Heiko Daxl -> work, -> bio, -> web / Merzbow a.k.a. Masami Akita -> work, -> bio, -> interview -> web
YAHOWA STACKRIDGE - CRACK GROOVE
Image: Heiko Daxl, Music: Merzbow a.k.a. Masami Akita
Single-Channel Video/Music-Installation, 1999
Monitors are piled up - tilted and upside down - as an unreguralary
heap. The images consist of text fragments, basic graphical elements
and technical distortions, edited extremely fast as a pulsating
overflow of colours and forms. The music uses feedbacks, low vibrations,
high peaks, noise and staccato rhythms.
First shown as a stage-installation for live-music (Zeitkratzer-Ensemble)
in Berlin, january 1999.
Installation view at Podewil, Berlin January 1999
born 1957, lives and works in Berlin and Zagreb
Studied Architecture, Media, Art-History, Education/ Sociology
in Braunschweig, Osnabrück, Zürich and Berlin. M.A.
Media
Curatorial Work (Selection)
1981-1987 International Experimentalfilm Workshop, Osnabrück
1988-92 European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück
1990/91 INFERMENTAL, International Videoart Magazin, Osnabrück/Skopje/Budapest
1991-today Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst, Zagreb
1995-today Akademie der Künste, Berlin
1987 Berlin: Interfilm, Luzern (CH): VFIPER 87, Belgrad (YU): Jury-Mitglied Filmfestival 1988 Budapest (H): Retrospektive zum Experimentalfilm und Kunstvideo der 80er Jahre, Deutsche Kulturwochen in der Volksrepublik Ungarn (Auftrag des Auswärtigen Amts, Bonn), London (GB): Film/Video/Lecture, FilmMakers COOP, Luzern (CH): VIPER 88 1989 Berlin: Internationale Filmfestspiele, Ohrid (YU): Video-Colony, TV Skopje und Auswärtiges Amt, Ljubljana (YU): Video Biennal, Cancarjew Dom, Luzern (CH): VIPER 89, Belgrad (YU): Alternativ Film & Video 1990 Paris (F): "La Video - Casse Le Baroque", Groningen (NL): "Time, Light, Space", Zagreb (YU): "Video-Mix", Boston (USA): "Film/Video Foundation", Montreal (CND): Festival International du Jeune Cinema, Kuopio (SF): International Video-Festival, Athen (GR): "1st European Meeting on Art andTechnology", Singapur, Manila, HongKong: Seminarreihe zum experimentellen Film und Video (Auftrag des Goethe-Instituts, München) 1991 Madrid (E): Video-Kunst-Programm der internationalen Kunstmesse ARCO 91, Sarajewo (YU): Olimpic Museum: Alternative Television, Györ(H): Jury: Technology and Humanity, Zagreb (YU): CAD-FORUM, Salon der Architekten, Lodz (PL): Filmhochschule, Warschau (PL): Museum für Moderne Kunst, London (GB): Polytechnics of Central London, Groningen (NL): Stichting Computeranimatie (SCAN) 1992 Helsinki (SF): Symposium "Virtual Reality, Documents and Propaganda", Kopenhagen (DK): "Film/Video as Subversive Art", Dänisches Filminstitut, Sydney (AUS): Third International Symposium on Electronic Art, Royal Gallery of New South Wales, Melbourne (AUS), "The Antipode Media-Art", MIMA und National Gallery, Victoria 1993 Oberhausen (D), Auswahlkommision "42. Inter. Kurzfilm Festival", Sydney (AUS), Museum of Comtemporary Art, Perth (AUS), Institute for Film and Television, Hobart (AUS), Fine Arts Academy of Tasmania, St. Petersburg (GUS), "Man and