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
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, 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
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, Special Edition
メルツバウ* = Merzbow - 干渉ハノーバー 1991 Vinyl, LP
Merzbow - Great American Nude / Crash For Hi-Fi 1991 CD, Album
Merzbow - Nezumimochi 2014 Vinyl, LP, Picture Disc, CD, All Media, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - Yurikamome: 13 Japanese Birds Pt. 3 2009 CD, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - Vibractance 1998 CD, Album
Merzbow - Material Action 2 N·A·M 2016 Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue
Merzbow - Ikebana: Merzbow's Amlux Rebuilt, Reused And Recycled Promotional Sampler 2003 CD, Sampler, Promo
Merzbow - Solonoise 1 & 2 2021 CD, Album, Compilation, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow-Lowest Music And Arts* - Lowest Music 2 1990 Cassette
Merzbow - Hyper Music 1 Vol. 1 2018 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Merzbeat 2021 Cassette, Deluxe Edition, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
Merzbow - Vratya Southward 2022 CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Cloud Cock OO Grand (Another Mix) 2019 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - 小品集 Vol.2 2019 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Amlux (20th Anniversary) 2022 Cassette, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered
Merzbow - Flare Blues 2021 File, FLAC, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Untitled 1991 Vol. 1 2019 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Metal Acoustic Music 1992 Cassette, Reissue
Merzbow - Mighty Ace 2020 CD, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Metal Acoustic Music 1989 Cassette
Merzbow - Noise Matrix 2023 Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition, Reissue
Merzbow - Batztoutai With Material Gadgets 2013 CD, Repress
Merzbow - Paradoxa Paradoxa 1988 Cassette
Merzbow - Ko To No O To 2012 Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Merzbow - Nezumimochi 2015 File, MP3
Merzbow - Chant 1989 Cassette, Album, Reissue
Merzbow - Collection 009 Cassette, Album
No Image Merzbow - Paradoxa Paradoxa 2024 Cassette, Deluxe Edition, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo
No Image Merzbow - Collection : 001 1981 Cassette, Album
Merzbow - Arijigoku 2015 File, MP3, Album
Merzbow - Hatomosphere Variant 2024 File, MP3, Album, Stereo
Merzbow - Fantail 2010 File, MP3, Album
Merzbow - Frog+ 2003 CD, Reissue, CD, Enhanced, All Media, Album
Merzbow - Antimonument 2014 Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Picture Disc, Reissue, Remastered
Merzbow - Yaho-Niwa 2011 CD, Album, Limited Edition
Merzbow - MONOAkuma 2018 File, MP3
Merzbow - Hikaru Hane 2021 File, MP3, Album
Merzbow - Dead Lotus 2019 File, MP3, Album
Merzbow - Torus 2019 File, MP3, EP
Merzbow - Oersted 2024 File, MP3, Album, Remastered
Merzbow - Aka Meme 1984 Cassette
Merzbow - Ikebukuro Dada 2002 CD, Album
Merzbow - Merzbox 2000 CD, Album, CD, CD-ROM, Box Set, Compilation, Limited Edition, Numbered
Merzbow - Nil Vagina For Mice 1993 Vinyl, 7"

Images - Coming soon...

Tracklist: Venereology

No. Title Runtime
1 Ananga-Ranga 29:02
2 Klo Ken Phantasie 9:22
3 I Lead You Towards Glorious Times 5:29
4 Slave New Desart 6:22

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