Saturday, December 6, 2014

Einstürzende Neubauten, Hank Williams III and Sean Lennon

I am now listening to Einstürzende Neubauten. They are a German industrial band. The CD to which I am listening is "Strategies Against Architecture." There are three volumes in the series with this name. They are compilations of selections from their various CD's. The first contains their more experimental, some would say their more painful, music. Their name translates as "Tearing down new buildings. Neubauten referred to the style of buildings built in East Germany when the country was divided. They used things that most people would not think of as using as musical instruments, a shopping cart, water dripping on a hot stove, metal springs, etc. In one selection they play with water. I worked with someone who had lived in Germany, but he had not been familiar with the band. When I first mentioned the name of the band he thought I was talking about actually tearing down buildings. I gave him a copy of one of their CD's. I told him that some people thought their music was painful. He told me the next day that he had listened to the music with the volume on his car sound system turned up. He was a bit shocked. He had not been listening closely to what I had said about their music. He thought I had said that their music was controversial. It may be controversial, but that is mainly because of its experimental nature. I enjoy listening to their music at a high volume. It can be cathartic, and I am a bit of a masochist. Actually, I do not find their music painful, but at times it fits my mood perfectly. This is especially true when I am in a more radical mood.
I was listening to Hank Williams III earlier. One of the things that I like about him is that he can go from country to punk to metal. He has combined country and metal-style vocals in the same song. I like his fuck-the-world attitude. I have heard that in his concerts he does performs from two or more of these genres. I would like to go to one of his concerts.
Also earlier I was listening to Sean Lennon. He is a very talented musician. He plays several instruments and plays in various styles. He has done some work with his mother, Yoko Ono. He has done some a couple of film soundtracks, some somewhat experimental instrumental music, and he has done some more pop-like songs solo and with different bands. Some of his songs remind me of the Beatles. I hope he continues to produce music.

No comments:

Post a Comment