Mind", Zagreb (CRO), "Media Scape", Museum Mimara, Szigetvar (H), Film/Videofestival Retina 93, Jury 1994 Zagreb (HR), "Media Scape 2", Muzejski i Gallerijski Centar, Berlin (D), Neuer Berliner Kunstverein Osnabrück (D), European Media Art Festival "Interactive Stories", Potsdam-Babelsberg (D), EXPO "Interactiva", Jury 1995 Budapest (H), National Gallery, Zagreb (HR), Dom Likovni Umjetnost, Antalya (TR), International Filmfestival 1996 Berlin, Myths and Magic, Budapest, Kunsthalle: Berlin Collection, Berlin, 2. Operative, Akademie der Künste, Zagreb (HR), Media-Scape 4, Museum für zeitgenössische Kunst, 1997 Berlin, tat.bestaende, Galerie Schwarzenberg, Drewen (D) Internationales Kunstforum "Lamdschaft Heute", Zagreb (HR), Media-Scape 5, Museum für zeitgenössische Kunst, Graz (A), Biennale für Film und Architektur (Jury) 1998 Berlin, Transmediale (Podewil), Napoli (I), "BERLINAPOLI" Goethe-Institut, Zagreb (HR), Media-Scape 6, Museum für zeitgenössische Kunst
Exhibitions and Festivals (Selection)
1985 Montreal (CDN): Retrospektive de films super 8 allemands,
1986 München (D): Goethe-Institut, Film und Werbung, 1988
London (GB): Film/Video/Lecture, Film Makers COOP, Budapest (H):
Deutsche Kulturwochen, Osnabrück (D): European Media Art
Festival, 1989 Linz (A): "Pool Processing", Ars Electronica,
Ljubljana (YU): Video Biennal im Cancarjew Dom,1990 Paris (F):
Grand Canal, Retrospektive: The German Experimentalfilm 1980-1990,
Goethe-Institute weltweit, Groningen (NL): Time, Space, Light,
Helsinki (SF): MUU-ARK, Athen (GR): 1st European Meeting on Art
& Technology , Manila: Goethe-Institut, HongKong: H.K. Arts-Center,
HongKong: Baptist College, 1991 Madrid (E): ARCO, Sarajewo (YU):
Olympic Museum, Oberhausen: 37. internationale Kurzfilmtage, Györ
(H): 8. internationales Film & Videofestival, Warschau (PL):
Museum für Moderne Kunst, Mainz (D): Kulturzentrum, Osnabrück
(D): European Media Art Festival, Arnhem (NL): Audio-Visual-Experimentaal
AVE, Szigetvar (H): Film/Video Festival Retina 91, 1992 Vigo (ES),
Ciudade de Video, Berlin: Videofest, Akademie der Künste,
Pecs (H), Deutsch-Ungarische Kulturtage, Helsinki (SF), AV-ARK,
Györ (H), Media-Wave, Kopenhagen (DK), International Film
& Video Festival, Singapore, Option Publications, Sydney (AUS),
Third International Symposium on, Electronic Art, Royal Gallery
of New South Wales, Melbourne (AUS), Experimenta-Biennale, Center
for Contemporary Art, Melbourne (AUS), State Film Theatre, 1993
Sydney (AUS), Museum of Comtemporary Art, Perth (AUS), Institute
for Film and Television,Hobart (AUS), Fine Arts Academy of Tasmania,
Zagreb (HR), Museijski Mimara, 1994 Zagreb (HR), Multi-Media Centar,
Long Beach (USA): Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (USA):
The Kitchen, Berlin (D), Irrton - Festival für Virtuelle
Irritation, Hoorn (NL), Stichting Achterstraat, Bonn, Videonale,
Berlin, Institut für Neue Musik / Hochschule der Künste,
1995 Szigetvar (H), Retina 1995, Zagreb (HR), Dom Likovni Umjetnost,
Vigo (ES), Ciudade de Video, Antalya (TR), International FilmFestival,
Berlin, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Galerie der IG Medien,
