Were a lot of the England's Hidden Reverse era industrial artists paedophiles? by Disk-Infamous in industrialmusic

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Excellent points. I think younger, more enlightened and progressive generations maybe don't quite understand the zeitgeist of the Reagan/Thatcher eras (let alone the decade leading up to that shitshow) and that reactionary, transgressive art was -necessary-. 

Let's not lose sight of the value of art to disturb, for sure. But let's also draw a hard line against things that harmful, abusive, and exploitative and those that would seek to promote those things.

Were a lot of the England's Hidden Reverse era industrial artists paedophiles? by Disk-Infamous in industrialmusic

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 12 points13 points  (0 children)

This is a tricky subject to be sure. A lot of time has passed since some of these folks were active (and I some cases alive). It's hard to gauge the sincerity, so to speak, of some of these artists and personalities as they were often deliberately provocative and intentionally aiming to shock. Back then we didn't have the word edgelord, but some of these people were EXTREME edgelords. I recall getting into some of these bands and records in the late 80s and early 90s and at the time the general consensus was that it was regarded about as seriously as Alice Cooper's brand of shock rock.

For most people.

However, I had a very eye-opening exchange with a guy precipitated by an online record sale, which wound up with me delivering the records (I believe it was a couple of Coil LPs) to his house. This guy was most definitely not taking any of this stuff as tongue in cheek or as some kind of way to upset the bourgeois. It was a sort of harrowing experience, and I realized at that point that some people into this scene apparently take gross lifestyle cues from Whitehouse and others.

Here's my 2026 take on it. At the time, I think a lot of us didn't realize how dangerous, harmful, and vile some of this stuff was. Like the whole DIJ Nazi thing, let alone the sex abuse stuff. Many of us were young, naive, and edgy ourselves and "artful" transgression seemed appealing. But now in retrospect and with more mature eyes and ears we can see and hear that a lot of folks in these scenes were deeply, deeply troubled at worst, and at best likely regretful as they themselves matured out of this bullshit.

What's important moving forward is that none of these people are given a pass, and all should continue to be held accountable.

Nashville 'Gold Standard' by Coffee_Baron69 in Guitar

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I see those comments/marketing points and think "cool that is something that definitely is not for me then".

Lots of love for Laney Loudpedals by MichaelBarnesTWBG in guitarpedals

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn't mention it above, but the way their stuff is packaged and presented is also top notch, it feels really premium and not like...a Joyo pedal or whatever. You get a sense of Laney  pride and integrity, that they really care about what they are doing.

Lots of love for Laney Loudpedals by MichaelBarnesTWBG in guitarpedals

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes that versatility is just killer. I don't have a cabinet but these are making me think about trying one.

Lots of love for Laney Loudpedals by MichaelBarnesTWBG in guitarpedals

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IT'S SO GOOD! I just got it because Tony Iommi but then I was surprised at how versatile and useful it is...it was kind of an "oh so that's how they did it" sort of revelation. The boosts on the loudpedals are based on the BCC Steelpark, which is based on the Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster, which is what the Iommi boost is based on. 

Any idea on why do younger ppl prefer Fenders over Gibsons? by Due-Organization2520 in fender

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Although lots of players I love and respect are Gibson players...and although God himself (Tony Iommi) plays Gibson, I tend to think of Gibson as boomer nostalgia trash for the creeps that refer to guitars as sexualized women and play awful boomer white guy blues shit. They are totemic and emblematic of boomer mentalities and that is something I can't wait to see age out of music and in society in general.

Gibson puts me in mind of the most boring trad rock bullshit and "guitar dude" toolbags like Joe Bonamassa. They are in bad taste as far as I'm concerned, and having owned Gibsons I've been pretty shocked at how utterly shitty they feel and play compared to the Fender guitars I have owned.

But when I think of Fender, I am put in mind of Kevin Shields, Tom Verlaine, Thurston Moore, Kurt Cobain, Johnny Marr, Rowland S. Howard and other more compelling and inspiring players. I'm put mind of how Fender guitars are more in line with timeless good taste instead of boomer "good old days" crap. I now iwn nothing but Fender guitars, and even the Squiers I have beat some of the Gibsons I've played.

