Amazing album.First heard it over 50 years ago. The Visitation is so damn emotional. Headphones, alone in the dark, a couple of beers and a herbal ciggie. I was near to tears. Then The Black Mass. ..Horrifying. Took me about 10years before I could bear listening to it again. Absolute classic. Nothing comes close.
Hi Phil....I have owned the white noise album since it was released in 1969.I rate it very highly indeed and after watching your review I don't feel you understand what the album is all about. It was light years ahead of it's time for 1969 and there has been nothing like it since-bit like marmite you either love it or hate it.I love it. Some of the samples were taken from the film "forbidden planet".
Hi Tina, thank you for sharing your insight and the extra information. Forbidden Planet is one of my favourite films. I will approach the album again tomorrow. Phil :)
Hi Phil, it was interesting to hear your opinion on this one ... I was all in with the heavy rock and progressive rock sounds from 1970-1972, but when I heard this it was so different, along with 'Ceremony' Spooky Tooth and 'Pawn Hearts' VDGG, all of which I first heard at a friend's house in 1972. To get the best listening experience I found it was best to play side 2 of the White Noise album in a darkened room (as I had first heard it) which is probably why it made such an impression on me in the first place and which also benefitted the King Crimson track 'Devil's Triangle' ('Poseidon' was another album I first heard in '72) it was quite a year for opening my ears to all this amazing underground music! Anyway, suffice to say I have all these beauties on vinyl and cd ... oh and 'Here Come The Fleas' was played at a party I was at back then haha ... ahhh, the 70's were a lot of fun!
It’s an album you get directed to by people who cite it as a major influence. In most cases these are electronic artists - it does involve Delia Derbyshire after all. I’m a big Throbbing Gristle / Nurse With Wound / Radiophonics / Residents fan and can trace this LP’s influence on those acts. It’s an electronic pop album. A transgressive one. The Beach Boys filtered through a British Experimental Music mindset. In the same way Beefheart mangled the Blues for Trout, this mangles pop through Alvin Lucier and the technology available at the time.. It plays with form and expectations - the snoring at the end of My Game is a joke. The Mass taps that Satanic craze that was such a big deal at the end of the 60’s- think The Devil Rides Out etc. We forget how big radio plays were back then, as were comedy records. These all create soundscapes - exactly what the LP does. It’s great!!
Thank you for the extra background on the albums impact and who it influenced. I had a feeling putting this on after Joni Mitchell what probably a wrong move.
Electric Storm In Hell is very creepy. It has similarities to the sounds made by a cult in Vineland, N.J. that used to worship at Menantico Ponds. They wore robes and masks...and pounded on drums. Several people that went camping at Menantico were scared out of their minds. Watch Menantico Blues to see. Its free on RU-vid. The first ten minutes is all about that cult and the ritualistic killing that took place there. This occurred in June 1971...but the sightings were mostly in 1970. They were very creepy. Delia Derbyshire was involved with the White Noise project. I have several Delia Derbyshire cds. They are rare and difficult to find. THE DREAMS where she collaborated with Barry Bermange is eerie. Many of her recordings contain soundscapes for an underworld. She was a genius and very innovative to the world of Electronic Music years before Bob Moog distributed the Moog Synthesizer. Years before Wendy Carlos, Beaver & Krause, Mort Garson, Ruth White...etc. Interesting how Pink Floyd set a date to meet Delia Derbyshire to discuss electronics as she was such a huge influence on Psychedelic bands and Space Rock
@NowSpinningMagazine Your welcome. I found it interesting that you reviewed the White Noise album. It's interesting that Delia Derbyshire was utilizing sound generators to produce sounds that surfaced later on through the Moog Synthesizer. It's fascinating how she cut tapes to form rhythm. Also don't forget Daphne Oram who started earlier than Delia Derbyshire with her Oramics. Much of this innovative experimentation began in England alongside Germany and the U.S. The Theremin was being used in horror film soundtracks and according to Sandy Pearlman from the Blue Oyster Cult camp...several Jewish composers/musicians traveled to America prior to the Holocaust and lived near Hollywood writing many horror film soundtracks using the Theremin and sometimes sounding similar to Bruckner by creating a mechanical distortion with brass which sounded terribly frightening and was influential to the development of Heavy Metal. They had studied with Bruckner or his disciples in the conservatory in Vienna and left for America in the 1930s. The influence is evident on the first Black Sabbath album.. ⚫️ 😳
I never laughed so much watching you review this album Phil. However, I think I can understand if it was your first experience with the album and quite rightly the majority might say it was BONKERS!. I had this album back in the 70's and I for one love it and instead of them reissuing it on vinyl I would jump all over it if they did a surround mix of the album. Even in stereo it's quite a ground-breaking album and there are noises on this album that run on frequencies beyond the human ear and will drive your dog nuts. It is one of the weirdest albums out there for sure and it does also run along the lines of a concept as well.
Hallo Phil, I have the Island box you mentioned but couldn't remember this obscure band, after your video I listened to the whole album on RU-vid and I have to say it's not an album I would play very often, but that you present bands with sounds like this, shows that variety of music is also a quality mark for your channel, kind regards, Jogi😊
I am aware of it, but do not recall listening to it. Seems like I would absolutely recall it if I did! Now I have to listen. I generally enjoy the weird stuff, haha. Plus Island in the late 60s, as you mention!
I’m an electronic fan but for all the good and bad albums I’ve got in my collection this is the hardest listen and have to say it’s never on my go to listen list..…🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well I bought this in the 1980's as the keyboard player in the band I was involved with recommended it to me! And like Julian Cope J J Burnel also mentioned he had it in his collection now Delia Derbyshire and another member of the BBC Radiophonic workshop are in this band! Dr Who theme it isn't! I honestly have played it twice! In 40 years 😂 I'm feeling brave I will give it another go! Julian Cope does actually hit the nail on the head! He does have great taste in music! Headphones 🎧 I'm not that brave but will give it a go tomorrow afternoon (Sunday) afternoon listening 😀 good one Phil! 👍
I love this Album very much ! But I always turn it off when the last Track begins. You should listen to the first 3 Albums from the Group / Band " Brainticket " from the same Period ;-)
Phil, After your review here I gave it a listen but found it hard to listen to ! New group I found on RU-vid is the Heilung band (Check them out for yourself). I found their experimental music and live performances mesmerizing. Thanks for the review and good afternoon from the U.S.A.
Hi Phil, To be fair, I can't see much of a difference between this, which I have just heard for the first time, and Pink Floyd's Ummagumma disc 2. I like them both. Bonkers it may be, but it works for me. Would rather listen to this than anything from Kraftwerk or Tangerine Dream to be honest. Way ahead if its time without a doubt.
Hi Phil, remember hearing this album when I was at school a lot of the kids were really into it but I didn’t get it and really didn’t like it and couldn’t understand why they were raving about it but just for nostalgic reasons I recently streamed it and still don’t get it and still don’t like it but many might say it’s a masterpiece that’s fine but not for me, cheers Phil 👍
Hi Phil - dont know this album at all, which is odd, as I was in my teens during that amazing period 1966 - 1972. Am not going to bother listening to it, I have too much other great stuff in backlog and I cant afford the time lol. Island - what a great label. Nuff said.
Fantastic Album, been in my collection for years. a must hear. you never know, you might even get to like it. The Lord Saint Julian of the Cope certainly knows his krautrock and the weird and wonderful. (zeit is pronounced as 'sight' btw). Always good to have an open mind with art & music
