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Age: 47
•
Gender: Male
•
Astrological Sign: Pisces
•
Zodiac Year: Rat
• I
ndustry: Arts
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Occupation: Animal Response Technician
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Location: Edinburgh : Scotland : United Kingdom
• Founder of Whitehouse, Come Organisation, Susan Lawly
Interests• arthouse film, burlesque, method acting, Spanish, hypnosis, clothes fetish girls, Girls in uniform, 50’s fashion, contemporary art, Japan, noise, chimpanzees, wolves, philosophy, cats, white sharks, Africa, the bizarre, The uncanny, linguistics, magic, Italy, handwriting, mango, djembe, Israel, writing, erotic photography, mythology, Haiti, NLP, EST, chocolate, sacrilege, massage, French, poetry
Favorite Movies• Process, A Woman Under The Influence, The Baby, Saw III, La Peau Douce Nostalghia, The Birds, Festen, The Five Obstructions, Sympathy For Lady Vengeance, Manhattan, Dogville, Project X, La Dentellière, Being There, Fire Walk With Me, Memento, Tokyo Story, Los Olvidados, Babe 2, Adaptation, Dead Ringers, Blue Water White Death, The Incredible Journey, Audition, La Cérémonie, The Notebook, Glengarry Glen Ross, L'Amour L'Après-midi, The Bridge To Terabithia
Favorite Music• Kronos Quartet, John Dowland, Incapacitants, Fela Kuti, Yoko Ono, Leonard Cohen, John Coltrane, Tujiko Noriko, Survivor, Stella Vander, Scott Walker, Albert Ayler, Patrick Cowley, Shannon, JS Bach, Bob Dylan, Italo Disco, J-Pop, Stockhausen, Talk Talk, Angelo Badalamenti, Alvin Lucier, Colt, Stevie Nicks, Donna Parker, Bohren, Britney Spears
Favorite Books• Straw Dogs, The Incredible Shrinking Son Of Man, Impro, Juliette, Catwatching, Women Who Run With The Wolves, Elvis: The Last 24 Hours, American Psycho, Casino Game Protection, Lolita, Dangerous Men And Adventurous Women, Jane Eyre, The Hanged Man, My Voice Will Go With You, Next Of Kin
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(William Bennett in 1984)
Philip Best![]()
Dirty Word Specialist
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Age: 41
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Gender: Male
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Astrological Sign: Gemini
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Zodiac Year: Horse
• I
ndustry: Arts
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Location: Bristol : United Kingdom
• Did his doctoral thesis on: "Apocalypticism in the Fiction of William S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard & Thomas Pynchon". University of Durham, 1998.
Interests• national geographic, the uncanny, victorian photography, shamelessness, wartime diaries, joseph conrad, indonesia, daimohk, Seahorses, rope
Favorite Movies• the serpent's egg, sauve qui peut (la vie), lipstick, andrei rublev, onibaba, il deserto rosso, juvenile court, melody, l'enfant sauvage, no direction home, le chagrin et la pitié, vivre sa vie, opening night, vertigo, shoah, hitler: ein film aus deutschland, prova d'orchestra, the innocents, stevie, pickpocket, possession, echos aus einem düstern reich, le locataire, tenderness of the wolves
Favorite Music• robert ashley, scriabin, parmegiani, bootlegs, albert ayler, sun ra, roland kayn, fela kuti, magma, hijokaidan, scelsi, ensemble unicorn, benjamin britten, cecil taylor, 80s tangerine dream, bayle, bob dylan, alice coltrane, ocora label, charlemagne palestine, Conrad Schnizler, Crass, Deathprod, Stella Vander, Corrupted, Band of Gypsys, La Monte Young
Favorite Books• sanctuary, the driver's seat, lolita - annotated edition, faerie queene, besy, victory, lexicon devil, one more minute for courtney please, blood meridian, intercourse, the unconsoled, the lost ones, sin suffering hope and the true way, the notebook, raised by wolves, genie: a scientific tragedy, gravity's rainbow, the brutality of fact
Peter Sotos![]()
Pornographic writer, perhaps best known for his arrest on obscenity and child pornography possession charges in the mid-80s. Writer of the Pure fanzine which is much beloved by many members of the power electronics community. Was an important member of Whitehouse’s live shows for many years up until 2002. Some of his text was incorporated into many of the band’s lyrics, and at one point his audio collages were also worked into the band’s albums.
Kevin TomkinsFounder of the noise band Sutcliffe Jugend, later on joined up with Whitehouse around 1982. Was a member of many of the live shows during the 1980’s. Later on quit the band in 1985 and supposedly got married, sold all his albums and music equipment, and had a religious conversion (Tompkins denies this last rumor, claiming in a recent interview to having always been an atheist). Reformed Sutcliffe Jugend in the 1990’s and put out a few more albums. Recently released another album under the Sutcliffe Jugend name in 2007. Still going strong.
Steve StapletonFounder of Nurse With Wound, and a good friend of Bennett in the 1980’s, before they had a falling out in the early 90’s. His record collection introduced Bennett to many obscure, experimental artists who went on to inspire the Whitehouse sound. Stapleton also did the cover art for a few of the Come Organisation’s album releases (most notably
The 150 Murderous Passions, a collaboration between Nurse With Wound and Whitehouse and an album picked by Jim O’Rourke as one of the ten best noise albums of all time), and played with Whitehouse at their very first live action.
Steve AlbiniNoted Chicago producer/musician who produced many of Whitehouse’s albums during the 1990’s.
Stefan JaworzynMember of the bands Skullflower and Ascension. Played one live action with Whitehouse in the 80’s, plus three more gigs in 1990 when the band started doing shows again. Also contributed to the
Twice is Not Enough album.
Jim GoodallPlayed seven live shows with Whitehouse alongside Bennett and Sotos during the band’s 1993 American tour. Also appeared on the
Halogen album. Don’t know much else about him, other than he was also a drummer for the band Medicine at one point.
