burzum and context in music

You don't have to like a person to like their art.

I had an interesting experience once at a Hamburg radiostation. I was invited to play a selection of records and the hoster of the show was a friend of mine. He didn't checked my selection at first (just said the usual radio warning: "I have to say that we cannot play any racist, offensive or nazi-related music here") so he got surprised with each record I took out.

When he got aware I was about to play an excerpt from Zeitkratzer's interpretation of Whitehouse music, he said: "You don't play this."

And I replied why not, and he told me that Whitehouse are fucking bastards for glorifying rape, murder and the typical 80ties noise thing about serial murders. He did not checked that these interpretations were without any vocals nor offensive samplings, plain nice re-versions by Zeitkratzer. I discussed off-air with him, but he was pretty pissed I played the stuff anyway. He felt uncomfortable with the ideology of Bennett.

Later I read a lot about Whitehouse and their behaviour towards musicians like MB or their work with Peter Sotos (who was charged for his infamous porn'n'murder case book using a front cover from a pedo mag) and I could at least understand why he reacted that way.

Nevertheless, I listen to the music indeed just without looking at the person. I have some Boyd Rice records, as well as C93 and Death In June and judge them all without linking up the artist ideas. Nevertheless I criticise sharply any ideology openly expressed in music verbally.

  On 11/22/2013 at 9:16 PM, kirm said:

Btw someone mentioned Doom and a track off mmm food being homophobic, just interested what track you meant? The only 1 I can think of is baty Boyz off Born like This. And tho maybe in bad taste I thought it was kinda funny and seemed more like a piss take on about batman and robin being gay lovers than full on gay hate

you're right, it was born like this. admittedly, maybe the track isn't that bad. i only listened to the album once, and my feelings about it were colored by how disappointed i was with the album in general. probably looking for a reason to hate him after that.

  On 11/24/2013 at 9:15 AM, MarinaStewart said:

I had an interesting experience once at a Hamburg radiostation. I was invited to play a selection of records and the hoster of the show was a friend of mine. He didn't checked my selection at first (just said the usual radio warning: "I have to say that we cannot play any racist, offensive or nazi-related music here") so he got surprised with each record I took out.

When he got aware I was about to play an excerpt from Zeitkratzer's interpretation of Whitehouse music, he said: "You don't play this."

And I replied why not, and he told me that Whitehouse are fucking bastards for glorifying rape, murder and the typical 80ties noise thing about serial murders. He did not checked that these interpretations were without any vocals nor offensive samplings, plain nice re-versions by Zeitkratzer. I discussed off-air with him, but he was pretty pissed I played the stuff anyway. He felt uncomfortable with the ideology of Bennett.

 

Later I read a lot about Whitehouse and their behaviour towards musicians like MB or their work with Peter Sotos (who was charged for his infamous porn'n'murder case book using a front cover from a pedo mag) and I could at least understand why he reacted that way.

 

Nevertheless, I listen to the music indeed just without looking at the person. I have some Boyd Rice records, as well as C93 and Death In June and judge them all without linking up the artist ideas. Nevertheless I criticise sharply any ideology openly expressed in music verbally.

interesting post, forgot about whitehouse. i actually like sutcliffe jugend, which is steeped in serial killer and nazi imagery. weirdly don't have an issue with that. i guess part of the point of this thread is how selective i can be in my moral qualms with art. but as you say, if it's an ideology that's expressed verbally it's much more difficult to reconcile.