No wave

No wave was an experimental and avant-garde music genre that emerged in the late 1970s in New York City. It was a direct response to the predominant commercial music scene at the time, which consisted mostly of punk rock and disco. No wave was characterized by its disregard for traditional song structures, musical genres, and the conventional rock elements of melody, harmony, and rhythm. The origin of the term "No wave" comes from a pun on the term "New wave," which was used to describe the punk rock bands that emerged in the late 1970s. No wave was a reaction to this label, as the musicians involved in the genre felt that it did not accurately capture the experimental and unconventional nature of their music. Many of the bands that emerged from the No wave movement were associated with the downtown New York art scene. These musicians were often interdisciplinary artists who combined music with performance art, film, and visual art. Some of the most influential No wave bands included DNA, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Contortions, Mars, and Glenn Branca. DNA, led by singer and guitarist Arto Lindsay, was known for its fast, jarring, and dissonant sound. Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, fronted by Lydia Lunch, were known for their confrontational live performances and nihilistic lyrics. The Contortions, led by saxophonist James Chance, combined elements of punk rock and funk with free jazz improvisation. Mars, led by singer and guitarist Sumner Crane, created an otherworldly and eerie sound through the use of dissonant guitar riffs and unconventional song structures. Glenn Branca, a composer and musician, was known for his use of large guitar ensembles and the creation of massive, symphonic works of sound. No wave was a short-lived movement, and by the early 1980s, many of the bands had disbanded or moved on to other projects. However, the genre had a significant impact on the art and music scenes of the time and influenced many musicians who came after them. One of the most significant influences of No wave was on the emerging genre of industrial music. Bands such as Throbbing Gristle and Einstürzende Neubauten were heavily influenced by the noisy and experimental sound of No wave. No wave also influenced the emergence of noise rock, a genre that combined elements of punk rock and noise music. Bands such as Sonic Youth and Big Black were heavily influenced by the experimental and unconventional nature of No wave.

The Contortions: one of the leading figures in the No wave movement, known for their wild and discordant sound and their intense, theatrical performances. Teenage Jesus and the Jerks: fronted by Lydia Lunch, who became one of the most influential voices in the No wave scene with her confrontational lyrics and abrasive stage presence. Mars: a band of experimental musicians who created a chaotic, dissonant sound that was heavily influenced by free jazz and improvised music. DNA: a trio of musicians who blended punk, funk, and experimental rock, with choppy guitar riffs, frenzied rhythms and free-form vocals. James Chance and the Contortions: known for their energetic fusion of jazz, rock and funk, and Chance's wild, theatrical performances. Rhys Chatham: an avant-garde composer and guitarist who collaborated with many of the key figures in the No wave scene and pioneered the use of multiple guitars in minimalist rock music. Lydia Lunch: one of the most vibrant personalities in the No wave scene, with a confrontational, uncompromising attitude that came through in her music, poetry, and film work. Arto Lindsay: a guitarist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist who played in a number of influential No wave bands, including DNA and the Lounge Lizards, and later went on to pursue a successful solo career. Glenn Branca: a composer and guitarist who created dense, layered compositions that combined the aggression of punk rock with the complexity of minimalism. The Lounge Lizards: a jazz-fusion band that blended avant-garde improvisation with punk attitude and rhythms, led by saxophonist John Lurie.

1. "Marquee Moon" by Television 2. "Blank Generation" by Richard Hell and the Voidoids 3. "No New York" (compilation album) 4. "Ersatz" by DNA 5. "Eight Eyed Spy" by Eight Eyed Spy 6. "United" by Throbbing Gristle 7. "70 Minutes of Madness" by Glenn Branca 8. "The Return of the Durutti Column" by The Durutti Column 9. "Contort Yourself" by James Chance and the Contortions 10. "Especially For You" by The Smithereens 11. "This Heat" by This Heat 12. "Junkyard" by The Birthday Party 13. "The Ascension" by Glenn Branca 14. "Songs About Fucking" by Big Black 15. "Sonic Youth" by Sonic Youth 16. "1982" by Swans 17. "Double Nickels on the Dime" by Minutemen 18. "Fear of Music" by Talking Heads 19. "The Modern Dance" by Pere Ubu 20. "The Killer Instinct EP" by The Honeymoon Killers 21. "Frightened" by The Fall 22. "In the Flat Field" by Bauhaus 23. "Suicide" by Suicide 24. "V-Effect" by 45 Grave 25. "Bad Moon Rising" by Sonic Youth.

