When you see Gira talk, and you're well acquaintaned with Swans' discography, it's hard to shake off the feeling that beneath that calm exterior lurks an American Gothic occult mystic with a cult to his name that routinely sacrifices virgins in a field somewhere
My heart melted a little bit when he said he was touched by something as innocent as a Disney record. Michael Gira is one of the few artists that really GETS IT, I think.
The Crystal Ship is one of the finest and most meaningful songs for me. I would not have expected Gira to have such a deep abiding respect for those first two The Doors records. Such a pleasant surprise.
I met him in Austin with Jarboe at a tiny dark club by the railroad tracks. I think they were touring her record Sacrificial Cake. Only a handful of people showed up which is probably why me and my friends hung out with them afterwards. I remember that there was a girl touring with them who didn’t play in the band. She was dressed exactly like Jarboe, even her hair was braided the same. Almost like twins. She and I played hide and seek in the club while the band played. So weird. I think I told Michael something dumb about their sound. I won’t repeat it here.
@@outis439-A He asked if I liked her show. I’m pretty sure I ate mushrooms that night. I really don’t remember much about the show, but I liked the vibe. What I said to him was so stupid. I don’t even know why I said it. It wasn’t what I really thought. He was really chill about it as I recall. That Jarboe record defined that summer for me. It ended up being my personal soundtrack. Looking back on it, it’s hard to believe how much I loved it, because it’s really twisted and creepy, wicked, maybe even evil. Very hard to listen to. (Except for Lavender, that track is beautiful.) Shoot. Me and my best friend Tammy listened to it constantly, that and Current 93, and Helios Creed. Once we even used her record as a weapon against a perverted peeping Tom who kept creeping around my bedroom window. One night we waited on him to come, and with all the lights out in the house and my bedroom window open; we put speakers facing the window....as soon as we heard him walking up we blasted the scariest song ever as loud as it would go. It sounded like a demonic exorcism. We never saw him again.
My son 16 today on new year's eve. on nye just got your autographed double vinyl I found for him. You have helped him find his voice. He was considered gifted in iq but possible as Eggers regarding his social abilities but he is brilliantly unique and you guys Embracing your identities , being outside the mainstream, gives him connection and I'm forever grateful for thst. We survived the loss of his dad and thr loss of our home and pets to fire in 2021 and he remains strong and brilliantly introspective bc of the strength he finds in your expression. We r coming to see you in DC or Ruchmond ba in April 24. Can't wait. Gid bless you ❤
The singing definitely has it. I haven't heard much Swans, I literally discovered them like 3 days ago, but even I thought he had a slight Jim Morrison timbre and lyrical structure. Very interesting sound. @@djnevling8253
Jesus fuck, this made me feel old. You know the kids have control of the internet when somebody says this about a dude who's a decade older than your old man.
Saw Swans live in London in 1992. They were utterly fantastic. Michael Gira remains a class act. A great, great band who been consistently brilliant for the last three decades.
mcbillygoat ! “Frankie Teardrop” gets to me every time. That song is just so insanely intense. It’s like the electronica version of The Doors’ song “The End’.
There is a record of Gira,Palestine, and a few other collaborators. Also, Gira released a recording that features Charlemagne, david Coulter , etc. on his own Young God Records.
This guy wrote the only completely original sounding music I had ever heard at the time. Yes there's a big cinematic element to the songs, but no one in movie soundtrack or scoring was doing what he was doing. I'd love to hear Gira and Copeland do something together.
Beach boys are darker than The Doors to me. Beach Boys are closer to an escapist type of delusion that is also a deeper truth at the same time. The Doors are transparent.
Thank you! I was thinking back to my first Doors album right before he mentioned his. I enjoyed the scope of what he shared. I wish he talked more about the transition from soft to hard. I went to a show, hoping to hear God Dam the Sun and Mona Lisa Mother Earth. All I heard was a pounding.
what beautiful words for the poet Jim Morrison,in the empty and vulgar world of today "pop" for the masses ,.M.G.is one of the few that can took that heritage
I could never get into Swans. There's something very truthful in their music but so much that it disturbs me a little too much. The only Swans songs I could listen to on a regular basis are the lighter sounding ones like Blind.
It's not easy, I understand ... but so, as you enter the journey, wow! You'll never be the same again! the last 4 albums, are probably one of the best moments of modern music! You should try to listen, it's really worth it!
