Ever heard of noise rock? Some of the uninitiated might think that noise rock is all about making as much sound as possible without any real adherence to song structure. That couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re interested in noise rock but are not sure if it’s for you, here’s a little music history lesson that might just change your mind about the genre.
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The Noise Rock Artists Who Found Value and Beauty in Chaos
Noise rock can be defined as an experimental rock subgenre that originated from punk rock in the 1980s. Though, noise rock’s heyday was definitely in the following decade. The genre pulled elements from industrial music, New York hardcore, and even minimalist art rock. What do those three things often have in common? Well, that would be distortion! And a lot of it.
That’s really what’s at the heart of noise. Tons of extreme distortion via electric guitars and other electronic instruments, unusual song structures, and improvisation. It’s so much more than just making noise; it’s about finding beauty in the most extreme of sounds.
Noise rock is one of those odd little genres that have plenty of musicians tied to the sound, but not necessarily to the genre itself. Groups like Sonic Youth, Flipper, Big Black, The Jesus Lizard, and Swans are considered some of the most well-known groups to inspire interest in noise as a form of music, particularly among the alternative rock crowd. Sonic Youth, in particular, incorporated memorable melodies into songs that otherwise were made of droning textures of noise. That set the standard for more modern noise artists that followed.
Noise Rock Is the New Punk Rock
“Noise has taken the place of punk rock,” said Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore. “People who play noise have no real aspirations to being part of the mainstream culture. Punk has been co-opted, and this subterranean noise music and the avant-garde folk scene have replaced it.”
Really, when you think about it, punk rock was all about doing something musically that upset the status quo. Noise has historically done just that. Many people have preconceived notions of the genre as just unlistenable, ear-grating garbage; clearly, noise upset the status quo enough to make people who never even gave the genre a chance a reason to hate it.
Noise rock isn’t dead, either. Plenty of acts are bringing noise into other genres as well, from Melt-Banana to Lightning Bolt to Boredoms. Who knows how the genre will continue to evolve? I’m excited to see where it goes myself.
Photo by Giotas / Courtesy Riot Act Media
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