When Whitehouse isn't 50 Shades enough for you, there's Smell & Quim's long play debut. Dejected, morally demolishing industrial noise whose barely-rhythmic existence is to sexually enrage, sexually frighten, and sexually revolt you. Suffocatingly layered with just a handful of elements per track, the vibe is hostile and deeply disturbing even without extrapolating the themes of the spoken/acted vocals (just one of many nightmarish examples is the opener's thick gargling...what the fuck is homie drowning in? cum?? his own blood??? and it goes on f-o-r-e-v-e-r!!!!). They've never pretended to be as cerebral as Whitehouse, but for "challenging" people in the name of art, this heavily borders on calling the FBI. Interview by Mikko Aspa 2010...
Smell & Quim was born in the late 80’s, when UK underground had already gone through many phases of underground revolutions: punk, industrial, power electronics, NWOBHM, and so on. What kind of “cultural background” lead into formation of S&Q?
I suppose that experiencing all of the genres that you mention had at least some relevance to Smell & Quim's birth. Absolutely everything that a person experiences has a bearing on what they themselves become, whether they embrace it or reject it. Coming from a background in fine-art my own modes of thinking were informed by the likes of Marcel Duchamp, John Cage, Kurt Schwitters, among others, as well as literary influences like James Joyce and William S. Burroughs. But all that seems a long time ago now.
Artists like Kurt Schwitters could be seen as big influence also to other noisers, like Merzbow. How did you find his work and do you find it coincidence or expected that his work was acknowledged also by other noise artists? Perhaps noise collage audio substitute of his method in visual art?
I came across Schwitters whilst studying fine-art 1975-1979. I started out as a painter, but everyone at art college ends up in some kind of band you will notice. This was also the times of punk and the start of industrial scenes, so I too ended up making music. Like others, I suppose it was natural that the techniques that I saw in art would transfer into my use of sound. The act of taking various fragments from disparate sources and re-juxtaposing them into a new whole is very appealing. Masami obviously pays tribute in the name Merzbow. "Schwitters Merzbau" was a crazy kind of grotto built inside his parents house, but he also made sound poetry like many others of the time. I think that it is important that we remain open to Interdisciplinary methods in the act of creation.
Among some noise/industrial artists, you see references to other obscure artforms. Including Russian Suprematism, with focus on geometric form. Or totalitarian state art. Or like above mentioned dada & surrealism. Do you see sound art would benefit something from “other art”, as opposed to be continuation of “low arts”, say just loud & heavy rock’n’roll?
Indeed suprematism and the symbolic use of geometric form are a useful link. It is a language of structure which can also be transferred to the audio realm. I have much time for Malevich and El Lissitsky and their work leading up to 1919. Following on the constructivists were also important, again multidisciplinary by nature, unafraid to use painting, architecture, theatre side by side. Other movements have also spread their focus to achieve their means, often to find societal functionality, rather than art for arts sake. I am particularly fond of the Czech cubists in this regard. The best art puts forward the position that things don’t have to be the way that they are! I think that we as noise musicians have to keep remembering this.
Looking back at the labels who have released S&Q, could be said to be very top of the noise & industrial network. Tesco, Old Europa Café, SFCR, MSBR, Slaughter Prod., Mother Savage, Praxis Dr. Bearmann, RRRecords, Red Stream, Kubitsuri, and more. With this kind of impressive line of releases coming non-stop from late 80’s…what happened in late 90’s that S&Q seemed suddenly disappear until new full length CD now in 2009?
Smell & Quim still very much existed in this period. Some live shows were executed, including a few with Onomatopoeia. A couple of these were recorded at the time and hopefully someone will release this material at some point in time to present an audio bridge between 2000 and 2007. I also did some live solo Milovan Srdenovic things every year in this period doing my more straightforward songs usually on bills with quite different acts.
What is the difference of your solo work as Milovan Srdenovic, compared to S&Q?
It is completely separate. It really doesn’t have any bearing whatever on the work of Smell & Quim. I suppose the solo stuff is really folk music.
What can you tell about this new album of Smell & Quim? After such a period of less activity, how did it feel to get your hands on recording new full length album?
