Friday, June 17, 2011

The Face of Noise will Never be the Same: RIP Seth Putman




How ironic that recently I posted an entry about the anniversary of GG Allin’s death, and in the same month we lost another extreme music pioneer. To be quite honest, like GG, it really was not a surprise. Mr. Putnam’s self destructive lifestyle is well documented. After coming back to life from a 2004 coma, he continued his boisterous path in the true A.C. fashion. I suppose he would not have it any other way.

His demeanor and purposely offensive song titles have always been hilarious. Some have become highly irritated by his antics, as you know that is exactly what his goal was. To push the envelope and get a rise out of anyone who would listen. You really have to take all that stuff like a grain of salt and just laugh. Great entertainment if you ask me.

Going back in time, the first A.C. item I purchased was the The Master of Noise LP compilation. With the first rape my eardrums withstood, A.C.’s music completely blew me away. In my mind I did not envision a band, but more like some kind of monstrous creature. The blast beats and vocals were just feral filled insanity. This was back before they even had song titles. I played that record over and over. Combining with A.C.’s ferocity, the compilation also featured Agathocles, Meatshit, 7 Minutes of Nausea and End of Silence…intense!

Not to get off track, but A.C. was the best thing ever to blast in the car while carrying some virgin ears. The complaints of asking if it was even music delighted me. Basically those comments would push me to play it even louder.

All those early 7” EPs and comps were unadulterated mutilation. At that time I assumed A.C. would always be an underground EP mainstay. Around 1992 I heard they were signing to Earache Records. Due to their strictly raw sound, I was shocked the British label would even touch them. Before that however, Seth and company released the “Morbid Florist” mini CD on Relapse Records. That was their first material pressed on CD. Also the first songs that actually had a slight song structure and titles for that matter. Shortly thereafter, Earache released “Everyone Should Be Killed” and the rest is history.

Noise it may be called, but no one can deny the incredible heaviness of the band.

The day of his death I received numerous text messages about it. Probably the funniest one simply stated “Being dead is Gay”. I will close on that note.

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