Glen Michael WallisFounder of experimental 80’s band Konstruktivists, he played in some of the very earliest Whitehouse live actions, and also three more gigs when the band began doing live shows again in 1990.
David TibetCo-wrote the song “Thank Your Lucky Stars” while vacationing with Bennett in Madrid in 1987. Other than that, hasn’t done much else with the band at all, though he did hang out with Bennett and Stapleton quite a bit in the 80’s.
John MurphyPlayed in a few of the very earliest Whitehouse live actions. Appears on the
Psychopathia Sexualis album on that record’s live extract.
Peter McKayEngineer at IPS, contributed to many of Whitehouse’s Come Org albums. Whereabouts unknown.
Paul ReuterContributed as a musician to the first three Whitehouse albums. Never played with the band live.
Andrew MacKenzieDon’t know much about this guy at all, other than that he played one and only one Whitehouse live action, the band’s very first one, and that was it. I think he also might have been editor of Kata, which was the Come Organisation newsletter.
Trevor BrownNoted artist who contributed many album covers for Whitehouse during the 90’s, such as
Twice is not Enough, Halogen, Quality Time, and
Mummy & Daddy, along with the cover for the
Just Like a Cunt and
Dictator singles and the
Another Crack of the White Whip compilation.
Daniel MillerFounder of Mute Records, friend of William Bennett. Played synth bass on the Come single and album under the alias “Doctor Death.” He’s the guy who introduced Bennett to IPS studio.
Alan GiffordDoes the graphic design for many of the Susan Lawly products.
Denis BlackhamMasters pretty much all of the current Whitehouse albums, also handled the digital remastering of many of the old Come Organisation releases.
George PeckhamDid the original LP mastering for pretty much all the old Whitehouse/Come Organisation albums, at Porky Prime Cuts.
Judith HowardAn associate for Susan Lawly who wrote the texts for the
Extreme Music From Women and
Extreme Music From Russia CD booklets. Has also done quite a few interviews with William Bennett, all of which are posted on the Susan Lawly website.
Stefan DanielssonSwedish artist who did the cover art for recent Whitehouse release
Racket. Very influenced by the art of Africa and Haiti.
Miguel Angel MartinCult Spanish comic book artist who illustrated comics for some of the Whitehouse Katas in the 1980’s. Also contributed the cover art for the band’s
Tokyo Halogen live album.
Jordi VallsWhitehouse’s manager in the Come Org days. Also linked to the Genesis P-Orridge/Psychic TV scene.
Dark NLP: Forbidden Seduction Patterns (from Wikipedia)--------In the Seduction community, there are certain Neuro-Linguistic Programming Patterns which are said to be "Forbidden". These patterns have been developed by the major students and teachers of the Speed Seduction school, and are vehemently protected from the public eye by those who know them. This is because the inherent manipulative and insidious nature of these patterns make them, according to these 'Gurus', morally unacceptable as public knowledge.
--------The 'October Man Sequence' is one of the most sought after of these patterns.
Originally developed by seductionists In10se and Swinggcat, the October Man Sequence is so sought after because it is said to be the single most powerful NLP routine made for use in seduction, and, one could argue, because of the fact that it is touted as a big, bad 'forbidden' secret, known only to the best of the best. The usefulness and functionality of the sequence sparks heated debate within the community, and this could be for a few reasons.
--------Firstly, many are skeptical as to whether any NLP 'pattern' could create the results proponents of this particular sequence claim to. It has been touted as achieving "15 minute lays", insinuating that users of this pattern have gone from meet to intercourse within 15 minutes. Whether one pattern could achieve this sort of result is debatable.
--------Secondly, many of the current generation Pick Up Artist's were introduced to the community through Neil Strauss's book
The Game, which presents an unfavorable view of NLP and Speed Seduction. This results in many of the current day seductionists being wary of NLP patterns, and automatically dismissive of Speed Seduction teachings.
--------There is much debate from among who don't possess this pattern as to what the pattern actually accomplishes. Some suggest that it installs in the target an unconscious compulsion which anchors every thought outside of the PUA with pain, and every thought involving the PUA to pleasure.
--------Others stipulate that it simply installs an anchor for good feelings when the PUA pulls the target in, and bad feelings when the PUA pushes the target away.
--------However most PUA's will not learn this particular technique, but more techniques with even greater claimed power could easily be created by someone with the will and time to absorb NLP information from other sources, to equip them with the information needed to make their own patterns.
--------These sorts of "instant control" techniques, though, usually appeal to those wanting a quick fix to their perceived shortcomings, and those who desire an unhealthy appetite for control of others.
--------While not verified by either in10se or Swinggcat, the October Man Sequence is said to consist of the following three patterns:
--------‘The Hospital Pattern'. This pattern serves to fractionate the subject from intense feelings of pain to pleasure, and swing the subjects emotions like a pendulum. The pain is anchored to something away from the PUA, while pleasure is anchored directly to the PUA. This technique not only emotionally distorts the subject into a state of feeling disoriented with the outside world, but also creates a feeling of safety within the PUA's presence, building a disorienting semi-dependency.
--------'The Gemini Pattern'. This pattern is designed to create two subconscious identities in the subject. One being the socially adhering, conservative identity, the other being the sexually free, socially uninhibited identity. Once these two identities are built, the desired identity is brought out of the subject, replacing the identity not desired (by the PUA) as the major source of personal direction for the subject.
--------'The Rising Sun Pattern'. This pattern installs the idea of a 'shadow' within the subject, which harbors all of the subjects natural (read - sexual) desires and fantasies. Once the concept of the shadow has been installed, the concept is enlarged, until the idea becomes tangible and real to the subject. The PUA will then guide the subject into stepping 'into' the shadow, and assume its dominance.
--------These three patterns serve to not only anchor a multitude of desirable feelings to the PUA, but fractionates these with the painful and undesirable feelings anchored outside of the PUA. It then builds a new sexual identity within the subject, and allows this identity to gain dominance. The effect is then reinforced with a post-hypnotic guiding of the subject into the concept of a 'shadow' which holds all the subjects repressed desires and fantasies, inducing the subject to act with greater sexual recklessness.
