Merzbow

Masami Akita (秋田 昌美, Akita Masami, born December 19, 1956), better known by his stage name Merzbow (メルツバウ, Merutsubau), is a Japanese noise musician. He is best known for his style of harsh, confrontational noise exemplified on his 1996 release, Pulse Demon. Since 1980, he has released over 400 recordings.

The name Merzbow comes from the German dada artist Kurt Schwitters' artwork Merzbau (German pronunciation: [ˈmɛʁtsˌbaʊ̯]), in which Schwitters transformed the interior of his house using found objects. The name was chosen to reflect Akita's dada influence and junk art aesthetic. In addition to this, Akita has cited a wide range of musical influences from progressive rock, heavy metal, free jazz, and early electronic music to non-musical influences like dadaism, surrealism, and fetish culture. Since the early 2000s, he has been inspired by animal rights and environmentalism, and has become a vegan.

As well as being a prolific musician, he has been a writer and editor for several books and magazines in Japan, and has written several books of his own. He has written about a variety of subjects, mostly about music, modern art, and underground culture. His more renowned works were on the topics of BDSM and Japanese bondage. Other art forms Akita has been interested in include painting, photography, filmmaking, and Butoh dance.

In 2000, Extreme Records released the 50 CD box set known as the Merzbox. Akita's work has been the subject of several remix albums and at least one tribute album. This, among other achievements, has helped Merzbow to be regarded by some as the "most important artist in noise".

Wikipedia

Releases

Sleeve Title Year Format
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 干渉ハノーバー 1991 Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition, Numbered
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 和漢短歌/戦後五十年の先住民 = Wakantanka / Aboriginie Of Anniversary 50 Years After War 1995 Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition, Numbered, Picture Disc, Special Edition
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 干渉ハノーバー 1991 Vinyl, LP, Repress
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 干渉ハノーバー 1991 Vinyl, LP
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 和漢短歌/戦後五十年の先住民 = Wakantanka / Aboriginie Of Anniversary 50 Years After War 1995 Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition, Numbered, Picture Disc, Special Edition
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 和漢短歌/戦後五十年の先住民 = Wakantanka / Aboriginie Of Anniversary 50 Years After War 1995 Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition, Numbered, Picture Disc
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 干渉ハノーバー 1991 Vinyl, LP
Merzbow - Recycled 1992 Cassette
Merzbow - 抜刀隊 With Memorial Gadgets 1986 Vinyl, LP, Album
Merzbow - Magnesia Nova 1996 CD, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo
Merzbow - Scene 2005 CD, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - Aqua Necromancer 2022 Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Live At Henie Onstad Art Centre 2010 CD, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - Collection 4 2010 Cassette, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue
Merzbow - StereoAkuma 2020 CD, Album
Merzbow - Tauromachine* 2023 Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Rainbow Electronics 2022 Cassette, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - 23 November 1979 (B) 2018 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Por#1&2 Vol. 2 2018 CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Cloud Cock OO Grand (Another Mix) 2019 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - 1.10.16 2017 File, FLAC
Merzbow - Age Of 369 1989 Cassette, Reissue
Merzbow - Pornoise Xtra 1984 Cassette
Merzbow - Collection : 005 1981 Cassette, Album
Merzbow - Live At Knitting Factory 2023 CD, Album
Merzbow - Double Beat Sequencer Vol.5 2021 CD, Album
Merzbow - Tauromachine* 1998 CD, Album, Stereo
Merzbow - Noisembryo / Noise Matrix 2022 CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, CD, All Media, Deluxe Edition
Merzbow - 2017−2020 2022 CD, Album, Stereo, Box Set, Compilation
Merzbow - Video Is For The Birds DVDr, DVD-Video, NTSC, Unofficial Release
No Image Merzbow - White Blues 1994 Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition, Numbered
Merzbow - Expanded Musik 2 2018 CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Collection 002 1981 Cassette, Album
Merzbow - Great American Nude / Crash For Hi-Fi 1991 CD, Album
Merzbow - Rod Drug 93 1993 Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Limited Edition, White Label
Merzbow - Yahatahachiman 2019 CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Untitled 1991 Vol. 1 2019 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Necro 2000 2020 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Pornoise/Extra 1984 Cassette, Album
Merzbow - Lowest Music.2 1983 Cassette, Album, Reissue
Merzbow - Merzbow 2023 File, FLAC, Single
Merzbow - Noise Matrix 2023 File, FLAC, Album, Reissue
Merzbow - Merzbox 2000 CD, Album, CD, CD-ROM, Box Set, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered
Merzbow - Noisembryo 1994 CD, Album, Stereo
Merzbow - Jigokuhen 2011 Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - 13 Japanese Birds Parts 1-13 2010 CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, CD, Album, Box Set, Limited Edition
Merzbow - Venereology 2019 Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Rainbow Electronics CD, Album, Repress
Merzbow - Zophorus 2007 CD, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - Ecobondage 1987 Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered

Images - Coming soon...

Tracklist: Hanakisasage

No. Title Runtime
1 Hanakisasage 34:10
2 Kakapo 2 20:40

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