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M Gira

About Me


Angels Of Light with Limited* Autographed CD Booklet
Preorder Now Available 8/28!
Pre-Order the new CD, We Are Him by Angels Of Light and get a limited* autographed CD Booklet with purchase!
UPDATED JUNE 2007: Around 1977 or so, I quit art school (Otis Art Institute) in Los Angeles and started NO Magazine. I decided the art world was not for me, and punk music, which was exploding at the time, just seemed more relevant and vital...For the most part, the art world seemed precious and elitist. NO Magazine was a fanzine of sorts, but it was a full-sized newsprint thing, same size and format as Slash Magazine or the current cultural scribe Arthur Magazine. It featured an assortment of hideous images, interviews with bands of the time such as The Germs, X, and also Suicide. There was also some writing in there. I don't know, kinda flimsy when I think about it now. Oh well. I did 2 issues with my friend Bruce Kalberg, then quit and started a band. We were called Little Cripples, then Strict Ids, then just IDS. Not very good, musically, I'm sure.
Through Brian Eno's NO New York album I became aware of the No Wave scene in NYC. I loved the music of Teenage Jesus, The Contortions, Glenn Branca et al, and was also a huge fan of Suicide especially. New York seemed to be the place for me, so I moved to NYC in 1979. As I'd done since a pretty young age, I supported myself doing construction work - demolition, hanging sheetrock, taping and plastering, painting - things like that. I started a band called Circus Mort. It lasted a year or two, then fizzled. Again, in my opinion, in retrospect, the music was appalling. What did I know? Ha ha! I hadn't ever really taken responsibility for how the music was put together in any of my endeavors to date, so when I started Swans in 1981 or 82 I was determined to just figure it out myself. Somehow I had been asked by Rhys Chatham to play bass in his ensemble, and I think I did one show or something. I didn't know how to play bass - he showed me a few basic things, even showed me how to tune. That didn't work out long with Rhys, but he let me keep his bass for a while (a very nice guy), and I started "writing" Swans material on it. Just chunks of sound, weird chords I made up and hammered out in rhythm. Jonathan Kane was drumming in Swans at the beginning, and more people soon followed (dozens over the years - see list under band members).
Fairly soon Swans ended up with a drummer, a percussionist who beat on metal and assorted drums, guitar, and two bass players. Eventually the great guitarist Nowman Westberg joined, and also the drummer Roli Mossiman. I hit on the idea of using pre taped cassette sounds - just mush and noise basically, that would be amplified through a huge bass amp and "played" in rhythm with the music by using a volume pedal to bring the sounds in and out. The percussionist would control the tapes at first, then later the bass player Harry Crosby did it. (Eventually I abandoned the tapes too, and moved on to other things.) Everything was at ridiculous volume levels - roaring away. I screamed my slogan-like lyrics over the top. The music felt great. It was really a very selfish enterprise. The sheer volume, and the blunt repetition of the sound/music was to me, anyway, truly transporting. For a while, Swans was aligned with Sonic Youth - we played together constantly, and even did a few disastrous tours together. But we parted company after a short period.
Swans music - and personnel - changed constantly over the years. Jarboe got involved in it around 1985/6... It was everything to me, 24 hours a day, constant work and struggle, and I kept it going somehow for 15 years (Ridiculous! ), despite its (to me) depressing lack of commercial success. It's impossible to describe here the various musical turns it took, but it would be safe to say that no single album represents the Swans. They're all completely different. I think some of the music was quite excellent indeed, but there's quite a few missteps along the way as well, of course, since I was always shifting it in new directions, learning as things went along. In any event, in 1997, I just said NO MORE, and laid it to rest. (Jarboe was the longest-lasting Swans contributor of those mentioned above and contributed more than can be mentioned here. To learn more about her, go here: thelivingjarboe.com )
SWANS - Beautiful Child (Live '87)
My current musical endeavor is Angels of Light. I'm obviously more attached to it than the music of Swans, since that project is dead and gone. Just finishing up the 5th Angels album at the time of this writing...
I'm always changing the sonic approach from record to record. Just sitting around my house, writing these songs, and then finally coming up with a statement that I think makes sense through working on things in the studio. Typically it's a pretty laborious and painful process. I'm always sure i know exactly what i want when i go in the studio, but as soon as i actually hear something recorded, my perception changes entirely. this can be extremely frustrating for the people that take the dire step of working with me, because i'm always changing my mind, usually forceful and certain of what i want at any given moment, even though i don't really know what that is exactly yet. ha ha!
The first album, New Mother, was released in 1999. Next came How I Loved You, released in 2001. Then, Everything Is Good Hear/Please Come Home was released in 2003. The album The Angels Of Light Sing Other People was out in March of '05. The new one, We Are Him, will be out Summer of 07. (you can of course learn more about these records by going to younggodrecords.com )
My friends, the various musicians who come and go on these records, are of invaluable help in making the arrangements. I produce the Angels recordings, and the production of the recordings is as important to me as the songs themselves.I write the songs on acoustic guitar, then gather musicians and friends, and build up the orchestrations with them in the studio and in live performances. I guide the process, but solicit their creative contributions actively. Each recording contains the contributions of an ever-changing plethora of amazing musicians, whom I thank here heartily!
