SWANS - Beautiful Child Live 1987

[@grantg60]

I saw Swans in Liverpool in 1987. To say it was loud would not come anywhere near describing how loud it was!

[@rzeszo222]

Check out bootleg from this show: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nofJmp2Jpdh0mbM Distorted sound, especially in Beautiful Child at the end - absolutely madness, how intense and loud this show was... Maybe their most brutal show in 1987

[@theotroop]

Mardi Gras by any chance ?

[@craiggerrard5117]

@@theotroop Yes it was. Unforgettable night.

[@danielszwedko2076]

Greatest band of all time to me.

[@schwarzblatt]

How in the hell do they get such an atonal sound? Is it the sheer volume? This sounds like a huge pyramid of dissonance with barely any individual pitches to speak of. Amazing.

[@melvinmelvins5202]

Volume, tunings, and minimal effects. In fact here the majority of the dissonance you're hearing is from Jarboe's keyboard/Mirage sampler.

[@Yapperofthecentury97]

schwarzblatt Prayer to the dark obelisk

[@apothecurio]

There is a tons of bending of strings too so that it never feels like there is a sustained note that we can call the “home note”

[@matthewsamboy2792]

@@Yapperofthecentury97 you know of the Obelisk of Doom? The object of which we do not speak frivolously? I discourage inundation of the uninitiated....mmmmm the unpledged....you see ?

[@matthewsamboy2792]

@@apothecurio in High School...we called your mom the "home note" and your dad the "seeless wanderer"....true story

[@andtheskywasopened]

Imagine walking into a show with them playing and not knowing what to expect. It was awesome.

[@collenrung5009]

I bet!!!!!!

[@WeHaveExplosive]

I read an interview with Michael Gira once where he describes Beautiful Child as his interpretation of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac, which sort of follows the whole dynamic of Children Of God in which the band attempted to mimic the "power" they felt was inherent in religious messages.

[@munyansebastien7127]

That's what I always thought, fits well within the Children of God concept: the deep ambiguity of religious experience.

[@petescare13]

In the pre internet era this album was released, it was a tiny minority of their fans who understood exactly who and what the children of god group was and what they were about. The lyrics of something like this song become even more disturbing when you do a little research into the cult and their alleged crimes and indignities.

[@craw_daddy97]

I don't think I've ever seen an artist have the same energy as Michael Gira when they play live

[@collinlopez]

Watch old live videos of Jeromes Dream

[@MrSmallpoxSatan]

Rollins w/ Black Flag, HR w/ Bad Brains. Any Iggy. Elvis Louisiana Hayrides. I can think of a few but I get what you’re saying.

[@wesleyharden7761]

One of the greatest live recordings of any band.

[@medutopia]

One my favorite from Swans. Can't stop sharing it.... Seen Swans twice in the UK (a gig and a festival). I got shell-shocked in the Ritz venue in Manchester, for 3 days. Overwhelmed. Open air festival (Arctangent 2023) wasn't that loud. I've heard stories people passing out because of infrasound vibes.

[@OwlAtHome0]

It's funny - right around the time this was recorded, I was a teenager searching for harder, ever more abrasive music -- moving on from bands like Metallica to Sepultura to finally discovering punk & Black Flag. Didn't encounter Swans until a few years later, around "Love Of Life" ... if i'd heard this stuff when i was a f**ked-up depressed teenager, I would have been in heaven!

[@NEWSUPERCHARGER2001]

I heard them in my depressed teenager phase. What a glorious way to encompass my sadness into a rapturous roar of applause and degradation on the mental scale of my mind at 16. 2013 in November was an interesting time to fall in love with Swans

[@pajkossy]

This is from the year when I used to drop acid and listen to Gira & Co. really loud in my college dorm room. Looking back on it I probably was scaring the shit out of my hall mates, but for me it was sweet release.

[@daikiraihatesu]

You’re a cool person. Hope you’re still well.

