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Whitehouse

Battlecat [Edit] [Delete] 4 replies 11:24, 20 July '07

Can someone explain them to me, please?

I get the impression that they're highly regarded (witness the excitement shown by some posters on the Upset The Rhythm thread when it was announced that they were supporting Wolf Eyes), but I just don't get it.

Not just in a "it's not to my taste" kinda way, but there doesn't even seem to be anything to it. Generic noise sounds, with someone shouting bad things over the top. I've seen them twice now (including last night at the aforementioned Wolf Eyes gig) and they were terrible both times.

Am I missing something?

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  • I get the impression

    they had severe technical difficulties last night. Shame, i'd never seen them beofore and was looking forward to it.

    I guess they're one of those bands that are so well regarded as, if nothing else, they've been it for so long. Similar to stuff like Throbbing Gristle, though TG are on a higher level. Though it may come across as 'generic noise sounds' now, i'm guessing there was nothing generic about it when they first started doing it.

    I always think the same about Suicide. To modern ears it sounds like pretty standard, lo-fi electronica/experimental, but i bet in the 70s it was pretty exciting!

    GayGuevara | 20 Jul '07, 12:08 | X
    • I guess "generic" was the wrong word

      Not sure what the right one is. If you listen to most artists that work with noise or pure sound, you detect a certain interest in or feel for the raw sound. They shape it, play with it, bring out the subtleties or variations in it. Whitehouse don't seem to have this at all. They're just interested in making a loud noise. It all seems very adolescent to me (especially when coupled with the lyrical themes).

      Didn't realise there were technical problems last night. To my ears it didn't really sound any different to when I saw them supporting Earth a few years ago.

      Battlecat @GayGuevara | 20 Jul '07, 12:32 | X
      • repulsion is part of it though

        making a loud noise is one of the aims. it's not quite that simplistic though. Whitehouse will always be confrontational, but there's a fine line between just swearing a lot and whatnot and actually making strong observations about people. On the surface there's little difference though.

        You don't HAVE to like them, but I think they're still great.

        i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band @Battlecat | 20 Jul '07, 12:45 | X
  • it kind of depends on what you're looking for

    personally i don't think they're the most interesting live noise band anymore (if they ever were) but their records still pack a punch, if not more than ever at the moment.

    i don't think they sound generic at all, i can't think of anyone else using African drums like they do. they're still relevant, and i can't think of many bands that still are after nearly 30 years. plus they invented the whole 'shouting bad things over the top', although their lyrics have far more depth than just swearing a lot; they're really quite detailed and scathing when you actually make sense of them (which you can't do during a single live set).

    Live isn't a good introduction to them, but the records they're putting out now are probably the best they've ever done. The new one ("Racket") has been up on Indietorrents, dunno if it's still there.

    i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 20 Jul '07, 12:28 | X
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