Welcome to Today’s FYB Post featuring the Official Video for the Song Why You Never Became A Dancer by the British Band named Whitehouse. So Who the fuck are/was Whitehouse and Why should Anyone Care? Valid Questions for Sure so here is the Backstory of Whitehouse.
Whitehouse was formed in England in 1980 and the Group is Largely credited for Founding and Pioneering the Power Electronics Genre of Music. The Band is Also Credited with Developing the Genre of Music Known as Noisecore or as it was Originally Know as Noise Music (Yeah Pretty fucking Original), and the Band is Credited for Developing Noisecore in America, England, and Japan. Power Electronics is a Offshoot of Noisecore that typically consists of Static, Screeching Feedback, Analogue Synthesizers making Sub-Base Pulses or High Frequency Squealing Sounds. Some but Not All Noisecore Songs have “Lyrics” that are Heavily Distorted, Screamed, or Guttural Vocalizations. Meanwhile Noisecore for those Unfamiliar is a Niche Genre of Music Characterized by the Expressive use of Noise within a Musical Context. Noisecore tends to Challenge the Distinction between Musical and Non-Musical Sound. The Band Emerged when Early Industrial Acts that had Heavily Influenced Power Electronics/ Noisecore like THROBBING GRISTLE were backing Away from Extreme Noise. Meanwhile Whitehouse wanted to take Their Fascination with Early Industrial Groups’ Sound and Extreme Subject Matter even Further.
The Band’s Name is Meant as a Mock Tribute to Mary Whitehouse who was a British Morality Campaigner and a Hard-Line Conservative Activist. She Campaigned against Social Liberalism and the Mainstream British Media (Both of Which She Accused of Encouraging a More Permissive Society. That’s Not all as the Band’s Name a Reference to a British Porn Magazine. The Founding Member and Only Sole Constant in the Band William Bennett was Quoted as Saying “I Often Fantasized about creating a Sound that could Bludgeon an Audience into Submission.” , and that His Goal was to Produce “The Most Extreme Music Ever Recorded.”Whitehouse referred to Their Sound as “Extreme Electronic Music” that was Known for its Controversial and Obscene Lyrics and Imagery. The Band’s Lyrics/Imagery Portrayed:
- Sadistic Sex
- Misogyny
- Serial Murder
- Eating Disorders
- Child Abuse
- Extreme Violence in All Forms
- Neo-Nazi Fetishism
Bennett released His First Album Under the Whitehouse Name in 1980 called Birthdeath Experience that was Released on Bennett’s Own Come Organization Label, and was Immediately followed by the Album Total Sex. In 1981 Bennett released the Album Erector that was Pressed on Red Vinyl, Packaged in a Shiny Black Packaging, and included a Photocopied Picture of a Penis. The Group Started Playing Live Shows in 1982 with Members William Bennett (Whitehouse), Andrew McKenzie (of the Band THE HAFLER TRIO), Steven Stapleton from the Band NURSE WITH WOUND, and Philip Best Who Joined in 1982 After Running away from Home at the Age of 14, and has been an On again/ Off Again Member ever since. Whitehouse was Inactive for the second half of the 1980’s and Re-emerged in 1990 wit the Album “Thank Your Lucky Stars”. During the 1990’s Whitehouse had Stable Line up in Bennett, Best, and Writer Peter Sotos (Sotos Left the Group in 2002). Bennett Decided to Terminate Whitehouse in 2008 to Focus on His Cut Hands Project which was its Music that was Heavily Inspired by African and Haitian Voodoo Music, being Very Rhythmic and Percussion Based.
It is What it Is,
Presented By Les Sober