[3] Gira's summation of the name follows along the lines of: "Swans are majestic, beautiful looking creatures. Children of God (1987) further expanded Jarboe's role, acting as a foil to Michael Gira's tales of suffering, torture and humiliation. It was less successful than the previous two Skin albums. None of the traditional genre bullshit, you know? After the Children of God album, Gira professed himself tired with the band's fearsome reputation for noise, feeling that their audience now had expectations that he had no intention of fulfilling. In later years Gira dismissed this release as a mistake, and for a long time refused to reissue his own vocal version, although Jarboe's version was re-released much sooner. The first results of this shift in direction were the two records recorded by Gira and Jarboe under the names Skin (in Europe) and World of Skin (in the US). Jarboe remained the band's only constant member except Gira and semi-constant guitarist Norman Westberg until their dissolution in 1997. [9], Cop (1984) and the originally untitled Young God EP were both released in 1984 and re-released together on CD in 1992. Howlin' Wolf. It communicated to me in a very special way, and taught me that heavy metal could be stripped of everything and reduced to its most primal form. In between the two poles, there are pieces like "Sex, God, Sex" (heavy metal-like bass riffs with blues and gospel-inspired singing), "Blood and Honey" (a murder ballad with early post-rock tendencies) and "Blind Love" (a lengthy song, alternating between intoned vocals and violent instrumental passages). [6] However, the minimal chord structures owe more to blues, while the jazz instrumentation and awkward time signatures are evidence of Swans' roots in the no wave scene of the late 1970s,[6] which had more or less collapsed by the release of 1984's Cop. Think She Loves Us or Cloud of Unknowing. [citation needed]. Marginally associated with the no wave scene at first, their original sound was slow and extremely heavy, with live.. [39] The album itself was released on October 25. [9] Filth was the first album to feature guitarist Norman Westberg, who would play a vital role in much of Swans' music and would feature on every subsequent studio album apart from Love of Life. Michael Gira has repeatedly stated he took the moniker Swans as it described the sound he wanted best. 1986's Greed saw a new addition to the group with vocalist/keyboardist Jarboe joining the band. One of few acts to emerge from the New York City-based no wave scene and stay intact into the next decade, Swans have become recognized for an ever-changing sound, exploring genres such as noise rock, post-punk, industrial and post-rock. [4], Kane compares Swans to blues icon Chester Burnett, a.k.a. In 1987 the band moved to Caroline Records and issued Children of God, a double album that marked the real transition between the two parts of the band’s sound. in Utrecht, The Netherlands, including Wire, Silver Apples, Ben Frost, Prurient and Words To The Blind, a project by Savages together with Japanese band Bo Ningen. [20] To help raise money for the upcoming new Swans album, Gira released a new solo album, I Am Not Insane, via his Young God Records website. Michael Gira has repeatedly stated he took the moniker Swans as it described the sound he wanted best. The Swans discography is a long and winding journey, encompassing multiple genres and changes in sound. The intention was neither to mock nor embrace religion, but experiment with the power inherent in its messages and the hypocrisy of many of its leaders. Gira was also notably confrontational with the audience, such as stepping on people's fingers resting on the stage, pulling people's hair and, notably, physically assaulting anyone caught in the crowd headbanging; something Gira detested. [8], Their first full-length release, Filth (1983), featured driving, choppy rhythms and abrasive drums. The result is a giant rock machine and the band at the best it's ever been. Filth is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Swans. Artists similar to Swans on OLDIES.com. Gira's summation of the name follows along the lines of: "Swans are majestic, beautiful looking creatures. That same year, in November, the band curated a three-day program at Le Guess Who? Overview of their abrasive no wave-influenced music, Trouser Press said, "As part of the same New York avant-noisy scene that spawned Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch and the Swans, Live Skull records come complete with creepy lyrics, circular melodies and nod-out drum beats designed to lull you into their macabre world". [6][7] This lineup of the group also featured saxophonist Daniel Galli-Duani, who had previously played with Kane as the avant-garde duo Transmission. [61] Since re-forming in 2010, they have continued to be associated with post-rock[44][59] and drone music[48] as well as noise rock. "[49], Their early work, rooted in the New York City-based no wave movement which was fading out by the time of their formation in 1982,[50] is extremely aggressive, characterized by Michael Gira as "stripping down the essential elements of what we consider to be rock music". "[5], Hanel did not stay long in the group, and by the time of their recording debut she had been replaced by Bob Pezzola. [37][38] On September 5, the album was revealed to be called Leaving Meaning and a song titled "It's Coming It's Real" was released. [47][48] According to Spin, the band demonstrates "unparalleled