[@jimpykeiss]

@@daikiraihatesu thanks and right back at you 💖

[@centroidofeverything]

This was my first exposure to Swans. It was frightening but turned me into a Swans fan. Best thing ever happened to me.

[@martinmoore6168]

I want to see Rick Beato do a ' why this song is great' video for this.

[@sweetmovie07]

This is the most original, brutal, confrontational music.

[@NothingSacred27]

I was too young to have seen the Swans during this era. I imagine, though, that these shows must have just pounded the hell out of you mentally and physically.

[@petescare13]

I can confirm that it was so loud your whole body hurt not just your ears, and more than a few people couldn't take it and walked out, admittedly not as much on this tour as the previous one in 86, my first swans, a few months after the Public Castration is a Good Idea live double LP was recorded.

[@WeHaveExplosive]

I like how people deprecate the opinions of those who do as condescending, especially when it's not conveyed that way. To clarify; the listener is either getting something from the performance or they aren't, same with any form of music. No elitism is intended.

[@heterodoxx5300]

Fuck that shit, Swans is elite right here!

[@damalgr]

This is so much better than the studio version

[@jordanvalli8350]

on God

[@brianquinn1800]

Swans, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, & Crime & the City Solution on the same bill. man oh man!

[@napndash]

History will forget Cave

[@robb.4613]

This track sounds like a ritual of sacrifice of some tribe and I believe it was intentious

[@notvcinema8741]

@@guycomments It makes me think of something Cormac McCarthy would write. Something like Child of God.

[@ijustgotreallystoned638]

@@notvcinema8741 well Michael has stated that he loves Cormac McCarthy, I believe his favourite book of his being Blood Meridian because he is based.

[@brianwilliams9462]

@@notvcinema8741 If that movie version of Blood Meridian ever got made, (which I am not sure it will, or ever should) Michael Gira should do the score

[@histeriann]

Micheal Gira himself was an alleged participant of one the instances of Hermann Nitsch's performance called Orgien Mysterien Theater. Google it. The influence on his music is quite evident.

[@venus9343]

The track is based on the story of Ibrahim

[@111noir2000]

what a lot of people don't realize is that you are not watching music, but an excorcisim..Michael's early life and adolececence was filled with pain and misfortune and his music at this time was a form fo release and reaization of that pain. We're all lucky he had musical talent or else he'd probably be doing serial killings.. Many so-called musicians today don't have one-one-hunderdth of Gira's talent, let alone his honesty..

[@defstrikem2743]

111noir2000 this sounds fucking horrible 😂😂😂

[@rleeroberts6350]

I agree...just read the consumer.

[@Noway-sg8md]

i agree with you to some extent but i think Gira personally denies talent, he said something about making a song out of essentially one chord the entire time, i mean i guess that in itself is a 'talent' but the only reason its a talent is because he made something out of a lack of talent otherwise. its whatever, he gave us this music and its been a long time going and still, no one else has given us anything comparable. anyone that comes close is instantly recognized as merely an attempt at copying, or they pay their tributes and cite Swans as a source of inspiration.

[@breakfastline]

@@defstrikem2743 ur gay

[@DAkkermann]

Any fan of "brutal" death metal can eat their heart out. This might well be the most savage song ever recorded and if there is anything more brutal than this, then Swans made that as well.

[@WULDInc]

Iannis Xenakis was probably my favorite in terms of 'brutal', complex, and absurd music. The only song that comes close to the rawness in this one is Korn's "Daddy", which is also in a similar tone, but was obviously made later. Xenakis, came before all of them, and helped invent early electronic music from the ground up.

[@Yapperofthecentury97]

Man that guitar sounds like sheet metal.

[@greymalkin100]

I saw this incarnation on several occasions, it was brutally loud, visceral & exhausting. Marvellous.

[@RodrigoLaiho7]

That song is saving my life ... thanks for your Love Gira.

[@eadpine]

jesus christ, this is the most violent performance i have seen. this shit's brilliant!

