Music and Aggression

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Well, it's a form of sublimation, innit? So no, I think listening to Limp Bizkit is a socially acceptable form of aggression. As long as you don't play their records in my proximity or I'll bash yer head. in. ;-)

Tom got a good smack-down on me the other day based on this issue, so I've been thinking about it, and about why I generally tend to dislike music that's labelled "aggressive," and about why I don't really think that has anything to do with actual aggression.

When I was maybe 13, I got in an argument with a friend based on my contention that Morrissey's "Alsatian Cousin" was just as aggressive as the Metallica track he was championing. I still stand by this, which brings me to the major split -- by "aggression," do we mean actual emotionally-subjective aggression, or do we just mean signifiers of aggression? I am bothered not by perceiving actual aggression, but by perceiving all of these signifiers of aggression piled on and on to no apparent effect -- there is a name for piling on imagistic signifiers of aggression, and that name is "machismo," and there is a name for expecting everyone else to be impressed by those signifiers, and that name is "bullying."

In my (subjective) listening experience, Joy Division's "Transmission" is more "aggressive" than "Rollin'." LB, like all bullies, seem to be throwing up a front of aggression to cover the fact that they're unable to emote honestly without fear of looking silly. NB the "seem" is meant to denote that this is an aesthetic judgment and not one of the actual beliefs or characters of the musicians.

Nitsuh makes a damn excellent point. And others will have to try to wrestle it from him.

To me (subjectively), music is communication through both a literal and subliminal emotional context. Aggression, being quite a common emotion, is actively involved in all types of music. Morrissey can be aggressive, and so can Agnostic Front, and sometimes Mel Torme.

aggression, like all emotions, is an abstract, no? and the more abstract aggression gets the more i tend to like it. (cf. marvellous cain-style jump up/hardstep jungle with all those pummelling snare patterns, bruise bass, and ragga chant. it doesn't -mean- anything, but it's certainly aggressive. aggressive in a joyful way, perhaps? the more something features the "signifiers" of aggression [screaming, vein popping delivery, "angry"-lyrics] the less i enjoy it these days.)

two approaches to "aggression": "mama said knock you out" vs. "depression" by black flag. FITE. (i know which -i- prefer...)

you cannot fuck with pre-rollins black flag. doesn't everyone know that?

LB, like all bullies, seem to be throwing up a front of aggression to cover the fact that they're unable to emote honestly without fear of looking silly. NB the "seem" is meant to denote that this is an aesthetic judgment and not one of the actual beliefs or characters of the musicians.

... Or they're just not bright enough to articulate it well. Maybe the only way they no how to convey their anger is through "power" - be it chords, swear words, screaming, etc... So maybe it's intelligence or conditioning, rather than honesty.

Or maybe it's pure product to be sold to teens who are always pissed off about something.

My earliest listening expierences consisted of mostly the worst kind of hardcore music ever; straightedge. It was all about being true to your scene, beating up non vegetarians, and unity. blah blah blah. it was teenage angst. why does that stuff seem cheezy and non agressive to me, other than the fact that music is horrendous? maybe, like nitsuh said, they lacked a real way of expressing emotion.

What I find to be agressive now is bands like Rye Coalition and the Liars. Really sassy stuff that seems to convey that same angst I felt as a kid, but with clever lyrics and great music. I guess its just something about a man chanting "lets play the lipstick game tonight" that gets me all fired up. i hope that doesn't mean anything to my good character.

Yes. Occasionally when I'm pissed I dig out some old Pantera and Slayer tapes and just drive, though that's really the only occasion I listen to them (or, if it's relationship-oriented, maybe the Afghan Whigs' "Gentlemen").

But most often, my outlet for all forms of frustration is industrial music. If you've never been to a true industrial night, and stood on the floor and watched the paroxysms play themselves out, joints bending at sharp angles, bodies pivoting in time to the constant slam of the beat, not guitar-rawk-with-a-drum-machine but the cold precision of old-school industrial, and suddenly 'got' it and found yourself thrashing across the same floor ... it can be an excellent experience. I've found a good night here in DC; even though I stay out late once a week and only get a few hours of sleep, I feel more refreshed and alive those following mornings at work then I do when I've stared at the computer screen all night. There's nothing like going to a dance night that's first and foremost about the music and atmosphere, rather than drinking and debauchery -- there's an air of respect and a feeling of camaraderie I've rarely felt elsewhere.

