I mean specifically the more avant-garde stuff based around things like feedback loops, distortion, and white noise, like Merzbow or the Incapacitants. I personally consider it valid as music, but exploring different techniques and sensibilities than "normal" music.
Any noise groups/musicians y'all like?
I'm kind of in awe you got to see them. That's cool as hell. What kind of setup did you use to have?
A huge influence on my personal taste was Macronympha and their audio of mechanical chaos: the sound of a factory in its death throes. For a time I was working doing repair on laundry equipment—what's called "OPL" or on-premises laundry, the big machines they use in hospitals, nursing homes, hotels and the like. A lot of these big machines, when the washing hits the extract cycle to spin out all the water, can deliver over 100 Gs of force depending on how loaded they are. When a belt's wearing out or when a drum bearing is near failure you can get some incredible and terrifying sounds. Used a lot of those layered with distortion and a neat boutique ring modulator I think I still have somewhere. It was a while ago and I lost any backups I had unfortunately.
I don't know where you're at now but I really suggest getting back into making stuff
I really appreciate you saying that. Not really at a good place in my life right now (who is!), but if/when that changes we'll see. Still got all my old equipment!