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James Plotkin

Profile:
James Plotkin began his musical career as the guitarist for heavy-metal trio O.L.D., with vocalist Alan Dubin and ever-changing drummer/bassists. They released albums that became more and more adventurous: Old Lady Drivers (Earache, 1988), Lo Flux Tube ([Earache], 1991) and The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak (Earache, 1993). By the time of their fourth album, Formula (Earache, 1995), they had pared down to a duo and the instruments were credited as: "vocoded voice, looped guitar, synth guitar, bass, tapes, rhythm machine... and a drop of 303". In the meantime, Plotkin had already started a new career as a bold and outrageous avantgarde musician, who built otherworldly collages of metal-dance music such as Clinton Street/ Dead Soul Surfing (Alley Sweeper, 1995), A Strange Perplexing (Indiscreet, 1996) for manipulated guitar sounds, and Joy Of Disease (Avant, 1996), for manipulated guitar, bass, rhythm machines and samples; as well as engaged in dynamite collaborations with the likes of KK Null (of Zeni Geva) on Aurora (Sentrax, 1995), that features his guitar tour de force Speeding Across My Hemisphere, and Mick Harris on Collapse (Somnient, 1996), five lengthy pieces for looped guitar and natural/unnatural sounds. He also began to coin ever new alter-egos: Jupiter Crew for the two-track EP Jungle Concrete (Possible, 1996); Flux for the album Protoplasmic (Release, 1997). Plotkin also plays in Khanate.
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Variations:
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Discography

Releases:
(Swimming Against) Clinton Street / Dead Soul Surfing Parts One + Two (7")   Alley Sweeper 1994
Aurora (Album) (2 versions)   Sentrax ... 1994
Jimmy Plotkin / Alan Dubin (2x7", Ltd)   Speeding Across My Hemisphere 1995
A Strange, Perplexing (CD)   Discreet/Indiscreet 1996
Aurora Remixes (EP) (2 versions)   Rawkus Primitive 1996
Collapse (CD)   Asphodel 1996
The Joy Of Disease (CD)   Avant 1996
A Peripheral Blur (CD, Album)   Kranky 1998
Mosquito Dream (CD, Album)   Kranky 1999
Split (12")   FatCat Records 2000
Split Series #8 (12")   FatCat Records 2000
Kurtlanmak (CDr)   Utech Records 2005
8 Improvisations (CD)   aRCHIVE 2006
Kurtlanmak / Damascus (CD)   Utech Records 2006
Indirmek (CD, Album)   Utech Records 2007
Live WFMU March 24 2007 (CDr, Album, Ltd)   Not On Label 2007
Remixes:
Hold On To Your Face (2 versions) Too Ebb Is To Drift (J... Earache 1993
Ambient 4: Isolationism (2xCD, Comp) Lost (Held Under) Virgin, Virgin 1994
Recurrence & Intervention (CD) Intervention 5 - Tacti... Rawkus 1996
Gone Too Far (CD, Ltd) Bay Of Hopelessness (P... Experimental Sound Terrorist Records 1999
The Hemophiliac Dream (CD, Maxi) The Hemophiliac Dream ... Tortuga 2002
070796 Live (CD) 070796 (Reconstructed ... Autofact Records 2003
No Joy (Remix) (12") No Joy (Remix) Load Records 2003
Veils It White (12", EP, S/Sided, Ltd, Pic)   Thin The Herd 2003
Oceanic Remixes / Reinterpretations (3 versions) The Other (James Plotk... Daymare Recordings ... 2004
Oceanic Remixes Volume I (12", Ltd) The Other (James Plotk... Robotic Empire 2004
Mono / Pelican (5 versions) Angel Tears (James Plo... Temporary Residence Limited ... 2005
The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon The Thaw (Album, EP) (2 versions) Angel Tears (James Plo... Daymare Recordings 2005
PCP Torpedo / ANbRX (Minimax + CD, Album) Untitled (Phantomsmash... Hydra Head Records, Double H Noise Industries 2006
Samsara (2x12") Back To The Mountain (... Eyes Of Sound 2007
Pyramids (2xCD, Album) 1, 2, 3, The Echo Of S... Hydra Head Records 2008
