Here's an indisputable fact. Masami Akita is the foremost artist in this music that we conveniently and sometimes disrespectfully call 'noise.'
His recordings are as beautiful as a summer's day, and as ugly as sin. He beckons you hear to sounds in a new way, and then the world. He didn't invent this kind of music, but brings to it a different artistic perspective. You can lose yourself listening to it or you could just lose your mind. His body of work is so vast you could probably never get to hear it all.
My recorded output as the Alienist probably would never exist if not for the incredible experience of first hearing the 'Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets' double lp in 1986. I always wanted to collaborate with him but that has never taken place. The next best thing was to start my own label and put out his album myself!
As a tribute to this most inspiring musician I thought I'd collect the best set of Merzbow links on the web, to interviews, articles, and labels. I haven't had much time to update this page, but the discography is quite up to date.
The Incomplete Merzbow Discography
OFFICIAL MERZBOW WEBSITE (IN JAPANESE)
MERZBOW/KARKOWSKI STEAMING VIDEO FROM GERMAN TV
MERZBOW IN VIENNA / STREAMING LIVE PERFORMANCE
THE TRUE STORY OF THE MERZBOW CAR
LIVE AT MOLDE INT'L JAZZ FESTIVAL - ALBUM REVIEW (NORWEGIAN)
MP3: MERZBOW REMIX OF DISCORDANCE AXIS
BEYOND ULTRA VIOLENCE: UNEASY LISTENING BY MERZBOW
EXPANDED MUSIK 2 AND OTHER REVIEWS
MALDOROR (MASAMI AND MIKE PATTON)
MASAMI AT MUSEE D'ART MODERNE DE LA VILLE DE PARIS
DHR MEETS MERZBOW - IN JAPANESE
AGE OF 369/CHANT 2 - ALBUM REVIEW
TAUROMACHINE - ALBUM REVIEW (DIFFERENT)
MERZBOW ON ARTISTDIRECT NETWORK - ARTICLE
Masami performing with
Alec Empire at CBGB,11/4/98,
Click to enlarge