The current line-up of Smell & Quim made a more full return to activity in 2007 with an appearance at the Deaf Forever show in Leeds. We were the opening act and the whole festival was thrown out of the venue after our performance. This was followed by live actions in the Netherlands (The Garage Den Hague and Noise Trash Penis Fest at De Hondenkoekjesfabriek near Zwolle), there is supposed to be a dvd of our live shows from 2007 in the works. Anyway I suppose this was when we started recording the new album “Powerfuck”
S&Q is known to have done recordings also in real studios. How was the process of doing new album. Did it differ from times of Jesus Christ, Your Enemy’s Balls etc?
Yes indeed. The first recordings were made at Beaumont Street Studios, which was a 16 track facility used by rock bands etc. At this time I was working in a different part of the building that housed it and got incredibly cheap rates when it wasnt being used by others. This place burned down, to be replaced by an even more rockist 24 track studio where we also did quite a lot of work. Obviously the traditional recording studio has become a completely obsolete thing since the developments that have occurred in home computer technology these last dozen years. The capabilities now available far outstrip those dinosaur places, at practically no cost. The portability of new technology can also be useful to exploit other spaces.
Some good recollections from studio experiences?
For example the track “Ultimate Anatomy” on SOD tape was recorded in 16 track studio where a strange religious meeting was taking place in another room in the same building. The negro singing was part of this religious meeting maybe Santeria or somesuch. Anyway we got the sound engineer to place a microphone into the crawlspace in the roof above the religious meeting which was fed into the mixing desk and monitors, and the track was recorded as live studio improvisation by Smell & Quim in response to the bugging. My crazy singing is parody of the religious chanting, and our robust drumming is like a spit onto their weak percussions.
You find above mentioned spontaneous reactions impossible now when many recordings are isolated for example in rather predictable “home recording” or “rehearsal place” environment? Does unexpected happening still occur?
It is important to allow chance to take part in everything that we do. In this way we always present the possibility for spontaneous reaction. It is also good to record some things live. Usually something of this nature is useable, if not all of It. The track “Tread on the baby” (also on SOD) was recorded on the streets of Manchester live when we high-jacked a street busker’s banjo tune and added our own lyric with use of a sony walkman. Having multiple members in s&q gives quite a variation of materials, which can be placed and reacted to in a spontaneous fashion. The unexpected is hopefully always Aaround the next corner.
What are your most memorable and in your opinion most notable releases and why?
My favourite old S&Q releases are probably the 7” vinyls. It's really quite a nice body of work with variety of styles and on some interesting labels. I also like the live CD on Fiend as a kind of memento to the 95-97 period which was quite a special time. I have to say that I think the new album “Powerfuck” is the best so far.
Many of those old Smell & Quim 7”s are becoming rather rare to find, some sold for perhaps 3-5 times the prices they used to be [Or 30-50 times Mikko. --S]. Do you think this would require re-issue as CD or prefer to keep them as obscurities or “trophies”?
I think that they should definitely be re- issued on CD at some point. Regardless of this there are always people looking to seek out original objects, and therefore the original 7”s will remain as obscure trophies and fetish objects.
S&Q was known for both dirty & vile graphics and physical packaging of releases that stretches the limits of sanity. How big part graphic desing/ packaging was/is of whole concept of S&Q?
It just seemed like a good idea to dress the sounds in a way that added an extra visual dimension to the whole of the artifact.
Do you have any favourite S&Q as packaging wise?
A favourite is hard to pick, as this changes from time to time, or mood. I like so many of them as visual and tactile objects. A particular favourite is probably the “Jim Seed Collector” 7” with the antique porn pictures, which was released by the great Praxis Dr Bearmann label.
Nowadays many kind of technology is easily at hand, but to me it seems like some of the biggest innovations (so to say) is gone. When these days labels talk of special edition, it may be nothing but dvd cover or folded piece of paper. When we talk of something like “The Christmas Album” tape, there is heat pressured or mold injected, whatever, large piece of plastic with huge physically 3D S&Q logo on it, where tape is attached together with something I would assume to be.. hair? And led light? How hard it was to put these ideas into reality, like for example this particular tape?