--------The patterns themselves should generally not be posted verbatim for mass consumption. Those with a found understanding of Neuro Linguistic Programming would be able to create patterns using the guide above, but those without a thorough understanding of NLP may misuse the patterns if they were posted word-for-word.
Although, the counter-argument to this being, those without a thorough knowledge of NLP would likely not be able to perform these sorts of patterns as proficiently as needed to induce the sorts of changes aimed for within the subject.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mathmo/October_man_sequence"Whitehouse: A TimelineThis timeline is divided into two segments. Part one deals with the band during the Come Organisation days, while part two deals with the more recent Susan Lawly era.
![]()
(Come Organisation Logo)
(Note: Nearly all Whitehouse/Come Organisations released during this period were recorded at IPS studios in London, where many Nurse With Wound albums were recorded also. All Whitehouse albums were put out by the Come Organisation).
1977: William Bennett, age 17, discovers the writings of the Marquis de Sade while as a university student in Glasgow, Scotland.
1978: William Bennett acquires the Grove Press editions of de Sade’s books. He also begins collecting books on serial murders (which were scarce at the time) and on the second world war. Essential Logic, a UK post-punk band, forms. For a short period of time, William Bennett would play guitar for Essential Logic (he was a classically trained guitarist). It was during this period that Bennett began to conceive the Whitehouse sound. From the Whitehouse website: "While I was playing guitar up onstage with Essential Logic as an 18-year-old back in 1978, I often fantasised about creating a sound that could bludgeon an audience into submission. At that time Essential Logic toured with The Normal (Daniel Miller) and Robert Rental with whom I became friends. Daniel inspired me and helped me to do it while Robert sold me an uncontrollably vicious beast of a synthesiser which subsequently became the heart of the Whitehouse sound."
1979: Essential Logic release the EP “Wake Up” which features Bennett as a guest guitarist. William Bennett forms his own record label, the Come Organisation. Their first release, the “Come Sunday” single, is released in September. It receives airplay on John Peel’s show.
1980: William Bennett forms Whitehouse in February of this year. In March Come Org releases the Come album
Rampton. In April, Whitehouse records their first album
Birthdeath Experience. In August, they record their second album,
Total Sex (before the first album has even been released!)
Birthdeath Experience is released in September. In October, the band record their third album,
Erector.Total Sex is released in November. Original copies of the album featured handmade sleeves that contained extracts from de Sade’s 120 Days of Sodom, but due to censorship these sleeves are withdrawn and new ones are made.
1981:Erector is released in February. The following month, Whitehouse record their fourth album, D
edicated to Peter Kurten, Sadist and Mass Slayer. The album is released in May. In July, Whitehouse record their fifth album,
Buchenwald, which is released in September.
1982: Philip Best, age 14, joins Whitehouse after running away from home. This same year Philip Best starts his own record label, Iphar, and his own magazine, Intolerance (of which there are five issues). He also starts his own band, Consumer Electronics. William Bennett begins corresponding with Peter Sotos. In January Whitehouse record their sixth studio album,
New Britain. In February of this year Whitehouse plays their first few live actions (for the first show, the line-up was William Bennett, Steve Stapleton, and Andrew MacKenzie).
New Britain is released in March. In May, Whitehouse record their seventh album,
Psychopathia Sexualis. The album is released two months later, in July.
1983: Whitehouse embarks on their first USA tour in April. Sutcliffe Jugend and Consumer Electronics fold as Tomkins and Best join Whitehouse. Peter Sotos completes the first issue of Pure shortly after the USA Whitehouse tour. That same April Whitehouse record their eight studio album,
Right to Kill, which is released in very small quantities in June.
1984: Philip Best disbands Iphar. Whitehouse record their ninth studio album,
Great White Death, in November. Whitehouse embarks on a second US tour this year.
1985: IPS studios sadly closes down. Around the same time, Whitehouse releases
Great White Death in February. It is to be the last Whitehouse album for a few years. William Bennett, following Whitehouse’s final live shows in Madrid, returns to the UK only to find his flat robbed of all possessions. So he decides to move to Madrid and start a new life there.
1986: Nothing much happened this year. Come Organisation gradually fizzles out.
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SLOGAN: Susan Lawly - exclusive label for Whitehouse and Extreme Music series: we produce exquisite and extraordinary works of music and art whose comprehension will violently challenge to the fragile core of a naked soul (Note: All Whitehouse’s albums during this phase were released on Bennett’s new label, Susan Lawly).
1987: In September of this year, Whitehouse reactivates. They record a new album during this month at Steve Albini’s studio in Chicago (at this point Albini and Sotos had become good friends). The album is called
Thank Your Lucky Stars. 1990: In April of this year Whitehouse do their first live action since early ‘85. They also finally release
Thank Your Lucky Stars in July. Throughout this year in 1991 they also work on a new studio album,
Twice is not Enough. 1991: Whitehouse continue work on
Twice is not Enough.
1992: In January of this year Whitehouse release their 11th studio album,
Twice is not Enough. In April Whitehouse records a new album,
Never Forget Death, at Von’s Studio in London. In September Whitehouse release
Never Forget Death.1993: Whitehouse returns to Albini’s studio in Chicago in December to record a new album,
Halogen. Sotos starts a new magazine,
Parasite. Best starts playing live with Whitehouse again.
1994: Whitehouse’s 13th album,
Halogen, is released in April of this year.
1995: Peter Sotos discontinues his
Parasite magazine due to his mail being watched. Whitehouse begin recording a new album,
Quality Time, in September of this year, at Albini’s studio in Chicago. The album is released in November.
1996: Whitehouse release the “Just Like a Cunt” single.
1998: In February and March of this year Whitehouse record their 15th studio album,
Mummy & Daddy. It is released in April.
2000: Whitehouse begin work on a new record,
Cruise. 2001: Whitehouse complete the recording of
Cruise and release it in March.
