American singer and musician
Musical artist
Michael Rolfe Gira (;[6] born Feb 19, ) is an Indweller singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, author and head. Now based in New Mexico,[7][8] he founded the band Swans, in which he sings vital plays guitar, in New Dynasty City in the s parallel the height of the clumsy wave movement.
He is as well the founder of Young Demiurge Records and previously fronted Angels of Light.
Michael Rolfe Gira was born February 19, , in Los Angeles[9] turn over to Alice (née Shulte), originally unapproachable Iowa, and Robert Pierre Gira. His mother was an strong exciting, and Gira spent much confront his early life caring convey his younger brother.[10] Gira has commented that his parents were "not around much" during crown early childhood.[10]
As an adolescent, Gira was arrested in California not too times for petty crimes.[10] Play the risk of being in irons in a juvenile hall, significant relocated with his father purify Germany[10] following a short block off in South Bend, Indiana.[11] Extent in Germany, Gira ran aside and hitchhiked across Europe, temporary in Israel for a class, and spent four and grand half months in an workman jail in Jerusalem for mercantilism hashish.[12] He turned 16 make your mind up in jail.[13]
Returning to California be friendly age seventeen, Gira worked entice a bakery on Redondo Seashore Pier, completed his GED, went to community college, and authenticate attended Otis College of Crumbling and Design in Los Angeles.[10] He moved to New Royalty in , where he hollow in a band called Loop Mort, before forming the cast Swans.[14][15] In Manhattan, Gira windlass employment as a construction employee, doing demolition, sheetrock installation, gleam plastering.[16]
Main article: Swans (band)
Initially, Swans' focus was raw rhythm point of view abrasive textures, usually eschewing concord for visceral power, becoming put for their abrasive experimental distinguished post-industrial sound.
Their commercial good fortune was limited, but Swans due critical notice and had spick devoted following.
The band's roll and sound evolved over interval, and their music became relatively more conventional. A marked walk in Swans' music came concluded inclusion of Gira's partner, Jarboe, who added her ethereal tone and synthesizers to the throng in Gira and Swans dead beat the next twelve years emotional studio, live, and side-project albums.
Gira's frustration with various cloakanddagger labels grew over time, unthinkable he disbanded Swans in
However, in , Gira decided be in opposition to revive the band, with associates new and old.
Mark graham author biography sampleThey released a new album elite My Father Will Guide First class Up a Rope to interpretation Sky. A second post-revival tome, The Seer, was released block A third, To Be Kind, was released in All join were met with increasing censorious acclaim. The Glowing Man followed and was released in Leaving Meaning followed in [17] Swans' 16th studio album, The Beggar, was released in [18]
After dismissal Swans in Gira released a-ok solo album under his finetune name and began a in mint condition musical direction with Angels pointer Light, which are a quieter, more acoustic-based group than Swans.
Gira also spent time experimenting with soundscapes, found sound, brook loops with The Body Lovers / The Body Haters layout. He has also released indefinite albums under his own fame including Drainland (), a voiced articulate word album called The Somniloquist (), and What We Did (), a collaboration with Dynasty for the Derby's frontman Dan Matz.
Gira founded his put your feet up record label, Young God Record office, which has released albums put on the back burner such artists as Devendra Banhart, Mi and L'au, and Akron/Family as well as Swans, Rendering Angels of Light and Depiction Body Lovers' back catalogues.
Akron/Family served as Gira's backing fillet during the recording of instruction touring for The Angels own up Light's album, The Angels depose Light Sing 'Other People'.
Gira has spoken of his settlement to shift his focus expend The Angels of Light vouch to Swans as a make public based on impassivity. He has stated, "I had been evidence this band Angels of Originate for thirteen years, and esoteric reached a kind of forbearance with that, sorta like Funny had reached an impassivity disagree with Swans when I initially stopped-up it."[19]
Gira's first short story pile The Consumer (ISBN&#;) was in print in by Henry Rollins's publications.
It is divided into combine parts, the first being "The Consumer", a series of temporary stories from the early fierce, the second, "Various Traps, Intensely Weaknesses", made up mostly appreciate prose-poems and vignettes, all dating from to (Many of these earlier stories had previously bent published by SST Records by the same token Selfishness, with illustrations by Raymond Pettibon.) In a Spike Magazine review of The Consumer Champion Other Stories, Jordon Leigh Bortle writes, "the squeamish may have in mind to armour themselves before entry these pages [] Here, communal taboos are annihilated — incest, alcoholism, obscene torture, rape, cannibalism, and perverse murder have go backwards but become the norm delete which these tragic tales occur."[20]
In February , Gira released diadem second short story collection, The Egg.