Thaumogenesis + Thaumoradiance (2xCD, Album, RE, Comp) Thaumoremix (By James ... Daymare Recordings, Daymare Recordings, Daymare Recordings 2008
Production:
Lo Flux Tube (CD, Album)   Earache 1991
Strictly For The Hardcore: N.Y.C. Underground (CD) Sonofachippa Kado 1993
Hygiene (12")   Zeitgeist UK 1994
Jungle Concrete (12")   Possible 1996
Audiotronic (CD, Album)   Release Entertainment 1997
Protoplasmic (CD, Album)   Release Entertainment 1997
Noise Reduction II (CD, Comp) Throwing Caution To Th... Invisible, Alley Sweeper 1998
Khanate (2 versions)   Southern Lord 2001
Trifid Project (CD, EP)   Vacuum (2) 2001
Edward's Lament (CD, Album)   Neurot Recordings 2003
Things Viral (Album) (3 versions)   Southern Lord ... 2003
Live From The House Of Low Temperature! (2 versions)   Hydra Head Records ... 2004
Capture & Release (2 versions)   Hydra Head Records ... 2005
Capture & Release / Dead & Live Aktions (CD + DVD)   Daymare Recordings 2005
Chaos Is My Name (Album) (2 versions)   Hydra Head Records 2006
Clean Hands Go Foul (Album) (8 versions)   Daymare Recordings ... 2009
Secret House (CD, Album)   Hydra Head Records 2009
Mix:
Audiotronic (CD, Album)   Release Entertainment 1997
Sonics Everywhere (2xCD, Comp)   Invisible, Possible 1997
The Beast Of (CD, Enh) Decay - The Symptoms O... Southern Lord 2003
White (4xLP, Pic, Whi + Box, Ltd) Decay (The Symptoms Of... Southern Lord 2006
Appears On:
Old Lady Drivers (LP)   Earache 1988
Lo Flux Tube (Album) (3 versions)   Earache ... 1991
Masters Of Misery (CD, Comp) Who Are You? Toy's Factory 1992
The Musical Dimensions Of Sleastak (Album) (2 versions)   Earache 1993
Ambient 4: Isolationism (2xCD, Comp) Lost (Held Under) Virgin, Virgin 1994
Evanescence (Album) (4 versions)   Earache 1994
Indiscreet Stereo Test Record (CD, Comp) Chemstiks Discreet/Indiscreet, Discreet/Indiscreet 1995
Swarm Of Drones (2xCD) Drowning In Aurora Asphodel 1995
The Miracle Of Levitation (CD, Comp) Event Horizon Gentle Giant Records 1995
3rd Base (CD) Ridin' A Train Base Records 1997
Audiotronic (CD, Album)   Release Entertainment 1997
Empty Nature (CD, Album)   Relapse Records 1997
Protoplasmic (CD, Album)   Release Entertainment 1997
Bleak Memories (CD, Album)   Noise Museum 1998
Monstrous (CD, Album)   Release Entertainment 1998
Number One Of Three (Album) (2 versions)   Atavistic ... 1998
Number One Of Three / 34:13 (2xCD)   Fringecore 1998
Structure Decay - Material From FatCat's Past, Present & Future (CD, Comp, Promo) Forensics For Guitar -... FatCat Records 1998
Lágrimas De Miedo N°6 - S.i.l.o. (CD, Comp) Improvised Duet #2 Fear Drop 1999
Or Some Computer Music (CD, Album, Comp) Plex OR 1999
Six Hours One Week (CD, Album, Ltd) Outtake From Number On... Six Hours One Week 1999
9 to 5 (File, MP3) Untitled Base Records 2000
Atomsmasher (CDr)   Hydra Head Records 2000
Goatsblood (CD, Album)   Forest Records (3) 2000
Atomsmasher (CD, Album, Dig)   Double H Noise Industries, Double H Noise Industries (Europe) 2001
Khanate (Album) (2 versions)   Southern Lord ... 2001
Scenes From The Next Millennium (CD, Album)   Malignant Records 2001
Trifid Project (EP) (2 versions) Zickzack Vacuum (2) 2001
What We Did (CD)   Young God Records 2001
Infernal Proteus (4xCD, Comp) Marijuana The Ajna Offensive 2002
Live WFMU 91.1 (CDr, Ltd)   Not On Label 2002
Lotus Eaters (7", Ltd, 1st)   Drone Records 2002
Mind Control For Infants (CD, Album)   Neurot Recordings 2002
No Joy (Remix) (12")   Load Records 2003
Podsjfkj Pojid Poa / Oisdjoks (Caught In Your Orbit Remix) (7", Whi)   Double H Noise Industries 2003
Split (2 versions)   Autofact Records ... 2003
Things Viral (Album) (2 versions)   Southern Lord ... 2003
KHNTvsSTOCKHOLM (Album) (2 versions)   Not On Label ... 2004
Live From The House Of Low Temperature! (2 versions)   Hydra Head Records ... 2004
