Escape From Noise

Escape from Noise is the fourth studio album by Negativland. It marked the band's first release on SST Records, an established independent label. On the album, the group continued to develop their experimental style, incorporating elements of pop music with shorter tracks and more conventional melodies. "Christianity Is Stupid", a track featuring samples from the propaganda movie If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?, proved to be an enduring signature song: the band and the release gained widespread attention a year later due to a SST press release falsely implying that murderer David Brom had listened to the song before killing his family members. The Residents are credited on the track "You Don't Even Live Here"

The band's studio was destroyed in fire on the 13th of February 1987, the group utilised the Ralph Records offices to temporarily store their items which hadn't been burnt or water damaged. The group also used the studios as a rehearsal space in the lead up to a show they performed to promote Potatoes,

Background

After the release of Negativland's third album A Big 10-8 Place in October of 1983, the group (Mark Hosler, David Wills, Don Joyce and Chris Grigg) began working on its follow up; a concept album about noise pollution known as Escape from Noise. It was their first album on SST Records, considered one of the most influential indie labels of the 1980s, and garnered the group much attention when it was released on October 20, 1987.

During the album's production, on February 13th 1987, the group's studio caught alight and their undamaged goods were relocated to the nearby Ralph Records offices, then owned by Tom Timony. Negativland recorded the song "Perfect Scrambled Eggs'" for the Ralph Records album Potatoes, and used the Ralph offices as a rehearsal space in the lead-up to a live show promoting said album, released in March of 1987. Mark Hosler of Negativland also contributed the track "Mashed Potatoes" for the collector's edition.

Escape From Noise credits a number of local artists, such as Mark Mothersbaugh, Fred Frith, and The Residents; although in a 2010 interview Hardy Fox stated that "The Residents had no involvement in Escape From Noise other than a sample."

Track Listing

1. Announcement (1:51)
2. Quiet Please (Ft. Das) (2:17)
3. Michael Jackson (Ft. Steve Fisk) (2:08)
4. Escape From Noise (2:36)
5. The Playboy Channel (1:32)
6. Stress In Marriage (1:35)
7. Nesbitt's Lime Soda Song (3:08)
8. Over The Hiccups (Ft. Louisa Michaels) (1:28)
9. Sycamore (2:29)
10. Car Bomb (Ft. Phil Freihofner) (2:03)
11. Methods Of Torture (Ft. Tom Herman) (1:23)
12. Yellow Black And Rectangular (2:14)
13. Backstage Pass (1:15)
14. Christianity Is Stupid (Ft. Ivan Stang) (3:55)
15. Time Zones (5:28)
16. You Don't Even Live Here (Ft. The Residents) (2:30)
17. The Way Of It (1:12)
18. Endscape (0:37)

Credits

Escape From Noise Was Made By

• Mark Hosler: Singing, Synthesizers, Guitars, Voice Tapes, Lyrics, Percussions, Rhythm Loops, Bomb Parts, David Manipulation, Tiny Metal Banjo, Recorder, Lots of Other Noises, Mix
• Don Joyce: Yelling, Talking Tapes, Electric Tympani, Synthesizer, Lyrics, Singing, Booper Bee, Bomb Parts & Assembly, Noises Everywhere, Mix
• Chris Grigg: Drums, Synthesizer, Lyrics, Singing, Computer & Software, Field Recordings, Mix
• David Wills: Talking. Shortwave, Family Tape, Bomb Parts, Regular Booper
• Richard Lyons: Singing, Lyrics, Voice

With Contributions From

• Ian Allen: Helicopter on 'Sycamore', Rhythm Loop on 'Car Bomb', Bell on 'Time Zones'
• Jello Biafra: Toilet Flushing on 'The Playboy Channel'
• Das: Voice Tapes on 'Quiet Please'
• Dina Emerson: Wordless Vocals on 'You Don't Even Live Here'
• Steve Fisk: Optigon & Voice Tapes on 'Michael Jackson'
• Tera Freedman: Voice Tape on 'Backstage Pass'
• Phil Freihofner: Bomb Parts on 'Car Bomb'
• Ed Markmann: Paid Voice
• Fred Frith: Urban Drum & HalfSpeed Violin on 'Michael Jackson'
• Jerry Garcia: Mouth Sounds & Chimes on 'Backstage Pass'
• Alexander Hacke: Metal Noises on 'Christianity Is Stupid'
• Mickey Hart: Percussion & Processed Animals on 'Backstage Pass'
• Tom Herman: Torture Guitars on 'Car Bomb'
• Henry Kaiser: DoubleSpeed Disco Guitar on 'Quiet Please'
• Louisa Michaels: Singing on 'Over The Hiccups'
• Mark Mothersbaugh: Jazz Bass, Jimi Hendrix, E-Cussion, Saxophone & Noises on 'The Playboy Channel'
• The Residents: Hoots & Clanging on 'You Don't Even Live Here'
• Rev. Ivan Stang: Larynx on 'Christianity Is Stupid'
• Rand Weatherwax: Orchestra Hits & E-Cussion 'Quiet Please'
• Rob Wortman: Leaf Bower on 'You Don't Even Live Here'
• Graphics/Art/Design by: Negativland/Peter Montgomery/Francesca Freedman
• Mastering by: George Horn

Release History

Year	Label	Fomrat	Region
1987	SST Records,	LP, CD, Cassette	USA
	RecRec Music	LP, CD	Switzerland
	Penguin	LP	Greece
1999	SeeLand	CD	USA
2013	SST Records		Europe

Buy Or Die

• Escape From Noise CD at SST Superstore
• Escape From Noise LP at SST Superstore