Legendary musician Monte Cazazza, the man who coined the term ‘industrial’ to describe the aggressive, electronic-influenced subgenre of rock music, has sadly passed away at the age of 68. This news was confirmed by his close friend and collaborator, Meri St Mary, in a heartfelt tweet.
Monte began his career as an artist, creating works with the intention of shocking and provoking those who experienced them. His first sculpture assignment for the California College for Arts and Crafts saw him create a cement waterfall which completely blocked the stairwell of the building, resulting in his expulsion. Most of his early works are hard to find and considered obscene.
Cazazza is most well-known for his work in sound collage, having released eight studio albums during his lifetime. He was one of the first artists to sign with Throbbing Gristle’s Industrial Records, and popularised the term ‘industrial music for industrial people’ to describe the label’s specialisation in noisy, experimental sound manipulation.
Throughout his career, Monte collaborated with a number of influential artists, such as Factrix, Chaos of the Night, The Atom Smashers, The Love Force and Esperik Glare. He also contributed to nine albums with Psychic TV, the group founded by Throbbing Gristle’s Genesis P-Orridge. His final album, ‘The Cynic’, was released in 2010.
Monte Cazazza will not only be remembered for his work in industrial music, but also for his boundary-pushing artworks which shocked and provoked those who experienced them. Fans across the world are mourning his loss, but take comfort in the fact that he is no longer in pain.
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