I always thought that if the lyrics were sunnier, Blind could be played on an AM station. Just so you know, if you aren't enjoying Swans, you're not turning it up LOUD ENOUGH. It needs to be loud enough to frighten animals and small children or you won't get the intended effect.
idk later swans is a lot more esoteric and subtle - even by the time of white light its dark but its not difficult the way the stark truth of filth, cop, a screw, greed are those arent songs that could possibly have been done by someone who wasnt personally well acquainted with the subject matter and in giras case likely as both perpetrator and victim - and his observation of cruelty and dehumanization in his own family and life settings , living on the streets, working tough shit jobs, being in jail, being a drug dealer, etc. I appreciate his fearlessness in this aspect, its probably most profound on You See Through Me Clay Man, Big Strong Boss, Why Hide, and Blackout hit too close for me and I can’t deal with those ones but thats it I think.
Wow the Doors tell REALLY shows me how he found his baritone voice. dang I should have connected the dots but alas, back in the 80's he might not even admit that
Until now I had never heard his surname pronounced, but I’d always pronounced it “Jee-rah”. Well, I’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth so clearly I was wrong but still.
Please come to Maine To....Thee Balsam Amphitheater on thee Canadian Border Downeat（ｓ）、 Maine....Could "Bee" Berry, Berry Strange and Blessed。白鳥かっこいないい音すごいな歌詞も力優しい歩道のキリンですよ。
Gee thanks always thought doomers were self centered. Did not know this was on Glowing man, guess I'm still being a pussy about listening to SWANS massive discography.
yo what happened at the very end of the video there??? It looks like Gira says "fuck" to the cameraman and has a super pissed off face all of a sudden.
The first song by Swans that made me compare Gira's voice to anyone else was 'Failure' and I immediately thought Johnny Cash. Then Andrew Eldritch of Sisters of Mercy slowed down and aged. I admit though, Michael has the best vocal. Still love Cash tho!
well, he sure know they took inspiration from Branca as well,,,, but Gira was there first of course, soundtracks to the blind has these pre-post-rock songs,,,,,,
I think he took our question to mean, "are you listening to any current artists?" While Charlemagne Palestine is a 20th century composer which makes him much more current than say Bach or Handel, he's still not exactly a modern recording artist in the likes of The Weeknd or Drake (no quality inference in either of those references of course).
yeah i was thinking a 20th century minimalist composer is pretty contemporary, just threw me off when MG was saying its definitely not contemporary when in my mind it certainly is
It's cool because you can hear the Disney influence in his own albums.
haha, yeah it's right there isn't it?
Definitely the cinematic influence. “Soundtracks for the Blind” really is about as much of an aural feature length film as it is an album.
Yeah, now I know why I always picture Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, whenever I chill out to Swans.
Really? 😂😂
Just Fantasia
When you see Gira talk, and you're well acquaintaned with Swans' discography, it's hard to shake off the feeling that beneath that calm exterior lurks an American Gothic occult mystic with a cult to his name that routinely sacrifices virgins in a field somewhere
I was thinking underneath it all lurks a real dick
It’s funny cause I feel the exact opposite when I hear MC Ride from Death Grips talk or rap.
Are you talking about All Lined Up?
For real?
@Pason Jayne WHAT
I know he probably didn't intend for it, but it makes sense that the first record he would mention was the only movie Disney has banned.
tremendo
@@juancitolimon8743 tremolo
I could listen to him talk about music for an eternity.
yup, very cool dude, well-spoken and has good taste in music.
as well as listen to his records: 17 minutes average
My heart melted a little bit when he said he was touched by something as innocent as a Disney record. Michael Gira is one of the few artists that really GETS IT, I think.
If you think that Disney is innocent you need to do a little bit more research.
@@criticalthinker72 the music, not the company
@@thatsalotoffish4424 'Song of the South'???
@@evanwright9016 *some of the music
@@evanwright9016 It's innocent, you're just too modern
He's just like the cowboy from Mulholland Drive
Wow, I had the same idea. Such a surreal scene.
YES
Bro I've been saying this for years, when I first watched the cowboy scene in Mulholland Drive I thought "this gives me Swans vibes"
A man's attitude goes some ways.
That’s a smart aleck thing to say.
1:03 Did I just see Michael Gira SMILE??
I guess you never saw him at the merch booth after a show!
I'd say Michael Gira ain't as gloomy as he likes you to believe ... also @@nremac YEAH UNTILTED
@@nremac chiastic slide > untilted
OH GOD IT IS CURSED
If Swans don’t make you smile you must be dead inside.
The Crystal Ship is one of the finest and most meaningful songs for me. I would not have expected Gira to have such a deep abiding respect for those first two The Doors records. Such a pleasant surprise.
This one was a great interview to film. Michael was a little hesitant at first but once we got the cameras rolling he really enjoyed himself.
