Naked City
Formed in 1990, this radical act revolves around alto saxophonist/composer John Zorn (b. 2 September 1953, New York City, New York, USA.) A leading figurehead of the ‘downtown’ avant-garde enclave, centred on New York's Lower East Side, Zorn drew increasing parallels between free jazz and sonic extremists Napalm Death, whom he consistently championed. His radical versions of Ornette Coleman compositions unveiled on SPY VS SPY (1989) bore the legend "Fucking hardcore rules" and set the tone for the founding of Naked City. Fred Frith (bass), formerly of Henry Cow, Bill Frisell (guitar), Wayne Horvitz (keyboards) and Joey Baron (drums) joined Zorn for the group's self-titled album debut. Jazz, surf and noise gelled perfectly on this impressive collection, which merged original compositions with The James Bond Theme and sundry film music, each of which was viciously deconstructed. Guest vocalist Yamatsuka Eye, from Japanese hardcore act the Boredoms (SOUL DISCHARGE (1991)), was billed as special guest, although he later became a full-time member. The sense of adventure on NAKED CITY maintained on the equally compulsive TORTURE GARDEN, after which Zorn undertook an offshoot project, Painkiller (THE GUTS OF A VIRGIN (1991)), with Frisell and Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris. A film soundtrack, Heretic Jeux Des Dames Cruelles, released on the Japanese Avant label, maintained Naked City's uncompromising stance; track titles including Copraphagist Rituals merely heightened the controversy. A second Avant disc, GRAND GUIGNOL, proved even more challenging, combining Debussy's La Cathedrale Engloutie and Charles Ives' The Cage with 32 virulent blasts of freeform noise, only three of which lasted more than one minute. Zorn and Naked City remain at the cutting edge of adventurous music.