Nihilist Spasm Band

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Nihilist Spasm Band
Also known asNSB
Origin London, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Years active1965 (1965)–present
Labels Alchemy
MembersJohn Clement
John Boyle
Murray Favro
Art Pratten
Past membersArchie Leitch
Greg Curnoe
Hugh McIntyre
Bill Exley
Website www.nonsb.ca

The Nihilist Spasm Band (NSB) is a Canadian noise band formed in 1965 in London, Ontario, by Hugh McIntyre, John Clement, John Boyle, Bill Exley, Murray Favro, Archie Leitch, Art Pratten, and Greg Curnoe. [1] The term "spasm band" refers to a band that uses homemade instruments. [2]

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Leitch has since retired, Curnoe was struck and killed by a pickup truck while cycling in 1992. Aya Ohnishi (a Japanese fan who organized NSB tours of Japan) joined the band on drums starting in 1999. McIntyre died of heart failure in 2004. Bill Exley died in July of 2025.

The Nihilist Spasm Band have been cited as an influence on Sonic Youth, Negativland and Einstürzende Neubauten.

History

The Nihilist Spasm Band was formed in 1965, bringing together a group of individuals who frequented Greg Curnoe's art studio on King Street in London, Ontario. The band secured a Monday night residency at the York Hotel, performing as a noise experiment in exchange for free drinks. That residency eventually moved to another bar (Victoria Tavern) and later, the band was given a permanent space at the Forest City Gallery (opened in 1973). The band played the Gallery regularly for years thereafter. [3]

Most of the NSB's instruments are modifications of other instruments, or wholly invented by the members. In addition to the homemade instruments, members are encouraged to improvise. The range of the improvisation is such that instruments are not tuned to each other, tempos and time signatures are not imposed, and the members push the ranges of their instrumentation by engaging in constant innovation and ever-increasing volume over the course of a performance. [4]

Regular jam sessions would also take a place at No Haven, a cottage owned by Curnoe in Grand Bend, Ontario. [5] The band also represented Canada at the 1969 edition of Biennale de Paris, performing at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris. [6]

The Nihilist Spasm Band has performed in France on several occasions, in addition to shows in England, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic and two different tours of Japan (1996 and 2016). Recordings from the second NSB tour of Japan were released on compact disc by Alchemy Records. [7]

The Nihilist Spasm Band celebrated its 50th anniversary of live performance in 2015. It marked the occasion with a series of live appearances with American jazz musician Joe McPhee in London, Guelph and Toronto. [8] [9]

Influence and legacy

The Nihilist Spasm Band have been cited as an influence on Sonic Youth, Negativland and Einstürzende Neubauten. [10] [11]

The Nihilist Spasm Band opened for Sonic Youth at the Kool Haus in Toronto in 2002. [12] Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore also played with NSB at the Forest City Gallery in 1998. This performance can be found on the No Music Box CD collection from Forced Exposure. [13] When Bill Exley passed in 2025, Moore called him "the greatest lead vocalist in the history of music" as part a tribute post on Instagram. [14]

In 2004, members of R.E.M. jammed with NSB members at the London's Dissent club. R.E.M. was visiting London to perform at the John Labatt Centre. [15]

Best-selling Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell was taught and inspired by NSB vocalist Bill Exley at Elmira District Secondary School, where Exley worked for many years as a teacher. [15]

Zev Asher's documentary film What About Me: The Rise of The Nihilist Spasm Band premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2000. Drawing from the inspiration of finding a copy of the Nihilist Spasm Band's first L.P. No Canada in the pile of 1970's ephemera in his family's basement, the documentary explores the legacy of the NSB as Canadian noise music pioneers.

The Nihilist Spasm Band were inducted into the London Music Hall of Fame in 2003, alongside Helix, the Demics and several other artists. [16]

Discography

Appears on

Members

Guest performers

Previous members

References

  1. Pareles, Jon (August 28, 1997). "A Really Old Noise Band Makes a New York Debut: For three decades, mixing nihilism and a kazoo". The New York Times. ProQuest   109778484.
  2. Gold, Robert S. (1975). Jazz Talk . Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. pp.  255–256. ISBN   0672520931.
  3. Hampton, Chris (September 18, 2018). "No Birthday". The Walrus. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  4. Freedman, Adele (February 8, 1978). "Music of Cruelty: The Nihilist Spasm Band wants the audience to suffer". The Globe and Mail : page A4. ProQuest   1238312217.
  5. Bowering, George (September 18, 2015). "Al Purdy's iconic A-frame cottage". CottageLife.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  6. "The Nihilist Spasm Band - Interview". Psychedelic Baby Magazine. November 24, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  7. "Nihilist Spasm Band - Concert Map". Setlist.fm. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  8. Stewart Reaney, James (September 11, 2015). "My London: No music, but lots of mayhem". London Free Press. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  9. "Nihilist Spasm Band reunite with Joe McPhee for 50th Anniversary". The Wire. April 9, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  10. Rathbone, Oregano (February 25, 2015). "No Record: Nihilist Spasm Band". Record Collector . Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  11. "Notes for Music Collector Geeks". nwwlist.konshak.org. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013.
  12. "08/15/02 - Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus". SonicYouth.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  13. "03/28/98 - London, Ontario @ Forest City Gallery". SonicYouth.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  14. ""Bill Exley the greatest lead vocalist in the history of music has passed away"". Instagram - @thurstonmoore58. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  15. 1 2 Stewart Reaney, James (October 22, 2014). "Nobody tells Nihilist Spasm Band what to do, but they do Europe next week". London Free Press. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  16. Stewart Reaney, James (May 27, 2015). "My London: Hall of Fame salutes local music icons". London Free Press. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  17. Martin, Sandra (December 24, 2004). "HUGH MclNTYRE, MAKER OF 'NOISE' MUSIC 1936-2004". The Globe and Mail: page S7. ProQuest   1368502404.