One should never underestimate the artists that amount to something for real.
I feel the same way about The Doors as MG. And you can definitely hear their influence on Swans. Both are fantastic bands.
I love The chrystal ship. Such a beauty
truly an artist's artist
I met him in Austin with Jarboe at a tiny dark club by the railroad tracks. I think they were touring her record Sacrificial Cake. Only a handful of people showed up which is probably why me and my friends hung out with them afterwards. I remember that there was a girl touring with them who didn’t play in the band. She was dressed exactly like Jarboe, even her hair was braided the same. Almost like twins. She and I played hide and seek in the club while the band played. So weird. I think I told Michael something dumb about their sound. I won’t repeat it here.
Could you give us a hint?
yeah, give us a hint!
@@outis439-A He asked if I liked her show. I’m pretty sure I ate mushrooms that night. I really don’t remember much about the show, but I liked the vibe. What I said to him was so stupid. I don’t even know why I said it. It wasn’t what I really thought. He was really chill about it as I recall. That Jarboe record defined that summer for me. It ended up being my personal soundtrack. Looking back on it, it’s hard to believe how much I loved it, because it’s really twisted and creepy, wicked, maybe even evil. Very hard to listen to. (Except for Lavender, that track is beautiful.) Shoot. Me and my best friend Tammy listened to it constantly, that and Current 93, and Helios Creed. Once we even used her record as a weapon against a perverted peeping Tom who kept creeping around my bedroom window. One night we waited on him to come, and with all the lights out in the house and my bedroom window open; we put speakers facing the window....as soon as we heard him walking up we blasted the scariest song ever as loud as it would go. It sounded like a demonic exorcism. We never saw him again.
@@sweetsoul3145 👆🏻
@@scherryvalentine9673 you are the coolest person ever
he pronounced his last name wrong. you cant convince me otherwise.
haha
yeah fr
Yeah I always thought you pronounced it like “Gee-ra”
Every time I've ever heard him pronounce his last name, he says it like Ja - Raw. So that's what I say.
I say it like Jeer ah instead of jee-rah
this guy has a great vocabulary
girg guy yeah his writer and all
Yeah, considering he is of poor education also as far as I know
He read a shit ton on his way across Europe during his youth
Orgasmic
He's a pretty good writer imo. His writings even on his instagram posts are intriguing
My son 16 today on new year's eve. on nye just got your autographed double vinyl I found for him. You have helped him find his voice. He was considered gifted in iq but possible as Eggers regarding his social abilities but he is brilliantly unique and you guys Embracing your identities , being outside the mainstream, gives him connection and I'm forever grateful for thst. We survived the loss of his dad and thr loss of our home and pets to fire in 2021 and he remains strong and brilliantly introspective bc of the strength he finds in your expression. We r coming to see you in DC or Ruchmond ba in April 24. Can't wait. Gid bless you ❤
I think your title music should be a little louder.
Onemanjim It makes me feel like i'm at a Swans show
Oh of course it's Michael GIIIRAAAW!
This is incredible, thank you for sharing!
Damn, even I got a The Doors vibe from Swans when I first got into them
The Skoolmustard like a darker fuckedup the doors right?
liquidpebbles for me it’s the deep baritone too and the spoken parts as well.
Yes, you can definitely hear The Doors in Swans/AoL.
The singing definitely has it. I haven't heard much Swans, I literally discovered them like 3 days ago, but even I thought he had a slight Jim Morrison timbre and lyrical structure. Very interesting sound. @@djnevling8253
I'm just a little boy
I wish Gira was my grandpa
Jesus fuck, this made me feel old. You know the kids have control of the internet when somebody says this about a dude who's a decade older than your old man.
But beware when you take a picture of him.
Saw Swans live in London in 1992.
They were utterly fantastic. Michael Gira remains a class act.
A great, great band who been consistently brilliant for the last three decades.
I had not recognized that there was a cinematic influence in his music until he said so, but it makes so much sense.
1:03 THAT SMILE
Huh. I thought it was pronounced GEAR-uh.
It's actually gear-AH
Like giraffe, but without the "ffe".
I always thought it was pronounced like jy-rah
Even though I know the right pronunciation, I still call him JEER-ah
Boyo Same Boyo
If you haven’t heard the band suicide on their 1977 self titled album, you need to take the time. Perhaps the best album of the 70’s.
Yeah I agree. I used to listen to that album on repeat in high school and never grew tired of it!
mcbillygoat ! “Frankie Teardrop” gets to me every time. That song is just so insanely intense.
It’s like the electronica version of The Doors’ song “The End’.
It's really fucking dense haha. But if you like Swans you would probably like that album!.