We Are Him began with my usual vows to keep things simple this time, finally, and i failed once again to live up to the task. I went into the studio with Akron/Family as backing band (as they had been on Other People). We recorded all the basic tracks in a week. They played drums, bass, guitar, piano, and backing vocals. Despite Akron's valorous efforts and fine performances, things sounded thin and tentative to me, so i started calling my friends to help me flesh things out. Christoph Hahn came to Brooklyn from his home in Berlin (Christoph played in Swans for a while, and has played in several Angels incarnations - he has his own group called Les Hommes Sauvage too) and played his usual stellar "kraut-abilly" electric guitar stylings, as well as open-tuned lap steel. That helped considerably, and gave the songs balls, or bowels in many instances, as well as occasionally lifting things up nach Himmel... Next came Bill Rieflin. Bill is as fine a gentleman as you'll ever meet. He also played in Swans at one point. When i met him he was drumming in Ministry. He's since moved on to play with Robert Fripp (off and on i think), Robyn Hitchcock, and he currently is the drummer for REM. He's an incredibly expressive musician, on a variety of instruments. He played: Hammond B3 organ, Moog synthesizer, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums/percussion, piano, casio, and backing vocals and probably 3 or 4 things I can't remember at the moment... Next the spirited and gracious Eszter Balint played fiddle/violin to great effect. she played mostly drone based parts, but injected a lot of feel through inflection and modulation. she's a wonderful player and she also just brings a sense of warmth into the studio which is most welcome. she also sang some backing vocals here and there. Eszter first came to wide public notice through her central role in the film Strangers In Paradise, but she's gone on to become a fine singer, instrumentalist, and songwriter in her own right - look her up!....
Next came Julia Kent on cello and Paul Cantelon on violin. They played multitracked string sections on a few songs here and there, "arranged" on the fly. Julia's a member of Antony and The Johnsons, and she does some arrangements as well as playing therein. Paul is primarily a pianist. composer, arranger and recently a soundtrack composer for some high fallutin' films, the names of which i now forget, but i like the way he plays violin, with lots of warble and feeling. he and Julia work quite well together too and have the added advantage (from my perspective) of tolerating my vague descriptions and out of tune humming-of-part suggestions, and then taking those scanty guidelines and making something musical and fully realized out of them. no mean feat !.. next came my pal and x-neighbor in Brooklyn Steve Moses. Steve's a drummer and trombone player. He's in the band Alice Donut and also has his own solo extravaganza called Drumbone and also an improv duo called Lambic. He played trombone like a brontosaurus on this record. he also played drums and trombone on a few of Devendra's YGR releases... next came the estimable musical encyclopedia and flute player (and multi instrumentalist ) of true finesse David Garland. he played flute on a few songs, and also did some rather deep backing vocs. he's another great presence to have in the studio, though he's a little intimidating because he's such a repository of all things musical. he hosts the shows (on NYC public radio station WNYC) Evening Music and Spinning On Air. Aside from playing classical music and film scores and more, he's also been a big supporter of people like Devendra, Akron/Family, Mi and L'au and other contemporary rock/folk related music, as well as myself. David's also a songwriter/singer and should be checked out too!...
Next came the glorious Siobhan Duffy and Larkin Grimm, singing "Chick Vox" on several songs (and Siobhan sings a cameo on the song Not Here/Not Now). Siobhan drummed for years in the NYC noise/skronk band God Is My Co-Pilot, but she went on to become the singer of the group Gunga Din, then drumming for Kid Congo and also Flux Information Sciences. She's sadly temporarily retired from music. she's got a very particular and unique voice, and it's a big loss. Larkin is a wild-ass Georgia mountain woman, or She-Shaman, or something. ha ha! she too has an amazing voice, a huge range and as a songwriter she's eccentric and fiercely expressive and really coming into herself. she's got a few CDs out - look for 'em. we're also in the nascent stages of working on an album that she'll be putting out on Young God Records... Next came my old touring buddy Phil Paleo. Phil was drummer in a band called Cop Shoot Cop, but he played drums and yes, hammer dulcimer in Swans final phase. he played hammer dulcimer on a few songs here... Birgit "Cassis" Staudt played accordion and melodica on a few songs. She's played and toured in several Angels incarnations, and she's a chanteuse you can find playing cabarets and nightclubs in NYC... My big buddy and protector Pat Fondiller played a little mandolin here and there. he did a great job. his hands are bigger than the mandolin! Pat played bass on an Angels tour a while ago, and he also plays in the hard rock combo Smokewagon... The record was recorded at Trout Recording by Bryce Goggin and at Seizure's Palace by Jason La Farge, both in Brooklyn, and in fact right around the corner where i used to live. it was mixed by Bryce at Trout. thanks to them, and all the above!
I now live in the Catskill Mountains, and I also run the record label Young God Records. It generally consumes most of my time, but I accept that. It's my "day job" but quite a decent one, though tedious at times. But I've had the great pleasure of being able to produce or co-produce many of the acts on the label, have always learned something new from working with the musicians involved, and am delighted to be able to bring their music out into the world. Some of the music YGR has released (aside from my own work): Devendra Banhart, Akron/Family, Lisa Germano, Mi and L'au and a great deal more. If you're interested, go to younggodrecords.com ...that's all I have to say about myself, in fact I've said too much! Here below is an extensive bio of me, if you're interested...
Extensive M.Gira bio here
also en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Gira
This page overseen by M.Gira and administered by serenta for YGR

