Boredoms (ボアダムス) (or V∞redoms) is an avant-garde rock band from
Osaka, Japan. The band was officially formed in 1986, although some
date the band to bedroom tape experiments beginning in 1982. Their varied output is difficult to pigeonhole, but is usually
referred to as noise rock or sometimes Japanoise, though
their more recent records have been largely based around repetitive minimalism,
ambient music and tribal drumming.
The band has a vast and sometimes confusing discography. Many band members have
rotated through the group over the years, often using a number of various stage names. Singer
Yamantaka Eye is the closest they have to a frontman; his style includes a range of
baffling screams, babbling, electronic effects and very heavy post-production. Drummer/singer/trumpeter Yoshimi P-We has been featured on many Boredoms recordings as well.
Critic David Sprague describes Boredoms as resembling "a head-on collision between…free-form Sun
Ra's Arkestra and the scatological nihilism of early
Butthole Surfers—fronted by the hollers and gibbers of a couple of guys who can't
decide whether they'd rather be Beastie Boys or Residents. But even that doesn't really describe the sheer sense of otherness that pervades the Boredoms aesthetic."[1]
History
Formation and early years
Boredoms were formed in early 1986 (see 1986 in music) by Yamantaka Eye, who at the time acted as frontman for the infamous and highly controversial
dada-influenced noise/performance art act Hanatarash, locally notorious for its extremely
dangerous live shows consisting entirely of on-stage destruction and complete disregard for the audience's safety. The insane
antics of Hanatarash would later be highly influential on the earliest incarnation of Boredoms, which was formed by the remaining
members of a band Eye started with Hanatarash drummer Ikuo Taketani, as well as guitarist Tabata Mara, bassist Hosoi, and
vocalist Makki Sasarato, called "Acid Makki & Combi and Zombie". The band's sound was characterized by violent, noisy
punk rock/No Wave-influenced thrashings, and they recorded a
single track, "U.S.A", for a compilation tape. Shortly after the release of their first song, Taketani was replaced on drums by
Yoshikawa Toyohito, a friend of Eye's. The band officially changed their name to Boredoms after Hira replaced Hosoi on bass, and
Sasarato left the band due to creative differences. The name purportedly comes from the Buzzcocks song "Boredom".
With the band finally reaching a level of stability, Eye and Mara recorded their first official EP, Anal by Anal, in the summer of 1986. In early 1987 Mara left the group to later join Zeni Geva, and was replaced by Yamamoto Seiichi as guitar player. In 1988 the band released its first
full-length, Onanie Bomb Meets the Sex Pistols. Due to unhappiness over Yoshikawa's
drumming, Yoshimi P-We from Eye's Hanatarash-related project UFO
or Die was asked to serve as drummer, becoming the first female member of the band, with Toyohito switching to general
percussion. Shortly after the change Toyohito left the group being replaced by Hasegawa Chu and then by ATR. The band's sound
from this period was marked by harsh, dissonant punk edited extensively by Eye in the studio,
citing Sonic Youth and Funkadelic[2] as influences, among others. This style was seen by some as pointlessly
abrasive without any underlying motive, making Boredoms according to some critics nihlistic absolute music.[3] Some people
disputed these claims however, praising the band for their maniacal surreal humour,
making them increasingly popular among the alternative rock audiences of both Japan and
the United States.
Growing popularity
In 1988 and 1989, Eye found himself making friends with Sonic Youth and also worked
extensively with John Zorn's polystylistic
Naked City project, serving as guest vocalist. After the release of Boredoms'
Soul Discharge album in the United States, the band was able to parlay their
growing popularity into long term record deals with Warner Bros. Records in Japan
and its United States imprint Reprise Records. With the release of the band's critically
acclaimed Pop Tatari, generally seen as one of the strangest albums ever released by a
major label[4], Boredoms took to the road and toured with
Sonic Youth in 1992 and Nirvana for eight consecutive shows in late October and early
November of 1993, infamously bewildering American audiences with their highly energetic performances. During this period the band
was asked by Steve Albini to record a track for a compilation he was recording. Shortly
after Eye again collaborated with John Zorn on an EP under the name Mystic Fugu Orchestra, which was notably the first album released on Zorn's Tzadik Records.
The following year, at the height of its popularity in the United States, the band was
asked to perform on the main stage of the 1994 Lollapalooza tour in support of the
Chocolate Synthesizer LP which had just been released in the United States.