[@waregas]

Fantastic recording, thanks for uploading!

[@gordondisley9243]

I remember reading about how they were to play a venue in England during this period. When the promoter heard how loud they were at the soundcheck, (I forget where) he told them that they couldn't play a set at that volume, so they came out and played a twenty minute version of "Your Property." Wish I'd seen that one!

[@collenrung5009]

These guys are so awesome.

[@idrkofficial6101]

Man I remember this vid as a part of a series I rented from tower records.had skinny puppy,psychic tv.best stuff ever.35 yrs ago lol

[@phantom_skeletron]

Extremely powerful and terrifyingly beautiful; a holy terror. This is my favorite era of the SWANS.

[@darreneffle4118]

hell yes the 80s had some hard ass stuff. i mean like 40 grit sandpaper!! they were awesome. and this song sold me.

[@megaton624]

I always thought the lyrics were an alternate version of Isaac and Abraham. Instead knowing of God telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Isaac thinks that it is just voices in his head. However, the voice is too powerful and he goes through with it.

[@YodaZemunski]

Great interpretation!

[@connormchugh8456]

According to some of the comments this song was written about this particular moment with Abraham.

[@chaktsallo2165]

Splendid! Just wish the camera guys would have zoomed in on Jarboe!

[@glyph68]

Raw... at it's gutteral best. Very little, in music, touches this level of performance.

[@TSgitaar]

My cat really chills out to this music. Really strange...

[@marcellix]

My favorite 😳 song

[@N25Commando]

My ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE BAND ever.

[@MostAncientOne]

@ DAkkermann: I couldn't agree with you more. I've played extreme metal pretty much my whole life, but this era of Swans is fucking devastating. I've seen Gira perform without Swans several times too (Angels of Light, solo etc) and even when it's just him with an acoustic guitar it's always been crushing. On a related note, I'm lucky enough to be working on a collaboration with Jarboe right now, too.

[@connormchugh8456]

What's this collaboration of which you speak? O person, 13 years in the past

[@SunGunRun74]

Give Micheal Gira a hug for me.

[@tomberry5517]

0:35 Beginning of music for out of adjustment washing machine and rock band.

[@WeHaveExplosive]

Swans live was/is very different to studio recorded work. I believe the purpose of live performances like this was to assault the audience through catharsis, I imagine seeing this in person was quite powerful but like someone else said here, you either get it or you don't.

[@kdub10009]

Swans = one of my earliest favorite bands!

[@room1106]

posthumanhero: i interviewed gira after the sound check for the 1987 philly show you are referring to (for a little fanzine i contributed to). he was very patient with me as i hadn't really done my homework beforehand. nice guy, really. in exchange for the "publicity" we were promised two names on the guest list. When we got to the show, it was also a "no go," as in "no fanzines on the guest list dude! it's10 bucks." we were so pissed we just left and i have always regretted it!

[@kraftyhandz]

Swans and Boredoms are the only ones that matter.

[@baleia7]

the violence and intensity

[@temporaryguy]

This is the best video on KZbin

[@dreiproductions]

i'm glad i was able to see them live but i really wish i could have seen them in the 80's

[@thereagauze]

god this is fucking intense

[@buried4430]

So raw, so beautiful

[@nichelodeonband]

Really impressive! Great document. Thanks, Claudio.

[@sethpajak]

This is awesome these guys really tapped into something unique and great. I applaud their body of work.

[@pajkossy]

I do my best :) Thank you. The avant-garde is perpetually being co-opted by the mainstream. I'm always hopeful that some people will follow the trail back from the mainstream into the brighter world of that avant-garde.

[@desiderio2009]

Da kommen alte Erinnerungen hoch, das Konzert habe ich live life gesehen, Im Quartier Latin in der Potsdamer Straße 96 Ein besonderes und einschneidendes Musik-Erlebnis und crazy, dass da jemand ein Video davon gedreht hat, so schließt sich der Kreis, mercy.