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/23/2007
Band Website: younggodrecords.com
Band Members: List of people who contributed to Swans:

Dozens of people came and went through the 15 years of Swans existence. These are the people that spring immediately to mind: Michael Gira, Norman Westberg, Roli Mossiman, Harry Crosby, Sue Hanel, Jonathan Kane, Algis Kizys, Jarboe, Ted Parsons, Larry Mullins, Vudi, Joe Goldring, Ronaldo Gonzales, Vinnie Signorelli, Christoph Hahn, Bill Rieflin, Bill Bronson, Phil Puleo, Anton Fier, Jenny Wade, Clinton Steele...and more...

People who have contributed to Angels of Light:

Michael Gira, Christoph Hahn, Thor Harris, Devendra Banhart, Phil Puleo, Larry Mullins, Dana Schechter, Birgit "Cassis" Staudt, Bill Rieflin, Steve Moses, Bliss Blood, Daria, Pat Fondiller, The Akron/Family Boyz ( Seth Olinsky, Dana Janssen, Miles Seaton, Ryan Vanderhoof ), Siobhan Duffy, Larkin Grimm, Pat Fondiller, Kid Congo Powers, Jerome O'Brien, Julia Kent, Paul Cantelon, David Garland, Eszter Balint, and dozens more I guess....
Sounds Like:
click album for info
or purchase
Record Label: Young God Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

various interviews raw text m.gira july 07

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxM.Gira / Angels of LightRaw text interview for Sentireascoltare italian magJuly 07> " When I saw the cover of We Are Him I smiled, because the Deryk> Thomas artwork is unmistakable...
Posted by M Gira on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 05:54:00 PST

Wire Magazine Lead Review, Your Flesh Review, Paper Thin Walls preview new angels album

Wire Magazine Lead Review, Your Flesh Review, Paper Thin Walls preview new angels albumThe WireLead ReviewAugust 07Soundcheck - This month's selected CDs and vinyl The fifth album by Michael Gira's An...
Posted by M Gira on Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:51:00 PST

mgira interview just found on web

From Loose LipsSophie HarrisMonday, 5 February 2007Michael Gira"Play some Swans!""No, fuck you!"The exchange is between a punter - at a guess, fat, forty and hiding behindthe merch stand - and Michael...
Posted by M Gira on Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:21:00 PST

FREE MP3 NEW ANGELS OF LIGHT AND LISA GERMANO

Angels Of Light song Black River Song from the upcoming album We Are Him and the Lisa Germano song Paper Doll from the just released reissue of Lullaby For LiquidPig are now Free MP# downloads at the ...
Posted by M Gira on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 01:06:00 PST

Recent advance web press for angels' we are him

From http://theoberlander.wordpress.comhttp://theoberlander.wordp ress.com/2007/06/19/michael-gira-is-the-god-of-this-fuckin-l and/Michael Gira is the God of this Fuckin' LandWarning: The following post...
Posted by M Gira on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 11:57:00 PST

Here's the text of some interviews I just did folks, if you're interested...

THIS RAW TEXT IS FOR AN ARTICLE BEING WRITTEN ABOUT DEVENDRA IN UNCUTMAGAZINE UK>> When and where did you first meet Devendra?My wife, Siobhan Duffy, was on tour and her band played in Los Angeles.She...
Posted by M Gira on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:39:00 PST

Visit me in Europe

Michael Gira is playing these two dates in July at festivals in Belgium andScotland. He'll be playing solo, with his acoustic guitar and what's left ofhis voice. Songs will include many from the forth...
Posted by M Gira on Sat, 23 Jun 2007 01:20:00 PST

YGR News: Lullaby for Liquid Pig

This is just a brief news item to let you know that the fabulous LisaGermano has seen fit to allow us to re-release her woozy and amazinglybeautiful classic Lullaby For Liquid Pig on young god records...
Posted by M Gira on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:29:00 PST

Larkin Grimm on WNYC April 15

The fabulous Larkin Grimm (future Young God Records recording artist)performs live solo and does an interview too for one hour this Sunday April15 on David Garland's NYC Public Radio (WNYC) show Spin...
Posted by M Gira on Sun, 15 Apr 2007 11:42:00 PST

Hello and thanks

I really appreciatethat you've shown interest in the music.Unfortunately, I've just moved tothe mountains and find myself with a dial up56k internet connection for the time being,so I'm unable to trav...
Posted by M Gira on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:34:00 PST