind...
is particularly evident in its debts to '80s noise rock, and was produced by
Big BlackBig Black was an American noise punk band founded in Evanston, Illinois, United States, that was active between 1982 and 1987. They were headed by singer, lyricist, guitarist, and co-songwriter Steve Albini....
frontman and noise rock icon
Steve AlbiniSteven Frank Albini is an American audio engineer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, avid snorkeler and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
.
Industrial metalIndustrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal groups include Ministry, Godflesh, KMFDM, and Fear Factory...
groups, such as
MinistryMinistry was an American industrial metal band founded by frontman Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed...
,
Nine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
, and White Zombie, were also indebted to noise rock.
Some east coast
hardcore punkHardcore punk, often just called hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated primarily in North America in the late 1970s. The new sound was generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock...
groups, such as
Born AgainstBorn Against was a radical leftist American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989-1993. In addition to their leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the underground hardcore punk community of their...
, also took on associations with noise rock. The subsequent
powerviolencePowerviolence , is a raw and dissonant subgenre of hardcore punk. The style is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore.-History:...
scene was close to noise rock, with
Man Is the BastardMan Is the Bastard were a pioneering hardcore punk band who contributed the name, and perhaps also the ethos, to the punk subgenre known as power violence...
eventually dissolving into unstructured
noise musicNoise 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...
. .
The LocustThe Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for theirunique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
also picked up from Man Is The Bastard and created a synth-driven powervoilence sound.They have gone to a more nosie drone on their latest album
New ErectionsNew Erections is noise rock band The Locust's second album with ANTI- Records, a spinoff of Epitaph Records. It was released on March 20, 2007 and is the longest album the band has released, clocking in at 23 minutes.-Track listing:#"AOTKPTA" - 3:03...
.Contemporaneous groups like
NeurosisNeurosis is an experimental metal band, based in Oakland, California. Their unique sound draws from influences ranging from hardcore punk and doom metal to dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of indie and folk music....
and
Today Is the DayToday Is the Day is an experimental metal band from Nashville, Tennessee.-Biography:The band was founded by Steve Austin and Brad Elrod in Nashville, Tennessee in the early 1990s. The band released its debut EP, entitled How to Win Friends and Influence People, in 1992...
began to further blend noise rock with
extreme metalExtreme metal is an umbrella term, somewhat loosely defined, for a number of related heavy metal subgenres that have developed since the 1980s...
. Much of the resulting innovations have been incorporated into the more experimental practitioners of
metalcoreMetalcore is a fusion genre incorporating elements of hardcore punk and extreme metal. The name is a portmanteau of hardcore punk and heavy metal. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands like Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity. The earliest of these groups,...
, such as
ConvergeConverge is a four-piece band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and extreme metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the rudiments of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
,
BotchBotch was a mathcore band from Tacoma, Washington, that formed in 1993 and disbanded in 2002.-History:The band released two full-length albums and a handful of smaller releases including several singles and an EP. Its members went on an indefinite hiatus to form Roy, Minus the Bear, and These Arms...
, and Dillinger Escape Plan.
Beginning in the mid-90s, Providence became the center of a new crop of noise-rock bands, largely a product of the
RISDThe Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877 and is currently located at the base of College Hill and contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources...
scene. These groups tended to owe less to traditional rock song structures, and were more minimal and drone-like. These included Lightning Bolt,
Arab on RadarArab on Radar were a Providence, Rhode Island based noise rock band founded in the mid-1990s. They disbanded in 2002. Members of the band went on to form or join the bands The Chinese Stars, Athletic Automaton, Made in Mexico.- History :...
,
Six Finger SatelliteSix Finger Satellite are an American synthesizer-based post-punk band, based in Providence, Rhode Island.- History :The band formed in 1990 around a line up of J. Ryan , John MacLean , Peter Phillips , Chris Dixon , and Rick Pelletier...
,
Men's Recovery ProjectMen's Recovery Project was an American experimental noise rock band formed by Sam McPheeters and Neil Burke in Richmond, Virginia, active from 1993-2002...
