Not much needs to be said about this show...it's fucking Whitehouse! Three of the heaviest bands on the planet converge for one night in DC, as Clavius Productions presents:
Thursday, March 2 at DC9
1940 9th St NW WDC
http://www.dcnine.com $15, 21+
doors at 9, show at 9:30
Whitehouse (legendary UK noise duo)
Pig Destroyer (Relapse, northern VA grindcore)
Wolf Eyes (Hanson/American Tapes/Sub Pop)
plus surprise guests
Whitehouse http://www.susanlawly.freeuk.com/ Whitehouse formed in 1980 on the fringe of the industrial music scene. Created by William Bennett, they pioneered a branch of experimental noise known as "power electronics," a genre explored by Japanese artists such as Merzbow. Influenced by contemporaries such as Throbbing Gristle and composers such as Alvin Lucier, Whitehouse developed a unique sound mixing high and low frequencies with aggressive bursts of electronics and vocals. With their label Come Organisation, they released what they termed "the most extreme music ever made." Often subject to censorship by stores and distributors due to subject matter and graphic record designs, they never bowed to commercial pressures and remained in control of their music and label. Whitehouse has recorded with Steve Albini since 1989.
William Bennett played guitar in the post-punk band Essential Logic. After leaving the group, he recorded the "Come Sunday" single under the name Come. This groundbreaking release, sequenced by Daniel Miller, featured relentless synthesizer pulses that hinted at the sound that would later typify Whitehouse. The Come Organisation was created by Bennett to release like-minded artists, though the majority of the releases on the label involved the founder himself in some capacity.
The Whitehouse project began with the full-length Birth Death Experience with William Bennett on vocals and synthesizer, Paul Reuter on synthesizer, and Peter Mckay credited as effects and engineer. Though relatively timid compared to their later material, it is important for the formation of their unique aesthetic. Their third release, Erector, was one of the first to fully take advantage of the dynamic potential of electronic music. Considered by many as the first power electronics record, Erector set the standard for aggressive experimental noise.
Aware that they were staking new ground, several releases soon followed. They released eight full-length records in three years, each one being proclaimed by the Come Organisation as "the most extreme music ever made." During this period, William Bennett found time to collaborate with Steven Stapleton (of Nurse With Wound) as 150 Murderous Passions, a project inspired by the Marquis De Sade.
Satirizing the music industry much like Throbbing Gristle, Whitehouse went to great lengths for originality. While Throbbing Gristle operated Industrial Records as a corporation, William Bennett operated the Come Organisation as a radical libertarian political collective where personal liberty and personal pleasure was to be maintained at all costs. Referring to live performances as "actions," disseminating propaganda that praised serial killers, and expressing an extreme ideology of personal pleasure via the media, Whitehouse gained a cult following based on their growing mysterious status.
Always controversial, anti-Whitehouse sentiments reached new heights in 1982. People misinterpreted the intention of William Bennett's article "The Struggle For a New Music Culture" published in the magazine Force Mental. Controversy surrounding the piece led to further censorship and distribution problems. Following their first U.S. tour, Whitehouse released two of their most shocking records to date: Right to Kill and Great White Death. These releases took sex and violence as lyric subject matter to unheard-of proportions with the equivalent in extreme electronic sound, and they also saw the addition of two new collaborators Kevin Tomkins and Philip Best.
After a five-year hiatus, Whitehouse returned with a new label name and a new producer. Thank Your Lucky Stars, released on Susan Lawly in 1990, was the first for Whitehouse to be recorded by legendary producer Steve Albini. Rarely deviating from the themes outlined by Right to Kill and Great White Death, Whitehouse released several more full-lengths throughout the 1990s. Sonically they have remained true to their original sound and are still quite extreme in nature. Slowly but surely, the coveted early records by Whitehouse are being reissued on CD, sometimes as special editions with bonus tracks. (All Music Guide)
Whitehouse FAQ:
i. Whitehouse specialise in extreme electronic music, a genre they pioneered in 1980, which in the late 80s greatly influenced, if not spawned, a wave of (in particular Japanese) 'noise' groups in addition to many other musicians in different fields. Trademark sounds are layers of white and pink noise, subsonic bass sounds and ferocious electronic effects, with or without vocals.
ii. Who are the current members and what instruments do they play?
William Bennett - vocals, instruments, Yamaha, Sony: founding member of group in 1980 at 18 and pioneer of extreme electronic music.
Philip Best - vocals, instruments, Roland, Toshiba: extreme music virtuoso joined group at age of 14 in 1982 after running away from home for live action performance at Spanish Anarchists?? Centre in London - original member of 1982 act Consumer Electronics.
iii. When was the group formed?
The group was formed in early 1980 by William Bennett. The following is an extract from the liner notes to the 2LP/CD Cream Of The Second Coming: "While I was playing guitar up onstage with Essential Logic as an 18-year-old back in 1978, I often fantasised about creating a sound that could bludgeon an audience into submission. At that time Essential Logic toured with The Normal (Daniel Miller) and Robert Rental with whom I became friends. Daniel inspired me and helped me to do it while Robert sold me an uncontrollably vicious beast of a synthesiser which subsequently became the heart of the Whitehouse sound."
iv. What is the origin of the name?
The name is a play on words: Whitehouse is both the name of a British porno magazine and the surname of Mary, an English activist, now deceased, on a constant crusade against the alleged proliferation of 'filth' on TV and other media.
v. What is their official discography?
