Jeff Witscher (born August 13, 1983) is an American electronic musician.
Jeff Witscher | |
|---|---|
 Jeff Witscher in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Rene Hell, Secret Abuse, Marble Sky, Abelar Scout, Impregnable |
| Born | August 13, 1983 |
| Origin | Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | |
Biography
editWitscher has recorded and performed under many aliases, of which the best-known is Rene Hell.[1][2][3][4]
Witscher got his start in the underground music scene in Los Angeles, CA in the early 2000s performing with his brother Greg in groups such as Rainbow Blanket and Cruel Face. In 2004 he started the label Callow God, releasing music by many important west coast Harsh Noise artists. Following a move to Iowa City in 2007 Witscher began using the moniker Rene Hell. During this time he began the label Agents of Chaos, on which he released the earliest Rene Hell releases along with releases by Keith Fullerton Whitman, Greg Davis and many others.
In 2013 he released Vanilla Call Option on PAN.[5]
In 2018 he released Approximately 1,000 Beers under his name on his own imprint Salon.[6]
In April 2019 he performed at the festival Neo-Pastiche: Changes in American Music at Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center in Asheville, NC alongside Petr Kotik, the S.E.M. Ensemble and other contemporary experimental artists.[7]
In May 2019 Witscher and Jack Callahan performed their collaborative piece What Happens on Earth Stays on Earth at ISSUE Project Room.[8] In late 2020 Callahan and Witscher founded the contemporary music label Flea.[9]
Discography
editAs Rene Hell
edit- Vanilla Call Option LP (PAN, 2013)
- Music for Reliquary House / In 1980 I Was a Blue Square (split with Oneohtrix Point Never LP (NNA Tapes, 2012)
- The Terminal Symphony LP (Type, 2011)
- Porcelain Opera LP (Type, 2010)
As Jeff Witscher
edit- Bifurcating A Resounding No! CD (Salon, 2014)
- Approximately 1,000 Beers CD (Salon, 2018)
- Cob Music Cassette (Bánh Mì Verlag, 2019)
References
edit- ^ Witscher, Jeff (2 May 2011). ""Hello, Rene Hell!"" (Interview). Interviewed by Charlie Jones. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ Rich, Mark (4 May 2011). "Rene Hell Explains the Conscious and Unconscious Shift of The Terminal Symphony". Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ Witsher, Jeff (4 October 2013). "INTERVIEW: Rene Hell" (Interview). Interviewed by Ned Raggett. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ Witscher, Jeff (20 February 2015). "Jeff Witscher brings hardy, heady electronic music to Boston". The Boston Globe (Interview). Interviewed by Steve Smith. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
- ^ "Rene Hell "Vanilla Call Option"". PAN. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Jeff Witscher "Approximately 1,000 Beers"". www.tinymixtapes.com. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "NEO PASTICHE: CHANGES IN AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL". Black Mountain College + Arts Center. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "JEFF WITSCHER (RENE HELL) & JACK CALLAHAN (DIE REIHE): WHAT HAPPENS ON EARTH STAYS ON EARTH". 4 May 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Jack Callahan & Jeff Witscher The Past, Present and Future of Experimental Music (Uncut GRM)". 1 October 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2021.