1996 Budapest, Kunsthalle: Berlin Collection, Hoorn (NL), Krem
Media Lab, Berlin, Künstlerhof Buch, Berlin, Sonambiente
- internationale Klangkunst, Szigetvar (H), Retina 96, Zepernick
(D), 4. Randspiele, Zagreb (HR), Media-Scape 4, Museum für
Zeitgenössische Kunst, Split, Int. Film/Video Festival, Budapest,
C3 (Concepts of Happiness), Berlin, Klanggalerie im Sender Freies
Berlin (SFB), 1997 Stuttgart, 5. Deutscher Multimedia Kongress,
Düsseldorf, IMPRINTA, Berlin, "tat.bestaende",
Galerie Schwarzenberg, Drewen (D) Internationales Kunstzentrum
und Akademie der Künste Berlin, "Landschaft Heute",
Graz (A), Biennale für Film und Architektur, Köln, Deutsche
Welle "Die Neuen Digitalen", Berlin, Akademie der Künste,
Zagreb (HR), Media-Scape 5, Museum für Zeitgenössische
Kunst, 1998 Berlin, Transmediale (Podewil), Stuttgart, Eklat-Festival
für Neue Musik, Internationales Musikinstitut (Ferienkurse)
und Akademie für Tonkunst, Darmstadt, Retina, Szigetvar (H),
Budapest, Kunsthalle, Köln, Photokina ´98, Napoli (I),
"BERLINAPOLI" Goethe-Institut, Berlin, Marstall "Ceterum
Censeo", Berlin, Volksbühne "Circles of Confusion",
Zagreb, Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst "@home"
1999 Berlin, Podewil "Time-Scraper", Duisburg, Wilhelm-Lehmbruck
Museum
Artistic Work since 1979:
Films, Videos, Grafic, CD-Rom, Photo, Installation
Commissions for Museums, Theaters and Companies
Collaborations with contemporary music-compomsors: Georg Katzer,
Wolfgang Rihm, Gerhard Stäbler, Mona Mur, Bert Wrede, Dror
Feiler, Masami Akita u.a..
Awards and Grants
since 1984 various national and international awards and grants
BIOGRAPHY - MASAMI AKITA/MERZBOW
Born 1956 in Tokyo, Japan
Graduated Tamagawa University, Art Department; majoring in Painting
& Art Theory
Worked as an editor of several magazines
Became a freelance writer for several books, magazines
Favourite area of writing is: Art; Avant-garde Music; and Post-Modern
Culture
Formed Japanese premier noise group MERZBOW in 1981
Released over 50 records and CDs, to date
Continues to perform and record as MERZBOW
Has worked with many different media: Butoh Dance; Performance;
Art Installation; Video; Film; CD ROM etc
Toured Russia in 1988, U.S.A in 1990, Korea in 1991, & Europe
in 1989 & 1992
Publications (excerpt)
The Anagram Of Perversion (1988) Seiku-sha
Ikei No Mannerism (1989) Seiku-sha
Fetish Fashion (1990) Seiku-sha
Touge No Chaya/Conversation of Underground Folklore (1990) Parole-Sha
Club & Saloon (l990) NTT Publications
The Birth of Sex Symbol (1991) Seiku-sha
Noise War (1992) Seiku-sha
Terminal Body Play (1993) Seiku-sha
Body Exotica (1993) Suisei-sha
Sei No Ryo-ki Modern (1994) Seiku-sha
Scum Culture (1994) Suisei-sha
History of Kinbaku Pictures (1995) Jiyu Kokumin-sha
Nude World Vol. 1~3 (1995) Suisei-sha
Soundtracks for Video & Films (excerpt)
'Onna Inu' by Fuji Planning (1989)
'Lost Paradise' by Fuji Planning (1990)
'Seisan' by Fuji Planning (1990)
'Sange' by Fuji Planning (1990)
'Le Sequence Des Barres Paralleles' by Ian Kerkhof (1993)
'Deadman 2' by Ian Kerkhof (1994)
MERZBOW / Discography (excerpt)