The album proved largely successful for such an experimental band and was later considered one of the best albums of the 90's by
Alternative Press magazine[5]. Yoshikawa had later joined the band in the early months of 1994 for a second
time to play on Pop Tatari, often sharing vocal duties with Eye, but left again in 1994 and was replaced on percussion by
EDA, who had been introduced to the band by Pavement bassist Mark Ibold. The band was dropped from the Reprise roster, with
Birdman distributing the band's Super Roots EPs during this period. By the time
of 1998's Super Go!!!!! EP and full-length Super
Ae, the band started to break sharply from their earlier atonal noise rock/Japanoise sound by introducing many elements of sweeping
electronica effects and thoroughly constructed psychedelic rock jams into their music. Described as "tumultuous space-sludge"[6], Super Ae has most often been compared to the defining elements of
70's krautrock[7] and,
to some extent, the experimental instrumentation of modern post rock.[citation needed] Soon after its initial release in
Japan, Super Ae was met with a considerable amount of acclaim from the international music
press, recognized as a modern day avant garde artifact and progressive "masterpiece"[8], some critics even identifying the album as affirmation that
Boredoms are "the most out-there band in the world".[9]
Notably, Super Ae was considered one of the best albums of the '90s by Pitchfork
Media.[10]
Current activities
In 1999, the band released Vision Creation Newsun in Japan. This album saw an evolution in their sound, combining the evolving space
rock themes explored in their Super Roots EPs and preceding opus Super Ae
with "a much more earthly, primal, primitively worshipful inspiration".[11] It features psychedelic soundscaping and "cosmic synths",[12]
complex tribal drumming, "cathartic celebrations of noise"[11] and Eye's unique power electronic/turntabalistic stylings. The album is often considered the band's greatest achievement thus far, and has
been described as blending the "manic, high-speed, cut-up form punk rock" of their earlier
albums with a new sound that's "just as intense and exhilarating, but more beautiful and more expansive".[13] The album's 13 minute opening track was later covered by Fischerspooner for their album Odyssey.
After this release the band's members pursued individual projects. Eye oversaw a series of remixes
of the Boredoms catalogue by guest DJs, and also contributed one album himself. Yoshimi P-We
continued working with her experimental rock group OOIOO.
In late 2004, Boredoms released its first album as a group in 4 years: Seadrum/House
of Sun, which consists of just two extended 20 minute tracks, with the tribal drumming now generally acquainted with
modern day Boredoms and elements of drone music, trance
music and techno. It was not celebrated to the extent of their aforementioned albums yet
still garnered mostly positive reviews, culminating with an exemplary score of 73% on Metacritic. The group's line-up changed considerably, stripping down to a four person ensemble with Yamatsuka
Eye on vocals and Yoshimi P-We, ATR, and Yojiro playing drums and percussion. Despite the changes, the group's music still
revolves around the tribal drumming patterns heard on the Vision Creation Newsun LP. However, the band has only toured
sporadically since the changes.
In 2007, the group released Super Roots 9, the first addition to the Super
Roots series since 1999 and their first major album since Seadrum/House of Sun. It was recorded during a
Christmas 2005 concert, making it the Boredoms' second official live release. All Super
Roots releases have been reissued on Vice Records, with the exclusion of Super Roots 2, which is a limited edition 3" CD that does not merit a reissue. Super Roots 4 was
never issued due to some sort of conflict with a record label (rather than the popularly cited superstition about the number in
Japanese culture).
In April of 2007, the group (as V∞redoms) played 3 dates with Sonic Youth in
Japan.[14] Also under the same moniker, the band has
recently experimented with unusual recording techniques such as recording percussion under water and using newly developed
contact microphones to record the sounds made by the human body whilst dancing.[15] They plan on cutting down and releasing an album using these experiments.
On 7 July, 2007, Boredoms performed 77BOADRUM in Brooklyn
Bridge Park, New York City[16]. The "77" denotes not only the date (7/7/2007) but also the number of drummers in the ensemble.
They are planning on continuing with the concept next year on August 8, 2008.[17]
Discography
-
Boredoms has released a large amount of material, the following lists only their studio albums.
Related groups
References
- ^ Sprague, David. Boredoms. Trouser Press. Retrieved on 2005-10-10.
- ^ Burma, Mike. Boredoms. Browbeat Magazine.
- ^ Boredoms. Vice Records.
- ^ Raggett, Ned. Pop
Tatari. All Music Guide.
- ^ Brady, Greg (2006-04-21). Alternative Press Magazine's "The 90 Greatest
Albums of the 90s". List of Bests.
- ^ BOREDOMS - Super Æ. Boomkat.com.
- ^ Dario, Ruben (2007-05-14). BOREDOMS — Super æ.
ProgArchives.com.
- ^ Estefan, Kareem (2003-09-01). Boredoms -
Super Ae. On Second Thought. Stylus Magazine.
- ^ Raggett, Ned. Pop
Tatari.
- ^ DiCrescenzo, Brent (2003-11-17). Top 100 Albums of the 1990s. Pitchfork Media.
- ^ a b Wu, Brandon (2004-06-15). Boredoms: Vision Creation
Newsun. Ground and Sky.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Jeff (October 2002). The Boredoms - "Vision
Creation Newsun". Aural Innovations.
- ^ Heaton, Dave. Boredoms: Vision
Creation Newsun. PopMatters.
- ^ Maher, Dave (2007-01-16). Sonic Youth Tour Japan with Vooredoms (Boredoms). Pitchfork Media.
- ^ Outside the Box. Japan Beat. Metropolis Tokyo.
- ^ JellyNYC Presents the Boredoms. Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.
- ^ 08/08/08: Boredoms plan 'infinite' follow-up with 88 drummers. The Daily Swarm (2007-07-09).
External links
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