Swans 
Formed  1982 
Disbanded  1997 
Group Members  Bill Laswell  Michael Gira  Roli Mosimann  Norman Westberg  Harry Crosby 
Years Active   
Genres  Rock  
Styles  Noise-Rock, Experimental, Alternative Pop/Rock 
Tones  Cathartic, Brooding, Bleak 
Labels  Young God (13), Atavistic (5), K.422 (3), Thirsty Ear (2), PVC (2), MCA (2), Caroline (2) 
  
 
    Crawling  out  of  the  same noisy, arty New York underground
that  sired  Sonic  Youth  and Lydia Lunch, Swans created a dark,
abrasive, murky, slowed-down noise-rock that served as a starting
point   for   their  ruminations  about  alienation,  depression,
depravity,  and  the  disturbing  side  of  human nature. Singers
Michael Gira and Jarboe have been the group's only constants over
the   years;   Gira   has   taken   the   group  from  its  early
confrontational  shock  tactics  to a more varied, mature attack.
The  band first appeared on record in 1982 with a self-titled EP,
and  its  early  releases  document  their search for the musical
vocabulary  to  express  their  ideas  effectively. Female singer
Jarboe  joined  the  group  for  1986's  Holy Money and brought a
gentler, more relaxed dimension to Swans' sound. The band entered
its  creative  peak with 1987's Children of God and the follow-up
Feel Good Now, and secured a deal with MCA through a cover of Joy
Division's  "Love  Will Tear Us Apart," which became an indie hit
in  the  U.K.  In between releases, Gira and Jarboe recorded with
their  side  project  Skin,  an  outlet  for  their quieter, more
reflective  side.  Their first MCA album, The Burning World, came
the  closest  to  mainstream rock of anything they had done up to
that  point,  and  1991's  White Light From the Mouth of Infinity
continued  that  trend.  In  1995,  Gira  published  a  book, The
Consumer  and  Other  Stories,  through Henry Rollins' publishing
house;  the  book's  release coincided with that of the album The
Great Annihilator. — Steve Huey 
  
    Similar Artists: Pussy Galore Clint Ruin Foetus Bauhaus KMFDM
Lydia Lunch Sonic Youth Joy Division Nick Cave Big Black

    Followers:  Napalm  Death  Skin  Yard Bark Psychosis Mephisto
Waltz Witchman Deutsch Nepal Forma Tadre

    Performed  Songs  By:  Michael  Gira Jarboe Ted Parsons Algis
Kizys Norman Westberg Kenneth Gamble Jerry Ross 

Albums:
 
 1984 Cop K.422 
 1986 Greed PVC 
 1986 Holy Money PVC 
 1987 Children of God Caroline 
 1988 Feel Good Now Product Inc. 
 1989 The Burning World UNI 
 1990 Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room (no label) 
 1991 White Light from the Mouth of Infinity Young God 
 1992 Love of Life Young God 
 1993 Omniscience [live] Young God 
 1995 Sacrificial Cake Young God 
 1995 Great Annihilator Young God 
 1996 Kill the Child [live] Atavistic 
 1996 Real Love [live] Atavistic 
 1996 Die Tür Ist Zu Rough Trade 
 1996 Soundtracks for the Blind Atavistic 
 1999 Public Castration Is a Good Idea [live] Thirsty Ear 
 
 1990 Filth LP #1/EP #1 1982/3 Young God   
 1991 Body to Body, Job to Job [live] Young God   
 1993 Cop/Young God Young God   
 1993 Greed/Holy Money Young God   
 1997 Children of God/World of Skin Atavistic   
 1998 Swans Are Dead (Live '95-'97) Atavistic   
 1999 Cop/Young God/Greed/Holy Money Thirsty Ear   
 1999 Various Failures 1988-1992 Young God   
 2000 Filth/Body to Body, Job to Job Young God   

 EPs:
  
 1985 Swans [EP] Homestead   
 1986 Time is Money (Bastard) [EP] K.422   
 1986 A Screw [EP] K.422   
 1988 Love Will Tear Us Apart [EP] Caroline   
 1989 Can't Find My Way Home [EP] MCA   
 1989 Saved [EP] MCA   
 1990 Untitled [Swans] [EP] 1982 Young God   
 1994 Celebrity Lifestyle/Motherfather Invisible