Neurot Recordings I (CD + DVD + , Comp) Untitled II, On The Up... Neurot Recordings 2004
A Combination Of Events (CD, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2005
Capture & Release (Maxi) (2 versions)   Hydra Head Records 2005
Capture & Release / Dead & Live Aktions (CD + DVD)   Daymare Recordings 2005
Dead & Live Aktions (DVD)   Hydra Head Records 2005
Fungal Hex (2x12", Pic, Ltd)   Aurora Borealis 2005
It's Cold When Birds Fall From The Sky (Album) (2 versions)   aRCHIVE 2005
Live (Album) (3 versions)   aRCHIVE ... 2005
Panopticon (Album) (3 versions)   Robotic Empire 2005
The Body Lovers / The Body Haters (2xCD)   Young God Records 2005
Your Concrete Eyes (7")   Black Horizons 2005
2 Improvisations (CD)   aRCHIVE 2006
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam (CDr, Album) The Annexing Of Jane Klanggold 2006
Animamima (2xCD, Ltd)   aRCHIVE, Important Records (2) 2006
Chaos Is My Name (Album) (2 versions)   Hydra Head Records 2006
Empty Rubious Red (2 versions)   aRCHIVE ... 2006
Grandeur Of Hair (CD, Album)   aRCHIVE 2006
Hot Ginger (CD, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2006
I (Album) (2 versions)   Aesthetic Death Records ... 2006
Live (CD, Album, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2006
Live Hex; In A Large City On The North American Continent (CD + CD, Mini + , Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2006
Reveal'd To None As Yet - An Expedience To Utterly Vanquish Consciousness While Still Alive (2xCD, Ltd)   aRCHIVE, Important Records (2) 2006
Studio And Live (CD, Album)   aRCHIVE 2006
AKA-New Humans/Vito Acconci/C.Spencer Yeh (CD)   Semishigure 2007
Aphotic Leech (CD, Album, Ltd)   Utech Records 2007
Arrogance (CD, Album)   No Fun Productions 2007
Bigjar Solo Sets (DVD, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2007
Black Shape Of Nexus (Album) (3 versions)   Vendetta Records (3) ... 2007
Blood Lightning 2007 (CD)   No Fun Productions 2007
Descension (Album) (2 versions)   Public Guilt ... 2007
Early Works (4xCD + Box, Ltd)   No Fun Productions 2007
Echoes From Deep Underground (CD, Album + DVD)   aRCHIVE 2007
Feel Inside (CD, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2007
Hands Tied Down (LP, Ltd)   Dada Drumming 2007
Infinite Death (CD)   Important Records (2) 2007
L'anse Amort (CD, Album)   20 Buck Spin 2007
Last Ten Meters (CD)   Utech Records 2007
Metals (CD, Album)   Table Of The Elements 2007
Nothing Makes Any Sense (CD)   No Fun Productions 2007
Plates And Wires (CD, Album, Ltd)   Crouton 2007
Radiance Of Shadows (Album) (3 versions)   Alien8 Recordings ... 2007
Remains (CD, Album)   No Fun Productions 2007
Summa Izbu (CDr, Album)   Not On Label 2007
Synth Destruction (CD)   Important Records (2) 2007
Taunt / Stumm (7", Single, Ltd)   Calculon Records 2007
Terminal Cases (2xCD, Mini, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2007
Thaumogenesis (Album) (2 versions)   aRCHIVE 2007
The Light Of Dark Night (CD, Album, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2007
The Stone Sentinels (CD, Album, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2007
Touched (CD, Album)   Alien8 Recordings 2007
Untitled (LP, Album, Ltd)   Tequila Sunrise Records 2007
Vacant Integument (CD, Album, Ltd)   Utech Records 2007
While God Sleeps (LP, Comp, Ora)   Lyderhorn Records 2007
While God Sleeps (CD, Album)   Lyderhorn Records 2007
Wurmwulv (CD, Album)   Troubleman Unlimited 2007
A Doorbell of Earbows for Brefix (LP)   Goat Eater Arts, KNVBI Records 2008
Adult Life (CD, Album)   No Fun Productions 2008
Amplicon (CD, Ltd)   Utech Records 2008
Another Order Of Existence (2 versions)   aRCHIVE 2008
Asmodai (CD, Album, Ltd)   Utech Records, Utech Records 2008
