Industrial is a descriptor that fans and critics have applied to a remarkable variety of music: the oildrum pounding of Einstuuml;rzende Neubauten; the processed electronic groans of Throbbing Gristle; the drumloop clatter of Skinny Puppy; and the synthpop songcraft of VNV Nation; to name just a few. But the stylistic breadth and subcultural longevity of industrial music suggests that the common ground here might not be any one particular sound; but instead a network of ideologies. This book traces industrial musics attitudes and practices from their earliest articulations--a hundred years ago--through the genres mid-1970s formation and its development up to the present and beyond.Taking cues from radical intellectuals like Antonin Artaud; William S. Burroughs; and Guy Debord; industrial musicians sought to dismantle deep cultural assumptions so thoroughly normalized by media; government; and religion as to seem invisible. More extreme than punk; industrial music revolted against the very ideas of order and reason: it sought to strip away the brainwashing that was identity itself. It aspired to provoke; bewilder; and roar with independence. Of course; whether this revolution succeeded is another question...Assimilate is the first serious study published on industrial music. Through incisive discussions of musicians; audiences; marketers; cities; and songs; this book traces industrial values; methods; and goals across forty years of technological; political; and artistic change. A scholarly musicologist and a longtime industrial musician; S. Alexander Reed provides deep insight not only into the genres history but also into its ambiguous relationship with symbols of totalitarianism and evil. Voicing frank criticism and affection alike; this book reveals the challenging and sometimes inspiring ways that industrial music both responds to and shapes the world.Assimilate is essential reading for anyone who has ever imagined limitless freedom; danced alone in the dark; or longed for more noise.
#3352887 in eBooks 2013-05-03 2013-05-03File Name: B00CMXAC6U
Review
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Not for musicians onlyBy Jukka Vauml;limaaI found this book extremely valuable; even though I am not a musician. I originally borrowed the book from public library after taking some lessons in Alexander technique. My motivation for taking the lessons and reading the book was to improve the way I use my body in partner dancing. I found the book well-written and clear; with a wealth of insights that I could apply to dance. This is what I posted on Facebook after reading the book:I just finished the best book Ive read about dancing ndash; and its not even intended to be about dancing. To some extent its because the material coincides so well with other things Ive been learning and experiencing lately. As I was reading the book; pieces just kept clicking into place. Ill post some quotes; and you can tell me what you think. Does it apply to dancing?> "Awareness; as I conceive it; is a general; unfocused condition in which a person is wide awake and alert to whatever may be going on without being concentrated on anything in particular. Attention; on the other hand; is focused on some particular aspect of the field. It has been compared to a spotlight on a dark stage."-F.P. Jones> Jones goes on to suggest that; with work on it; we can intelligently balance our awareness and attention to bring ourselves into the ideal state for playing music. The ideal state; when musicians are going to give something their attention; is a spotlight on a well-lit stage. Then we can remain truly present.> It is difficult to breathe properly if your eyes are overfocused or darting about from point to point. If you fix your eyes and stare; it usually means you are holding or restricting your breath. If you are bored; your eyes can become dull and breathing shallow. The state of curiosity livens up both your eyes and breathing. The eyes are involved in expressing our emotional state. Soften your eyes to improve your breathing.> We can include our peripheral vision in such a way that we are easily aware of where we are and what we are doing. We can think of this as panoramic vision. This state of panoramic vision is usually the status quo if were feeling happy; confident; and on top of the situation. If we are fearful or anxious; we tend to fix or overfocus our eyes and become less musically flexible.> There is always a trade-off between balance and tension. If you hold yourself out of balance when you play; you have to use continuous muscular tension to keep yourself there without falling over. You are looking for a quite different arrangement; where you have a continuous rebalancing throughout your body that allows the greatest freedom in your standing; sitting; walking; or playing your instrument. [...]> If you are in balance there will be some postural tension that is on-going and necessary [...] You will sense that core support as lightness and ease - not as effort. In balance; you will be comfortable and your coordination will be easy.> What we mean by balance is an efficient use of body in relation to gravity. We are not necessarily looking for perpendicular and never for straight.> When our volitional muscles are held continuously tense (not what theyre designed for); we lose sensation. [...] So in that context; we understand that to have the most accurate coordination in any activity we need to use the minimum tension. That way we experience more sensation of what were doing; we become more alive.> If we now consider the work from the other end of the chain of reactions; we decide *we want to sense what we are doing; what we are seeing; and what we are hearing*. Our desire to prioritize sensory feedback triggers more release in our muscles because we understand; on an innate level; that less tension creates more sensation.> *The way you use your mind and body is the way you use your instrument.* It is not just that it has an influence on the way you use your instrument. So it is; in our opinion; vital to understand that; *your instrumental technique is the way you use your mind and body*.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The material was relevant and relatively easy to followBy ZephyrI had to buy this for class. The material was relevant and relatively easy to follow.3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A competent explanation of the method for musciansBy CustomerThis book is a competent explanation of the Alexander Technique. I appreciated the book because the AT technique is not well explained on the Internet. To me; the AT basically says "pay attention to your body posture (especially the head position on the spine); your body movements; muscles; and tensions; and try to correct misalignments; tension-filled moves; and so on; when you recognize them. The book provides much more depth than my sentence; of course; and does a competent job of explaining the principles of the AT.I would recommend this book to anyone who has body posture; movement; or tension issues.