, and
Pink and BrownPink and Brown were a noise rock/punk rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1997 when the members moved west from their old home of Providence, RI. The band consisted of two members: Pink and Brown . Pink played guitar and sang while Brown played drums...
.
Black DiceBlack Dice is an experimental electronica group currently based in Brooklyn, New York, USA.-Early years:Black Dice formed in spring 1997 soon after guitarist Bjorn Copeland met drummer Hisham Bharoocha at the Rhode Island School of Design. Joined by Bjorn's brother Eric Copeland on vocals and...
were originally part of this scene, but moved to Brooklyn, where they aligned themselves with groups like
Gang Gang DanceGang Gang Dance is an experimental music group based in Manhattan, New York City, signed to the independent label The Social Registry. The group has become well known within the New York indie rock scene for its distinctive sound....
. These groups were also related, in part, to the San Diego scene that emerged from
screamoScreamo is a genre of music which predominantly evolved from hardcore punk, among other genres, in the early 1990s. The term "screamo" was initially applied to a more aggressive offshoot of emo that developed in San Diego in 1991, which used short, chaotically executed songs which grafted "spastic...
, most famously
the LocustThe Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for theirunique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
, and to
Wolf EyesWolf Eyes is a post-industrial/noise band from Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.-History:Wolf Eyes began as a solo project of former Nautical Almanac member Nate Young, with Aaron Dilloway joining in 1998, and John Olson in 2000....
, from Ann Arbor.
Noise rock also spread into the American South with bands such as the
Ed Kemper TrioThe Ed Kemper Trio was an independent Art/Noise rock band based in Montgomery, Alabama. The band was formed in 1997 after the break up two Montgomery-area noise rock bands, Bert and He is the Queen. EK3's sound was characterized by short asymmetrical song structures, sheer volume and odd meter. EK3...
. Heavily influenced by the sound of
SSTSST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
and
Touch and GoTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.One of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous noise rock by the likes of the Butthole Surfers, Big Black,...
, EK3 was the focus of the 2004 documentary
People Will Eat Anything.
Mike PattonMichael Allan Patton is an American singer, songwriter, composer, producer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, film actor, and voice actor, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Faith No More. He has also handled lead vocals for Mr...
is also an advocate of the noise rock scene, maintaining the label
IpecacIpecac Recordings is an independent record label based in Orinda, California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in Orinda, California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of...
.
2000s
After 2000, noise rock groups formed all over the world. These included Lifelike bot,
Scarling.Scarling. is a rock band from Los Angeles, whose core members are Jessicka and Christian Hejnal-Addams. The band formed in 2002. They have released two albums, Sweet Heart Dealer and So Long, Scarecrow.-Name:...
,
These Are PowersThese Are Powers is an experimental music group from Brooklyn, New York and Chicago, Illinois. The band mixes polyrhythm with samples and other electronic sounds and noise rock.-History:...
, The When Mcgruff Was King,
The Death SetThe Death Set is a music group originally formed mid 2005 in Sydney, Australia by Johnny Siera and Beau Velasco, who passed away in late September 2009...
,
McluskyMclusky was a three-piece alternative rock group from Cardiff, Wales. The group consisted of Andy "Falco" Falkous , Jonathan Chapple and Jack Egglestone , who replaced previous drummer Matthew Harding in late 2003.-History:According to the band, they originally formed in 1996 when Falkous and...
,
OneidaOneida is a rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their influences include psychedelic rock, krautrock, and hard rock, but the overall structure and intent of their music cannot be easily traced to any of these styles, or the myriad other styles they have drawn upon in recordings.The most striking and...
, Parts and Labor,
Fuck ButtonsFuck Buttons is a two-piece experimental group formed in Bristol, England in early 2004 by Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power.-Biography:Immediately after forming, Fuck Buttons started to play live whenever possible, soon amassing a dedicated cult following throughout the UK...
,
Indian JewelryIndian Jewelry is a band from Houston, Texas that is known for its droning vision music and seizure-inducing stage show. Since forming at in 2002 the band has gone through several touring incarnations as Hong Kong, the Turquoise Diamonds, BENZENE LOTION RASH, the Corpses of Waco, Electric Fuck...
