Search - Zeitkratzer :: Metal Machine Music

The impossible achieved

D Major | London UK | 09/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am one of those who thought this would not be possible but was really intrigued by the very idea. I had been googling Zeitkratzer since 2002 when I first heard about this event and have now seen the concert via the DVD with this CD. It is truly astonishing. I was one of the few people that bought, and kept(!) MMM when it came out in 1975. The record shop tried to stop me buying it and very reluctantly sold it to me saying that I could bring it back for a refund any time. But I never did and still think it is a truly amazing 'event' in the world of music. Yes, MUSIC! Zeitkratzer's orchestrated version really does bring out aspects of the 'sonorities' available in the original in unique and focussed ways. Thus, melodies are emphasised in particular places for example which in the original may appear less strident. On the other hand it is less 'edgy' in tonality than the original. We perhaps should remember that in 1975 the electric guitar, as an instrument, was only around 30 years old. Lou Reed has always worked with the novel tonality of the electric guitar and its amplification - in this regard he is its absolute master - what he did in 1975 was produce a tonal 'umwelt' which he felt was the lifeblood of the form of expression he has always been developing. I say umwelt because I understand he wanted to produce the record in quadraphonic sound. MMM was never a surprise to me as so many Lou Reed and Velvets bootlegs have extended explorations of drone, feedback etc. If you get the chance to hear Metal Machine Sound (a bootleg first available in the 1980s) you'll know what I mean.



This is not 'pop' music and should not be compared to it. Nor is it the Duchamp of the music world, though there are points of comparison - maybe it's closer to Pollock in that sense. I see MMM like Jackson Pollock saw paint: what does paint do and how does it express.



So, if you accept that the electric guitar is an instrument whose tonality is worth exploring then Lou Reed is your man and MMM is the sound; and Zeitkratzer is its contemporary revelation and commentary.

"

Proof positive... Metal Machine Music is serious art

Charles A. Miller | Baltimore, Maryland U.S.A. | 10/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Without a doubt, Metal Machine Music is probably the most difficult music to transcribe to conventional instruments. Yet, it has been done. Equally amazing is the fact that someone even thought to do it.



I am assuming that most people reading this are already familiar with the original Metal Machine Music. What is truly profound about this new recording is that once the music commences, it is immediately recognizable... not an interpreted version, but an exact cover. If you are very familiar with the original, you'll be able to "anticipate" what you will hear next as it was that perfectly transcribed. Those familiar with the original LP version will also delight in the fact that the locked loop on Side 4 was also reproduced for this recording.



Overall, I cannot imagine how difficult this must have been, for both the transcription to musical notes, and subsequently, for the musicians to play it.



Certainly, comparisons between this recording and the original come to mind, and quite honestly, it is difficult to pick a "desert island selection" from the two. Familiarity with the original feedback version will always be remembered as a valid work of art. However, the fullness of this new release, with the large number of musicians involved, makes this version indispensable as well.



The cherry on top of this latest version is Lou Reed's solo guitar contribution at the end of Part 3. Obviously, as the original author of MMM, he knew exactly how to play along and enhance this recording even further.



The bonus DVD also adds quite a lot to one's understanding of this masterpiece. Therein lies the same performance as is on the CD, only you can actually see the music being made. This makes the whole affair even more amazing when you witness what strings, horns, percussion and even an accordion can do to reproduce Metal Machine Music in its full glory.



The bonus material also features an extended interview with Mr. Reed recorded just previous to the performance. Therein, he debunks the myth that this album was released as a joke or to get out of a record contract. Indeed, he meant the original to be a serious piece of music (which it is).



I know there are nay-sayers out there who feel the need to bash everything Lou Reed has done and will further claim that the interview portion is a narcissist lie. I doubt it, but whether true or not, the music speaks for itself. While I would not recommend this new release to new-comers to Lou Reed's music, no more than I would recommend the original, for those who are familiar with Metal Machine Music, this is a very important work that belongs on your CD rack."

Achieving the impossible

Jizmo | Boston | 04/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The way I see it, even when Lou Reed set out to recording the original Metal Machine Music back in '75 - be it a bold "up yours" to RCA or an honest foray into electronic composition - he didn't actually "compose" the "piece" (we really can't call it music, as such). He did, however, come up with the means to create that cacaphony of noise; so that does make him the author.

Still, Reed didn't have to actually think about composing it and rehearsing it until it came out right. He just set those guitars and amps up and let the tape roll. That's not to minimize his role in Metal Machine Music, but just an introduction to my opinion on this particular performance of the same.



Contrast to Reed's not having to think much about every nuance of the finished work, Zeitkratzer had the daunting (and seemingly impossible - even to Reed himself) task of transcribing that random squall of feedback into notes and then perform that impossible mess on acoustic instruments! To be certain, the music is still a whole lot of noise which won't be tolerated by most people for more than a few moments. Certainly not the pop "flavor of the month" consumer. But for anybody with enough patience to tolerate it, the dedication of the musicians to reproduce this anti-music with high regard is well worth the occasional listen. As well, the release comes with a DVD of the same so you can actually watch Lou Reed strangle his guitar for about 3 minutes towards the end of the program.



When Zeitkratzer contacted Lou Reed to sit in on the live performance of Metal Machine Music, he told them it couldn't be played. They sent him a sample that blew him away, and he jumped at the chance to participate. Whether Reed released the double album attack in 1975 as a serious work of music or a bold statement to RCA, I doubt he ever considered human performance of it. 27 years later, here we have just that. The impossible achieved!



In summary, it still is noise. But to see/hear it performed by people on real musical instruments is a one-of-a-kind performance experience."