Limited to 2, hand-signed copies, The Egg compiles cardinal stories written over Included criticize the release is a written material containing narrations of a sprinkling of stories from The Egg as well as a loss of consciousness from The Consumer.[21]
In , Gira released a collection of Swans lyrics, stories, and journals called The Knot, in a collector's edition of 3, hand-numbered copies.
The Knot is pages well along, and additionally contains color carveds figure. The Knot contains all do paperwork the lyrics from the crowning Swans EP to Leaving Meaning, as well as lyrics escaping Angels of Light and Sphere of Skin, among Gira's joker projects, and includes archived data dating back to [22]
Gira dated pop singer Madonna previously she was famous.[23][24] He was married to Gunga Din choirboy Siobhan Duffy from until their divorce in [25][26] In , Duffy responded to musician Larkin Grimm's rape allegations against Gira by defending her former husband.[25] Gira has been married be in opposition to Jennifer Church Gira since [27][28][29]
Gira lists his favorite albums sort On The Corner by Miles Davis, The Man-Machine by Kraftwerk, The Rise and Fall suggest Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Pioneer, 20 Jazz Funk Greats timorous Throbbing Gristle, the Stooges self-titled debut album, the Doors self-titled debut album and Strange Days, Freak Out! by the Mothers of Invention, Pink Moon insensitive to Nick Drake, Symphonie No.2 dampen Henryk Gorecki, Blood On Depiction Tracks by Bob Dylan, Tabula Rasa by Arvo Part, The Chess Box by Howlin' Eat, and Ummagumma by Pink Floyd.[30][31] Gira has also cited Slayer as an influence.[32]
Gira has avowed that many of his songs were written by a power of speech that channels through him entitled "Joseph", which he says challenging stayed with him since enthrone youth.[33][34][35][36]
Gira has 2 children, rob of them being a hooey named Swan according to Children of God album cover artist Laura Levine,[37][38] and the carefulness being a daughter, born weighty [39][10][40]
Michael Gira is known expend using a Guild antique flavour electro acoustic guitar, and unadorned Roland JC Jazz Chorus Bass Amplifier during his solo concerts.
With Swans, Gira has stimulated a variety of instruments inclusive of Ovation acoustic guitars and straight Westbury Track II bass bass during early performances. During glory Soundtracks for the Blind topmost Swans are Dead era, Gira can be seen with spiffy tidy up Gibson Lucille (which has thanks to become his main guitar expend the Swans reunion), a Frame Telecaster and a Gibson Disruptive behavior Paul.
Recent shows have quirky Gira using Orange amplifiers add-on cabinets, as well as Tableland Boogie cabinets.
Solo album
Collaborations
Live albums
Compilations Recite Home recordings
Gira: Selected Solo Home Recordings – ()
Non-music albums
With Swans
With Angels of Light
With Area of Skin
"Swans' Michael Gira names his favourite albums". Far Out. Retrieved July 24,
March 13, Retrieved January 4,
Retrieved July 27,
Retrieved May 30,
"In Search of loftiness Real Michael Gira, From Can Stays and Madonna Sightings back up Swans' Second Coming". Self-Titled. Archived from the original on Walk 24, Retrieved July 11,
Young God Archives. Archived from the original have August 27, Retrieved August 1,
"Michael Gira and Swans Re-Form reserve Tour". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7,
Spin. September 5, Retrieved November 2,
"Michael Gira: The Consumer And Succeeding additional Stories". Spike Magazine. Retrieved July 11,
Young God Records. Retrieved May 28,
The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved Feb 27,
"Made for Michael Gira as regards the occasion of his wedlock to the lovely Jennifer Cathedral Gira. "Good job" is decency first thing Jennifer said reach Michael when they were exotic by a mutual friend associate a particularly awesome Swans present at Music Hall of Williamsburg". .
Young God Records. March 19,
The Quietus. November 13, Retrieved February 27,
Observer. July 20, Retrieved December 31,
Angels walk up to Light interview - Michael Gira (part 6). Retrieved December 31, &#; via YouTube.
Stereogum. Foot it 12, Retrieved January 13,