1983: 'Material Action 2' (LP) Eastern Works, Japan
1986: 'Batztoutai' (2LPs) RRR, USA
'Antimonument' (LP) ZSF, Japan
1987: 'Ecobondage' (LP) ZSF
1988: 'Live In USSR' (LP)ZSF
'Storage' (LP) ZSF
'MERZBOW + S.B.O.T.H.I.' (LP) Extreme, Australia
'RRR Box' (5LPs)with Emil Beaulieu, RRR, USA
1989: 'S.C.U.M.' (2LPs) ZSF
1990: 'MERZBOW + S.B.O.T.H.I. + P16D4' (LP) RRR, USA
'Cloud Cock OO Ground' (CD) ZSF
1991: 'MERZBOW + THU20' (LP) V2, Holland
'Rainbow Electronics' (CD) Alchemy, Japan
'MERZBOW + KAPOTTE MUZIEK' (LP) Korm Plastics, Holland
'Grav: MERZBOW + ASMUS TIETCHENS + PGR' (CD) Silent, USA
'Hanover Interruption' (LP) Dom, Germany
'Great American Nude' (CD) Alchemy
1992: 'Artificial Invagination' (Mini CD) Vanilla, Japan
'Chicago Live' with Emil Beaulieu (LP) RRR
'Music For Bondage Performance' (CD)Extreme
1993: 'Metalvelodrome' (4CDs Box) Alchemy
'MERZBOW + CHRISTOPH HEEMANN' (CD) Streamline, Germany
'Continuum: with Kapotte Muziek' (LP) Cheese International, UK
'MERZBOW + ACHIM WOLSCHEID-11 Collaborations' (CD) Selektion,
Germany
'Nil Vagina For Mice' (7") Banned,USA
'Steel Cum' (7")Verticle, USA
1994: 'Venereology' (CD) Relapse, USA
'Kinbakubi' (CD ROM) Soundtrack, Cine Magic, Japan
'Noisembryo' (CD) Laughing Eskimo, Sweden
'Electroploitation' (7") Hax, Italy
'Neo Orgasm' (7") Verticle
'MERZBOW + COCK ESP' (7") USA
'Now' (7") Self Abuse, USA
1995: 'Hole' (CD) Heelstone, Germany
'Music For Deadman 2' (7") Robot, USA
'Flare Gun' (12" EP) Ten Bob Swerver, UK
'Dada Rotenvator' (LP) Plaxis Dr. Bearmann, Germany
'Electroknots' (Picture 7") Cold Spring, UK
'Ecobondage' (CD) Distemper, USA
1996: 'Music For Bondage Performance 2' (CD) Extreme
"Age of 369 / Chant 2' (2 CDs) Extreme Special Editions
Forthcoming:
MERZBOW + GORE BEYOND NECROPSY' Rectal Grind (7") Mangrove,
Japan
'AKA MEME(RED EYES)95' (7") V2
'Scatologic Baroque' (CD + CD ROM) Hachiman Publishing, Japan
Nothing exceeds like excess'
It is difficult to define what is appealing to the listener of noise music. Noise is undefined, it is a texture, some find the cacophonic wall of sound cathartic, some erotic. Noise is perhaps the most 'interpretive' forms of sound - the listener finds within it what they want. Masame's work does not serve to create an emotional state of happy or sad within the listener, open listening to his material one finds the experience cathartic. For Masame, 'nothingness is music' is beauty.
'Noise' as a music form has spread out across the globe and
is becoming
increasingly popular. Although, the noise and industrial sounds
appeared to emerge at the simultaneously in unrelated circumstances
during the 1970s and 1980s, Masame Akita was at the epicentre
of noise culture and is the most influential figure within the
noise scene.
Masame Akita began entered music in the early 1970s. The bands in which he played often did not have names and existed only within studios. Akita's experiments with music in this period, were a collaboration between Kiyoshi Mizutani and consisted of pusle drums and feedback, sojourning in other bands with friends - covering Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and the Soft Machine.