Singles: Thank Your Lucky Stars b/w Sadist 7" (1988), Still Going Strong b/w Ankles And Wrists 7" (1991), Cruise (Force The Truth) 12" (2001), Wriggle Like A Fucking Eel 12" (2002)
Albums: Birthdeath Experience (1980), Total Sex (1980), Erector (1981), Dedicated To Peter Kurten (1981), Buchenwald (1981), New Britain (1982), Psychopathia Sexualis (1982), Right To Kill (1983), Great White Death (1984), Thank Your Lucky Stars (1990), Twice Is Not Enough (1991), Never Forget Death (1992), Halogen (1994), Quality Time. (1995), Mummy And Daddy (1998), Cruise (2001), Bird Seed (2003), Asceticists 2006 (2006)
Japanese Fanatics Club: Dictator II (3" CD single - 1994), Tokyo Halogen (live CD album - 1995), Just Like A Cunt (WB Vocal Version) (3" CD single - 1996)
Compilation appearances: The Second Coming (1981), Hoisting The Black Flag (1981), Für Ilse Koch (1982)
Also visit complete studio recordings dossier.
vi. What about live performances?
Whitehouse began performing live actions in 1982 - visit complete live actions dossier.
vii. What are their future plans?
Further live concerts in 2006 are expected to include USA, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Ireland, and UK. New album Asceticists 2006 is released on February 14th 2006.
viii. Does Whitehouse have any political stance or viewpoint?
Whitehouse have never had any agenda in this regard. No crusades, no mission. William Bennett: "There are people who, for needs of self-affirmation of their own prejudices, demand that certain things be demonised in contrast to their own image or belief system. Exposing this is, for me, one of the most interesting, even gratifying, phenomena coming out of producing this music."
ix. Why have the albums Psychopathia Sexualis and Right To Kill not been reissued on CD?
The original master tapes of Psychopathia Sexualis are missing presumed lost, and the only alternative would be to master the CD from a copy of the original vinyl. It was felt that although, with the right technology and with 'normal' recorded music, this process can be relatively successful, the experimental nature of the contents would produce poor results. The hi-tech software used to remove the sounds of crackles and scratches may also remove parts of the music.
Right To Kill was originally released in a very limited number (approx. 300 copies) as it was of a particularly clandestine nature. The label feels that to preserve its original intent is of great importance, despite an obvious desire to be able to widen its availability in the new digital format.
x. Why did Whitehouse decide not to perform live in UK and USA?
Owing to increasing problems and incidents with some members of audiences in those countries in the mid-90s. William Bennett: "We're not some fucking GG Allin performance."
xi. Have there been any bootlegs released?
The problem with bootlegs and pirate recordings was at its worst in the years intervening the cessation of Come Organisation and the beginning of Susan Lawly (one of the motives for starting the new label).
Most of the pirate recordings originated in Germany at the hands of Achim Flamm and Christoph Heemann. Sound-wise they were of extremely poor quality as they all had been crudely recorded from copies of the vinyl LPs. The packaging was made in such a way that people would think they had an original copy.
Other than knowing the details and exact appearance of the originals, the way to check is to look for the correct catalogue number etched on the inside groove often with messages in English like 'Porky Prime Cut'. We are happy to help people identify the authenticity of their records, if they are not sure. The above-mentioned Flamm and Heemann were also responsible for the 'Concrete Records' 7" single of Right To Kill and several bootleg live albums eg. 'The Sounds of Sadism', in addition to the unauthorised pirate release of the Ohrenschrauben LP on 2CD. They were originally licensed by all the groups to press 150 copies of the LP and expressly forbidden from further releases. Both of them are being monitored in the event of legal action being brought.
Most other bootleg releases originate from Japan and were often, but not always, pressed onto acetates in small numbers from between 30-100 copies. Most of the Japanese bootlegs were of live action recordings. One of the more extraordinary items was the metal box containing 6 gold acetates 7" singles, a T-shirt and several small posters and leaflets. This package apparently retailed at $500.
In recent times the problem seems to have abated especially since Susan Lawly commenced the series of high quality CD reissues. We have had no reports of significant new bootlegs in the last few years from any source.
xii. What is the true story about the abortive United Dairies CD reissue of the 150 Murderous Passions album on Come Organisation?
William Bennett: "This is strictly speaking neither a Whitehouse nor a NWW album but was a special project. Steve Stapleton produced the 'long' track and I produced the 'short' track with assistance from each other and Peter McKay on the other's tracks. It was Alan Trench's PWC (in all but name - subsequently to be named World Serpent) and Stapleton who decided to market the album as WH/NWW for commercial reasons (to make a quick buck - like with so many of their and Current 93's releases) - it was released by them without my consultation or permission (although they later paid the money owing from it). The proof of the greed is that they could have asked me for the tapes which I would gladly have provided - but their haste proved too great. The master tapes were, and always have been, in my possession - when PWC ('UD') went ahead with the CD and LP release they simply mastered it from a vinyl copy of the album. That's why the 'mix' sounds so different (and so disappointingly poor, in my opinion) because, to disguise its origins, lots of reverb and other effects were (rather clumsily) added to it. Susan Lawly decided to include my track on Cream of The Second Coming so that at least it was available for people to hear in its proper form. If you have access to the Come Organisation original you will hear the enormous difference." NB. These recordings are available in original digitally remastered format on the release Anthology 1 double CD (SLCD019).
xiii. Are Whitehouse 'misogynist'?
The lyrics of certain songs (in addition to some of the writings of Peter Sotos) have led certain people to the view that the group is misogynist. Judging by the high percentages of women at recent Whitehouse live actions it might seem odd to reach this assumption. William Bennett: "I don't consider myself a misogynist in any way whatsoever, although I can understand why people might question that. There are a set of much more complex emotional functions involved with these songs and I've never felt that simple hatred was one of them, and interestingly in this light is that I don't doubt most women's capacity to perfectly understand that."
