In a great long-read interview with Droid on the Nialler9 site this week, Kevin ‘The Bug’ Richard Martin really opened up about the power and cathartic release of physical music, saying “loud music rearranges your DNA. It certainly declares warfare on your nervous system”.
Martin has been rearranging people’s insides for decades through various projects — from the industrial noise assault of Techno Animal with Godflesh’s Justin Broaderick, his outer-limit jazz project GOD, the pitch black drones he creates with Earth’s Dylan Carlson or his inner space ambient explorations.
But no alter-ego hits harder than his work as The Bug — a clatter of future dub dread, grime, drones and noise, teaming up with iconic MCs. On masterpiece albums like London Zoo, Angels and Devils, and 2021’s Fire, he also showcases his skill at choosing the perfect voice to match the sub-bass onslaught.
Flowdan is probably his most championed partner on record and on stage — one of the most distinctive voices in modern soundsystem culture, and the menacing growl behind sonic petrol bombs like Skeng and Pressure.
Like other transcendent noise explorers Swans, the aim is ecstasy and a psychedelic experience through loudness, but be warned.
The Bug & Flowdan play The Button Factory in Dublin tonight (Friday)
Moo Kid 