2002: Whitehouse record
Bird Seed at various recording studios in Edinburgh and Bristol. In October it is announced that Peter Sotos is no longer a part of the band.
2003: Whitehouse release their 17th studio album,
Bird Seed, in February of this year.
2005: Whitehouse record
Asceticists 2006 in various Edinburgh recording studios.
2006: Whitehouse release their 18th studio album,
Asceticists 2006, in February.
2007: Release of Whitehouse’s 19th studio album,
Racket. During a live action in Belfast in September William Bennett falls off the stage and has to be ambulanced to a hospital, where his injuries (mostly broken ribs) force the band to cancel all further 2007 live actions and appearances. He also announces that he will no longer perform vocals on albums, preferring to focus on writing lyrics, doing production, and the music itself.
Negative Review #1: Great White Death (by John Gill, Time Out 1985)“Most concerned liberal writers have given Whitehouse a wide berth, but I think it’s just about time we organized a lynch mob for these sickos. They emerged in the middle of the avant/industrial electronics era taking the ironic influence of Throbbing Gristle to extremes that were stupidly schoolboyish but nonetheless repulsive, hymning mass murderers, rapists, sexual violence and vicious misogyny. They produce albums, dozens of them, like this- 40 minutes of a baboon playing with an amplified generator accompanied by some twisted middle-class kiddie ranting on about slicing up women. Intellectuals from de Sade through to Genesis P-Orridge might justify such confrontationist but Whitehouse transform such dubious theory into sickening, undereducated fact. Why do I write about them? Their output puts the lie to the ignore them and they’ll go away theory, and I want to stop them. One individual tainted by their ideas Is one far too many.”
(-reprinted from the
Great White Death Liner notes).
Whitehouse Discography(Studio Albums)
1.
Birthdeath Experience (1980)
2.
Total Sex (1980)
3.
Erector (1981)
4.
Dedicated To Peter Kurten (1981)
5.
Buchenwald (1981)
6.
New Britain (1982)
7.
Psychopathia Sexualis (1982)
8.
Right To Kill (1983)
9.
Great White Death (1984)
10.
Thank Your Lucky Stars (1990)
11.
Twice Is Not Enough (1991)
12.
Never Forget Death (1992)
13.
Halogen (1994)
14.
Quality Time. (1995)
15.
Mummy And Daddy (1998)
16.
Cruise (2001)
17.
Bird Seed (2003)
18.
Asceticists 2006 (2006)
19.
Racket (2007)
(Live albums)Tokyo Halogen (1995)
(Singles/12”)Thank Your Lucky Stars/Sadist (1989)
Still Going Strong/Ankles & Wrists (1991)
Dictator 2 (1994)
Just Like a Cunt: William Bennett vocal mix (1996)
Cruise (2001)
Wriggle Like a Fucking Eel (2002)
Scientology L RundownL10 2D LIST 1
(After each valid answer ask "Who would make you guilty for that")Name: ______________________________
Date: ______________________________
01. Has somebody embarrassed you sexually? _____
02. Has sex with someone been boring to you? _____
03. Has someone persuaded you to engage in a sexual activity when you didn't want to? _____
04. Have you ever felt degraded about a sexual experience? _____
05. Has somebody seduced you? _____
06. Has somebody used sex with you to obtain favors? _____
07. Has somebody led you on sexually? _____
08. Has somebody withheld sex from you? _____
09. Has somebody invalidated you sexually? _____
10. Have you ever been heartbroken? _____
11. Have you ever bragged about sexual experiences? _____
12. Has somebody lied to you about their sexual past? _____
13. Has somebody used you sexually? _____
14. Have you ever been raped? _____
15. Has somebody degraded you sexually? _____
16. Has somebody drugged you for sexual purposes? _____
17. Has somebody flirted with you when you didn't want them to? _____
18. Has somebody been unfaithful to you? _____
19. Have you ever daydreamed about anyone sexually? _____
20. Has somebody told you that sex was bad? _____
21. Has somebody pretended to enjoy sex with you? _____
22. Was somebody mean to you as a child? _____
23. Did anyone perform sexual actions with you as a child? _____
24. Were your parents mean to you? _____
25. Did you have any sexual withholds from your parents? _____
26. Were your brothers and sisters mean to you? _____
27. Has somebody rejected you sexually? _____
28. Have children ever bothered or disturbed you? _____
29. Did someone try to abort you? _____
30. Did someone want an abortion when you didn't? _____
31. Were you ever neglected as a child? _____
32. Were you ever abused as a child? _____
33. Did you ever hate your parents? _____
34. Has a sexual partner been cruel to you? _____
35. Was anyone cruel to you as a child? _____
36. Was another child favored over you? _____
37. Were you spoiled as a child? _____
38. Did you feel that a brother or sister was spoiled? _____
39. Were you mishandled as a child? _____
40. As a child did you ever destroy your toys to get even? _____
41. As a child did you ever destroy another's possessions out of revenge? _____
42. Have you been forced sexually? _____
43. Have you been implanted with sexual compulsions? _____
44. Have you been implanted with sexual inhibitions? _____
45. Have you been implanted that sex was evil? _____
46. Have you been implanted with sexual pictures? _____
47. Have you been given any false data about sex? _____
48. Do you feel the effect of anything about sex? _____
49. Do you have any opinions about sex that you find hard to express? _____
50. Is there anything concerning sex that you have a withhold about? _____
Whitehouse: Ten essential albums![]()
Birthdeath Experience
The album where it all began. When I first started getting into Whitehouse, I initially ordered five of their CDs. This was one of the five. It was the first Whitehouse album I ever listened to, and to this day it’s one of my all-time favorites. Like most Whitehouse albums, there are only 6 tracks, and the album itself is under 30 minutes, like many other Whitehouse albums. It contains some classic tracks such as “Rock and Roll” (which is one of the few old songs the band still plays live today) and “The Second Coming.” The last track on the album, “Birthdeath Experience,” is nothing but silence for over five minutes. On this album, the personal included William Bennett (on vocals and synthesizers), Paul Reuter (on synthesizer) and Peter McKay (effects and engineer). Equipment used included 2 EDP Wasp synthesizers (one of which was modified by TG’s Chris Carter, ironically enough), ElectroHarmonix Memory Man, and a Tone Generator. The album doesn’t sound nearly as harsh as the ones that follow, but is still an enjoyable listen. Kind of hard to describe the sound: lots of flanged vocals, bursts of static noise, high-pitched tones, gurgling synths, etc.
