The Swans are one of the most influential experimental rock bands to emerge from New York. Originally formed in 1982 the line-up consisted of Michael Gira and a shifting selection of musicians. The band released 10 albums before Gira disbanded them in 1997 to explore other musical avenues.
After years of pursuing Angels of Light and recording and producing a diverse roster of artists for his Young God label, Michael Gira decided to bring back the Swans during an Angels of Light show. He stated that in the middle of playing a song onstage with “large chords that were very sustained and swaying, in this sort of slave-ship rhythm,” he felt “a nascent urge right then to re-form or reinvigorate Swans because I remembered how elevating and intense that experience was.”has decided to reconvene his legendary group Swans. As he says: “THIS IS NOT A REUNION. It’s not some dumb-ass nostalgia act. It is not repeating the past. After 5 Angels of Light albums, I needed a way to move FORWARD, in a new direction, and it just so happens that revivifying the idea of Swans is allowing me to do that.”
The Swans are: Michael Gira, Norman Westberg, Christoph Hahn, Phil Puleo, Thor Harris, Christopher Pravdica.
Swans Live in Hong Kong
When: 8pm, 30 January, 2015
Where: The Vine Center
How Much: $495 from eventbrite