NWW - Tribute

Goat Wound
The folks at the Bronson Unlimited record label have upped the ante for tribute albums. Once upon a time, you simply got a dozen acts to cover a dozen songs, and if more than three of the new versions were memorable, then you’d done something of note. For its tribute to Nurse with Wound, Bronson got 25 musicians, most of them drawn from the ranks of a Nurse with Wound discussion group on Yahoo, to not only contribute tracks, but to relinquish their copyrights. It then packaged the resulting music on six 3″ CDs, and boxed it in an elaborate wooden container (further details of the set’s extravagance here). This box is more than just a pricey collector’s item; only one was made, and it was sent to Nurse founder Steven Stapleton in time for the holidays. For the rest of us, there’s a webpage (defunct) packed with one-minute samples of the 25 tracks. Best to just download “Exquisite Goat,” a single file that meshes the various samples into a 25-minute sequence of varied noise art, rich with found sounds, chattering vocals, moments of stunning stillness and of willful confusion, all of it true to Nurse with Wound’s decided influence on sound art and industrial and ambient music. Though the project was heartfelt, much of the resulting music is not for the faint of heart.
By Marc Weidenbaum.


Devoted followers of cult obscurantist acts like Nurse With Wound have become accustomed, over the years, to their favorite music being issued in absurdly limited "special" editions, created to be hopelessly obscure within a month of their release. I couldn't recount all of the instances when I have heard of a new release being offered in a limited, numbered edition of 100 handmade copies on transparent vinyl, with unique art objects, the first 10 orders including an exclusive bonus 7" smeared with the artist's bodily fluids, and one extra special copy containing a golden ticket entitling the holder to visit the artist's home and take liberties with their pet. As frustrating as these ultra-limited releases can be, ardent devotees still hold out the hope that with vigilance, cunning and a fair amount of cash, they can possess their own piece of the dream. Now, the lovely, talented and extraordinarily perverse folks at Bronson Unlimited Records have just upped the ante and blown all hope into the stratosphere with the release of one of the more unique limited editions in recent memory. Goat Wound is a tribute to the work of Nurse With Wound - 25 artists from around the world anonymously contributed an original untitled piece as an audio tribute to Steven Stapleton. The tracks are divided among six 3" compact discs with individual, reversible interlocking puzzle panel covers, a Goat Wound postcard and a pewter goat statue, all of which is housed in a handmade, art inlaid wooden box. The catch: This is truly a one-of-a-kind tribute to Steven Stapleton, and only Steven Stapleton. As unbelievable as it sounds, Goat Wound is limited to only one copy, which was shipped directly to Cooloorta Farm upon its completion. No one, not even the label itself or the artists involved, will ever be able to own a copy of the set. In addition, the 25 artists have each relinquished all copyright claims to the work on Goat Wound, freeing Steven Stapleton to use the music as raw materials for future sound sculptures, should he choose. The only relic that remains for the curious public is Bronson Unlimited's fantastic Goat Wound website, which in addition to photographs and information on the unique project, contains one minute MP3 extracts from each of the tracks, as well as an "exquisite corpse" patchwork of all 25 one-minute samples sequenced into one long track. The sounds on Goat Wound traverse a staggering number of techniques, from the haunted mental echoplex of the first track to the murky, industrial soundscapes of track six. Elsewhere, artists use minimal electronics and dusty drones, primitively recorded vocal ululations and Negativland-style plunderphonic radio broadcasts. Many tracks take a cue from Nurse With Wound, focusing on surrealistic sound design and ambient sound sculptures which are by turns cold and clinical, whimsical and amusing or tense, hallucinogenic and frightening. Track 22 is a highlight, utilizing recordings of what seems to be the voice of Mr. Stapleton himself, snatches of conversation that segue into a vibrant summer sound collage of barking dogs and children at play. I admire the artists and creators of Goat Wound, and the enormous amount of care taken in anonymously producing such amazing sound art that they knew no one would ever hear, save one oddball farmer in Ireland. If you can't live without your own copy, I suggest you start planning a covert operation to liberate it from Cooloorta Farm. Just imagine how much money you could auction this for on E-bay. - Jonathan Dean