Influential musician and producer Monte Cazazza has died at age 68. Cazazza was most famous for creating the term “industrial” when describing aggressive electronic rock: “industrial music for industrial people”, was the phrase he coined to describe the genre coming out of Throbbing Gristle’s label Industrial Records, which Cazazza was signed to.
Cazazza’s death was announced by friend and longtime collaboration Meri St. Mary, who confirmed his death on Friday, 30th June. “It is With immense sadness and Love I had to let Monte go,” Mary wrote. “He was very ill and in pain so I take comfort in the fact that that part is over but I miss him already! Where ever it is we go off to I am certain He will be causing trouble in his own way RIP the One and Only Monte Cazazza. (sic)”
Industrial Rock Pioneer Monte Cazazza Dies
His cause of death has not been revealed.
Born in California in 1954, Cazazza quickly gained a reputation for sound and sculpture work that was heavy on shock value. As Consequence of Sound notes, the artist was expelled from California College for Arts and Crafts for one of his sculpture assignments: he created a cement waterfall that broke the stairway of the a building.
Turning his attention to music, Cazazza would release eight solo albums across his career, and work with countless artists including Factrix, Chaos of the Night, The Atom Smashers, and The Love Force. Cazazza was one of the very first artists signed to the legendary Industrial Records label created by London collective Throbbing Gristle.
Cazazza’s last album The Cynic arrived in 2010.
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