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ErectorAah, one of my all-time favorite Whitehouse albums. Released in 1981, this was Whitehouse’s third album, and according to William Bennett, one of the first Whitehouse albums to have a sense of direction. This album is perhaps best known for its infamous cover art, which is that of a spotlit prick designed by Steve Stapleton off Bennett’s concept. Many presses refused to do the cover art so the band resorted to photocopying the cover art themselves and attaching it to the sleeves manually. This was the last Whitehouse album to feature Paul Reuter. From this point on, it was mostly William Bennett and Peter McKay for the rest of Whitehouse’s Come Organisation releases, with the exception of
Right to Kill and
Great White Death. The album consists of four tracks: “Erector,” “Shitfun,” “Socratisation Day” and “Avisodomy.” Sonically, these songs were much more brutal than the ones that had been on the previous two albums, with lots of feedback, high-pitched synth tones, explosions of noise, and deranged vocals. A masterpiece, and an album that influenced many future noise bands, especially in Japan.
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Dedicated to Peter KurtenIn terms of sheer brutal noise, the obvious candidates would be either this one or
New Britain. And while I love
New Britain, I still prefer
Dedicated to Peter Kurten. With this, their fourth album, Whitehouse took the extreme power electronics sound they discovered on
Erector to even greater heights. Another classic 1981 Whitehouse album that was just as influential as the one that preceeded it, this one is something of a departure for Whitehouse as it had ten tracks as opposed to the usual 4-6, and none of the tracks are all that long, many only being barely over two minutes, giving the album a sort of punk intensity. It also introduced some new sounds to Whitehouse’s sonic palette, such as the trickling water sounds heard on “Pissfun” and “Dom.” It also features new versions of older Whitehouse songs such as “On Top,” “The Second Coming” and “Her Entry,” just done in the new style. Highlights include “Prosexist” and the title track, “Dedicated to Peter Kurten” which is one of the most abrasive songs I’ve ever heard in my life, I love it…
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Right to KillTo be honest, I think that, among the Come Organisation era, that albums such as
Total Sex and
New Britain were superior to this one. But because this is perhaps the most infamous Whitehouse album, I think it deserves a mention. Recorded and released in 1983, only limited quantities of the album were pressed (only around 300, according to Bennett). So even back in the day it was rare and hard to come by. It also has the honor of being one of two Whitehouse albums never released on CD (the other one is
Psychopathia Sexualis). The latter hasn’t been released on CD because the master tapes are lost, while
Right to Kill hasn’t been released on CD because: “Right To Kill was originally released in a very limited number (approx. 300 copies) as it was of a particularly clandestine nature. The label feels that to preserve its original intent is of great importance, despite an obvious desire to be able to widen its availability in the new digital format.” (off the Susan Lawly FAQ). Needless to say, there is a great demand to hear this album. It has been bootlegged, and it’s easy enough to come by using such programs as Soulseek, though because these are bootlegs the sound quality isn’t that great. As it is, the album is almost kind of a sequel to the Peter Kurten album, in that it’s also dedicated to a serial killer (in this case, Dennis Nilsen), has a lot of short tracks, and deals with very violent subject matter. Indeed, the songs on
Right to Kill are among the most violent the band ever recorded, the track titles saying it all: “Cock Dominant,” “Prorapist,” “Bloodfucking,” and more. It Is also the only Whitehouse album to feature Bennett, Kevin Tomkins, and Philip Best on the same record. In fact, many of the songs on this album were originally Sutcliffe Jugend songs, such as “Queen Myra” and “New Sadist.” The most famous song on this album is probably “Tit Pulp,” a Philip Best track that the band still plays live every now and then to this day. Before I started collecting Whitehouse albums I first heard some of their songs on MP3.com years ago, and the first Whitehouse song I ever heard was “Tit Pulp” so that song will always have a special place in my heart.
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Great White DeathAnother of the original five Whitehouse CDs I ordered, this is another classic album. Perhaps the most professional sounding of the Come Org Whitehouse releases, it contains some of the band’s best known songs, such as “You Don’t Have to say Please” and “I’m Comin’ Up Your Ass.” At the time it was promoted as both the first and last Whitehouse album, and for awhile that was true. So popular that it was the first Whitehouse album reissued on CD. It’s also the only Whitehouse album to include both Tomkins and Sotos in the credits. Sonically not as harsh as, say,
New Britain but still a very unique sounding album. Most of the lyrics on it were inspired by Linda Lovelace’s book
Ordeal.![]()
Mummy & DaddyThis is the album where Whitehouse began leaving behind their analog roots and began embracing a more digital sound. Has the classic track “A Cunt Like You” which could be one of their most intense songs ever. Also, the epic “Daddo” which sounds gloriously fucked up. After four songs, ends with a long 20+ minute Sotos audio collage. Oh yes, the Trevor Brown cover art is simply to die for.
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CruiseAnother stunning album, released a few years after
Mummy & Daddy. Opens up with “Cruise (Force the Truth)” possibly one of the band’s best songs, pure digital aggression. Plus the frenetic rapid-fire “Princess Disease”, the lovely noise blast that is “Movement 2000,” another Sotos audio collage, and so on.
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Bird SeedAnother great post 2000 album, and also the last one to feature Sotos (in the form of yet another audio collage/ “drum solo”, his third and last one on a Whitehouse album…
Bird Seed was released a few months after he was kicked out of the band). Features two of Whitehouse’s all-time greatest songs, “Wriggle Like a Fucking Eel” (a personal favorite) and “Cut Hands has the Solution.” Also one of the first Whitehouse albums to feature rhythms and acoustic instruments. A departure from the digital sound that had been showcased on their last two albums, pointing to an exciting new future.
