― alex, Thursday, 22 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link
― bob snoom, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― zemko (bob), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 11:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 13:14 (twenty-one years ago) link
― zemko (bob), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 17:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
(I didn't as I'm working late for this stupid presentation tomorrow therefore I am jealous: did gira scream the word 'mother' at any point during the gig?)
― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 17:42 (twenty-one years ago) link
The difference is, Gira and Co. sound traumatized by this discovery, whereas Malice and Pusha T sound like they're doing a gleeful dance.
― EC, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 18:03 (twenty-one years ago) link
Being a masocist I especially love the brutal Cop/Holy Moneyperiod - most people would find this stuff horrible, but givena bit more listening one may be able to experience this amazingfeeling of ? - too hard to describe, but it compliments such painful things like exercise, washing dishes etc.
Anyone heard the live disc 'Public Castration is a Good Idea'?This out-heavies anything I've ever heard...
― KF ., Tuesday, 8 February 2005 12:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 8 February 2005 17:00 (nineteen years ago) link
― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 8 February 2005 17:21 (nineteen years ago) link
― J.H. Malerman (xada_hgla), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 19:49 (seventeen years ago) link
Gira's book THE CONSUMER also so, so recommended.
― matt the queeg (veal), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 21:55 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marmot (marmotwolof), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 21:59 (seventeen years ago) link
Utterly, timelessly CLASSIC.
― sleeve version 2.0 (sleeve testing), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 22:22 (seventeen years ago) link
I just mean all the terse little statements of complete hopelessness in the lyrics. I get about three lines in and completely lose my shit.
― Marmot (marmotwolof), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 22:27 (seventeen years ago) link
No, it means you're the right audience.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 22:49 (seventeen years ago) link
― Butt Dickass (Dick Butkus), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 22:53 (seventeen years ago) link
― latebloomer scrabbly dabbly doo (skawreeng) (latebloomer), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 22:55 (seventeen years ago) link
When I saw Angels of Light play Tonic, he drank a full pint of whiskey in a glass filled from behind the bar and didn't seem in the least bit drunk. After the show, he went and got a refill and mingled like he was at an art opening or something.
His writing is pretty disturbing.
Jarboe seems to have severe mental problems. Oh yeah, and so does Gira.
― Butt Dickass (Dick Butkus), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 22:59 (seventeen years ago) link
-- Ficky Stingers (bimble87...), Sunday 1:33 AM. (Bimble...) (later) (link)
best/scariest/best thing ever.Weird that two completely different Swans C or D threads just got revived a few days apart. Here's the other:Classic or Dud: Swans
― Marmot (marmotwolof), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 23:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marmot (marmotwolof), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 23:27 (seventeen years ago) link
― Bimble, Sunday, 18 March 2007 02:05 (seventeen years ago) link
― stirmonster, Sunday, 18 March 2007 03:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― Bimble, Sunday, 18 March 2007 04:33 (seventeen years ago) link
OK...Happy Ned...Did this already...but isn't exactly what I was looking for anyway...
Screw this....
I'm gonna give up on the Swans...
― Aja, Monday, 28 May 2007 05:55 (sixteen years ago) link
Filth is one of my all-time favorite albums. I'd recommend that one, but it may not be the best convince-me-otherwise album.
― Ivan, Monday, 28 May 2007 06:42 (sixteen years ago) link
Its Aja!
― Trayce, Monday, 28 May 2007 06:42 (sixteen years ago) link
Yeah, hi....
I find it funny that my thread was locked so soon...
Anyway, I was bored and wanted to see what was up in these parts...I really should be getting to sleep though...
― Aja, Monday, 28 May 2007 06:45 (sixteen years ago) link
I think it's funny that you say "screw this" because Swans have a song called A Screw don't they? Heheh.
― Bimble, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:04 (sixteen years ago) link
Also there is some really fantastic Swans stuff on You Tube. But in all honesty, Swans are not a band I would likely try to argue with someone into liking the way I would, say, Led Zeppelin or even the Fall. I find it perfectly understandable that some folks will never get Swans.
― Bimble, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:08 (sixteen years ago) link
-- Bimble, Monday, May 28, 2007 7:04 AM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
They do? Gosh...is it any good? Or is it really slow and weird...