I agree that a pile of aggressive signifiers adds up to machismo, which can lead to bullying. But certain branches of hip-hop revolve around the thrill of bullying, right? Isn’t that what battling & throwdowns are all about?

I think part of the reason I don’t much care for most punk is that I don’t relate to the idea of outwardly channeled aggression, the idea of “raging against the machine.” I never feel like I have my own self square enough to even get to the machine, which is why I dig the aggression of Nirvana’s “Negative Creep.” That song is the ultimate expression of self-hatred & anger turned inward. Anybody who has ever made the mistake of smoking weed while depressed knows how terrible it is – captured perfectly when Cobain adds the “…and I’m stoned” bit to the end of every stanza.

The flipside of this for me is the aggression of the Boredoms, which is so incredibly life affirming. It’s much better than political punk because they’re making an unholy racket while screaming about how beautiful life can be. When I’m feeling good, the Boredoms light the way for an aggressive pursuit of life.

I think part of the reason I don’t much care for most punk is that I don’t relate to the idea of outwardly channeled aggression, the idea of “raging against the machine.”
Doesn't it depend on what punk it is? I absolutely adore Richard Hell and Blank Generation. It's angry, yes, but the message is "You can be whoever you want to be."

Agreed. The other mitigating factor is my own ignorance of the genre.

I think I used to unwittingly pair music with weird pent-up aggression, but have since figured out that angry music perpetuates the pent-up aggression. It's a lame vicious circle. Who wants to be angry? Being angry does absolutely nothing for you except kill you faster and create wrinkles and make you act like a real jerk. Whatever you're angry ABOUT isn't being affected by your anger, unless you act out. Then, you're really hurting yourself by getting involved in legal affairs, family feuds/gang stuff, etc.

So, basically, I don't listen to angry music any more unless I am putting it in for "fun" or very knowingly. I don't just throw on a pissed off record while I work out or hang out anymore. Like old people told me when I was young, it makes me feel ancy and angry and, if I'm not "into" it, it sounds like noise, even. Angry music can be very aggrevating. Who woulda figured?

Yeah, funny... I feel the same way.

Not I. Anger can be motivation -- if people didn't get fed up with things that bother them, we'd all just be a bunch of sheep. Some people choose to take it out by spraying an AK at the White House; some refuse to move to the back of the bus.

or, as I first heard from Zach de la Rocha on highschool, "Anger is a gift." ;)

that song was about high school? dude!

'in' ... typo, you slimy opportunist!

Wow, holy shit. I'm listening to Drexciya's 'The Quest' for the first time as I'm typing this--disc two now. It sounds aggressive somehow--the beats are tough, rugged, slammin', and it sure isn't pretty. Whatever it is, I'm loving it. I guess I haven't heard much electro, but I think I would really REALLY like it if I got into it.

I very much agree with Nitsuh's point about aggression signifiers; in fact I think it can be applied to a variety of signifiers people use in their music. Fey boring shit can use "Beatlesque pop" signifiers 6th and 7th chords, certain types of vocal harmony, etc.) without feeling very much like (good) pop. There are "soul" signifiers, "E" signifiers, "free" signifiers, etc.--all of which can be put to use to varying degrees of effectiveness. But empty signification usually sucks a big one.

Neither outlet nor fuel, but as often unexpected charge -- thus my S.O.D. thread I just started. I've mumbled before about Wire's 'abstract aggression' on 154 and similarly Disco Inferno on D.I. Go Pop, but it's only when listening to them again that I realize *how* aggressive they can be.

(BTW, are all the American board members on coffee highs tonight and is there nothing on TV? Y'all are posting like mofos.)

i was in bed by 9:30. are you trying to pick a fight ned? huh? HUH?!?!

All forms of human interaction have an aggression component. Feelings can also be transferred from one area to another.

i fuckin use this BORED to extirpate agression cos im BORED youf on stret guvmint dont care an it cheper than all bran an i turn up toploder DANCINNAMOONLIT an it rok all the house squat an i dance on the wall and wack myself with old welly on side of bonce til conconscious an that gets agrission out of my head also get to see causality nurse turnon kronik.

(BTW, are all the American board members on coffee highs tonight and is there nothing on TV? Y'all are posting like mofos.)

Funny: I ate too much chocolate fudge yesterday. I'm very sensitive to anything remotely stimulating. This morning I'm on a Twinings Ceylon high.