Artist who coined the term “Industrial music”, Monte Cazzana, has died aged 68

American artist and composer Monte Cazzana, best known for his seminal role in shaping industrial music, has passed away at the age of 68.

The news was confirmed by fellow artist and musical collaborator Meri St. Mey on June 30, via a twitter message.

The artist wrote: “It is With immense sadness and Love I had to let Monte go. He was very ill & 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 & Only Monte Cazazza.”

Cazzaza is credited with creating the “Industrial Music for Industrial People” phrase that was then used to sum up the record label Industrial Records — encompassing its values and the outlook and personas of the artists creating under the imprint.

Much of his early musical work is difficult to source, due to this he is best associated with his work in print and sound collage, a technique using previous sound recordings or musical scores to create new compositions.

His career began in San Francisco, where he quickly built a reputation within the underground series for his practices as an unpredictable, explosive performer who promoted arguably dangerous and counter-cultural aesthetics.

The Industrial Culture Handbook by Re/Search Magazine known, according to the website, for its “Counterculture and incredibly strange publishing since 1977” , described Cazzaza’s work as “insanity-outbreaks thinly designed as art events”.

He frequently collaborated with artists like Factrix , Chaos of the night and The Atom Smashers, with his last album “The Cynic” releasing in 2010.

He will be remembered for his boundary pushing performances within the art world, and leaves behind an unforgettable legacy.

Tiffany Ibe is Mixmag’s Digital intern, follow her on Instagram