Pigfuck

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Pigfuck is a subgenre of noise rock, originally coined as "pigfucker" by music journalist Robert Christgau in a 1987 Pazz & Jop essay in the Village Voice to describe the music of Sonic Youth and Big Black. The label later became associated with the sounds of American post-hardcore and noise rock groups like Big Black, Butthole Surfers, Cows, Scratch Acid, Killdozer, Pussy Galore, the Jesus Lizard and Flipper along with artists associated with the independent record labels Touch and Go and Amphetamine Reptile.

Contents

Etymology and characteristics

Christgau in 2010 Robert Christgau 02 (cropped).jpg
Christgau in 2010

In 1987, music journalist Robert Christgau in his Pazz & Jop annual poll in the Village Voice used the term "pigfucker" [1] to label the music of early Sonic Youth. [2] [3] He referred to them as "the old farts of pigfuckerdom" along with Big Black as the "young farts of pigfuckerdom". [3] [4] [5] The term "pigfucker" later evolved into the label "pigfuck" which began to be used as a description for noise rock and post-hardcore bands in the late 1980s associated with the independent record labels Touch and Go [6] and Amphetamine Reptile. [7] [8]

Pigfuck has been described as a musical subgenre. [9] [10] According to writer Stephen Slaybaugh, the genre was characterized by "elevated decibel levels, frayed sonics, and often salacious subject matter". [7] While writer JR Moores, noted that pigfuck had been a synonym for noise rock. [11] According to Ivan Kreilkamp writing for Spin , pigfuck acts "used obscenity and noise as tools to nobly rip apart and revitalize the American rock counterculture". [12]

History

Origins: 1980s–1990s

Big Black at Chicago's Union Station in 1986; left to right: Riley, Albini, and Durango Big Black (1986).jpg
Big Black at Chicago's Union Station in 1986; left to right: Riley, Albini, and Durango

Nick Cave's group the Birthday Party has been cited as an early influence on the pigfuck sound. [13] [14] While Pitchfork referred to Swans' Michael Gira as a "proto-pigfucker". [15] The Quietus , referred to Flipper's "Sex Bomb" as "proto-pigfuck". [16] After Robert Christgau coined the term to deride the music of Sonic Youth, various acts embraced the moniker. [7] Steve Albini is noted as part of the movement. [17] According to the New Yorker , Albini's noise rock band Big Black exemplified the style, [9] with Spin noting that albums such as Atomizer inspired the coinage. [18] Pitchfork noted that Albini's project Shellac aimed to one-up the several pigfuck acts that he inspired. [19] [3] [20] Other artists considered part of the pigfuck movement include Scratch Acid, [21] Pussy Galore, [12] Killdozer, [6] Butthole Surfers, [22] [12] [2] Cows, [7] Cherubs, [7] the Jesus Lizard, [23] [24] and Flipper. [16]

2000s–2020s

During the 2010s, acts such as Pissed Jeans were described as "nu-pigfuck", [25] while Pop. 1280 was labelled by Treble as "breathing new life" into the pigfuck movement. [26] The noise rock band Chat Pile have been described as pigfuck. [27] [28] [29] Other acts include Nerver, Intercourse, Tunic, and Couch Slut. [30]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Stegall, Tim. "15 bands who are crucial to the history of noise music". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  2. 1 2 Hunt, Jeremy (2024). From Chaos to Ambiguity: A Theology of Noise Rock. Pickwick Publications. p. 37.
  3. 1 2 3 Christgau, Robert (1987-03-03). "Robert Christgau: Pazz & Jop 1986: Township Jive Conquers the World". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  4. ↑ Weingarten, Christopher R. (2011-08-31). "The Men, Pop. 1280, White Suns, and Pygmy Shrews Regrease Pigfuck". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  5. ↑ Sundermann, Eric (2013-02-27). "The Men Get Out of the Gutter". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  6. 1 2 Pitchfork (2006-09-06). "Touch and Go 25". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Slaybaugh, Stephen. "The Agit Reader • What's the Rumpus? The Pigfuck Top 10". www.agitreader.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  8. ↑ "Noise rock: A how-to guide for the perplexed". The Toilet Ov Hell. 2018-02-12. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  9. 1 2 Frere-Jones, Sasha (2005-04-04). "Slow Fade". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  10. ↑ Pizzola, Thomas (2020-01-03). "Best Of 2019:Top Noise Rock by Thomas Pizzola". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  11. ↑ Moores, JR (November 28, 2022). Electric Wizards: A Tapestry of Heavy Music, 1968 to the Present. Reaktion Books. p. 203. ISBN   9781789144499.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  12. 1 2 3 Kreilkamp, Ivan (March 1998). "Dirty White Boys and Girls". Spin . p. 136.
  13. ↑ Terich, Jeff (2013-02-25). "Hold on to Your Genre: Noise Rock". Treble. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  14. ↑ Blenkarn, Matthew (2016-10-11). "An Essential Guide to Nick Cave". Exclaim. Retrieved 2026-10-19.
  15. ↑ Heller, Jason. "Swans: Filth". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  16. 1 2 Quietus, The (2016-03-29). "Quietus Writers' Top 40 Noise Rock Tracks". The Quietus. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  17. ↑ Guzmn, Rafer (1998-06-03). "The Lizard king". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  18. ↑ Marks, Craig; Weisbard, Eric (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide.
  19. ↑ Heller, Jason (2014-07-30). "Steve Albini's 10 Best Records". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  20. ↑ Cashin, Cal (2024-05-09). "Steve Albini Remembered | Features". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  21. ↑ Weingarten, Christopher R.; Spanos, Brittany; Exposito, Suzy; Reeves, Mosi; Grow, Kory; Harris, Keith; Fischer, Reed; Gehr, Richard; Johnston, Maura (2021-07-01). "40 Greatest One-Album Wonders". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  22. ↑ Levine, Joshua (2014-08-13). "Get Feisty and Foxy with Shovel at Tempe Tavern on Friday". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  23. ↑ Breihan, Tom (2009-06-10). "Jesus Lizard Reveal Reissue Details, Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  24. ↑ L. Ray, Austin. "The Jesus Lizard: Touch and Go Reissues". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  25. ↑ Reed, David. "PISSED JEANS". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  26. ↑ Terich, Jeff (2012-01-23). "Pop. 1280 : The Horror". Treble. Retrieved 2026-10-19.
  27. ↑ Breihan, Tom (2021-08-17). "Stream Portrayal Of Guilt & Chat Pile's Ugly, Ferocious New Split 7"". stereogum.com. Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  28. ↑ Sherburne, Philip. "Chat Pile: "Slaughterhouse"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
  29. ↑ Quietus, The (2022-08-24). "Straight Hedge! Noel Gardner Reviews Punk & HC For August". The Quietus. Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  30. ↑ Ghoulson, Sean (2026-09-11). "Who Loves the Dentist?". The Toilet Ov Hell. Retrieved 2026-10-28.
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