― Aja, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:11 (sixteen years ago) link
Well there are two different versions I found.
This one is a more beefed up version of the album version with horns and a heavy industrial beat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqiEmNaG5QY
This one is a live performance, and more bare-bones, truer to their early material and I prefer it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHES9YAGGkU
― Bimble, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:16 (sixteen years ago) link
Of course this is before they became a lot more listenable, pretty and mellow.
― Bimble, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:18 (sixteen years ago) link
Ok................
Interesting. I'll leave it at that.
― Aja, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:19 (sixteen years ago) link
I got into the first couple of albums for a while, saw them live, then gradually decided that life was just too short for Gira's schtick. Haven't listened to them for ten years.
I have a promo copy of 'Cop' which was issued to Radio Forth, our local top forty station, a thought that makes me laugh every time I flick past it on the stack.
― Soukesian, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:23 (sixteen years ago) link
Aja, you can say you hate it, I don't care! It's ugly music. Soukesian, I think that's part of their appeal that they make you laugh in the end.
Here's something called "Love of Life" from later on when they'd mellowed out more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=girFIccfmBU
― Bimble, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:25 (sixteen years ago) link
Fuckin goths
― President Evil, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:40 (sixteen years ago) link
I took about a 15 year break from them, but lately have been filling in what happened after 1990, and I'm impressed at how consistent they've been, and it's all hitting me with a renewed force. Yeah, they're as funny ha-ha as they are funny strange, but I find that I can't doubt what Gira was reaching for. And when they hit, wow, beat and message and emotion come together equally. And the beauty really does start poking through the ugliness.
― bendy, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Having said that I'm planning to buy some of their shit pretty soon. BUT. They are goths.
― President Evil, Monday, 28 May 2007 07:59 (sixteen years ago) link
Goths perhaps, but of a different stripe. I don't think black clothes are really necessary with them or their fans.
― Bimble, Monday, 28 May 2007 10:35 (sixteen years ago) link
Gosh...is it any good? Or is it really slow and weird...]
or? OR? OR?!?!
― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:10 (sixteen years ago) link
have been filling in what happened after 1990
Some of their best and most rewarding work, IMO. I wish somebody would reissue "Die Tur Ist Zu" because I still haven't heard it. Also check out those Gira and Jarboe solo records that Alternative Tentacles did.
― sleeve, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link
part of their appeal that they make you laugh in the end
Yeah, I don't see this happening at all.
― Tim Ellison, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link
I believe this was the second ever thread I contributed to, back in the day (when the earth was young and the seas were hot and the skies were filled with pteradactyles).
SWANS were untouchably brilliant and will always remain so. But GOTHS they are not. Not in the slightest. And I know two ex-Swans who would happily bludgeon anyone who dared refer to them as such.
― Alex in NYC, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:40 (sixteen years ago) link
i always thought swans were funny. and they are one of my favorite bands. in my top four anyway. when i first got internet in 1999 i joined a swans list and i confessed that i always thought that the song failure was really funny. i expected to get yelled at. but nobody yelled. and jarboe agreed that lots of swans had very dry humor too it, but that a lot of people didn't see it. or didn't want to see it. and if you ever went to a swans show you would see these deadly serious fans. they were the ones who loked like the memebers of controlled bleeding. they weren't in it for the funny.
― scott seward, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:43 (sixteen years ago) link
Were Live Skull goths?
x-post
― Tim Ellison, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:44 (sixteen years ago) link
LOTS of goths love swans though. that's why the two get connected. and goths LOVE world of skin and angels of light and jarboe too.
― scott seward, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:44 (sixteen years ago) link
no, live skull were not goths.
or didn't want to see it.
or actually didn't think it was funny maybe - you have to allow for that.
― Tim Ellison, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:45 (sixteen years ago) link
and they were a HUGE influence on goth bands. just as they were on metal bands and all kinds of bands. i like to call swans "traditional folk music".
― scott seward, Monday, 28 May 2007 20:46 (sixteen years ago) link
idk I like the teeth one
― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Sunday, 24 May 2020 15:19 (three years ago) link
do we have a "neat quarantine masks" thread yet
There is clearly no level to which Gira will not stoop nowadays. That said, I'd happily wear a Public Castration Is A Good Idea mask.