Thanks for suggesting
I would refute that with Marvin Gaye what’s going on, but yeah suicide is a great band I found them thru spacemen 3
Palestine’s records are extraordinary - I second Mr Gira’s recommendation.
You are part of an exclusive and informed audience. We applaud your musical knowledge!
That piano music recommendation was epic, the way he described it! I gotta find
We often talk about that one, the name is so particular. Thanks for watching!
2:14 Michael looks at the interviewer like "How the fuck do you not know that?"
lmao
Holy shit, I never knew that Gira listens to Charlemagne Palestine. He's got great taste.
Robert Lustmord no shit
There is a record of Gira,Palestine, and a few other collaborators. Also, Gira released a recording that features Charlemagne, david Coulter , etc. on his own Young God Records.
gira has aged incredibly well
He stays interested in his work.
Just the addition of sound clips from the albums makes your vids the shit!! Love it bro
Michael Gira looks like a villain written by Stephen King. I love him.
Gira's cool and he has pretty damned good taste as well.
Suicide, Stooges, Bowie, krautrock! the man knows, there is no doubt
This guy wrote the only completely original sounding music I had ever heard at the time. Yes there's a big cinematic element to the songs, but no one in movie soundtrack or scoring was doing what he was doing. I'd love to hear Gira and Copeland do something together.
He has a great style.
Who doesn't love Michael Gira's Art.
My sister hates it lol
I was at that show!!! Love you Gira!!!
thank you michael swans
ah yep you can hear influence from Chubby Checker's 'The Twist' in Oxygen
Strange Days was my first serious album , a great counterpoint to The Beach Boys growing up in So,Cal ,Dark really works best for this world.
It was pretty much the first proper gothic rock album.
Beach boys are darker than The Doors to me. Beach Boys are closer to an escapist type of delusion that is also a deeper truth at the same time. The Doors are transparent.
thanks for watching XC
Thank you!
I was thinking back to my first Doors album right before he mentioned his.
I enjoyed the scope of what he shared.
I wish he talked more about the transition from soft to hard. I went to a show, hoping to hear God Dam the Sun and Mona Lisa Mother Earth. All I heard was a pounding.
he's so chill
The way Gira speaks is so different than what you'd expect. I don't know why.
The Music Goat
Cool!
Excellent; loved it.
what beautiful words for the poet Jim Morrison,in the empty and vulgar world of today "pop" for the masses ,.M.G.is one of the few that can took that heritage
Influenced by Disney music: "Aw, that's so sweet and touching and-"
More specifically Song of the South: "Oh Christ!"
very shocking pick. not sure what to think. Thank you very much for watching
Genius
Love this man and SWANS
I could never get into Swans. There's something very truthful in their music but so much that it disturbs me a little too much. The only Swans songs I could listen to on a regular basis are the lighter sounding ones like Blind.
It's not easy, I understand ... but so, as you enter the journey, wow! You'll never be the same again! the last 4 albums, are probably one of the best moments of modern music! You should try to listen, it's really worth it!
I always thought that if the lyrics were sunnier, Blind could be played on an AM station.
Just so you know, if you aren't enjoying Swans, you're not turning it up LOUD ENOUGH. It needs to be loud enough to frighten animals and small children or you won't get the intended effect.
You need to listen to Oxygen at maximum volume till you get asthma....
idk later swans is a lot more esoteric and subtle - even by the time of white light its dark but its not difficult the way the stark truth of filth, cop, a screw, greed are those arent songs that could possibly have been done by someone who wasnt personally well acquainted with the subject matter and in giras case likely as both perpetrator and victim - and his observation of cruelty and dehumanization in his own family and life settings , living on the streets, working tough shit jobs, being in jail, being a drug dealer, etc. I appreciate his fearlessness in this aspect, its probably most profound on You See Through Me
Clay Man, Big Strong Boss, Why Hide, and Blackout hit too close for me and I can’t deal with those ones but thats it I think.
@Pason Jayne he did during his youth, survival of the fittest.
Wow the Doors tell REALLY shows me how he found his baritone voice. dang I should have connected the dots but alas, back in the 80's he might not even admit that
Look at the interviewer when Gira introduces himself. "My name is Michael Girah!" No!! Fuck me dead!
Strumming Music is a sensational record.
I always wanted them to take their music and make a musical out of it. That would have been so cool.
he looks like merle dixon and sounds like a cool soft spoken uni lecturer
Who would’ve thought that the guy who made a song called Raping A Slave was influenced by Disney music
the doors fuck yeah
Life!
I find it incredible that he doesn’t really listen to any new music, considering how fresh and new sounding his music is.
