S.o.t.D. - Metal Field – SPK

Metal Field – SPK

A long time ago a friend gave me a video tape with a live SPK performance, circa 81 or so. Shocking imagery, and chaotic noise. This track was featured though and it was surprisingly catchy. It always stuck in my head, but only just now did I go on the hunt for it. After sifting through a bunch of chaotic noise, I found out what it was. Yay! Interwebs.

S.o.t.D. - Ebony Tower in the Orient. Water Fanfaare no.1 – Graeme Revell

Ebony Tower in the Orient. Water Fanfaare no.1 – Graeme Revell

Adolf Wölfli was quite rightly condemned to a life in an insane asylum. He began to make art and also to create music, with little else to play on other than a paper trumpet. He also developed his own system of musical notation.

Decades after his death, the record Necropolis, Amphibians & Reptiles: The Music of Adolf Wölfli was released featuring interpretations of his compositions by Graeme Revell (now famous for scoring every fifth movie coming out of Hollywood) as well as Deficit Des Annees Anterieures and Nurse With Wound. Psychotic though he may have been, if these interpretations are in any way faithful, he certainly created some very beautiful music.

S.o.t.D. – Invocation – SPK

Invocation – SPK

SPK went from extreme experimental noise in the late 70’s, to a forgettable phase of industrial pop in the early 80’s, and then eventually settled nicely into dark, orchestral soundtrack material. The main individual behind the SPK moniker, Graeme Revell, has gone on to a prolific career as a soundtrack composer for a wide range of Hollywood movies.