Back in 1990, I remember a conversation with a friend who asked me if I liked ‘industrial’ music. Having just picked up a copy of Revolting Cocks “Beers, Steers and Queers,” I said “yes.” He quickly ridiculed me and told me that I had no idea what ‘real industrial music’ was.But thanks to fine folks at Rhino Entertainment and Alternative Press and their collection “Industrial Strength Machine Music: The Framework of Industrial Rock 1978-1995,” I was able to call up my friend and rehash a nine-year-old argument.The fact is, is that industrial music changed so much from what most consider its beginnings with Throbbing Gristle to its current state, which includes bands like Sister Machine Gun and Filter, that it’s truly difficult to define.The compilation is an attempt to answer that question of “What is ‘industrial’ music?” And the collection succeeds.The 16-track album starts with the aforementioned Throbbing Gristle, who much like John Cage, found music in everything. With a focus more on the use of electronic and mechanical noise and tape loops instead of instruments, they destroyed and reconstructed ideas of what is ‘music.’The album shoots off from there on a 17-year path of musical chaos. It hits some of the major groups in the genre such as Coil, Einsturzende Neubauten, Skinny Puppy and KMFDM (which stands for Kein Mehrheit Fur Die Mitleid by the way). Finally it comes to an end with a previously unreleased live version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Gave Up,” featuring Trent Reznor’s beautifully tortured screams.The disc is solid throughout, never once hitting a low point. For the uninitiated, this would be the place to start because it does feature so many different styles. For those that are familiar with the music, it’s a way to see just how the genre developed, more like a really cool history lesson.The only major problem with this collection is that it’s not long enough to be complete. It skips over important groups like Laibach, Psychic TV, Front Line Assembly or even Nitzer Ebb.But overall the collection is good. My personal tastes pointed me towards the second half of the album which contains songs from Meat Beat Manifesto, Ministry, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, and Nine Inch Nails.And yes, Revolting Cocks show up too with the second previously unreleased track on the album, the original version of their cover of Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical (Let’s Get)” which had been legally suppressed by the songwriters. And if you like that, find a copy of their cover of Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m…Sexy.”Also, if you’re looking for a more complete collection of various industrial music, look for “Black Box Wax Trax: The First 13 years,” which is a three-CD set of artists signed to the Wax Trax label.