― while the city bleeps (Matt #2), Sunday, 24 May 2020 15:31 (three years ago) link
lots of bands are selling masks tbf
― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Sunday, 24 May 2020 15:41 (three years ago) link
some of them not fronted by rapists
― Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 24 May 2020 16:42 (three years ago) link
^^^
― here 1st (roxymuzak), Sunday, 24 May 2020 19:30 (three years ago) link
sure, just didn't see the big deal on this count
― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Sunday, 24 May 2020 20:53 (three years ago) link
dud
― no (Left), Sunday, 24 May 2020 21:20 (three years ago) link
new album in 2023 - fundraiser (acoustic versions) & preorder:
https://younggodrecords.com/products/is-there-really-a-mind
― StanM, Thursday, 6 January 2022 16:23 (two years ago) link
New *studio* album in 2023:
SWANS have announced details of their sixteenth studio album, The Beggar, due for release on Mute / Young God Records (N America) on 23 June 2023. The Beggar will be released on double vinyl in a brown chipboard sleeve with a download card for accessing an additional 44 minutes of music (also included on the album's CD version), as a double CD in a brown chipboard digi-pack, as well as digitally. Listen to the first track from the album, ‘Paradise is Mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgtGHp2kfPQ
The Beggar tracklisting 1. The Parasite2. Paradise is Mine 3. Los Angeles: City of Death4. Michael is Done5. Unforming6. The Beggar7. No More of This8. Ebbing9. Why Can't I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want?10. The Beggar Lover (Three)11. The Memorious
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 16:45 (one year ago) link
3. Los Angeles: City of Death4. Michael is Done
nice
Is Ben Frost still in this band, or is he just a touring member?
― Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 22 March 2023 16:49 (one year ago) link
From the press release:
Primary contributors to The Beggar:
Michael Gira – Vocals, words, acoustic guitar, production. Gira started Swans in NYC in 1982 and has been the primary songwriter, singer and producer throughout the years. During the Swans hiatus (1999 – 2010), he released several albums by and toured with a group called Angels of Light. Gira recently published a book of his short stories, journals, and words for music, called The Knot. He lives in New Mexico.
Kristof Hahn – Lap steel, various guitars, vocals. Kristof first joined Swans in 1989 and was a principal contributor to Angels of Light, and a core Swans member 2010 – 2017. Kristof’s other musical ventures have included the Rock ‘n’ Roll Noir band Les Hommes Sauvages and Kool Kings (with Alex Chilton). When not making music Kristof translates books. He lives in Berlin, Germany.
Larry Mullins - Drums, vibes, orchestral percussion, Mellotron, various keyboards, backing vocals. Larry is a trained symphonic percussionist. He played through the ‘90s with Iggy Pop and later with The Stooges. He played with Swans in the late ‘90s and was a main contributor to Angels of Light. His current main job is playing drums with The Bad Seeds. Larry lives in Berlin, Germany. Dana Schechter – Bass guitar, lap steel, keyboards, vocals, piano. Dana played bass in and was a core member of Angels of Light. She subsequently released music and toured as Bee and Flower. Her current band is the power-duo, Insect Ark. Dana is an animator and designer in the film industry and currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
Christopher Pravdica - Bass guitar, sounds, keyboards, vocals. Chris played bass as a core Swans member in 2010 – 2017. Chris has played with the bands, The Gunga Din, Flux Information Sciences, Xiu Xiu, Yonatan Gat’s Medicine Singers and has a project of his own called We Owe. Chris is a sound designer and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Phil Puleo – Drums, percussion, vocals, piano, exotic wind instruments. Phil played drums with Swans in the late ‘90s and was a core member in Swans 2010 – 2017 and contributed to Angels of Light. Phil’s early NYC musical venture was Cop Shoot Cop and has since played with Human Impact, among others. Phil is an extremely talented illustrator and lives in Chicago, IL. Ben Frost - Guitar, synthesizers, sound manipulations. In his own work, Ben’s adventurous sound-craftings are sometimes harrowing and sometimes delicate and quite musical. His numerous albums and his powerful live shows have afforded him much recognition. He is also an accomplished composer and arranger of music for film and television. Ben lives in Reykjavik, Iceland. Backing vocals are provided by Jennifer Gira, Lucy Kruger and Laura Carbone.
