Music

Also:

Conrad worked with the black metal band mayhem once, here's a random I thing I slung together, if anyone's interested - it doesn't seem to be common knowledge

Fans of Mayhem's messy 1986 EP "Deathcrush" will recall the rather strange instrumental track that preceeds the rest of the record. It's a strange, tribal sounding percussion based tune which contrasts strongly with the nasty bargain basement guitars and shrieked vocals elsewhere on the EP.

I'd heard years ago that it had something to do with Tangerine Dream, and decided get my Inspector Google on.

It turns out Euronymous was a huge TD freak, and actually trekked out to a member's flat in Germany on a sort of pilgrimage...

I found this exchange between Conrad Schnitzler and someone called "Warren Schofield". The Translation/English is a bit sloppy, so I've streamlined & condensed it a bit.

Hello Warren Schofield,

MAYHEM ahahah,OYSTEIN AARSETH phuu bad thing.

OK,here's my story about it all.

It was a hot summer day in Berlin in my attic flat, my wife and I had decided not to open for any visitors' Let's take our own time, don't let anybody disturb us'. So stoned we lay in the shadow of the attic,when the doorbell rang. Of course we didn't open the door we played 'we're not at home'. After an hour more ringing,nobody in.Each following hour more ringing. We got upset. I went to the door and faced a longhaired person,I didn't know,through the doorspy. Night came,the person still in front of the door,now and then a ringing. In the morning no more ringing, the person slept deeply at the door.I stormed out shouting, he remained totally cool and friendly, looking like a punker same outfit metalchains and bracelets with rivets.

I should explain that more than once, freaks had slept there (It was warm and clean). But for us it was unpleasant to trip over sleeping persons and I must confess I chased them away quite rude.

That exactly I intended to do.But his remarkable friendliness and reasonable arguments, the fact that he wanted to visit me - me the "great artist C S" , Calmed me down. I invited him in,breakfast,shower ,dinner and drinks. Afterwards we talked about my work.He told me about his band. But I couldn't really imagine what kind of music he did. I just was working on videos for a room installation. 4 Videos with music playing put at different places in the room, endless repetition.He liked the idea, and I wondered that a punk could like that. We said 'goodbye' as friends.

Now and then I recieved postcards with kind regards of him. Once on a winterday I got a card with the request of him to contribute a short piece for an LP his band wanted to publish. I took the first piece that just lay on my desk in the studio. It was SILVESTER day.I wrapped it,brought it to the post office, therefore 'SILVESTER ANFANG'. Later I got the Maxi LP from him. Unfortunately I didn't know before about the music style of the band. Otherwise I had chosen a much more ruder piece from my works. In this way a too soft piece of music is on that LP. I'll regret for ever. Years later I enjoyed the money,I've got,we had never spoken of it. From that point on I had no more personal contact with OYSTEIN AARSETH.

Then further on I heard about his pass away and the circumstances. I'm still depressed when I think about it.

MAYHEM never again asked for another piece of work,pity. That's the story of CON , OYSTEIN AARSETH , MAYHEM, Noway and maybe over forever. I hope I could help to answer your questions. So long CON Thanks to Warren Schofield for permission to reprint this.

https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/archive/index.php/t-323.html