Astral Death (CD, Album)   Unrest Productions 2008
Black Shape Of Nexus / Crowskin (LP, Album, Ltd, Cle)   Vendetta Records (3) 2008
Bliss Torn From Emptiness (CD, Album, RE, RM, Dig)   Profound Lore Records 2008
Brainsickness // Phantasmagoria (7", Ltd)   Entropic Tarot 2008
Cabinet Of Curiosities (Cass, Ltd, C30)   Cathartic Process 2008
Canticle Of Ignat / All Glass (2 versions)   aRCHIVE 2008
Chaos Live (DVD, Ltd)   Archive 2008
Cosmic Birth (CD, Album)   Turgid Animal 2008
Cult Of Ruins (Album) (3 versions)   Alien8 Recordings ... 2008
Curses (CD, mp3)   Fysisk Format 2008
Desire For A Holy War (CD, Album)   Utech Records, Utech Records 2008
Dr Ragtime & Pals / Self Titled (Album) (2 versions) Levee, Revolt, St. Lou... Beautiful Happiness ... 2008
Dr. Ragtime And His Pals (LP, Album, Ltd)   Tequila Sunrise Records 2008
Egypt (MiniAlbum) (2 versions)   Lyderhorn Records ... 2008
Forever Waiting (Album) (2 versions)   SMTG Limited 2008
Homage To The Square Wave (LP, Ltd)   Taiga Records 2008
I-IV-V-I (2 versions)   Table Of The Elements 2008
II: Points At Infinity (CD, Album, Dig)   Profound Lore Records 2008
Island Diamonds (LP, Ltd)   Arbor 2008
June (2 versions)   Table Of The Elements 2008
Kalt (LP, Album, Pic, RM, Ltd)   E-Vinyl 2008
LSD Pond (2xCD, Album, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2008
Live / Jam Session At Lemur House (DVD-V)   aRCHIVE 2008
Live At Bigjar (CD, MiniAlbum)   aRCHIVE 2008
Mick Barr (2xDVD-V, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2008
Modorra / Fistula (Album) (2 versions)   Plague Island Records 2008
Mount Logan (2 versions)   Vendetta Records (3) 2008
Occasion (CD)   Not Not Fun Records 2008
Omen (CD, Album, Dig)   Profound Lore Records 2008
Organized Anatomy (CD, Album, Ltd)   Blossoming Noise 2008
Planks (LP)   Narshardaa Records 2008
Pyramids (2xCD, Album)   Hydra Head Records 2008
Resin (CD, Comp)   No Fun Productions 2008
Reverie (Album) (2 versions)   Graveface Records ... 2008
Salome (Album) (3 versions)   Vendetta Records (3) 2008
Schwarzhagel (CD, Album, Ltd)   Utech Records, Utech Records 2008
Semimimimimin (CD, Album, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2008
Shades Of The Swarm (Box, Ltd + 12xVinyl, Album, RE, RM)   Conspiracy Records (2), Robotic Empire 2008
Split (7", Cle)   Lyderhorn Records 2008
Split (12")   Black Box Recordings 2008
Split (12" + CDr) (Vinyl, EP)   Eyes Of Sound 2008
Telescope (12", Etch, S/Sided, Ltd, Gre)   Table Of The Elements 2008
Thaumogenesis + Thaumoradiance (2xCD, Album, RE, Comp)   Daymare Recordings, Daymare Recordings, Daymare Recordings 2008
Thaumoradiance (CD, Album, Ltd)   aRCHIVE 2008
The Bog (CD, Album, Dig)   Important Records (2) 2008
The Die Is Cast (Album) (2 versions)   Alien8 Recordings ... 2008
The Language Of Cities (2xLP, Album, RM, RE, Gat)   Golden Antenna Records, Hello Sir Records 2008
Then & Now Now & Then / Celebrating 20 Years (Album) (2 versions)   Taiga Records 2008
Trembled (Album) (2 versions)   Utech Records 2008
Truth Becomes Death (2 versions)   Conspiracy Records (2) 2008
Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck (12")   Apop Records 2008
Big Jar (Album) (2 versions)   aRCHIVE 2009
Black River (Live) (7", Ltd)   SMTG Limited 2009
Blank Grey Canvas Sky (CD, Album)   Fang Bomb 2009
Blue Fields in Paramount (CD)   Idiosyncratics (2) 2009
Champagne And Biological Women (7", Ltd)   BloodLust! 2009
Clean Hands Go Foul (Album) (8 versions)   Daymare Recordings ... 2009
Collision Zone (CD, Album)   Idiosyncratics (2) 2009
Complexed (CD, Album)   Lips infection 2009
Corephallism (CD, Mini)   Apop Records, Lascivious Aesthetics 2009
Daturah (LP + LP, S/Sided, Etch + , Album, Ltd, RM, Whi)   Denovali Records 2009
Dissipative Structure (LP, Tra)   Fedora Corpse 2009