ability to translate the absurd violence of the human condition into music that’s as intoxicating as it is intense. Discussions around sexual assault and abuse have changed dramatically since Swans began making music more than three decades ago. In 1990, Gira and Jarboe released the third and final World of Skin album, Ten Songs for Another World. What bands have influenced Swans? The songwriting style and musical approach, however, would take a more unusual turn the following year. Red Velvet Corridor 2. Surrogate 2 11. Animus 13. Unlike many other Ducks and Geese, the male swan (Cob) helps with the nest construction. It was released in 1983, following their self-titled debut EP, through record label Neutral. Festival 2014 official website", "The Top 100 Albums of the Decade So Far; Pitchfork Media", "Swans – Just got home comatose after finishing up the... – Facebook", "Swans – These are the remaining Swans shows for 2015. Produced by Gira, the album blended acoustic rock, blues and hypnotic guitar noise successfully, resulting in an album more complex than anything they had released in the past. [8] Some similarities worth noting—the music of early Swans was often based on a single riff, played repeatedly to hypnotic effect. Soundtracks for the Blind (1996) was a two-disc album featuring Jarboe-supplied field recordings, experimental music, dark ambient soundscapes, post-industrial epics, post rock suites and acoustic guitar. Really changed my perspective on music at the time. [4][10] Young God has been known by several names, usually by one of its two A-sides, such as "I Crawled" or, notoriously, as "Raping a Slave". Kristof’s other musical ventures have included the Rock ‘n’ Roll Noir band Les Hommes Sauvages and Kool Kings (with Alex Chilton). because, once again, Swans is a band, and is Gira, but for the first time isn’t a band, is still Gira, and – more to the point – is most definitely a selection of musicians being Swans. The whole is reminiscent of earlier no wave bands, such as Mars, and the work of Swans' contemporaries, like Sonic Youth 's Confusion Is Sex and Kill Yr Idols; but critic Ned Raggett contends that "early Swans really is like little else on the planet before or since". [30][33], This final incarnation of the band announced for immediate release a live album, Deliquescence, on May 17. She was unbelievable. Hello everyone, I wanted to share a band recommendation for fans of Swans’ apocalyptic sounding style of post-rock. [4] The music continues in the same vein as Filth, and is again vaguely reminiscent of heavy metal music played in extreme slow motion. Swans eventually broke up in 1997; Gira went on to release some solo work, later forming the band The Angels Of Light, who continue many of the themes and styles found in (later) Swans. After dissolving Swans, Gira formed Angels of Light, continued his work with Young God Records and Jarboe continued her solo work. With really ugly temperaments." For this album, the core line-up of Michael Gira, Jarboe and Westberg was augmented by session musicians, and the distinctive heavy guitar element of their earlier work was toned down significantly in favor of folk and world music elements. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York no wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in 1982, Swans employed a shifting lineup of musicians until their dissolution in 1997. The stories portrayed here, however, are ever the more unusual, given their juxtaposition—and admixture—with religious imagery. Rape allegations involving a certain tier of musicians in … Swans is one of the most infamously crushing, noisy and filthy (pun intended) rock bands of all time. Packing an incredible amount of material into two-disc sets, these reissued missives are a treasure trove of material that revitalize one of America's most impressive bands. Volcano 8. Only band leader and vocalist Michael Gira and drummer Jonathan Kane remained from the original lineup of the band. [57] Later in the 1980s, Swans' music began to incorporate more melodic and intricate elements, especially since Jarboe's debut as a songwriter on 1987's Children of God. Swans is a band from New York City, New York, United States, active from 1982 to 1997, reformed in 2010, founded & led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. [26][27], In 2014 the band announced that it signed with Mute Records for the world outside North America and that the band would be touring. Swans are an evergreen, diverse band. The Seer (2012; Young God) “Accessible,” when it comes to Swans, is a relative term. Their is a difficult word to use for leaving meaning. [40] In 2019, a documentary about the band, called Where Does a Body End? Soundtracks For The Blind by SWANS, released 25 July 2014 1. All Lined Up 10. [45] Their final album before breaking up, 1996's Soundtracks for the Blind, is a double album which emphasizes atmosphere, branching into post-rock,[43][46] drone[61] and dark ambient. "[52] It was a contribution to both industrial music[53] and noise rock[54] and influenced the emergence of grindcore[55] (inspiring also the use of "grind" in musical context)[56] and sludge metal. The first, Blood, Women, Roses, featured Jarboe on lead vocals, and the second, Shame, Humility, Revenge, featured Gira on lead vocals. Swans dwell in relative, if not complete, obscurity in the pop world, despite having influenced the entire spectrum of the now-popular “industrial” music scene, including acts like Ministry, Skinny Puppy, nine inch nails and Rage Against the Machine. [6] The debut EP, Swans, released on Labor, is markedly different from anything they would do later. Hanel's only recordings with the group are on the compilation Body to Body, Job to Job, but the ambiguous personnel credits do not make it clear on which songs she performed. [4] Some of the songs on the EP, particularly "Young God" and "I Crawled", have an actual vocal melody, if rudimentary, hinting at the sounds of future releases.