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Asceticists 2006This is their 18th major studio album. And man, oh man, does it pack a wallop. I’ve been listening to it non-stop recently and it gets better and better each time. While not as sonically harsh as their earliest work, it displays a much more ambitious sound then their older albums, and lyrically, it takes the band to new heights. Whitehouse, now a duo of band founder William Bennett and the slightly younger Philip Best, have taken their game to a whole new level. This could very well be my favorite Whitehouse album.
Asceticists 2006 began as a William Bennett solo album called “The Asceticist” that originally was supposed to be released in 2005. Eventually, it was decided to combine material from that album, a solo album Philip Best was working on, and combine what they had into a new Whitehouse album. And by jove, it works! Tracks 1-2 and 6 were from Best’s project, while 3, 4, 5, and 7 are Bennett’s, and the two styles create a very diverse listening experience. Having said that, Best does most of the lyrics on the album, while Bennett doesn’t contribute as much vocals as he usually does… which is too bad, as I love Bennett’s high-pitched shriek. Still, Best is a very good vocalist, and can yell like a motherfucker.
Asceticists 2006 continues the African vibe that the band began to explore on their last album (2003’s classic
Bird Seed). For example, the cover features words with three colors: Red, Yellow, and Green, while the CD label itself is decorated with what looks like a voodoo veve that could have come right out of the
Voudon Gnostic Workbook! In keeping with this African style, most of the tracks feature a sort of random tribal percussion style. This style was somewhat explored on their last album, but here it comes front and center. So much for Bennett’s claim back in the 80’s that no one would ever hear a beat on a Whitehouse album!
--------The first track, “Dans”, kicks off with a noisy barrage that sounds like an army of birds having a psychotic fit inside of an amplifier before changing to a synth-bass heavy sonic attack over hectic drumming, with Philip Best’s rabid vocals distorted to a deranged degree as he spits out the usual vitriolic words, these ones being about child dancers, terrorist bombings, and what not. Intense, his delivery on this track almost reminds many of that of Hitler. Even better is track 2, “Language Recovery”, which starts with a blast of static before abruptly changing into another hectic djembe beat that sounds almost like a galloping horse. Best does vocals on this one too, and the lyrics appear to be an attack on former band member Peter Sotos, who split with the band a few years ago (and who has been trashing them in books and interviews as of late). What we have here, then, is the power electronics equivalent of some sort of hip-hop feud. Some of the lyrics might not make much sense to newbies of both artist’s work, though “ignorant goatish greybeard cunt” is kind of an obvious reference. William Bennett does the lyrics to track 3, “Guru”, which alternates between what sounds like a stentorian insect hum and a malfunctioning machine being operated by lunatics from an insane asylum. Bennett begins whispering his lyrics before raising his voice and going off into a usual tirade. Hypnotic.
--------Smack in the middle of the album is a short instrumental called “Nzambi Ia Lufua”… “beautiful” isn’t often a word I use to describe Whitehouse songs, but it’s a word that fits here… A mournful sounding song (it almost sounds like machines singing an unearthly harmony) laced with what sounds like manipulated air horns imitating the dying moans of pierced souls. So beautiful, yet so loud… and harsh! Just the way I like it. It’s followed by “Killing Hurts Give You The Secrets”. Bennett muttering what could almost be described as motivational lyrics over a low, thumping beat. Then the beat stops, and rising out of the silence like a spirit from Hell is a pulsating, accelerating noise that gradually gets louder and louder. Then the thumping beat comes back like a heartbeat, Philip Best starts ranting, then Bennett takes over the lead vocals again, and the song slowly and slowly becomes more and more intense until finally it grinds to a halt. Breathtaking.
--------Concluding the album are two shorter tracks, both heavily beat-orientated like the first two tracks on the album. “Ruthless Babysitting”, another track featuring Best on vocals, over cool tribal sounding drums. The last track, “Dumping the Fucking Rubbish”, is one of the album’s best. Beginning with a metallic beat that sounds like it could have come off SPK’s
Leichenschrei, it also features a long bass synth drone that sounds like the dying gasp of an ancient synthesizer. Over this Best spits out more vitriol, before Bennett takes over the mike and sings the album’s last few lyrics.
Further thoughts on the album (taken from a 2006 entry on my MySpace blog:--------So much of life is compromise. We live in a society that is constantly trying to beat us down with the mechanical, routine banality of everyday life. And all too often, we're eager to play by their rules, rather than to follow our own dreams. And I really do think that achieving your dreams is perhaps one of the greatest acts of rebellion you can enact. So many people are afraid to follow their dreams, however. And I'm not really sure why.
--------I really love the lyrics in the album
Asceticists 2006 released by the noise band Whitehouse earlier this year, on Valentine's day actually. The final song on the album is called "Dumping the Fucking Rubbish," and I find deep meaning in the ending verse: "Rise up, rise up now, kill this fucking nightmare, living inside you." I love the idea of a philosophy that involves "dumping the rubbish", that is, getting rid of anything that's ever been holding you back, that's been keeping you from both realizing and actualizing your dreams... be it the religion you grew up with, the political viewpoints that have been enforced on you, conditioning that your parents provided you with when they raised you. Sometimes you need to THROW that all away.
--------On the aforementioned album there is another track, called "Killing Hurts Give You The Secrets". Again, some great lyrics:
"Do some fucking introspection/ Look down inside/ Explore the very essence of who-the-fuck you are/ and I don't know if you'll notice/ Just how fucking kept down and empty you are/ So alone/ So void/ So fucking lonely/ Explore that place/ You only find clouded memories of pathetic failures/ Pathetic limp needy frustrations/ and ridiculous missed dreams/ Ask yourself/ So this is it?/ This is what I've been grinding out?/ What an empty life/ Your miserable fucking life in general/ That miserably fails to address/ That deep longingness inside you/ That deep painful void."
