Seems like so many people are so quick to judge both Michael Gira and Larkin Grimm. Only those two people know what really happened. So much hate out there. Coincidently, I'm reading at book at the moment called, So, You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson which is about how stupid/vile comments, pictures, tweets, posts can backfire on you and before you know it, you're trending on Twitter, your name is mud and people you don't know are calling for your head.
It doesn't take a genius to know Michael went through some serious trauma. Nobody makes a album like Filth from some happy home life. I remember the first time I heard his early albums, they were kinda hard to listen too. The pain was all their front and center. I sure hope he didn't do it and he gets the benefit of the doubt from me until proven otherwise. Anybody picked up the reissues of Love of Life and White light ? How do they sound ? Where were they pressed ect. One of my favorite artist on the planet the guy screams integrity as a artist. I met him once and spent a hour with him alone and he had a sense of humor and was very gracious as well as inspirational. Failure is a epic track. Side note: Detroit area homeboy Troy Gregory plays bass on love of life. Troys a good guy.
Larkin Grimm Follows Up on Rape Accusations Against Swans' Michael Gira, Fixing Rape Culture I've been thinking two thoughts over the past few days: This case and the Ke$ha case have something in common: male 'execs' and female talent, or roughly speaking a situation where a man is, due to position of power, the 'boss' of a woman, in an artistic environment where conventional power hierarchies are more abstract but still extant (and where age is a factor as well). Without making any claim at all regarding who, in both cases, is right and who is wrong, it's easy to see how in such a power relationship, 'consent' is something shy of black and white. It reminds me of bosses and secretaries in the 1960: where bounds of professionalism were overstepped, the male authority might perceive as consensual what the female might view as coerced, or indeed forced. She might feel that she "had to", in order to keep her job. She may well have been right. It's a testament to the logic of keeping business and personal relationships separate and makes you wonder how much of the old "sleeping your way to the top" stereotype in Hollywood and the music industry in previous generations could be construed as non-consensual. I know even in 2016 I'm not sure I'd like to be a young single female trying to make it in the music industry. Again, no judgement on Gira or anyone else implied here. The even-handedness and intelligence with which this topic has been discussed in this thread is exemplary. THis forum really is a special place
Saw MG in London last night at the Barbican Hall, London, on the first night of his seemingly annual solo, acoustic tour. Not as intense as some of the previous times I've seen him perform live, but still very enjoyable. He played a couple of songs from the new Swans album (The Glowing Man), but as he said, they probably sound nothing like they will on the album. I picked up the tour CD, I Am Not This, which is an 18-track collection of songs from across his career from different sources according to the liner notes, but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.
Thanks for the live report, @craigobau. I have yet to see Gira solo; I'm hoping he adds a few US dates. Glad you enjoyed your show. I'm really intrigued about the new songs he performed. Were they songs demoed on Disc 2 of The Gate? Or were they previously unheard material? Did he happen to indicate when we could expect the new album to hit shelves?
I didn't recognize the first two songs he performed so my assumption is that these were from the new album, but I did recognize When Will I Return and People Like Us, from The Gate. He also did a cover version I didn't recognize (but he did mention he might perform it again with Swan on their next tour) and another "new" song called Annaline which features on the tour CD. No date mentioned from when The Glowing Man will be released. It was great to hear Amnesia (from Love of Life) as I don't think he's done that song live/acoustic previously.
WHAAAAAT. "Amnesia" is one of my favorite Swans songs, I really hope he keeps it in his solo set for a while. It would be amazing if it eventually gets incorpotated into upcoming Swans tour sets (similar to the treatment "I Crawled" and "Coward" got in 2010/11 and 2012/13) but I won't hold my breath. Thank you for your very informative response.
Yeah, was great to hear both Amnesia and She Lives. It would be great to hear more songs from the Swans back-catalog when the band tours, but I guess doing old songs has never been part of the live Swans ethos, except on that first reunion tour when we heard those great treatments of Coward, I Crawled, Yr Property and Beautiful Child. Still, Gira did do an acoustic version of Helpless Child at his solo acoustic gig in London in 2014, so we can always hope!
Just picked up a The Seer. It's certainly a marathon with a number of notable, memorable passages in its massive run time. Only been through it twice so far and plenty to get your teeth into. Definitely one that will take time.
