Metal Machine Music

Hello IHM, I was unable to find any other posts mentioning it (sorry if I cocked up your search function), and I was just curious what you guys thought of Metal Machine Music, since you guys are into more avant-garde music than I am. I recently listened to part one on Youtube and I think it's pretty good; however, I'm not really into noise, so maybe I'm just being fooled by the accessible mainstream noise.

Actually I think it's a rather beautiful record. And has some great melodic lines running through it. I've always been really confused by why it offended so many people. Great for falling asleep.

RFKorp basically said everything i feel about MMM. i'll only add that the Lou Reed albums Transformer, Berlin, Sally Can't Dance and MMM were pretty seminal for me when i first discovered them and i love them all dearly.

i quite like the orchestral version by the Zeitkratzer ensemble.
http://www.asphodel.com/releases/view.p ... 0828ba7f98

I feel the same way about MMM as I do about Guy Debord's first film; I'm delighted he had the balls to do it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to like it.

i quite like the orchestral version by the Zeitkratzer ensemble.
http://www.asphodel.com/releases/view.p ... 0828ba7f98

Like many of Zeitkratzer's arrangements of electronic music, I think their version of MMM is far better than the original (not that I don't like the original). More intense, visceral, engaging. It's a phenomenal recording/performance.

Speaking of Zeitkratzer, check out the tracklisting for this one!!!! ("Legion" is one of my favorite metal records)

Has anyone heard it?

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Die Kraft der Negation

Kraft der Negation lux 003 - volksbuehne recordings

TRACKS:
1. John Cage: Telephones And Birds (19:15)
2. Deicide: Satan Spawn, The Caco-Daemon (5:01)
3. Helmut Lachenmann: Pression (8:47)
4. Throbbing Gristle: Hamburger Lady (7:26)
5. Kunsu Shim: Man lässt Dinge fallen und beobachtet sie - eine Herbstmusik (13:34)
6. Terre Thaemlitz: Sloppy 42nds (8:02)

Recorded, 30 June 2002, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin

Speaking of Zeitkratzer, check out the tracklisting for this one!!!! ("Legion" is one of my favorite metal records)

Has anyone heard it?

Yeah, it's awesome. Kunsu Shim and "Hamburger Lady" on the same CD? Yes, please!

Their more recent stuff like the "Volksmusik" album and the collaborations with Keiji Haino and Carsten Nicolai are phenomenal, as well.

Also, I have a particular soft spot for their John Duncan CD "Fresh", acoustic arrangements of two Duncan electronic pieces. Again, the acoustic versions are far better than the originals, a couple pieces that were otherwise not what I'd consider Duncan's best work.

My other question would be: is it actually innovative? I know that noise was beginning to develop as soon as electronic instruments became possible, but I don't know enough about it to say anything about what point it was at in 1975.

I feel the same way about MMM as I do about Guy Debord's first film; I'm delighted he had the balls to do it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to like it.

My thoughts exactly. Metal Machine Music's value and 'role' in experimental music of the 20th century is pretty much alike to that of a manifest - proclaiming and liberating a certain principle. It really doesn't holds much value per se, as it does through it's direct influence on the people's minds at the time and even more through it's indirect influence on various creative individuals. Taking in consideration VU's and Lou Reeds fan appeal and authority amongst the general population in 1975 as well as the fact that Metal Machine Music was published on RCA, a corporate heavyweight, we could say that it's publishing is easily one of the biggest 'incidents' that happened in sphere of popular culture concerning musical experimentalism.

I feel the same way about MMM as I do about Guy Debord's first film; I'm delighted he had the balls to do it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to like it.

I can say that of Keith Rowe work, especially when Sachiko M is also in the house.