Norman Westberg
Norman Westberg (born June 27, 1958) is an American guitarist from Detroit best known for his work with Swans, joining the band for the recording of their 1983 debut album '' Filth'' and appearing on every album except the 1992 album ''Love of Life'' and the 1996 album Soundtracks for the Blind, though his playing is sampled throughout the latter record. Westberg became a full-time Swans member once again when Michael Gira reformed the group in 2010. Career Norman Westberg was born in Detroit, United States, and in 1980 his family moved New York City. He has older sisters and a brother, who turned him to music. Initially, Westberg was interested in playing drums, but "something about the guitar overshadowed that". Before joining Swans, Westberg started a band with a friend from a punk rock club, calling themselves "Bookies", and was a member of Carnival Crash. Westberg became a member of Swans after meeting the band's bass guitarist Harry Crosby at a house party, where Westber ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Experimental Rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with some of the genre's distinguishing characteristics being improvisational performances, avant-garde influences, odd instrumentation, opaque lyrics (or instrumentals), unorthodox structures and rhythms, and an underlying rejection of commercial aspirations. From its inception, rock music was experimental, but it was not until the late 1960s that rock artists began creating extended and complex compositions through advancements in multitrack recording. In 1967, the genre was as commercially viable as pop music, but by 1970, most of its leading players had incapacitated themselves in some form. In Germany, the krautrock subgenre merged elements of improvisation and psychedelic rock with electronic music, avant-garde and contemporary classi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Vanity Fair (magazine)
''Vanity Fair'' is an American monthly magazine of popular culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast in the United States. The first version of ''Vanity Fair'' was published from 1913 to 1936. The imprint was revived in 1983 after Conde Nast took over the magazine company. Vanity Fair currently includes five international editions of the magazine. The five international editions of the magazine are the United Kingdom (since 1991), Italy (since 2003), Spain (since 2008), France (since 2013), and Mexico (since 2015). History ''Dress and Vanity Fair'' Condé Montrose Nast began his empire by purchasing the men's fashion magazine ''Dress'' in 1913. He renamed the magazine ''Dress and Vanity Fair'' and published four issues in 1913. It continued to thrive into the 1920s. However, it became a casualty of the Great Depression and declining advertising revenues. Nonetheless, its circulation at 90,000 copies was at its peak. Condé Nast announced in December 193 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Speedball Baby
Speedball may refer to: Games * Speedball (paintball), a paintball game variant * ''Speedball'' (video game), a 1988 video game by Bitmap Brothers Music *"Speedball", a song by Black Label Society from '' 1919 Eternal'' *"Speedball", jazz composition by Lee Morgan, originally appearing on '' The Gigolo'' and later on '' Live at the Lighthouse'' *"Speedball", a song by John Zorn from '' Naked City'' *"Speedball", a song by Yeat Noah Olivier Smith (born February 26, 2000), known professionally as Yeat (occasionally stylized as YEAT ), is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his experimental sound—most notably the rage sound, u ... from '' Lyfestyle'' Sports * Speedball (American ball game), a combination of handball and soccer * Speed-ball, an Egyptian racquet sport * Speedball (boxing), a small punching bag used by boxers for training Other * Speedball (drug), a mix of heroin and cocaine, or similar drugs * Speedball (art products) ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Algis Kizys
Algis Antanas Kizys (born September 8, 1960 in Chicago) is a New York City bass guitarist best known for his long-time membership in New York City band Swans. First joining Swans on 1986's '' Greed'' LP, he stayed with the group through ''The Great Annihilator'' (1995). He is also a founding member of Of Cabbages and Kings, an offshoot of Bag People. Biography Of Cabbages and Kings featured Kizys, founder/guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist/producer Carolyn Master, Roy Mayorga (Nausea, Soulfly, Stone Sour), Vinnie Signorelli ( Unsane), Ted Parsons ( Prong, Swans, Godflesh, Jesu, Teledubgnosis) and Diane Wlezein. Kizys, Master, and Wlezein previously played in Bag People. Kizys has spent time in Foetus' live incarnation and played for Glenn Branca in his ''Symphony No. 6''. Kizys was a member of Problem Dogs, his first band formed with Rick Radtke, John Connors, and Demetra Plakas (who later played drums with L7). During this time, August 1982, he briefly joined forces ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Vinnie Signorelli
Vinny or Vinnie is a masculine given name, usually a shortened version of Vincent, Vincenzo, or Vicente, which may refer to: Vincents * Vinnie Anderson (born 1979), New Zealand rugby league footballer * Vinny Appice (born 1957), American rock drummer * Vinnie Bell (1932–2019), American session guitarist * Vinnie Clark (born 1969), American former National Football League player * Vinnie Colaiuta (born 1956), American drummer * Vincent Cusano (born 1952), stage name Vinnie Vincent, American rock/metal guitarist, formerly with Kiss * Vinny Del Negro (born 1966), American retired National Basketball Association player and head coach * Vinnie Doyle (1938-2010), Irish journalist and editor * Vinny Faherty (born 1987), Irish footballer * Vinny Guadagnino (born 1987), American reality television personality and actor best known for his appearances on ''Jersey Shore'' * Vinnie Hinostroza (born 1994) American National Hockey League player * Vinnie Johnson (born 1956), American re ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Fell (drummer)