--------And also:
"Like many go on living from one day to the next/ Pits of despair, hells of loneliness/ Squalid 2 Thousand fucking mile stares/ Fucking headbanging scum/ with some foul remnant taste of passers-by/ With feeling some lame passing taste of non-achievement/ Yet deep down inside/ There's this hole inside of them/ Empty, hollow, vacated"
--------I spoke earlier of compromise. It sickens me that I live in a world where people put a higher premium on money then they do anything else, that I'm forced to live in a world of bills and taxes, a world that pretty much forces you to have a job just to survive. Everyday at work I see people who are empty, hollow and vacated (not my co-workers, mainly the doltish customers we have to serve). People that Whitehouse lead singer William Bennett sees ss atrophied children: "Bitter, uncreative, closed-minded, frightened, unimaginative and often hostile individuals permanently scarred and internally damaged by their education and upbringing." I made the choice long ago to never end up like them: Boorish, rude people who, unable to follow their own dreams, do their best to bring down those of us who aspire to greater things in life, rather then to just lead some kind of banal, middle-of-the-road, routine existence. Which is why this year I made the choice to finally publish a book, and I hope that it is the first step to bigger and better things, a way to escape from the situation I find myself in. I think it's better to fail doing something ambitious than to succeed at mediocrity.
--------Final words of wisdom from Whitehouse, again from “Killing Hurts”: "People looking for that elusive it/ To fill deep void and emptiness inside/ Whatever this is that one thing/ That will make you feel a sense/ of wholeness, of completeness, of peace?/ Of happiness/ And when you have it/ When it's right in front of you/ Only then can you begin to: Feel that/ Or perhaps that feeling filling you up completely/ That's when you know that you've found/ That piece of you that was missing all along/ Though whatever that happiness truly is/ It's elusive/ You have to strike/ Once you find the slightest chance/ The slightest window of opportunity/ You'll have to grab it/ And you might just find it slipped away/ And you'll be left only holding thoughts/ Of what could have might have should have been/ The construct of regrets/ So when you do find it right in front of you/ Now do fucking take it."
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Album title:
RacketCatalog #: SLCD029
Studio album #: 19
Release Date: May 31, 2007
Day I got it: June 9, 2007
Cover art: created by Stefan Danilsson. Very impressive. Looks almost like the kind of cover you'd see if you'd take some old CRASS albums and remixed them with some African/Voodoo imagery. In the past, Whitehouse has usually been known for their very minimalist, deliberately unarty covers, usually just text over a plain one-color background, and the only exceptions from this rule were the couple of albums that Trevor Brown did for them back in the 1990's. So it's kind of nice to see them branching out in this direction. In fact, of their CD releases, this is easily the best cover they've had, along with the one that Brown did for "Mummy & Daddy" (back in 1998). The dominant colors this time are brown and black, giving the booklet/back cover an almost cardboard appearance (though in fact the actual pages are glossy paper).
Booklet: 16 glossy brown pages with black text. Lyrics and credits are given for all of the songs. In addition to this, there are also two stunning full-color photographs of the band's primary members, William Bennett and Philip Best. These photographs are taken from a Whitehouse live action and are the work of a friend of mine from the DC blog, Melissa Musser (she also had a short story in "Userlands", so in that regard we're allies). Bennett is identified as an "Animal Response Technician" while Best is dubbed the "Dirty Word Specialist." As he's done for the last few Whitehouse releases, Bennett is listed as the album's producer. The booklet also lists the instruments used in the creation of the album. Now, in the past, Whitehouse has often been very vague about the instrumentation used, often just listing "instruments, Sony, Roland, Yamaha", and so forth. Here, however, they provide a more detailed list: Djembes, Doundouns, Ksings, Microphones, and Computers. This list gives the listener one of the first clues that this new album is more acoustic than electronic (another clue is the warning on the back cover, which states "Extreme Acoustic and Electronic Music"... the word "Acoustic" coming before "Electronic"). Many of the instruments listed are African in origin, which ties in with the album's cover and the group's new sound in general (indeed, Bennett is a Djembe player and has used the drum on the last two Whitehouse albums).
Tracks: Seven in all, just like their last album (
Asceticists 2006). Seven tracks might not sound like a whole lot, but given that most Whitehouse albums usually have no more than six (indeed, many of the early albums they did back in the 1980's often had around 4 songs), this is more than usual.
Running time: Slightly under half an hour, again like
Asceticists 2006. Kind of short, but I don't mind... it takes me about half an hour to drive to work anyway, so that allows me to listen to the entire album on the way up.
Track analysis:
1. Fairground Muscle Twitcher
The album kicks off with an instrumental track which serves as a sort of introduction. Bennett is listed as the creator of this track. At a little over two minutes, it provides a good opening. What sounds like a looping harmonica/air raid siren, sounding kind of like the backing noise on the song "Philosophy" (from their album "Bird Seed" back in 2003).
2. Mouthy Battery Beast
The second track is also the album's first vocal track, and is credited to both Best and Bennett, though Best handles all the vocal chores (a task he's been doing to a greater and greater frequency with each Whitehouse release). Of all the tracks on the album, this one seems most like one off
A2006. In fact, the background beat sounds very much the same as the one used on "Language Recovery", only this time it seems a little less electronic, sounds much more acoustic. You can almost actually hear Bennett's hands striking the surface of the djembe! Over this racket Best shouts out his lyrics in his "Dans" style, only less distorted this time. Most of the lyrics seem to be extracted from "poems" that he sometimes posts on his blog (http://philipbest.blogspot.com/). And, as always, his delivery is priceless, especially when he sings "Of... Of... Of? Of Cat's Urine, Of Canine Stink, Of Rotten Animal Inheritance?" Also as usual, I don't have much of a clue as to what the fuck he's going on about, but I like a bit of mystery... At the moment, however, on first listen, this may be the weakest track on the album, but maybe my mind will change. I do like how in the second half of the song there are no vocals at all, just accelerating shards of noise over the hypnotic beats...