[4]. The Beautiful Days 7. Earlier this year, experimental rock band Swans released "To Be Kind," its third studio album since leader Michael Gira jump-started the band after a 14-year break. In 2004, Scott Crary made the documentary Kill Your Idols, including such no wave bands as Suicide, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, DNA and Glenn Branca as well as bands influenced by no wave, including Sonic Youth, Swans, Foetus and others. In January 2010, Swans' re-formation was heralded with a new song posted on the Young God Records' MySpace, and officially confirmed by a post on the Young God Records Facebook and MySpace accounts. Since 1990, all Swans records have been released through Gira's own label, Young God Records. [34], Following a nearly year-long break from Swans, Gira announced a brief tour of new Swans material playing along the West Coast of the United States, which started in September 2018 accompanied by longtime Swans guitarist Norman Westberg with recording of a new album commencing in Berlin in February 2019. Interviews: Michael Gira (Swans). On July 15, 2013, Gira announced a new, handmade live album in the vein of I Am Not Insane and We Rose..., titled Not Here / Not Now. In the latter half of the 90s, Swans' material saw a rebirth in the form of an extensive series of reissues via Young God Records, band leader Michael Gira's own label. The influence of Swans upon the music world is profound. It was non-genre-specific, with a total lack of baggage... purely abstract, surreal, and violent. Find Swans similar, influenced by and follower information on AllMusic AllMusic. [16], Some songs, such as "Beautiful Child", retain the vocal style of earlier days, but many are quite tame. Her Mouth Is Filled With Honey 16. Jarboe releases solo work and frequently works with other bands and artists; recently she released an album with Neurosis, a group clearly heavily influenced by … She earned her slot in the Top 5 with her cover of the Stevie Wond… [28], In 2014 both The Seer and To Be Kind were ranked on Pitchfork Media's "Top 100 Albums of the Decade So Far 2010–2014." Kristof first became involved with Swans in 1989, was a principal contributor to Angels of Light, and a core Swans member 2010 – 2017. If you know any, please write back. Gira's disillusionment with their Uni/MCA exploits led to White Light from the Mouth of Infinity (1991), a successful blending of earlier hard rock and later pop styles. It features guitarist Christoph Hahn, percussionist Larry Mullins and bassist Yoyo Röhm as main contributors. Swans biography Founded in New York City, USA in 1982 - Disbanded in 1997 - Reformed in 2010 Part of the original No Wave scene in the early 1980's, the New York City rock band SWANS has since become one of the most respected experimental rock outfits to the present. This US duo was an important influence on Birthday Party, Soft Cell, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Nine Inch Nails and the Sisters Of Mercy with their potent fusion of rockabilly and electronic music on cheap equipment. The album reportedly sold 5000 copies in the UK, one of the lowest numbers in the history of MCA Records, and was soon deleted from MCA's catalogue.[17]. [42], Swans' music has transformed greatly over the decades, but is typically dark[43][44] and "apocalyptic",[45] often focusing on themes of power, religion, sex and death,[46] and has been most generally associated with experimental rock. They’ve only got like 200 monthly listeners on … Influential American noise rock band with an abrasive sound and glacier-speed tempos, emerging from the thriving New York underground of the '80s. [a] Her presence began a slow thawing in the overt brutality and energy of Swans' early work. Following the addition of singer, songwriter and keyboardist Jarboe in 1986, Swans began to incorporate melody and intricacy into their music. The Burning World was the first Swans album to feature more conventional pop melodies. How They Suffer 12. In January 2010, their MySpace page was changed to display "SWANS ARE NOT DEAD," and Gira released a solo album on Young God, entitled I Am Not Insane, … Gira considers this to be the band's major turning point. [2] The band's latest album, Leaving Meaning, was released on October 25, 2019. [8] Some of Burnett's songs—especially the songs penned by Burnett himself—have a similar structure and quality. [1] This iteration of the group performed its last shows in November 2017, ending the tour in support of its final album The Glowing Man. Swans then went on a series of U.S. and European tour dates,[23] and headlined the Supersonic Festival in Birmingham, England in October 2010. In 2012 Swans released the live album We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head, featuring material culled from their 2010–2011 tour, in support of production and recording costs for their forthcoming record, The Seer. Through photos, archival performance footage and interviews with seminal bands like Suicide, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, DNA, and