John Fell is an American drummer. Born in New York City in 1961 to academic parents, he came into prominence in the early 1980s playing with rock/reggae/Latin band from Miami named "Watchdog". He is the co-owner of Main Drag Music located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Williamsburg. There, he creates custom snares, and repairs and sells drums. He has been listed on a number of lists of great drummers. History The band had a large following in south Florida fronted by Alonso Brito, then known as Dennis Britt and opened and headlined large venues as well as weekly engagements at various local clubs. Watchdog was recorded and mixed by Ron and Howard Albert, known collectively as the Albert Brothers at Criteria Studios in Miami. He was one of the first drummers in that area who used electronic drums along with samples and a drum machine, specifically the Linn 9000, E-mu SP-1200, Emulator II, and Simmons Drums SDS-7 and Simmons SDS-V . Due to the incredible demand of electronic drums ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Musical ensemble, bands. Initiated in 1991, the database was first made available on the Internet in 1994. AllMusic is owned by RhythmOne. History AllMusic was launched as ''All-Music Guide'' by Michael Erlewine, a "compulsive archivist, noted astrologer, Buddhist scholar, and musician". He became interested in using computers for his astrological work in the mid-1970s and founded a software company, Matrix, in 1977. In the early 1990s, as compact discs (CDs) replaced LP record, LPs and cassette (format), cassettes as the dominant format for recorded music, Erlewine purchased what he thought was a CD of early recordings by Little Richard. After buying it, he discovered it was a "flaccid latter-day rehash". Frustrated with the labeling, he res ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Cows (band)
Cows were a noise rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota who formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1998. The band’s music mixed punk rock with surreal humour and copious amounts of noise played through distorted amplifiers and trumpet bleats, codifying them as a noise rock band. Throughout their career Cows released nine studio albums, all but one on the Minneapolis-based label Amphetamine Reptile Records. A star in honor of the Cows is on the outside mural of First Avenue. History Cows formed in 1986 with Kevin Rutmanis on bass, Thor Eisentrager on guitar, then front man Norm Rogers on vocals, and on drums Kevin's younger brother Sandris Rutmanis. Norm Rogers left the band in January 1987 to dedicate his time to drumming for the Jayhawks, later returning to play drums for Cows in 1990. Shannon Selberg become Cows’ front man in February 1987, providing both vocal and bugle duties. Sandris left the band in January 1998 and Cows disbanded thereafter. After disbanding, Shannon ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Shannon Selberg
Shannon Scott Selberg (born June 3, 1960) is a noise/punk rock musician known for his unusual antics on stage. Formerly the frontman for the Minneapolis-based group The Cows, Selberg provided lead vocals, trumpet, bugle and hardcore guitar.Robbins, Ira and Robin EdgertonCowsTrouser Press. Accessed October 4, 2007. After the dissolution of The Cows in 1998, Selberg, described by Pitchfork Media as "the Crispin Glover of the noise rock community", moved on to New York City noise-rock band, The Heroine Sheiks, where he has added keyboards to his repertoire.Reid, Brendan. (February 10, 2003 Heroine Sheiks Siamese Pipe Pitchfork Media. Accessed October 4, 2007. Performance persona In its biography of Cows, Allmusic credits Selberg's "squealing, shrieking, and general lunacy" as "the bizarre, often engaging, focus" of the band. He is known for his "legendary" antics on stage, described by the Detroit Metro Times as a "demented roadside attraction".Metro Times staff. (October 20, 2004 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Heroine Sheiks
The Heroine Sheiks was an American noise rock band based in New York. It began in 1999, as a collaboration between Shannon Selberg, George Porfiris, Norman Westberg and John Fell. Selberg predominantly has been the band's songwriter, whose sound was darker and more sinister than his previous work in The Cows. With several references to the writer Louis-Ferdinand Céline, the band explored a thematic quality of black comedy. Their name is a play on the heroin chic, fashion trend of the 1990s. History The initial lineup of Selberg, Porfiris, and J Bryan Bowden, eventually joined by Norman Westberg on Porfiris' advice. Westberg, in turn, brought John Fell into the band. They recorded the first single on Amphetamine Reptile records titled "Heroine Sheiks". The release included the songs "We are the", "Let's Fight" and "Swedish Fly". The band received good support from the local NYC underground rock scene and prompted a full length release by Reptilian Records. '' Rape on the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Body Lovers / The Body Haters
The Body Lovers and The Body Haters were experimental music projects led by composer Michael Gira between 1998 and 1999 following the breakup of Swans in 1997. Both projects served as an outlet for Gira's loop experimentation within the drone and dark ambient genres and were compared to the compositions comprising Swans' final pre-breakup album '' Soundtracks for the Blind''. The music was built around samples and found sounds, some of which dated as having been recorded as far back as 1980. History The Body Lovers/The Body Haters was conceived as a studio only project after the dissolution of composer Michael Gira's band Swans in 1997. Swans had been active since 1982 and had come to serve as Gira's primary musical outlet. The project featured input from former Swans contributors, such as Jarboe, Bill Rieflin, Bill Bronson, Norman Westberg and Clinton Steele. The name Body Lovers was inspired by a composition on Jarboe's '' Sacrificial Cake'' titled "The Body Lover". A ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Side Project
In popular music, a side project is a project undertaken by one or more people already known for their involvement in another band. It can also be an artist or a band temporarily switching to a different style. Usually these projects emphasize a different aspect of that person's or that band's musical interests that they feel they cannot explore within the boundaries established by their main project. Side projects can later become full-time endeavours, but should not be confused with quitting a band for a solo career or another band. Peter Hartlaub of ''San Francisco Chronicle'' called the solo side project "the biggest longshot bet in mainstream music". ''The New York Times'' described the side project as "a break from the other band members, a chance to toy with different genres and recording methods, a fling with no long-term commitment". There can be aesthetic reasons to pursue side projects, and side projects can have the benefit of protecting indie credibility. Overview ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |