Extreme Music is a comprehensive dive into the outermost zones of sound and silence. Across over 450 pages, Michael Tau charts the vast and bizarre terrain of non-mainstream musical expression — from the punishing extremes of harsh noise and speedcore to the philosophical paradoxes of silence, glitch, and anti-records. Featuring over 100 interviews and archival imagery, this richly documented guide explores volume, duration, vulgarity, unplayable formats, outdated media, digital subcultures, and more. Drawing on his experience as both fan and physician, Tau uncovers the motivations, obsessions, and contradictions behind this fascinating audio underground. A definitive cultural archive for the curious and the committed.
Michael Tau is a writer, music historian, and practicing physician based in Toronto, Canada. His work has appeared in numerous underground zines and music publications. He is known for his obsessive engagement with fringe audio culture and maintains a deep interest in noise, tape scenes, and radical audio formats.
