The name "Merzbow" comes from German artist Kurt Schwitters' artwork, Merzbau. This was chosen to reflect Akita's dada influence and junk-art aesthetic. In addition to this, Akita has cited a wide range of influences from various progressive rock artists such as Frank Zappa and King Crimson to Japanese bondage.
In 2000, Extreme Records released the 50 CD box set known as the Merzbox. From 2004 onwards, he has been a supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) which has influenced a number of animal-themed releases as well as Akita becoming vegan. Akita's work has been the subject of several remix albums and at least one tribute album. Akita is a prolific musician and has produced over 400 releases since 1980. This, among other achievements, has helped Merzbow to be regarded as the "most important artist in noise music".
Woodpecker No. 1
Merzbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
eEEEEEeeEeEeEeEEeeEe
eEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEeEeeE
eEEEeEEEEEEEeeEeeeeEe
eEeEEEeEeeEeEeEeEEeEe
Merzbow's song Woodpecker No. 1 has no lyrics in the traditional sense, as it consists entirely of electronic noise. Despite having no discernible melody or beat, the song is evocative in its own way, with its frenzied eEEEEeEEEeEeEeEeEEeeEe sounds conjuring images of a woodpecker rhythmically pecking at a tree. The repeated pattern of sound creates a feeling of tension and release, as if the woodpecker is gradually chipping away at the bark until it breaks through. The staticky quality of the noise suggests the presence of an unseen electrical force at play, adding an eerie element to the overall soundscape.
Overall, Woodpecker No. 1 is an experimental and abstract piece of music that can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. It's a testament to the fact that music need not fit into preconceived boxes of structure or genre in order to be evocative or interesting.
Contributed by Henry H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.