The new album is set for June 17, and I couldn't be more excited. I just got this email: A NOTE FROM MICHAEL GIRA OF SWANS: “In 2009 when I made the decision to restart my musical group, Swans, I had no idea where it would lead. I knew that if I took the road of mining the past or revisiting the catalog, that it would be fruitless and stultifying. After much thought about how to make this an adventure that would instead led the music forward into unexpected terrain, I chose the five people with whom to work that I believed would most ably provide a sense of surprise, and even uncertainty, while simultaneously embodying the strength and confidence to ride the river of intention that flows from the heart of the sound wherever it would lead us - and what’s the intention? LOVE! And so finally this LOVE has now led us, with the release of the new and final recording from this configuration of Swans, The Glowing Man, through four albums (three of which contain more complexity, nuance and scope than I would have ever dreamed possible), several live releases, various fundraiser projects, countless and seemingly endless tours and rehearsals, and a generally exhausting regimen that has left us stunned but still invigorated and thrilled to see this thing through to its conclusion. I hereby thank my brothers and collaborators for their commitment to whatever truth lies at the center of the sound. I’m decidedly not a Deist, but on a few occasions – particularly in live performance – it’s been my privilege, through our collective efforts, to just barely grasp something of the infinite in the sound and experience generated by a force that is definitely greater than all of us combined. When talking with audience members after the shows or through later correspondence, it’s also been a true privilege to discover they’ve experienced something like this too. Whatever the force is that has led us through this extended excursion, it’s been worthwhile for many of us, and I’m grateful for what has been the most consistently challenging and fulfilling period of my musical life. Going forward, post the touring associated with The Glowing Man, I’ll continue to make music under the name Swans, with a revolving cast of collaborators. I have little idea what shape the sound will take, which is a good thing. Touring will definitely be less extensive, I’m certain of that! Whatever the future holds, I’ll miss this particular locus of human and musical potential immensely: Norman Westberg, Kristof Hahn, Phil Puleo, Christopher Pravdica, Thor Harris, and myself mixed in there somewhere, too.” YOU CAN PRE ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE GLOWING MAN HERE THE GLOWING MAN TRACKLISTING 1. Cloud of Forgetting 2. Cloud of Unknowing 3. The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black 4. People Like Us 5. Frankie M. 6. When Will I Return? 7. The Glowing Man 8. Finally, Peace. “I wrote the song ‘When Will I Return? specifically for Jennifer Gira to sing. It’s a tribute to her strength, courage, and resilience in the face of a deeply scarring experience she once endured, and that she continues to overcome daily. The song ‘The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black’ uses some words I wrote in 1982 or so that Sonic Youth used for their song ‘The World Looks Red’, back in the day. The music and melody used here in the current version are completely different. While working up material for this new album, I had a basic acoustic guitar version of the song and was stumped for words. For reasons unknown to me, the lyric I’d so long ago left in my typewriter in plain view at my living and rehearsal space (the latter of which Sonic Youth shared at the time) and which Thurston plucked for use with my happy permission, popped into my head and I thought “Why not?” The person that wrote those words well over three decades ago bears little resemblance to who I am now, but I believe it remains a useful text, so “Why not?”. Maybe, in a way, it closes the circle. The song ‘The Glowing Man’ contains a section of the song ‘Bring The Sun’ from our previous album, To Be Kind. The section is, of course, newly performed and orchestrated to work within its current setting. ‘The Glowing Man’ itself grew organically forward and out of improvisations that took place live during the performance of ‘Bring The Sun’, so it seemed essential to include that relevant section here. Since over the long and tortured course of the current song’s genesis, it had always been such an integral cornerstone I believe we’d have been paralyzed and unable to perform the entire piece at all without it. ‘Cloud of Forgetting’ and ‘Cloud of Unknowing’ are prayers. ‘Frankie M’ is another tribute and a best wish for a wounded soul. ‘The Glowing Man’ contains my favorite Zen Koan. ‘People Like Us’ and ‘Finally, Peace’ are farewell songs.” - Michael Gira 2016 SWANS TOUR 2016North America 7/6 – Philadelphia PA, Union Transfer 7/7 – Boston MA, Royale Nightclub 7/8 – Providence RI, Fete 7/9 – Quebec QC, Le Cercle 7/10 – Toronto ON, Danforth Music Hall 7/12 – Detroit MI, St Andrews Hall 7/13 – Milwaukee WI, Shank Hall 7/14 – Minneapolis MN, Fine Line Music Cafe 7/15 – Chicago IL, Lincoln Hall 7/16 – Chicago IL, Lincoln Hall 7/18 – Cleveland OH, Beachland Ballroom 7/19 – Cincinnati OH, Woodward Theater 7/21 – Louisville KY, Headliner’s Music Hall 7/22 – Atlanta GA, Terminal West 7/23 – Asheville NC, Orange Peel 7/24 – Nashville TN, Exit / In 7/26 – Carrboro NC, Cats Cradle 7/27 – Richmond VA The Broadberry 7/28 – Washington DC, 9:30 CLUB 7/29 – New York NY, Bowery Ballroom 7/30 – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg *with support from Okkyung Lee 9/1 – Tucson AZ, Rialto Theater 9/2 – Los Angeles CA, Fonda Theater 9/3 – San Francisco CA, The Regency Grand Ballroom 9/4 – Portland OR, Wonder