3. Dumping More Fucking Rubbish
Another vocal track, again credited to both Best and Bennett, with both of them sharing vocal duties. The track is an extended version of "Dumping the Fucking Rubbish", which was the final (and very brief) track off
A2006. If anything, this version is even sparser and more stripped back than the original, mainly just a very erratic, stataco, hollow-sounding drum beat, with some weird noises going on in the background now and then. Best's vocals sound even more rabid than usual here, as he shouts out lyrics that are actually modified questions taken from Scientology security checks (such as "Is sex degrading to your body?" and "Been implanted with sexual compulsions?") In the song's second half Bennett takes over on vocals, and his screaming takes on the deranged aspect seen in older Whitehouse tracks such as "Wriggle Like a Fucking Eel" as he shouts "Rise up/ Rise up now/ Pull Yourself together/ And Kill This Fucking Nightmare/ That is Inside You/Now". When he chants "Dump the Fucking Rubbish" you just wish it would never end but, sadly, it does. These lyrics are better than any self-help book out there on the market IMO. The song end on a quiet note, much like it's predecessor, with just a simple cymbal-sounding click, obviously some sort of African instrument whose name eludes me.
4. The Avalanche
The album's midway point is a second instrumental, again credited to Bennett. This song has been played at many of their live shows, and was to have been on the tracklisting of last year's
A2006 before it was replaced for "Dans." But Bennett promised back then that it would be on a future release and now here it is. An icy, arctic-sounding song, like Pan Sonic with teeth, lots of stuff going on in the background, very alien sounding. In the track's distance one can hear what sounds like a sort of rumbling, like an avalanche perhaps? H'mm. Anyway, cool song.
5. Bahnhof
Another track credited to both Best and Bennett, with Best doing all of the vocals again. This is the shortest track on the album, being under two minutes long. Again, the lyrics seemed to be cribbed off of Best's blog. This is one of the most acoustic-sounding tracks on the album, with a kick-ass rattling beat, as if they're drumming on skeleton bones or something. Short and sweet.
6. Dyad
The album's last vocal track, written by Bennett, with vocals provided by himself and Best. In this song, like "Rubbish", Best again sings on the first half while Bennett sings on the second half. And as always, the vocals are great. This track has some of the best instrumentation on the album, with what sounds like a stuttering beat and other weird sounds, what sounds like someone flipping through radio stations rapidly. Very interesting lyrics, with more Scientology references again (much like their last two albums). The final lyrics of the album are "I'll give you this/ I'll give you this one last time/ I'll give you this one final chance/ To see who the fuck you really are/ One final chance now to fucking get it." I wonder if this could be the final Whitehouse album? Bennett has mentioned starting a new music project this year, "Afro Noise". Could "Racket" then be seen as the transition from one project to another? The end of Whitehouse and the birth of Afro Noise? I guess only time will tell.
7. Bia Mintatu
The album ends as it began, with another Bennett instrumental, this one nearly seven minutes long, the longest track on the CD. Words cannot describe how cool this song is. An ominous plodding beat, weird noises, beeps, drones, high tones, what sounds like horns, gongs, and so forth. One of the most diverse Whitehouse songs I've heard in years, someone on the Susan Lawly message board said it would make great battle music should anyone ever decide to make a movie of
World War Z. A stunning climax.
Conclusions:
Well, another Whitehouse album come and gone. To be honest, I'm surprised how quickly this one came out after
A2006, as in the past there would often be long gaps in between each album. In any event, this is perhaps the most experimental, wildly diverse Whitehouse album yet, expanding their sonic palette and pointing towards a brave new future. More than any album they've done yet, this one really does bear the influence on the "Congotronics" project, a group that Bennett has actually admitted he likes, and it is certainly Whitehouse's most "African" album to date, from the cover art to the instruments used to the music itself. I guess when a band's been around for about 27 years one shouldn't be too surprised that after awhile they're going to try out new sounds, but it's funny how a band which shunned any sort of acoustic/rhythmic instrumentation whatsoever has embraced it this late in the game. All in all, a remarkable achievement (though I wish that Bennett had provided more vocals as I really love his singing style... I had this same complaint with
A2006). Who knows what the future will hold for Whitehouse? I can't wait to hear what they'll do next!
The Void PatternBy Kevin Kupal. Mindlist: off the Fast Seduction website:
--------"Doesn't it sometimes make you stop and think how some people, despite having everything, just feel lonely and empty and severely lacking? Well, I was reading about the life and times of John Belushi... he had it all... the fame, the fortune, the houses... the women... but it appears that he was just so lonely. So was Marilyn Monroe... on top of the world, with millions of men swooning over her...she just felt so alone and left out.
--------I think it's really a common thing. Like, lots of people (point to her) just go on living from one day to the next like a robot... perhaps getting amused, perhaps feeling some sort of achievement, but deep inside, there's this hole inside them (point to her chest)... empty... hollow. It's like, you ask yourself, "Is this it? Is this what I've been living for? This is it?"
I think that people, Jenny, are looking for that elusive "IT"... to fill the deep void and emptiness inside them... whatever that is, it's the one thing that will just make you feel a sense of wholeness, of completeness... of peace... ha-penis...
--------And when you have it, when it's right in front of you (you're in front of course), only then can you begin to feel that wholeness and peace... or perhaps... that ecstatic, filling delight... filling you up completely... making every pore of your body ooze with delicious, ecstatic pleasure... that's when you know that you've found that part of you that was missing all along (point to self). You are happy and complete.
--------But whatever that ha-penis (point to self) is, it's elusive... you'll have to GO FOR IT (point to self) once you find the slightest chance... the slightest window of opportunity... you'll have to GRAB IT. Or... it could slip away and you might just find it gone... and you'll be left only with the thoughts of what could have been... the stuff that regrets are made of.
So...when you find your ha-penis right in front of you... Grab it! Right away!"
