John Bender

**John Bender** is a pioneering figure in the DIY experimental and industrial music scene, known for his lo-fi, tape-manipulated soundscapes that feel ahead of their time. Active since the late 1970s, Bender emerged from Cincinnati’s underground art-punk circles, crafting raw, minimalist compositions using reel-to-reel tapes, homemade electronics, and eerie vocal distortions. His work—like the hypnotic *Pop Surgery* (1981) and the brooding *Plaster Falling* (1982)—blurs the line between musique concrète and post-punk, earning cult status for its gritty innovation. Tracks like *I Don’t Remember Now / I Don’t Want to Talk About It* (1980) showcase his knack for turning stark, repetitive rhythms into oddly meditative chaos. Despite his low profile, Bender’s influence ripples through noise, industrial, and avant-garde communities, cementing him as a quiet rebel of analog experimentation.

Genres

Cold Wave

Latest Release

Pop Surgery

John Bender

Album - 12 Tracks - Released September 14, 2018