2001-04-02 - 10:08 a.m.

Electronic Body Music (EBM)

The letters EBM run right off my tongue and I find myself surprised every time I end up either having to explain what EBM (or industrial music) is, and why it is not just the same sound over and over again (noise or not).

The history has it has been explained to me by several folks whom I respect the majority of their tastes in music and certain find them to know far more about music in general than most folks:

This is Body Music

Some time ago Sony Records released a compliation CD called This is Body Music. I believe the CD got its name from Front 242's song titled Body to Body. Could be wrong (and with this, leave a note in my guestbook if I am). Anyhow this CD is now out of print, or at least very hard to find.

The short answer to what EBM is. Highly driven, electronical based, beat driven music. It also happens to make excellent dance music.

What I hear in it

I don't always have an easy time appreciating, much less hearing all of the technical components of many songs. When I first started hearing EBM, I really didn't like it that much. Oh, it certainly was fun to dance to, but I didn't care much more beyond that. Basically I didn't listen. And I felt trapped to a point that the music had "little meaning for me". So the old Deathrock complaint goes.

Then I started listening to several compliations and started paying attention not only to the lyrics, but their meaning. And at the same time I started hearing more complex patterns laid over the dominating base and drum beats. I found that for many songs, the song is not this beat, but rather the elements built around it. Take some of :Wumpscut:'s songs from Bloodchild. Some of these are early parts of songs that were released with vocals. I'm thinking specifically of Soylent Green. Without the lyrics (either in English or German), it just isn't really an interesting song.

So the lyrics are important

OK, it is hard to understand the lyrics, but that is music in general. I believe a common misconception is that industrial or EBM music is centered on aggressive content. If anything, I've found that many groups take a very liberal political stance and often mock many social or political issues.

This isn't always the case. VNV's lyrics have always been uplifting to me.

A Dream by Funker Vogt

it all started with a dream
two months like eternity
and in spite of all the problems
it was the best time of my life

we had promised ourselves
that trust and friendship last forever
but these two tiny things
have already been too much

the second dream came way too soon
promising an early end
but there was a second part
maybe a chance for a new start

the first part is now filled
there wasn't anything I could do
now I just do what I can
to fulfill the second one

...

It is funny that this song would touch me so closely that I felt it worth repeating here. There are so many other songs I love, many of which leave me thinking.

Must Music Always Touch Me

No.

I'm simply tired of people making broad generalizations about something that really isn't that simple. I do wish those around me would explore my personal attachment to EBM, as I honestly believe it would bring them closer to understanding me. In fact, I wish they would explore many of my interests and make efforts to build those ties.

I do make stronger emotional attachments with people who make the effort to do the same to me. With people who trust me. Who confide in me. Who bring their problems to me. Who basically let me in their lives, and take a proactive role in stepping into mine.

It is so easy to crawl away from life and work 60+ hours a week. Or spend that time locked away on a computer, but the older I get the more resentful of machines I am becoming. At least I am less and less interested in spending my time working through one.

Disappoint

The new A23 album apparently was dedicated to Tom Shear's father. His father committed suicide late 1999. While at the A23 show last week Tom played Disappoint, but I didn't understand the lyrics nor his own personal attachment to this song.

I want to post these lyrics as well. I fortunately can say I don't have a personal experience with suicide (at least to this degree), but I can say two things:

(1) I understand the pain,

(2) this song does make me want to cry.

-=-

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