So, basically he does not listen to anything that came after he started making music.
If you close your eyes, Michael’s and Anton Newcombe’s(BJM) speaking voices sound very similar
It’S the proDuct that mixeD with their bLooD that createD that SounD…
SeemS Strange but true
TAM
I Am The Sun
0:18, 4:20 songs?
It's two parts of one song (People Like Us).
@@youtubeuserdan4017 Thanks!
How tf does he look so good
Michael "Ja - Raw".. up until like a year ago I had always assumed it was pronounced "Gear - uh". Boy, do I feel sheepish.
Geek question... Is the audio just off the XY mic from your zoom recorder? The acoustics in that room must've have been amazing
Until now I had never heard his surname pronounced, but I’d always pronounced it “Jee-rah”. Well, I’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth so clearly I was wrong but still.
Please come to Maine To....Thee Balsam Amphitheater on thee Canadian Border Downeat（ｓ）、 Maine....Could "Bee" Berry, Berry Strange and Blessed。白鳥かっこいないい音すごいな歌詞も力優しい歩道のキリンですよ。
Whats the song at 4:14?
Swans - People Like Us
Gee thanks always thought doomers were self centered. Did not know this was on Glowing man, guess I'm still being a pussy about listening to SWANS massive discography.
I want power
Because it feels good
The interviewer looks so pissed.
what's the song playing at 4:17?
Swans - People Like Us
Joey hey...thanks!
yo what happened at the very end of the video there??? It looks like Gira says "fuck" to the cameraman and has a super pissed off face all of a sudden.
haha, interesting you saw it that way. No, he was only saying the name of the show to confirm it before filming the intro.
RIML_TV hahaha damn my mind is tainted
It’s jerah?
♥
He's definitely outliving everyone in the room.
I’ve been pronouncing his last name “gear-uh.”
Who picks the opening bands for Swans? Michael must be involved; no? Jenny Hval for instance. Contemporary not?
Do Al Jourgenson!
The first song by Swans that made me compare Gira's voice to anyone else was 'Failure' and I immediately thought Johnny Cash. Then Andrew Eldritch of Sisters of Mercy slowed down and aged. I admit though, Michael has the best vocal. Still love Cash tho!
Reading my comment back I wish I hadn't said anything. I try not to compare real artists of any field, I meant it all complimentary.
it's "jih-rah"? wow.
Wait, Gira is pronounced "Jer-ah"? This whole time I thought it was "Gear-uh"
What's the name of the song at around 4:27? Is that his solo or Swans or Angels..?
It's part of the same song used through out the episode. Swans - People Like Us.
northerntrans thanks!
Look, I'll say jira, but I'm not doing the emphasis like that.
He reminds me of Maynard James Keenan
What's the song that plays at 04:15, I can't remember the name
"People Like Us"
Ahh thanks, I don't know why but I never revisited that one as much as the other tracks from The Glowing Man, gonna listen to it now though
I found it captivating, and after editing the video I can imagine a Doors influence on its sound.
It's so weird to see him smile; I mean, it's awesome, but still weird.
He smiles a lot actually.
You will see me one more time, if you do good. You will see me two more times, if you do bad. Good night.
Dressed liked a cowboy, but don't expect C&W.....
Oh that''s how you say his name.
7:12
Jim - Crystal Ships - voice isolated - ua-cam.com/video/Wo1n7VKwohU/v-deo.html
Both John Cale and Michael Gira naturally emit the menacing aura. Their demeanor get soften and they sound more accessible as they age though.
So sorry if you need to keep that recording button pushed all the time
1:04
I thought he was Max Hardcore at first...😃
I wonder what Michel would think of GY!BE
well, he sure know they took inspiration from Branca as well,,,, but Gira was there first of course, soundtracks to the blind has these pre-post-rock songs,,,,,,
His speaking voice is nothing like his singing voice.
yes it is.
It really doesn't. His singing voice pronounces R's like W's, whereas his speaking voice doesn't exhibit that particular speech impediment.
Hambone Jones not really a speech impediment more like a pattern
Right, "pattern" is a more accurate term.
How is Charlemagne Palestine not contemporary?
I think he took our question to mean, "are you listening to any current artists?" While Charlemagne Palestine is a 20th century composer which makes him much more current than say Bach or Handel, he's still not exactly a modern recording artist in the likes of The Weeknd or Drake (no quality inference in either of those references of course).
yeah i was thinking a 20th century minimalist composer is pretty contemporary, just threw me off when MG was saying its definitely not contemporary when in my mind it certainly is
Exile is just impossible to surpass