Ballroom 9/6 – Vancouver BC, Venue 9/7 – Seattle WA, The Showbox 9/9 – Salt Lake City UT, Urban Lounge 9/10 – Denver CO, Gothic Theater 9/12 – Dallas TX, Trees 9/13 – Austin TX, Mohawk Austin 9/14 – San Antonio TX, Paper Tiger 9/15 – Albuquerque NM, Sunshine Theater 9/16 Sept – Phoenix AZ, Crescent Ballroom *with support from Baby Dee Europe 10/6 – Brussels BE, Oranjerie Botantique 10/7 – Eindhoven NL, De Effenaar 10/8 – Brighton UK, Concorde 2 10/9 – Manchester UK, HMV Ritz 10/11 – Glasgow UK, Oran Mor 10/12 – Newcastle Upon Tyne UK, Northumbria University 10/13 – London, UK, Islington Assembly Hall 10/14 – London, UK, Islington Assembly Hall 10/15 – Reims FR, La Cartonnerie 10/17 – Hamburg DE, Kampnagel 10/18 – Berlin DE, Huxleys Neue Welt 10/19 – Prague CZ, Divaldo ARCHA Theatre 10/21 – Budapest HU, A38 Ship 10/22 – Vienna AT, Arena Big Hall 10/23 – Graz AT, Orpheum Extra 10/25 – Ljubljana SL, Kino Kiska Centre for Urban Culture 10/26 – Zagreb HR, Lauba 10/28 – Basel CH, Kaserne 10/29 – Vevey CH, Rocking Chair 10/30 – Bern CH, Reitschule Dachstock 11/1 – Tourcoin FR, Le Grand Mix 11/2 – Nimes FR, La Paloma 11/5 – Bologna IT, Teatro Auditorium Manzoni 11/6 – Rome IT, Orion Live Club 11/8 – Nantes FR, Stereolux 11/9 – Paris FR, Le Trabendo 11/10 – Cologne DE, Gebäude 9 11/11 – Munich DE, Feierwerk 11/12 – Wiesbaden DE, Kulturezentrum Schlachthof Michael Gira is currently on a solo tour through Europe, for full details, updates and announcements of additional Swans dates please visit: http://younggodrecords.com/pages/tour-dates
The preview of "The Glowing Man" (which seems to have evolved from the "Black Hole Man" jam played on the last tour) is superb. I can't wait to hear the full track, and the rest of the album, naturally. Part of the fun of being a Swans fan is seeing new material take shape and evolve in front of you over the course of a tour, and the discovery of how much that material wound up changing even further from a live setting into recorded form. And then again during the following tour! I'm ready to have my mind blown on June 16. I pre-ordered the 3xLP but I might cave and pre-order the CD/DVD as well.
It will be interesting to see what material is performed on the forthcoming tour if Gira won't be using this group of musicians for another Swans album. Will we still see songs "developed" over the course of the tour as he has done on previous tours or will he focus on songs this incarnation of Swans previously recorded?
My guess is that given Gira's inclination to always push forward, which he emphasizes in his Glowing Man announcement, we'll continue to get more of the former and the circumstances surrounding this new album won't have much of an effect on how the band approaches live performance (unless they perform with an orchectra like he said he'd like to in recent interviews). That said, I certainly wouldn't complain if some older material gets played. I respect and understand Gira's desire to not play into nostalgia, but I'm also not gonna pretend I wouldn't lose my mind if some "classics" snuck their way into the set.
I felt the new album deserved its own thread, so I made that here: New Swans album, The Glowing Man (June 17, 2016) »
For anyone who hasn't seen it but cares about this kind of stuff, Swans is releasing a (limited to 3000 copies) CD of tour recordings and one or two other things. Get em while they still got em
Ordered that live album. I caught this incarnation live twice and they were great both times. I think it's a good time for a change in direction, too.
well that went fast, when was it first listed? I swear I looked at Young Gods website last week and didn't see anything.
On Saturday night I saw Swans with my young son in Leeds, UK. My daughter bought tickets for herself and a friend but didn't want to go suddenly. Keen to have some time with my 13 year old son, a gig any gig, was appealing. The last gig my son went to was JLS and I like the local Yorkshire based folk music scene. It's now nearly 48 hours on and I am still not quite clear that that was possible. Are Swans even legal? I've not slept for two nights.
That Leeds Stylus gig. My young lad enjoyed it. His big sister now says he has earned legendary cool status back at school should he ever drop it into conversation that he has seen Swans. They handed out free ear plugs about 15 minutes in and at first I thought it was just because the guys in the door was concerned about my son and his young age. Then I noticed everyone was wearing them, another shock. This means they will maintain this volume I thought so realised for my own good I better use em too. When I think back on my youth I realised this is the band and sound I've wanted to hear all my life.
I like The Great Annihiltator album. I had Soundtrack To The Blind CD as well but couldn't get into it and traded it in.
It's great to hear that you were able to catch them @Richflossjools, and even more so that you brought your son. It's their last tour in their current incarnation, and who knows what the next will be? Saw them last March (my first time) and was suitably gobsmacked by the experience. They were here last weekend as well, but I unfortunately had other commitments. Like for you, seeing them in the flesh was an eye-opening experience, and I would have loved the opportuntity to do it again! Shame the new live recording sold out so very soon. I loved The Knot (New Thing) when they played it at the gig, and that is the only recording that's available of it...
About once a year I listen to White Light from the Mouth of Infinity, and then everything from Soundtracks for the Blind to The Glowing Man. I have heard everything else, including the side projects; though I can appreciate it, I found none of it essential for myself. I saw them in concert twice, in 1989 and again in 1995, and they were great.