A useful book on the genre is "No Wave: Post-Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980" by Thurston Moore and Byron Coley. The book delves into the history and legacy of the No wave movement, offering insight into the artists, venues, and personalities involved. In the book, Moore and Coley describe No wave as "a subgenre of the New York underground that spawned some of the most uncompromising, iconoclastic and noisy music in history." Another book that has explored No wave is "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984" by Simon Reynolds. Reynolds provides an overview of the entire post-punk movement, but devotes a chapter to No wave, tracing its origins and impact on other genres. Reynolds describes the No wave sound as "bleak, abrasive, and confrontational," and notes that it was "about rejecting rock's heritage and venting spleen at America's political and social decay." In "Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records," a book by Merge Records founders Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance, the authors discuss the impact that No wave had on their label and the musicians they worked with. According to McCaughan and Ballance, No wave "embraced noise, dissonance, and disorientation," and helped lay the groundwork for the indie rock movement. Notable quotes from members of the No wave scene include Lydia Lunch, who once said, "If you're not offending somebody, you're not doing it right." Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore has also commented on the movement, stating that "No wave was more interested in negation and deformation, rather than affirmation and decoration." James Chance, of the band James Chance and the Contortions, has described No wave as "a melting pot of avant-garde, punk rock, funk, and free jazz."

The socially and culturally turbulent atmosphere of New York City in the late 1970s played a crucial role in the emergence of No wave. The city was grappling with urban decay, economic decline, and rising crime rates, which created a sense of desperation and alienation among its residents. At the same time, there was a growing sense of political dissatisfaction with the conservative policies of the Reagan administration. The rise of the punk and post-punk scenes in the city had already challenged the status quo, but No wave represented a further radicalization of this rebellion against mainstream culture. Notable record labels played an important role in the development of the No wave scene. One of the earliest and most influential was Brian Eno's label, Obscure Records, which released albums by several key No wave bands, including DNA and The Contortions. Other notable labels included ZE Records, founded by Michael Zilkha and Michel Esteban, which became a hub for the city's avant-garde music scene. The label released several key No wave albums, including James Chance's "Buy" and Suicide's "Second Album." Journalists and critics were also instrumental in shaping the identity of the No wave scene. Lester Bangs, a prominent rock journalist at the time, was an enthusiastic supporter of the genre and championed many of its key figures. Meanwhile, music critic Robert Palmer helped popularize the term "No wave" in a 1978 article for The New York Times, in which he described the city's new wave music scene as "no wave" because it rejected the upbeat, pop-oriented sound of traditional new wave. Several key figures emerged within the No wave movement, including James Chance, Lydia Lunch, and Arto Lindsay. These artists were known for their aggressive, confrontational performances and their willingness to experiment with unusual sounds and techniques. Other important No wave bands included Sonic Youth, Swans, and Glenn Branca's guitar orchestras. No wave also had a significant impact on the broader cultural landscape of New York City in the 1980s. The DIY ethos of the genre inspired the creation of alternative arts spaces like ABC No Rio, which hosted experimental music, performance art, and visual arts exhibitions. These spaces offered a platform for artists and musicians who were rejected by mainstream venues, and they helped to foster a close-knit community of creatives who were united by their rejection of conventional norms. Technologically, No wave was characterized by its use of unconventional instrumentation and innovative recording techniques. Many No wave bands used homemade instruments or repurposed objects to create their sound, while others experimented with found sounds and field recordings. Recording studios like Martin Bisi's BC Studio became important hubs for the genre, with many of the scene's most iconic albums recorded at these facilities.