Theoretical Girls, the inspirations for and ideologies of those movements are discussed as well as their subsequent influence on early 1980s post-punk bands like Sonic Youth, Swans, and Foetus. [19] Gira decided to bring back Swans during an Angels of Light show five years prior. So by the time I finally got that carrot dangled in front of me, it was like, 'at last, I can make a living at what I love to do. "I'd worked so hard all my life", said Gira. Gira openly embraced the softer aspects being added to Swans' sonic architecture. [35] The fifteenth Swans album was preceded (and financed) by another fundraiser album of demos, What Is This?, released in March 2019. Red Velvet Wound 14. I never saw any money from any of our records. The album was released on June 17, 2016 on Young God Records and Mute Records,[32] and is the final Swans album released under a mostly homogeneous lineup, although Gira continues to record Swans music with "a revolving cast" of musicians, as of 2019. [76], Post-breakup and re-formation (1997–present), Jarboe's first official recording with the band was on the, My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky, All Tomorrow's Parties I'll Be Your Mirror, We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head, "Justin Broadrick: Existing through risk", "Facebook: Coming Soon New Swans Album and Tour", "Coming Soon, New Swans Album and Tour(s)", "Swans – title of new swans live cd/dvd will be: NOT... | Facebook", "Swans announce plans for new album | Consequence of Sound", "Le Guess Who? [31] On April 5, 2016, the band announced The Glowing Man and shared a two-minute excerpt of the twenty-nine minute title track. Holy Money was also the first album by Swans to incorporate acoustic elements, in particular, the eight-minute dirge "Another You", which starts with a bluesy harmonica introduction. [21] LAS Magazine posted an article entitled "Kickstart My Art" on alternative financing in "a cash-strapped music industry, unable to rely on record label financing, [that] is positioning its own quid pro quo: fan dollars to fund projects in exchange for exclusive material and a sense of involvement" that cites Swans selling out of the 1,000 signed and numbered copies of I Am Not Insane as an example of reverse financing where proceeds from one project are rolled over to finance the next.[22]. The Seer was ranked 17 and To Be Kind was ranked 85. Photograph: Swans. In 1998, Swans Are Dead was released, consisting of live recordings from their 1995 and 1997 tours. Jarboe releases solo work and frequently works with other bands and artists; recently she released an album with Neurosis, a group clearly heavily influenced by Swans. Joy Division, Killing Joke—Swans took the blueprint from these bands and just pushed it way, way further, more outside of the whole rock thing generally, and paved the way for me. Greed also marked the introduction of bassist Algis Kizys as a long-time, near-constant member. Whether it be the industrial noise of Greed, the no wave-defining Filth, or the neofolk bliss of White Light, Swans delivers hard with each and every album. In the middle of performing the song The Provider onstage utilizing "large chords that were very sustained and swaying, in this sort of slave-ship rhythm," he felt "a nascent urge right then to re-form or reinvigorate Swans because I remembered how elevating and intense that experience was". Stargazers: Swans. [41] In March 2021, Gira announced a new Swans album with an Instagram post of a tracklist. The Velvets, in their time were almost completely ignored and it is only in the last decade that they have shown to be the most important band of their time in terms of influence. Yum-Yab Killers 6. This album was followed by Love of Life (recorded by Martin Bisi in 1992), the EP single Love of Life/Amnesia, taking the group even farther into experimentation, and then The Great Annihilator (1995), considered to be one of the band's most accessible releases, possibly through being their most straightforward. The album is not as brutal or noisy as their previous releases but is still an extremely ominous and dark record. Jarboe moved on to a successful solo career, while Gira started a more folk influenced band Angels of Light. "[3], The earliest known lineup of Swans comprised Gira on bass guitar and vocals, Jonathan Kane on drums, Sue Hanel on guitar, Mojo on percussion and tape loops and Thurston Moore, Dan Braun or Jon Tessler on the second bass guitar. He described these unreleased recordings as "fairly spectacular".[18]. They even covered Steve Winwood's popular Blind Faith hit "Can't Find My Way Home", one of two singles from the LP. The album was announced for sale on October 14, with the proceeds helping to fund the recording of the new Swans studio album with John Congleton, announced in 2014 as To Be Kind. In an interview, Gira revealed that there is more live material that may be released in the future. Burning World was the first Swans album to feature more conventional pop melodies tempos and distorted, detuned guitar is... In 1997 musical approach, however, would take a more unusual, given their juxtaposition—and admixture—with religious.! 1987, although Shame, Humility, Revenge was not released until 1988 majestic, beautiful creatures! Wanted to bands influenced by swans a band recommendation for fans of Swans upon the music is... Described these unreleased recordings as `` a revolving cast of contributors ” show years! 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