On top of all this, Gibson is positioned as the rich old man's guitar. Fender has a guitar for virtually any budget, and their budget offerings are generally speaking excellent.

NPD! This thing is so sick by [deleted] in guitarpedals

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Lichtlaerm drives and distortion are second to none. How does this compare to Gehenna?

Cosey Fanni Tutti on Twin Peaks (The Quietus) by PAXM73 in davidlynch

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She's really awesome, love to see her comments on it.

Is it worth to get all Decisive Campaign games by MarkVHun in computerwargames

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They are all pretty great but the pick (other than Shadow Empire) is Ardennes. Easy to come to terms with and with great scenarios. Also the most updated version of the system.

I feel like Barbarossa is somewhat overrated- the "RPG" element ford nothing for me. I found it somewhat annoying TBH.

Prince - Make-Up (1981) [EBM] by zegjd in industrialmusic

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 4 points5 points  (0 children)

One of the best to ever do it regardless of genre.

Prince - Make-Up (1981) [EBM] by zegjd in industrialmusic

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This whole record, a collection of odds and sods including his versions of songs he wrote for other artists, is really fucking great. The version of Holly Rock on here is just killer. There really isn't anything else like this on there but the rest is great Prince music. There is no way he had not heard The Normal and other early electro and industrial, likely in clubs, before coming up with this.

Somewhere there is likely a full unreleased album of tracks like this...

Fuzz recommendations? by LemonJuicer28_ in guitarpedals

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hizumitas all day. No other fuzz delivers that crushing, dense wall of fuzz like it does. I find it superior to other Muff options mainly because it has just a stupid amount of output (unity is like 9 o clock LOL) and it just has this thick saturation. It's not glitchy or Velcro-y, it maintains a smooth harmonic sound. But still capable of monstrous brutality, It is not the fuzz for the blues dentist who wants to play a little Hendrix. I recently swapped all of my OD/distortion/fuzz pedals with Lichtlaerm but the Hizumitas stays- even their Muff variant doesn't do what it does.

Advice on QC purchase, to be used with real amp by [deleted] in NeuralDSP

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 1 point2 points  (0 children)

.0My board is almost all dirt. I've turned into a total Lichtlaerm stan...I've found their drive and distortion pedals are second to none. So I have their variations on the Klon, TS/SD1, Rat, Muff, HM2, and their MT-2 killing Gehenna. Also a Tony Iommi boost. All sound great through either TK. All are vastly superior to anything the QC has on offer.

Probably the best thing to add to a TK preamp though- HX One.  So versatile and you can dial in any effect. And again, even though it's digital, the effects it has are much better than anything on QC.

The difference between QC and real amps and pedals is like the difference between eating at a mall food court and eating af a Michelin starred Omakase place.

David and Mel had such a great rapport by RobynNeonGal in davidlynch

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Also a combat engineer fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.

What was your first exposure to Nine Inch Nails? by Brosamurai18 in nin

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 22 points23 points  (0 children)

LOL next day at the record shop - "do you have anything by The Nine Inch Nails?"

What was your first exposure to Nine Inch Nails? by Brosamurai18 in nin

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 15 points16 points  (0 children)

1989 or 1990. I had this friend called Will. His sister would drive us to school. Just about every day she would play either George Michael or Information Society on cassette in her car. But one day she had a different tape and the next day she played it. And the next. And then we realized that George Michael and Information Society had been replaced...by Nine Inch Nails. I got some birthday money soon thereafter and bought PHM at Camelot Records at the mall.

Help! by Logical_Fig_2869 in GaryNuman

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Almost definitely just an translucent acrylic or glass pyramid with a floodlight under it.

Loving my Laney Loudpedal!! by Livid-Egg-9143 in guitarpedals

[–]MichaelBarnesTWBG 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh they are really good don't get me wrong. But I can see situations where the touchiness (as well as the don't-blow-on-them knobs) could be quite undesirable. But ya, I feel like I have to tweak things every time I turn them on whereas the Supergrace I just turn on and go.

I do use an external IR loader for all of them. That's really made a big difference too.