Difference between revisions of "Cowcore"
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'''Cowcore''' is a sub-genre of noisecore, which began in the early to mid-1990's in Glasgow, Scotland. Born in the tape-trading and DIY recording scene, Cowcore was an underground phenomenon which went on to influence many bands in the following years with it's mix of metal, freeform jazz and noise. Live shows were rare, due to the level of violence and drug use which was commonplace during the early days, but a handful of bootlegs exist and were recovered after the death of Stevie Dwyer in 2019. | '''Cowcore''' is a sub-genre of noisecore, which began in the early to mid-1990's in Glasgow, Scotland. Born in the tape-trading and DIY recording scene, Cowcore was an underground phenomenon which went on to influence many bands in the following years with it's mix of metal, freeform jazz and noise. Live shows were rare, due to the level of violence and drug use which was commonplace during the early days, but a handful of bootlegs exist and were recovered after the death of Stevie Dwyer in 2019. | ||
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By 1996, Cowcore had come to dominate the tape-trade and basement party scenes with most bands being barred from conventional venues such as the Cathouse and Glasgow Barfly for acts of public masturbation, fire starting and (allegedly) showing execution videos during their performances. '''Gag Reflex''' and '''The Sidney Divine Fanclub''' were both arrested for indecent exposure and assaulting a police officer on the Renfrew Ferry during a performance of ''Monkey Fuck'' which signaled the beginning of the end of the Cowcore scene. | By 1996, Cowcore had come to dominate the tape-trade and basement party scenes with most bands being barred from conventional venues such as the Cathouse and Glasgow Barfly for acts of public masturbation, fire starting and (allegedly) showing execution videos during their performances. '''Gag Reflex''' and '''The Sidney Divine Fanclub''' were both arrested for indecent exposure and assaulting a police officer on the Renfrew Ferry during a performance of ''Monkey Fuck'' which signaled the beginning of the end of the Cowcore scene. | ||
Revision as of 05:20, 30 June 2020
History
Cowcore is a sub-genre of noisecore, which began in the early to mid-1990's in Glasgow, Scotland. Born in the tape-trading and DIY recording scene, Cowcore was an underground phenomenon which went on to influence many bands in the following years with it's mix of metal, freeform jazz and noise. Live shows were rare, due to the level of violence and drug use which was commonplace during the early days, but a handful of bootlegs exist and were recovered after the death of Stevie Dwyer in 2019.
By 1996, Cowcore had come to dominate the tape-trade and basement party scenes with most bands being barred from conventional venues such as the Cathouse and Glasgow Barfly for acts of public masturbation, fire starting and (allegedly) showing execution videos during their performances. Gag Reflex and The Sidney Divine Fanclub were both arrested for indecent exposure and assaulting a police officer on the Renfrew Ferry during a performance of Monkey Fuck which signaled the beginning of the end of the Cowcore scene.
Influence
Various underground magazines and tape traders who supported Cowcore during it's existence, pointed out similarities between the Cowcore sound and the genre which became known as math metal. It has been suggested that math metal is the equivalent of Cowcore-lite since it takes away much of the complexity and brutality of Cowcore itself while still remaining unintelligible to the outsider. Members of Psyopus and The Dillinger Escape Plan have made passing reference to Cowcore in interviews, but the current legal status of the genre prevents it from being publicized further in media.
Controversies
In recent years, certain former members of the Cowcore scene have attempted to deny that it even existed in the first place. The lyrical content, violent performances and controversial video projections shown during live shows led to the entire genre as being viewed with disdain by the public, and ignored by the media. This has caused many former Cowcore band members to experience difficulty in finding employment, and in some cases even become social pariahs.
Members of various bands are currently incarcerated for crimes ranging from drug trafficking to 1st degree murder. Rumours abound of bootleg recordings, made in prison by a handful of artists but these have never seen the light of day, leading many to believe that it's a joke started out by ex-Cowcore progenitor, Jimmy Kyle. This is unlikely though, since Kyle died several years ago after a wardrobe feel on top of him in his house while trying to get a tenner bag from the top of it.
Meat Ears, Ultimate Bastard and Qumph are among the former Cowcore bands to have gone public in their denial. They have claimed that no such scene existed, but have failed to comment on their inclusion on the "People Don't Like It When You Call Them Stupid" compilation, or their appearance in VHS recordings and photos from the early 90's. While understandable, given the controversial nature of the genre, their continued denial and claims that the whole thing was a joke that they made up themselves simply are not backed up by the evidence.
End Of The Genre
In February 1997, Meat Ears and Dirty Orange played their last show at St John Bosco's Church Hall, and then announced that they were splitting. At the end of the performance equipment was smashed, tapes were burned and the bands were charged with arson, endangering the public and abusive & threatening behaviour. No local venues would allow gigs, no one would allow bands to play in their homes and Cowcore seemed to fade away with little or no fanfare. By mid-97, the West Coast scene was silent and the East Coast crews from Edinburgh fared no better after members of Anus Podger and Salt n' Shake were jailed for heroin possession.
Comeback
During 2008, members of various Cowcore bands got together to consider restarting some of the acts and bringing Cowcore into the present day. Myspace profiles were set up, Bovine Intervention Records was restarted after Danny Oates was released from prison, but it was decided that a false start had been made and that some of the original members would be needed to make it happen.
In early 2009, Stevie Dwyer, original frontman of Sodomy Mince, returned from the USA and announced that Bovine Intervention Records would be releasing new albums from many of the original acts in the upcoming year. The label also announced that it would be opening its studios again for old and new Cowcore bands, and that physical releases would be made available in the future.
Unfortunately, drug addiction and legal issues prevented any progress and so Bovine Intervention Records lay dormant. The death of Dwyer in 2019 led to the discovery of dozens of tapes, recorded at rehearsals in studios like Chem19 and live shows at various house parties. As directed in Dwyer's will, all Bovine Intervention material was passed on to John Miller, the producer responsible for the demos and the compilation of previous releases. Miller subsequently set up a Bandcamp and Soundcloud for the label, where he continues to re-release material and to publish the unreleased tapes from Dywer's estate.