,
NeptuneNeptune is a noise music band from Boston that built all their custom made guitars and basses out of heaps of scrap metal. They also play on custom made percussion instruments and electric lamellophones.-Band history:...
,
AIDS WolfAIDS Wolf is a Canadian noise rock band, who debuted on Pasalymany tapes but are currently on Skin Graft Records and Lovepump United. Quoting Captain Beefheart, they describe their sound as that of "a squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag".-Name:...
,
FiascoFiasco is a Brooklyn-based trio formed in October, 2005 by Jonathan Edelstein , Julian Bennett Holmes , and Lucian Buscemi , although all three are multi-instrumentalists. They are known for their intense, high-energy music, their energetic live shows, and for playing off the venue's stage, in the...
,
Magik MarkersThe Magik Markers are a noise rock band from Hartford, Connecticut. The members, Elisa Ambrogio, Pete Nolan and Leah Quimby started the band in their basement in 2001. After opening for Sonic Youth on their American tour in 2004, the band gained notoriety...
, Mind Flayer,
Part ChimpPart Chimp are a band from Camberwell in London that were formed by Tim Cedar, Jon Hamilton and Nick Prior in 2000. Current line-up is Tim , Jon , Iain Hinchliffe and Tracy Bellaries ....
,
Slicing GrandpaSlicing Grandpa is an experimental music/noise rock band based in Seattle, Washington. The group formed in the spring of 1993 in Elmira, New York, by John Laux and Lance Tarr. The group's sound is minimalistic, repetative and harsh, with recordings tending to be produced at high volume on...
,
JapantherJapanther is a punk rock band from New York City formed in 2001 by two students at Pratt Institute. The members met in Brooklyn. The band consists of Ian Vanek — who plays drums, cassettes, and sings — and Matt Reilly — who plays bass, a Casio SK-1, and also sings. They have...
,
Ex ModelsEx Models is a no wave-influenced band based in Brooklyn, New York The band, based around brothers Shahin and Shahryar Motia, was started while they were in high school. They reunited after college to make their first album, Other Mathematics, released in 2001 on Ace Fu Records. The subject of...
, and
HellaHella is an American band from Nevada City, California. They play a technical blend of math rock, noise rock, and experimental rock. The primary members of the band are Spencer Seim on electric guitar and Zach Hill on drums. In 2005, the band expanded their live band by adding Dan Elkan on vocals,...
. In L.A.,
LiarsLiars is a three-piece American band consisting of Australian-born Angus Andrew , Aaron Hemphill and Julian Gross...
(originally from NYC),
No AgeNo Age is a two-person American indie rock group consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles and currently signed to Sub Pop records. The group takes its name from the title of a 1987 SST Records instrumental compilation, which Spunt...
,
SkeleteenKyle Justin is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for his bands Skeleteen and Dirty Barby as well as for his work in Los Angeles-based bands Scarling., The UV's, and the Orlando-based Studdogs.-Childhood, Formative Years, Personal Life:Kyle was born on May...
,
The Mae ShiThe Mae Shi are an experimental punk band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002.-History:The band was formed by Tim Byron and Ezra Buchla, who had known each other for years, having spent time growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Claremont together -- Jeff Byron and Buchla were classmates...
and
HEALTHHealth, usually typeset HEALTH, is a loud American noise rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band's 2007 release with Crystal Castles charted at position nine in the UK indie singles chart. -History:...
practice the style.
PrePRE is a British noise rock band on Skin Graft Records and Lovepump United. It is based in London and was formed around 2005. Pre includes former members of Todd and Seafood.-Discography:* Treasure Trails...
, from London,
The IntelligenceThe Intelligence is a lo-fi post-punk rock band from Seattle, founded by Lars Finberg, drummer of the A Frames.-Biography:The Intelligence is formed by Lars Finberg. Finberg played since the late '90s in other bands with vocalist/guitarist Erin Sullivan, and bassist Min Yee: the Dipers, and the...