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 16:54 (one year ago) link
Initially thought Larry Mullins was Larry Mullen Jr and i was like “Strange pairing!”
― The land of dreams and endless remorse (hardcore dilettante), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 17:05 (one year ago) link
No Thor on this one
― young sussy (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 17:09 (one year ago) link
Track listing with running times (from the Young God site):
The Beggar 2CD tracklisting
CD1:The Parasite (8:27)Paradise is Mine (9:23)Los Angeles: City of Death (3:29)Michael is Done (6:08)Unforming (5:55)The Beggar (10:15)No More of This (6:55)Ebbing (11:04)Why Can't I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want? (7:38)
CD2:The Beggar Lover (Three) (43:51)The Memorious (8:38)
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 17:47 (one year ago) link
When I got the promo email I initially thought this was the album cover:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0397/1609/files/Swans_2023_TourPoster_Venue_v2copy_50ac29fc-beab-4c77-831c-a725de264052_480x480.jpg
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 17:48 (one year ago) link
Gira will be 70 next year. His hearing must be totally gone at this point.
― Position Position, Wednesday, 22 March 2023 19:17 (one year ago) link
I almost ordered it but then I remembered I paid for "New Album Fundraiser & Pre-Order" last time (got the "Is There Really A Mind" CD last year but this includes the 2023 album too, or it should)
― StanM, Wednesday, 22 March 2023 19:22 (one year ago) link
I chatted him up after a show in Houston and asked if he ever wore earplugs. He gave me quite a dour look.
If he was my neighbor I would refer to him as “Chuckles.”
― Cow_Art, Wednesday, 22 March 2023 19:34 (one year ago) link
lmao that Ben Frost didn’t allow himself to be caricatured, dude appears to be somewhat self obsessed
― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 20:54 (one year ago) link
Why Can't I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want? (7:38)
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
― Murgatroid, Wednesday, 22 March 2023 21:26 (one year ago) link
yeah i dunno i'll probably check this out though xD
― ꙮ (map), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 21:27 (one year ago) link
The Beggar Lover (Three) (43:51)
beats Richard Dawson by almost three full minutes!
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 21:49 (one year ago) link
I hadn’t realized it was out. Enjoying it.
― Allen (etaeoe), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 13:19 (eight months ago) link
It's pretty good
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 13:58 (eight months ago) link
Haven't found much discussion of the remastering, I listened to White Light last night, it sounds great but very different, just now reading that aside from the obvious change (adding "Blind") that some of these songs are significantly different edits, I'm a bit dismayed but at least I still have my old Various Failures and White Light CDs. Maybe someday there'll be deluxe versions with all versions. I don't have a lot of experience listening to remasters of old favourites, hope it won't always cause this anxiety.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 18 August 2023 19:46 (eight months ago) link
I didn't know about the edits.
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Saturday, 19 August 2023 09:55 (eight months ago) link
I only have the remastered White Light from the Mouth of Infinity. I just have all the old CDs from the 90s that were bunched together
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Saturday, 19 August 2023 09:56 (eight months ago) link
The live band from 1988 was one of the best things I'd ever heard, extremely heavy folk rock. Played by most of the band that recorded Children Of God but with a different drummer. It took me an age to get hold of recordings from that era. I missed getting the official botleg which I think documents it Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room . Not sure if that has been reissued. I think the sound they reached at the time does inform their more recent incarnation to some extent.
― Stevo, Saturday, 19 August 2023 10:31 (eight months ago) link
Remaster still sounds great, but different things are brought forward, I can't quite say what it is I'm missing from the older version
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 19 August 2023 22:44 (eight months ago) link
How do they compare to the original LPs?
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Sunday, 20 August 2023 11:48 (eight months ago) link
Just dropping in her to say that I listened to Screen Shot and Oxygen again today annd they are two of the best songs ever produced (and I don’t really care for this band much). Carry on!
― hrep (H.P), Sunday, 20 August 2023 12:20 (eight months ago) link
I've never heard the vinyl versions of any of them
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Monday, 21 August 2023 16:16 (eight months ago) link
me neither
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Tuesday, 22 August 2023 13:04 (eight months ago) link