Emeralds (5 versions)   Wagon ... 2009
Finsternis (CD, Album)   Utech Records, Utech Records, Utech Records 2009
Floods (CD, Album, Ltd)   Utech Records, Utech Records 2009
Funeral Rites For The Living (Album) (2 versions)   Vendetta Records (3) 2009
Hasegawa / Igler (Album) (2 versions)   aRCHIVE 2009
Homage To The Sine Wave (LP, Ltd)   Taiga Records 2009
In A Dark Tongue (CD, Album)   Neurot Recordings 2009
Keep An Eye Out (2 versions)   Table Of The Elements 2009
Living In Holes And Disused Shafts (CD, Album)   Utech Records 2009
MFTRM (Mist From The Random More) (CD)   Utech Records 2009
Our Enemy Civilization (LP, Ltd, Red)   Vendetta Records (3) 2009
Physical Changes (LP, Album + CD, Album + DVD-V) Things Will Not Stay T... Table Of The Elements 2009
Pyramids with Nadja (CD, Album)   Hydra Head Records 2009
Rifts (2xCD)   No Fun Productions 2009
Ring Mining (LP)   Not Not Fun Records 2009
Secret House (CD, Album)   Hydra Head Records 2009
Still (CD, EP, Ltd)   Not On Label (Mourner Self-released) 2009
The Bending Of Light (Album) (2 versions)   SMTG Limited 2009
The Invisible Mountain (CD, Album)   Utech Records 2009
The Politics Of The Irredeemable (CD, Album)   Crucial Blast 2009
This Face (Album) (3 versions)   Conspiracy Records (2) 2009
What Happened (CD, Album, Car)   No Fun Productions 2009
Tracks Appear On:
Ambient 4: Isolationism (2xCD, Comp) Lost (Held Under) Virgin, Virgin 1994
Endless 1 (CD, Comp) Slow Revolutions, Live... Manifold Records 1994
Water (CD, Comp) Dead Moon Ritual D.O.R. 1994
Indiscreet Stereo Test Record (CD, Comp) Chemstiks Discreet/Indiscreet, Discreet/Indiscreet 1995
Noise Reduction (CD) Clinton Street, Realiz... Alley Sweeper 1995
Swarm Of Drones (2xCD) Drowning In Aurora Asphodel 1995
The Miracle Of Levitation (CD, Comp) Event Horizon Gentle Giant Records 1995
Aurora Remixes (CD, Pap) Neuro (Reversed Mix), ... Rawkus Primitive 1997
Mind Your Release - Release Your Mind 2 Sampler (CD, Promo) Intruder? Release Entertainment 1997
Release Your Mind Vol. 2 (3xCD, Comp) Intruder? Release Entertainment 1997
Release Your Mind Vol. 2 (CD, Promo) Intruder? Release Entertainment 1997
A Homage To Neu! (CD) Lila Engel Cleopatra 1998
Digital Dust (CD, Comp) Drowning In Air (Bonus... Rawkus Primitive 1998
Structure Decay - Material From FatCat's Past, Present & Future (CD, Comp, Promo) Forensics For Guitar -... FatCat Records 1998
Lágrimas De Miedo N°6 - S.i.l.o. (CD, Comp) Improvised Duet #2 Fear Drop 1999
Split Series 1 - 8 (CD) Forensics For Guitar -... FatCat Records 1999
Strings And Stings (CD) The Return Of Blind Co... FBWL 1999
Dysfunctiones And Drones (CD, Album, dou) Misanthrophobia Distor... Trost Records 2003
Joints (CDr, Album, Ltd) Realize / Halo BGA 2004
Arc (9xCD + Box, Ltd) Afyon, Amfetamin Utech Records 2008
Unofficial Releases:
Backwash (CD, Album)   Not On Label 2005
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James Plotkin - Fuzzy
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Reviews & Discussion

Review by Alastis Mar 08, 2006 (edited over 3 years ago)
American musician James Plotkin was not the first to create so-called "guitar ambient" (Germany's own Maeror Tri are considered godfathers of that weird subgenre of ambient), but he was probably the first to make it more noticeable. Via his collaborations and his own projects, he shown how guitar can be used not only for traditional rock music, but all sorts of experimental sounds as well. Certainly, what he's doing is not for everyone (maybe not even suitable for an average ambient fan), but there are a lot of interesting ideas in his own work and projects with others, namely Mick Harris and Mark Spybey.

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