Masame's interest in feedback and noise increased and resulted in his shift from the improvised rock scene and gravitation towards the sound we know as Merzbow - the name Merzbow comes from Dadaist, Kurt Schiwtter's Merzbau (name house). The assembly of 'noise' is a very cognitive procedure. Merzbow served numerous purposes, it was a deconstruction of rock'n'roll and experiment in eroticism. Masame was attracted to the chaotic and destructive sounds of Jimi Hendrix and The Who but what he could not find was an entire recording devoted to these sounds. Masame then mixed only the 'violent, noisy, brutal sick part of rock . . .'
Masame's work has always had a heavy focus on sexuality. In
his earlyexperiments he relied on feedback, what he felt was a
'death scream' ofelectronics and the rearrangement of feedback
resembled a form of'machine masturbation'. Masame's work was occuring
in tangent with thegrowing industrial scene but Masame's work
however, is more abstractconsisting of less familiar arrangements
of sound. Masame's focus wasupon the texture and his perception
of noise as a 'fetish'. Akita parallelsS&M and Merzbow by
asserting that S&M is only interesting to thosewho understand
or know S&M and the same applies to his sound.
Masame describes 'S&M as a fetishism of the body' whereas
'noise is a fetishism of sound'. The influence of sexuality in
Masame's work isfurthered by his passion for surrealism in which
sexuality is a promonent feature.
The early Merzbow tapes were accompanied with pornography. Akita views pornography as a form of Pop Art - another capitalist product. From this humble begining, Masame Akita has now released over 200 recordings.
He has written numerous books and has been the editor of several publications in which adult issues have been the focal point. His book Anagram of Perversion, catalogues Western fetish objects as 'signifiers of capitalist production-reproduction.'
The Australian label, Extreme Records, are releasing a limited 1000 copies of a Merzbow 50 CD boxed set in September, aptly titled Merzbox. The set spans 1979 and 1997, offering over 50 hours of listening. The set includes 20 unreleased titles, a comprehensive biography and a Cd-Rom with video footage, sound and artwork.
At what stage of your life did you begin Merzbow ? How did it eventuate ?
I started Merrzbow after I finished University.
When Merzbow began it was distributed as audio-cassettes with accompanying pornography. Was thast to establish the relationship between the noise and the eroticism in the listener or does the eroticism in the noise already exist ?
Basically, my idea of using Pornography was Pop Art. Porno is more pop than usual erotic image. In Japan there are still Genitals censoring. I though it seemed idea to use forbidden images in public mail art actively.
I believe you have called noise music a form of Dada could you elaborate ?
I was influenced from Dada. Especially, influenced from Duchamp lots, Picabia and Sewitters are also influenced but only some work. But surrealism is more important for me. 'Cause they have lots of erotic idea influenced from psychedelics. I also influenced from unformal paintings. I am not interested in minimal abstract art. They too boring for me. 'Cause no erotic.
S&M is an inherent part of your work and a topic that you have written on mnay times. How is S&M erotic ? How do you view the contemporary relationship between the subject (masochist) & dominant (sadist), contrast if you wish historically ?
When I analyse my taste for music, I think S&M is very important for in my judgement, for example I liked S&M factor in every music. It's mean violence and destruction factor of music I liked. Erotic image is also same taste. Hans Bellemer is still perversion in my knowledge. He stated he can change every part of his erotic subject by his desire, it's basically similar idea in S&M. Idea of S&M is make anagram of human body. It's same in my music I can change sound any form by using violent operation of electronix. My idea of S&M is purely conceptual. I'm not interested in dominant and submissive. Most S&M people is stupid.
If a noise piece is created with a concept in mind, is that concept explored through noise in a manner that is either prelinguistic or metalinguistic (beyond the word), in some respects a non-cogntice experience ?
I am agreed that Noise is prelinguisitc ore Metalinguistic experience. But it's not too different with mosr music / sound experience which also non-linguistic experience. Difference of Noise is more close with parole expression, lower language of unconsciousness, not using lots of musical tools which based on society agreements.
Sample Inyan Kan Issue One. July 1997.
Interview by Scott Richards. Copyright Inyan Kan / Ikkyu Publications.
Photographs supplied by Roger Richards of Extreme Records.