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Swans
51,702 listeners (1,218,881 plays)
Listening now: ausserdem, poisonrouge
industrial, experimental, post-punk, noise rock, no wave
(1982 – 1997)
Swans were an influential American rock, experimental, folk and post-industrial band active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira.
Marginally associated with the no wave scene at first, their original sound was slow, heavy, loud, with live performances that were often so loud and physical that police were called. This early physical sound can be heard on Public Castration Is a Good Idea.
Their initial style shifted a little by the time SWANS released seminal twin albums Greed and Holy Money. The music had sped up, at times being even more punishing than their earlier output. Drum machines and samples were slightly more prominent. Michael Gira was joined vocally by Jarboe which gave the band a much broader sonic range. Tracks featuring Jarboe were often quieter, more gothic and even pretty, acting as counterpoint to the more harrowing themes on the albums. Over time, this style would come to dominate the SWANS’ output, although they somehow seem to have been able to make a strummed acoustic guitar seem as brutal as their earlier amped-up assaults. The lush instrumentation of their albums from the late 1980s and the 1990’s anticipated the birth of post-rock.
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. 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.
Marginally associated with the no wave scene at first, their original sound was slow, heavy, loud, with live performances that were often so loud and physical that police were called. This early physical sound can be heard on Public Castration Is a Good Idea.
Their initial style shifted a little by the time SWANS released seminal twin albums Greed and Holy Money. The music had sped up, at times being even more punishing than their earlier output. Drum machines and samples were slightly more prominent. Michael Gira was joined vocally by Jarboe which gave the band a much broader sonic range. Tracks featuring Jarboe were often quieter, more gothic and even pretty, acting as counterpoint to the more harrowing themes on the albums. Over time, this style would come to dominate the SWANS’ output, although they somehow seem to have been able to make a strummed acoustic guitar seem as brutal as their earlier amped-up assaults. The lush instrumentation of their albums from the late 1980s and the 1990’s anticipated the birth of post-rock.
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. 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.
Similar Artists
Jarboe, Coil, Current 93, Throbbing Gristle, Death in June, Big Black, The Legendary Pink Dots… see all
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Shoutbox
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Contrasoma wrote:
When I saw Jarboe a few years back she confirmed that "Volcano" was, indeed, written about Courtney Love.
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frogphobia wrote:
We'll lift our hands up to heaven and sacrifice our limitations.
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Kovale wrote:
'Beautiful Child'. Fuck me, what a great song.
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xxxkmilaxxx wrote:
Someone else was here before in someone else's mind.
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takeDRUGS wrote:
I OWN THIS I OWN THIS HOLE THIS IS MY HOLE GET OUT OF MY HOLE
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tkonfm wrote:
We are special, we are perfect.
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blatblatmatt wrote:
A cop with a club..
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catachresistant wrote:
pretty good idea imo
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lollinoutloud wrote:
hey what do you guys think of public castration?
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takeDRUGS wrote:
perhaps
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thereofone wrote:
PUBLIC CASTRATION IS A GOOD IDEA
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thereofone wrote:
PUBLIC CASTRATION IS A GOOD IDEA
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thereofone wrote:
PUBLIC CASTRATION IS A GOOD IDEA
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takeDRUGS wrote:
young god ep the most brutal piece of filth ever recorded
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Arkhaeopteryx wrote:
"...but his biggest swing at Madonna was "Volcano," I think." Volcano was written by Jarboe, to be exact.
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catachresistant wrote:
*magniloquence
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be_quiet_peter wrote:
OH AXEMRANGERS, YOU CRITIC OF UNPARALLELED ELOQUENCE!!!
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catachresistant wrote:
It is. And Zimziki, thanks SO MUCH for that link. First time I've ever seen it for a reasonable price...
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thereofone wrote:
PUBLIC CASTRATION IS A GOOD IDEA
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nancykitten wrote:
Perhaps said songs are an amalgamation of several high profile females.
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Recent Activity
- rotflol17 and Ekengren tagged Swans with ‘experimental’. Wednesday evening
- Lasseovdoom tagged Swans with ‘check ud’. Monday evening
- Iwskiwsk tagged Swans with ‘experimental’. 8 days ago
- Minddiver connected Swans to the group ethereal hysteria. 11 days ago
- New_zururrer tagged Swans with ‘noise rock’. 12 days ago
- Othersnoise tagged Swans with ‘tiny openings’. 14 days ago
- Tkonfm connected Swans to the group A+. 14 days ago
- Zapuskalov added Swans to the lineup of Afisha Picnic Festival 2008 at Коломенское. 14 days ago
- Cyanideriver and delado tagged Swans with ‘experimental’. 16 days ago
Groups (107)
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Swans and related projects
232 members
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Young God Records
93 members
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Whitehouse
82 members
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Cranes
139 members
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Exit
106 members
