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Swans
2,390,606 plays (86,397 listeners)
New York City, New York, United States (1982 – 1997)
Swans were an influential noise rock, experimental, folk, post industrial band from New York City, New York, United States, 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 and heavy, with live performances that were often so brutal and physical that in a number of instances certain audience members were made ill, police were called and venues were shut down. This early physical sound is possibly best heard on the live album 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 broader sonic range. Tracks featuring Jarboe were often quieter, 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 and heavy, with live performances that were often so brutal and physical that in a number of instances certain audience members were made ill, police were called and venues were shut down. This early physical sound is possibly best heard on the live album 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 broader sonic range. Tracks featuring Jarboe were often quieter, 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.
Top Albums
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The Great Annihilator
Swans
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Children of God
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White Light From the Mouth of Infinity
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The Burning World
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Shoutbox
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MrLJM wrote:
Although, I admit it doesn't have as much "power" as an album like 'Children of God.' But still, it's a different (and more pleasant) listening experience from their other albums. I didn't go in expecting it to be like 'Filth' or 'Children of God.' When I say 'The Burning World' is "more pleasant", it doesn't mean I dislike their other albums (as you can see from my Swans plays).
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MrLJM wrote:
I'm listening to "The Burning World" at the moment and I can't see why people have such a problem with it. Sure, it's different to what Swans did before (and after) this album, but it's still very good music.
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Bleach00 wrote:
you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it. you deserve it.
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alvareo wrote:
Try The Great Annihilator and Children of God.
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Yunckzilla wrote:
try soundtracks for the blind.
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Antikrun wrote:
Tried only Holy Money yet. Sick and weak.. and poor
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xxxkmilaxxx wrote:
Gira's dick does complete my life
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Andrew_Williams wrote:
THE LIE?
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brokenear wrote:
WHY HIDE?
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postneowavecore wrote:
rostaed
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Laamp wrote:
no, not really. for a brief moment
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polymorphous71 wrote:
Will that make your life complete?
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Laamp wrote:
please vote for the best Swans pic ever http://www.lastfm.se/music/Swans/+images/38533791
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catachresistant wrote:
Death to the new flesh.
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ottosox wrote:
Pun on davedim's post
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ottosox wrote:
It's a stormchasarchy!!
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DeathBlow__ wrote:
this voooise
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PiecesOfQuiet wrote:
stormchasar is less dead then you think
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davedim wrote:
stormchasar is dead. Long live stormchasar.
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a74nh wrote:
Brought it back again! http://www.last.fm/group/Swans+Are+Our+Top+Artist
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News
M.Gira Sep 30 NYC The Stone
14 Sep 2008 | from blog.myspace.com/swansaredead
Only Five Dollars...from thewire.co.uk/articles/1223The Stone thestonenyc.com
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29 Sep 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/swansaredead -
25 Jul 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/swansaredead -
19 Jul 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/swansaredead
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Recent Activity
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tehMick and uniquemusique87 added Swans to their libraries. 1 hour ago
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NecroMan666 tagged Swans with industrial, avant-garde and experimental. 3 hours ago
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bolonamelia tagged Swans with gothic, noise rock and no wave. 3 hours ago
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Dilia666 tagged Swans with ‘industrial’. 3 hours ago
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Dilia666 added Swans to Dilia666’s library. 3 hours ago
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wwRoss connected Swans to the group Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark. 5 hours ago
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added Swans to their libraries. 8 hours ago
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ponamen tagged Swans with no wave, brujas, noise rock and 12 other tags. 11 hours ago
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selfdisembowel tagged Swans with ‘post-punk’. 12 hours ago
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AgostoBianco and xdiscarnatex added Swans to their libraries. 13 hours ago
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