, from Seattle,
Dan DeaconDan Deacon is an American electronic musician who originates from Babylon, New York and Baltimore, Maryland.-Life and music history:Dan Deacon fronted the Long Island ska band Channel 59 in the mid-late 90s...
,
Animal CollectiveAnimal Collective is a musical collective originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin, or Deacon as spelled on Strawberry Jam , and Geologist...
and
PonytailPonytail is a 4-piece art rock band formed in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, on the label We Are Free. Their sound has been compared to Deerhoof as well as Ecstatic Sunshine, due to the band's experimental guitar work and unique vocal stylings. The band has toured internationally, with bands such as...
, from Baltimore, were also significant noise rockers.
Experimental luthier
Yuri LandmanYuri Landman is a Dutch musical instrument inventor and musicologist who has made several experimental electric string instruments for a list of artists among which Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Liars, Jad Fair of Half Japanese and Liam Finn...
has experimented with a variety of extended techniques, with instruments created for the benefit of numerous groups in the scene, including
Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley ....
, Lightning Bolt,
LiarsLiars is a three-piece American band consisting of Australian-born Angus Andrew , Aaron Hemphill and Julian Gross...
, and
Jad FairJad Fair is the singer and guitarist of lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese.-Biography:Fair performs and records as a solo artist, as well as collaborating with such artists as Terry Adams, Norman Blake, Kevin Blechdom, Isobel Campbell, Eugene Chadbourne, DQE, Steve Fisk, Fred Frith, God Is...
.
Labels
The following is a list of record labels that specialize in noise rock.
- Amphetamine Reptile Records
Amphetamine Reptile Records is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then US Marine Tom Hazelmyer in Washington State, USA...
- Bulb Records
Bulb Records is a Michigan-based record label that was formed in 1993 by Peter Larson , and James Magas ....
- Ecstatic Peace!
- Gold Standard Laboratories
Gold Standard Laboratories or GSL was an independent record label which was founded in 1993 in Boulder, Colorado by Sonny Kay. In 2001, it was moved to San Diego, California, USA...
- Hanson Records
Hanson Records is a record label operated by musician Aaron Dilloway, formerly of the band Wolf Eyes. The label has released numerous Wolf Eyes albums as well as albums by Kevin Drumm, Smegma, Hive Mind, Nautical Almanac, Andrew Wilkes-Krier, Hair Police....
- Homestead Records
Homestead Records was a Long Island, NY based sublabel of music distributor Dutch East India Trading. It was founded in 1984 by Sam Berger, who was the American Independent buyer for Dutch East India Trading. Berger was finding that many bands who had perhaps released their own first 45 were...
- In the Red Records
In the Red Records is an independent record label in Los Angeles, CA formed in 1991 by Larry Hardy. It is known for hosting garage punk related bands on its label....
- Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in Orinda, California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in Orinda, California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of...
- Load Records
Load Records is an American noise/experimental independent record label based out of Providence, Rhode Island. "Load Records might possibly be in possession of the world's most challenging record roster," writes Mark Hensch of Thrash Pit...
- Narnack Records
Narnack Records is an independent record label founded in 2002. The label developed in NYC & Brooklyn’s underground music scene, quickly becoming known for its ability for developing new artists, but also working with established legendary bands like The Fall and The Slits...
- Silent Explosion
Silent Explosion was an independent record label founded by the band White Zombie in 1985 and discontinued in 1987.-History:The record label was started in order for the few indie albums that the band White Zombie recorded to be released under. White Zombie's albums were the only releases to bear...
- Skin Graft Records
Skin Graft Records is an independent record label specializing in No Wave and noise rock music, originally based in Chicago, Illinois...
- SYR
Sonic Youth Recordings is a record label established by the rock band Sonic Youth in 1996. SYR was set up to allow the band to release records by themselves and their friends without the commercial pressures of a major label...
- Three One G
31G Records, or Three One G, is a San Diego, California based record label, started by Justin Pearson of The Locust. The name comes from the chorus of a Joy Division song "Warsaw", a song covered by Pearson's previous band, Swing Kids....
- Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.One of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous noise rock by the likes of the Butthole Surfers, Big Black,...