Interrogation Machine: Laibach and NSK (Short Circuits)
by Alexei Monroe
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alexei MonroeForeword: Slavoj ?i?ek
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-10-14
ISBN: 0262633159
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: The MIT Press
Book Reviews of Interrogation Machine: Laibach and NSK (Short Circuits)
Book Review: Difficult, but generally on target
Summary: 4 Stars
OK Laibach fans, I broke down and bought the book knowing that it would probably be very academic in style. Well, it is. Somewhat surprisingly, the author admits as much in the Preface. He flat out states that there are some chapters that people may want to skip and that that's just fine.
Here's some comments in a fairly random order:
-This book is interesting in that it provides a lot of the Slovenian context for Laibach's work. As an American, I have always found Laibach's use of totalitarian imagery as challenging. But, I always saw it as an aesthetic statement, often intended with humor behind it. Which I still believe it is. However, in the Slovenian context, it's more than that. The specific images chosen and in some cases the exact music and lyrics/quotes sampled were very provocative to Slovenes. I believe that the author is correct in describing that both reactions were intended. Laibach was trying to make a very Slovene statement AND were trying to make an international statement. Most Laibach art is intended to have multiple interpretations, leaving the audience to either figure it out or be faced with other audience members right in front of them having the opposite reaction. The authors description of Laibach audiences including both right wing skinheads and left wingers touches on this. The bigger idea is that Slovenia became part of the world by becoming itself.
-The author describes a number of times that Laibach was also interrogating western market economics in the 90s in the same way that it interrogated eastern totalitarianism. I get that this is partially true but to me the case is weaker. "Market censorship" is self-chosen by the audiences and therefore is not the same as using force. It's much more of a situation like in the movie The Matrix where as long as people know they have a choice at some level, they are willing to go along. And, just as there was always an option for some number of people to opt out, that case exists in the West. It's even becoming more practical as the interconnections between people expands across the internet.
-There is some really interesting philosophy embedded here describing how the most threatening thing that can be done to power is to actually embrace its vision rather than be cynical about it. Anyone who has worked in a large corporation will get this because there is nothing that stops business productivity more than literally following a company's procedures to the letter. Laibach did this exact thing in Yugoslavia by be more totalitarian than the totalitarians. It's truly interesting to reflect on how power structures actually benefit from people not believing in them rather than believing.
-Ultimately, my interpretation of Laibach's and the NSK State's overall message is that we need to make our peace with tribalism in order to get past it. So, Laibach bring forward the instinctive human desires for power and purity within a group and turns it into an aesthetic experience. We can express it, enjoy it, and participate...then go home. By creating a state without borders, people can choose to be part of a defined group but without the need to fight over territory or force others to do believe differently. Rooting for sports teams, worshipping rock stars, these are all manifestations of this. Laibach's brilliance is that they allow you to see the inherent irony and humor in all of it. And, anything that can be laughed at ceases to be a real threat.
End Result: This is a philosophy book and not a music review. Although, it does have one chapter that talks about the first 4-5 records. If you naturally read philosophy and like Laibach, go for it. If you only like the music, then you may want to pass. If you don't like either the music or philosophy then I am really surprised you're reading this review.
Summary of Interrogation Machine: Laibach and NSK (Short Circuits)
NSK is considered by many to be the last true avant-garde of the twentieth century and the most consistently challenging artistic force in Eastern Europe today. The acronym refers to Neue Slowenische Kunst, a Slovene collective that emerged in the wake of Tito's death and was shaped by the breakup of Yugoslavia. Its complex and disturbing work -- in fields including experimental music and theater, painting, philosophy, writing, performance, and design -- has an international following but a powerful and specific cultural context. Within the NSK organization are a number of divisions, the best-known of which is Laibach, an alternative music group known for its blending of popular culture with subversive politics, high art with underground provocation -- reflecting the political and cultural chaos of its time.In Interrogation Machine, Alexei Monroe offers the first critical appraisal of the entire NSK phenomenon, from its elaborate organizational structure and its internal logics to its controversial public actions. The result is a fascinating portrait not only of NSK but of the complex political and cultural context within which it operates. Monroe analyzes the paradoxes, perplexities, and traumas of NSK's work at its deepest levels. His investigation of the relationships between conceptual content, stylistic method, and ideological subtext demonstrates the relevance of NSK in general and Laibach in particular to current debates about culture, power, war, politics, globalization, the marketplace, and life itself. As Slavoj Zizek writes in his foreword, "Today, the lesson of Laibach is more pertinent than ever."Monroe uses a variety of theoretical and historical approaches, as is appropriate to the shifting and elusive nature of his subject. The use of theory reflects NSK's own theoretical engagement; it is also a valuable way to read the issues raised by the work. Neither oversimplifying nor uncritically mystifying, Monroe leaves intact the "gaps, contradictions, and shadows" inherent in his subject, demonstrating that "it should still be possible to appreciate the work as art that moves, confuses, agitates, or fascinates."
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