Z'EV

This article is about the American musician Z'EV. For other uses, see Zev.
Z'EV
Z'EV in 2008
Z'EV in 2008
Background information
Birth nameStefan Joel Weisser
Born(1951-02-08)February 8, 1951
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 16, 2017(2017-12-16) (aged 66)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
GenresIndustrial
Occupations
  • Poet
  • sound artist
Instruments
Years active1966–2017
Labels
Websitewww.rhythmajik.com

Z'EV (born Stefan Joel Weisser, February 8, 1951 – December 16, 2017)[1] was an American poet,[2][3] percussionist,[4][5] and sound artist.[6][7] After studying various world music traditions at CalArts, he began creating his own percussion sounds out of industrial materials for a variety of record labels. He is regarded as a pioneer of industrial music.[8]

Z'EV was a strong presence in the New York City downtown music scene in the 1980s and 1990s, performing with Elliott Sharp, Glenn Branca, and doing solo performances at The Kitchen, The Knitting Factory, Danceteria, and other venues where experimental music flourished.

In 1983, critic Roy Sablosky wrote: "Z'EV doesn't just break the rules, he changes them."[9] Journalist Louis Morra wrote in 1983: "Z'EV is a consummate example of contemporary performance art, as well as modern composition and theater." and, "Z'EV realizes many of modernist art's ultimate goals: primitivism, improvisation, multi-media/conjunction of art forms, the artist as direct creator."[10]

His work with text and sound was influenced by Kabbalah, as well as African, Afro-Caribbean and Indonesian music and culture. He studied Ewe music, Balinese gamelan, and Indian tala.[11]

  1. ^ "American percussionist and poet z'ev has died". Wire. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  2. ^ Sanders, Rens (1981-06-01). "Z'EV Geluidstyfoon". Vinyl (in Dutch) (4): 20–21.
  3. ^ Bohn, Chris (1982-05-08). "Sixophrenic, The Six Faces of Z'EV". New Musical Express: 15–16.
  4. ^ Re/Search (2006) [1983]. No. 6/7 Industrial Culture Handbook, Limited Hardback Edition. San Francisco: RE/Search. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-889307-16-9.
  5. ^ Atkinson, Terry (1985-01-16). "Z'EV: Percussion as Performance Art, A Lonely Road". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Chris Toenes (2007-05-16). "Sound artist Z'EV's long, lonely path to innovation". Indyweek.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  7. ^ Glenn Dixon (2007-05-24). "A Sound Experience: Z'EV'". Express Night Out. Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  8. ^ Re/Search (2006). No. 6/7 Industrial Culture Handbook, Limited Hardback Edition. San Francisco: RE/Search. pp. 106–117. ISBN 978-1-889307-16-9.
  9. ^ Sablosky, Roy (March 1983). "Review of Production And Decay Of Spacial Relations". OP Magazine.
  10. ^ Morra, Louis (1983). "Review of Elemental Music". East Village Eye.
  11. ^ Dmitri Kolesnik (June 1999). "Z'EV – Acoustic Phenomenae". Drugie Here. Retrieved 2008-07-25.