Limacon are a mobile noise unit from Houston, Texas consisting of Mari (Isabella K), Lucy Ramirez, and Cindi Guerrero, who specialize in ear- frying walls of noise designed to give you a bad, bad case of tinnitus. Isabella K, along with Ella from EEE, is also a member of the sporadic side project Anal Drill, whose destructive MSNP release STIMULATING THE MASOCHIST was reviewed in an earlier issue. This actually began as an Anal Drill interview, something to keep in mind regarding the questions....
DA: Who exactly is Anal Drill? Is it just Isabella and Ella?
MARI: Anal Drill was a project that was started (in the beginning) by Richard Ramirez of Black Leather Jesus. I (as Isabella K) assisted on occasion. Eventually, Anal Drill was material by myself and Ella (EEE) mixed down by Richard Ramirez. He was sort of the mastermind behind the project, but not a member. Also, Anal Drill is not at all my main focus on noise, that comes from Limacon.
DA: Finding women working in this genre is unusual (or has been until recently) -- welcome, to be sure, but still unusual. How did you get into the noise field in general and Anal Drill in particular?
LUCY: I got into doing "noise" because when I first heard it, I thought is was so interesting how sounds were created and presented. I see it to be artistic. I was so impressed by what I've heard, I couldn't help but not want to indulge myself.
MARI: To me it was a fun experience when I started experimenting with my cousin Richard Ramirez's noise equipment. After the first time I tried it, I found myself wanting to do more noise.
CINDI: Noise (industrial) was something that I was totally unaware of. It interested me in what these artists were doing and how it was being done. I felt it was something I'd like to try.
DA: What other projects have you been involved with?
ALL: Limacon is the main focus of our noiseworks, Mari did Anal Drill with Ella, but as for Anal Drill material, that remains to be seen/heard. No, there are not any other projects other than Limacon. We don't have time for it. We're too busy with schooling and work.
DA: Tell me about the upcoming four-woman project Limacon, this sounds interesting. [cw: You can tell this was originally an Anal Drill interview, eh?]
ALL: Initially this was an idea that Richard had come up with. To have an all-female noise unit. It was called Hand Water, but then it took on its own identity when Cindi came up with the Limacon name. To understand what Limacon means, LOOK IT UP!!!
DA: A criticism some people have of the noise genre is that it sometimes wanders into sexist/sociopathic territory (ie., Whitehouse, Intrinsic Action, etc.) I'm curious as to Anal Drill's perspective on this, particularly in light of the cover for STIMULATING THE MASOCHIST, which is not what one would expect from an all-female group....
MARI: Yes, sometimes I am repulsed by some approaches "noise" artists take and use. Not all artists are alike. We are not a band that would ever use sex and gore to sell Limacon releases. On the other hand, what we do with spin-off projects (Anal Drill) is something that has nothing to do with Limacon. I use the name Isabella K to separate the two. Both are totally different perceptions of my works.
LUCY: I don't mind if artists want to show the negative side of life or events, that's their right. I like some of those artists' noise. That does not affect how I feel about them or their music.
DA: How do you see Limacon as fitting into the noise scene?
ALL: We don't want Limacon just to be known as "the all-female" noise band. We want to just be Limacon (nothing specific). We want people to like us for our noise, not our gender.
DA: Do you perceive your work as having any kind of thematic meaning, or is just noise for the sake of noise?
ALL: We are not a theme-based group. It's just noise for the sake of noise. If we decide to use a theme, then we'll take it from there. At this point, no.
DA: Do you consider STIMULATING THE MASOCHIST representative of the sound you're trying to achieve, or is it merely a step in the right direction?
ALL: The STM release from Anal Drill is more of constant tone/texture changes, whereas for Limacon, it's a wall of noise like Hijokaidan. There is always room for change, but never for weakness (in sound).
DA: Does the band have any interest in live performance? If so, how do you approach presenting your work onstage?
ALL: At this point, Lucy is the only one that is very interested in branching out into the live aspect of it. Mari and Cindi are still pondering the idea, let's just say. If a live show were ever to happen, there would be focus on not only the sound, but visually representing our sound.
DA: What's the noise/experimental scene like in Houston? I know about the Pain Teens, but that's about it....
MARI: First off, Pain Teens are no longer. [cw: Actually, they DO still exist and have a new release on Trance scheduled for August; they've just been keeping a ridiculously low profile.] I really wouldn't consider them experimental/noise, either. Second many bands here are not into working together. It's more working against each other. Many don't play live, many don't release their works. Only a selected few do anything: Black Leather Jesus, White Wall, Rotten Piece, Thee Know, David Gilden, Richard Ramirez, Kaibutsu, Cyclops Joint, Research 4, Fetus Furs, Anal Drill are even worth mentioning. There are also a lot of snobs here in the scene (anti-scene).
DA: Anything new on the horizon from Limacon/Anal Drill? Where are you headed in terms of sound and the scope of your work?
ALL: As for Limacon, a second tape on Deadline Records. Possible tape releases from other foreign labels. Maybe even a 7" by the end of the year. With Anal Drill, no plans for releases anytime soon or at all.
DA: Any favorite bands (known or unknown) you'd like to champion for a moment?
LUCY: I enjoy the works of Merzbow, C.C.C.C., Infant Mortality Rate, Black Leather Jesus, Macronympha, and Incapacitants.
MARI: Merzbow, Richard Ramirez, Slave Labour, Daniel Menche, Skin Crime, Macronympha, and Masonna.
CINDI: C.C.C.C., Hijokaidan, Merzbow, Namanax, Black Leather Jesus, and Haters.
ALL: We all mutually dislike the works of Aube!!!
We give thanks to Richard Ramirez/Black Leather Jesus Gang and Macronympha for their help and support of our works. To hell with those who didn't think we could do it.
Here are some new bands to check out: Rend, Blister Pack, Bacillus, Kiddy Porn, Hive, Boy With Sick Ear, Crank Sturgeon, Thee Know, White Wall, Maned WOlf, Smut Wrench, Fetus Furs, Bilek, Outermost, and Raised in Meat. To contact Limacon/Anal Drill, write to: DEADLINE RECORDS, 17010 Blairwood, Houston, Texas 77049, USA.