Merzbow

Merzbow is an extreme experimental music project created in Tokyo in 1979 under the direction of musician Masami Akita. Recognized as one of the earliest projects in what has become known as "Japanese noise," Merzbow has released hundreds of recordings since its inception.

The name Merzbow is derived from Kurt Schwitters's "Merzbau" and is pronounced the same way. Originally formed as a duo, with Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani, Merzbow became a solo project for Akita when Mizutani left in 1989.

In 1991, Merzbow transformed into a trio with the addition of Reiko Azuma on electronics and voice, and Tetsuo Sakaibara (aka Bara) on voice and dance. However, since 1999, it has once again been solely led by Masami Akita.