A lot of physical work and love went into those releases. I was lucky to have access To a vacuum forming machine at that time, and used it for “The Christmas Album” package as well as for the Smell & Quim/Merzbow 7” and the Merzbow “Metal Mad Man” releases on SHF. I had to hand carve the moulds (from american bass-wood) for each of these packages. Many recent so-called special editions are frankly disappointing.
Many say that there is something so “British” in works of S&Q, that it might be hard to others to see the motivations, understand the sense of humour etc. Do you acknowledge that? Would it count as (dis)advantage or irrelevant?
We just do what we do basically. It is irrrelevant if someone doesnt understand or get it. I don’t really see the output as specifically “British”.
Related to question above, in the end, when you look S&Q discography, you see splits done with several bands from Japan, USA etc, but not so many direct UK connection. Also most of the labels S&Q has worked with are more into power electronics/industrial genre. What is your relation to British “scene”?
I don’t think Smell & Quim are part of a scene at all, be it British or otherwise. As I mentioned before, there has been an occasional sporadic collaboration with Onomatopoeia.
Some people dissect the career or S&Q into various phases, where some are more “serious” and perhaps even ambitious industrial-noise works, where some others are filed under noise pranks & costume heavy audio farts. How do you feel progression of S&Q has gone, and has it been intentional choices?
I think it is all just a matter of entertaining oneself really. We all have different needs at different times. I personally like to shake up the box and do different things rather than re-treading the same ground constantly.
When you listen to the works of S&Q, you do not get feeling of “gear-heavy” recording. There doesn’t seem to be any flashy modular synth work. Not any hints of “pedal worship”. Hardly signs of any hi-tech or...anything. What are the things where you aim with sounds? The sounds you desire to achieve, methods you use to reach there?
We use anything or any method that seems fitting to a specific project. The output are basically songs really, even when they do not have words. There is always a structure and a dynamic involved.
With aim for certain amount of structure and dynamic, do you feel it is unfair to simply file S&Q under “noise”? What are your feelings of especially modern days noise extremism, with simply nothing but unchanging static walls of distortion?
Firstly I think that there is a place for all these things out there. The more diversity the better. Smell & Quim are definitely noise trash, but levels of subtlety do exist within this overview.
You, Milovan Srdenovic, are the only original member of project. There has been others, according to some internet sources, such as Diz Willis, Michael Gillham, Neil Campbell, Paul Harrison, Paul Nonnen, Simon Morris, Stewart Walden...How important are the other people for S&Q and what has been their role in project?
Indeed many different people have found themselves in Smell & Quim over the years, some have drifted away then drifted back. Most have also been involved in other projects of their own in addition to their duties in Smell & Quim. It may be like some kind of lightening-rod that draws differing elements into a sort of crucible.
Live show documentation shows, S&Q live appearances are very much of performances including something else than guys standing behind gear twisting knobs and pushing pedals. What are your favourite recollections of your live shows?
The performance aspect of a Smell & Quim show is of course an important element of the thing. Sure peddles and lap-tops or whatever are permissable tools to use for the sound, but some person sat at a desk is a pretty boring and poor spectacle, and not really good enough to call a live show. Something unusual or crazy nearly always happens at a Smell & Quim gig.
When one listens for example SOD and Christmas tapes one after another, can notice that studio material of one tape appears as live material of another. Do you typically perform old “songs” live?
I think it is good to also do some studio material live, and try to add to it or develop it in some way. Almost giving it a chance to have a further life and grow. As we were talking about the issue of spontaneity earlier, it makes room for the unexpected to happen, and something interesting or crazy usually does.
There was some amusing story about day after S&Q live show involving Lasse Marhaug and some others…and magic marker?
Someone reminded me of this recently (apparently there is a forum somewhere on the Internet where they saw it, along with other tales of my drinking escapades, if I ever get around to finding it I may at last manage to piece together some missing segments of my past). I’m not even sure that the magic marker thing happened after a Smell & Quim show, or if it was after a gig by others that I had attended. Anyway, Anybody who knows me will tell you that i like a drink, and it is always nice after a show to relax with whoever else was on the bill. On the night in question everyone ended up back at Pig’s (filthy turd) place. It was a very nice scenario with I think Lasse Marhaug, Tore Boe, Wertham, and I think Mike Dando was there also and some others (there is a short song on the Stephen Hawking’s "Buttplug” LP which was recorded at this time entitled “I’d love to carry your children” with Campbell on guitar and me on vocals). Well I eventually passed-out from much drinking and merriment. I seem to think that I must have been carried around like a piece of furniture, because the next morning I awoke downstairs at Bilge-pump’s house surrounded by skate-boards and wigs(!). It was all very confusing, and I've never before or since seen more dirty washing-up in a kitchen sink (it was a bit like the scene in the british film “Withnail And I” where they think there is a rat in the crockery). Incidentally I didn't have a shirt on and eventually made my way across Leeds to Campbell’s place. Along the way I couldn't figure out why people kept looking at me strangely (apart from the absence of shirt) until I caught my reflection in a shop window. One of the above had drawn designs all over my face in the maori style with a magic marker. I don't know if it was Lasse, or the Italian, or someone else, but it was quite funny. I am sure that someone somewhere has photographs of this. To cut a long story short, I made it to Campbell’s where he gave me a bloody mary and a really shitty t-shirt with someone like Billy Ray Cyrus on it. This kind of stuff happens all the time.
In “old days”, where there wasn’t much of audience for strange sounds, many bands found themselves in corner of pubs playing for unprepared audience who knew nothing of anything. Nowadays we have audience what travels to see noise even to other side of world, and many shows seem to consist almost exclusively the “converted” who know what they’ll get, and they pay for it. During years of performing, have you witnessed such changes? Is S&Q still able to provoke unexpected reactions in audience who don’t know what the hell is happening?
To a large degree audiences have usually seemed to know what to expect. There have of course been times when certain elements of an audience have failed to understand or have taken offence, and maybe had some kind of adverse reaction. One thing that continually surprises me is how stupid and useless some of the people who run venues are. Often stuck in some constrained mindset.
How much you follow the current happenings in noise/ industrial/experimental genres? Have there been something new that you’ve found exciting worthy of attention?
I don’t really follow anything at all. I just like to have one eye on everything.
When you look at the impressive lists of names Stinky Horse Fuck was connected with, either own release or as part of compilation, you can see Emil Beaulieau, Con-Dom, Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock, Genocide Organ, De Fabriek, Grey Wolves, Kapotte Muziek, Costes, and so on. Are you still in touch with any of these people/ projects and been aware how their “careers” have gone since times you put their stuff out?
That is a good list of people for sure. I have kept track of most of them and their progress. Smell & Quim got to play on the bill with Schimpfluch in Paris in 1997 which was crazy and fun. Con-dom, and Grey Wolves continue to be right at the top of the power electronics tree, and its great to see that Mike will return to extensive live work in 2010. Costes is always worth going to see as his shows are always so well choreographed and worked out. I also got to see Emil Beaulieau live a couple times which was wonderful, on a bill with Prurient and others.
I supposed you started Stinky Horse Fuck label mainly to publish S&Q works? What were the aims/ goals of label and now when looking back, how do you see SHF back catalogue?
I think it is a pretty good body of work by some good acts. The aim was to release other bands as well as S&Q, so it was a proper label.
What would be the most accomplished releases of SHF you would think stands out the best and would be most recommended trophy to be hunted down by modern fans who maybe missed times you were active?
Perhaps the Smell & Quim/Merzbow 7” in the vacuum formed vagina package would be the best trophy, but all the ones with art packages are pretty good. The Taint one “B.A.T.” with the pigs ear, and the Macronympha one with the headphones made from Cow hooves are both interesting and great sound content of course.
There has been some relatively new SHF releases, but I believe mainly low run CDR’s? Do you have any intent to bring back label to strength it once was with LP/CD etc releases?
It is all down to finances really. SHF may release the Smell & Quim follow-up to “Powerfuck”.
Something more to add?
Only Thanks