[@danielszwedko2076]

I believe this song is about depression and wanting to kill your inner child so you don't have to feel.

[@cromlek]

swans transcend metal and music in general, this is a trance like void, complete with murder, mayhem and madness. These guys were the real deal and scary as fuck! Bow down metalhead, God is in the house!

[@collenrung5009]

I wouldn't describe this as metal.

[@napalmslayer]

the bassist looks kinda like a metal dude who seems out of place.

[@collinlopez]

I agree

[@thefunnytvmanofthenight1537]

I thought you were talking about Norman Westburg and I was confused until it cut to who you were definitely talking about and then I was confused about who that is and why he’s there

[@napalmslayer]

@@thefunnytvmanofthenight1537 wow! replying to a comment i made 13 years ago lol

[@thefunnytvmanofthenight1537]

@@napalmslayer swans are still amazing

[@napalmslayer]

I know but I made that comment when i Was like seventeen lol

[@sunfucker2213]

Holy shit

[@napndash]

The blues

[@nirvana0125]

Stunning performance. Looking forward to the concert in 5 days!

[@julianholland4009]

Can’t believe that 2 years later they made The Burning World

[@Jonnydc93]

I'm glad they did! Very versatile band

[@LardGargantuus]

@dannysrlyblck actually, this version is on one of their albums. The 1993 official release "Kill The Child: 1985/1986/1987 Live" has it.

[@RichardCyberPunk]

I have seen Swans live at NightTown Rotterdam in the 90s. A concert i will never forget. Superb.

[@simonmooijman5928]

Me too geest shows

[@angledcoathanger]

wow...I had only heard of this band, never actually heard them before...this was totally mind blowing.

[@jacc0placc0]

so happy yo be seeing them live this year and april next year again on the amazing roadburn!!!! dreams do come true

[@revelationgritz]

i put this on after i stuff my bed full of warm laundry and get romantic with myself

[@jacc0placc0]

thankz for uploading this footage man!!! u rock!

[@stiggyh]

this is the most psychotic performance i have ever seen and genious at the same time !!!:-)))

[@Mogura87]

Thank you so much for posting this

[@rock_and-or_roll]

Absolute aces, this is great stuff, thanks.

[@RichardCyberPunk]

I have seen the Swans performing in Rotterdam in the early 90s. It was one of their last gigs in Holland in those days. It was very impressive. It was in the club called ' NightTown' in Rotterdam. I think it was in 1994 or 1995. Everybody was dressed in totally black. I had my punk jacket on. But that was okay, nobody said anything. Only listened, and at the end of each song, a huge applause. Totally amazing. Very good music, and music that can hit you in your hearth and brain, and maybe soul.

[@kilgarenone]

this video shows most great works come from about SUFFERING and UNHAPPINESS

[@gyrados78]

I found it today actually :) guess it's back again and worth a peek .

[@simonbnyc]

Music doesn't get as powerful as this. This is a time gone by. We have had dreck since Kurt died.

[@pajkossy]

This is why I still love Einsturzende Neubauten. The thing they've been doing for a few years now of being an internet subscriber funded band is so cool. They are controlled by NO ONE so they get corrupted/co-opted by NO ONE. There's plenty of good music out there, but it's not on any major label - this has always been true.

[@simonmooijman5928]

You sure right

[@BlindRubioJameson]

To me these lyrics mean something about resisting the call of the void and the call to commit violent acts such as hurting a child out of impulse. The lyrics are positive up until Gira lets out that he “could kill the child”. I think the character speaking has good intentions and is disarmed by these intrusive violent thoughts for a brief moment, thus leading to the dark tone of the song.

[@nicholasvladd]

We all have those thoughts deep within our subconscious but just don't realise or choose to ignore them.

[@mikepastor.k6233]

They cut out the last minute of this where you get a better idea what it's about. Try to listen to the whole Kill the Child album on here. I wish they didn't cut it short on this.

[@petescare13]

It's apparently inspired by the biblical story of Abraham being told to sacrifice his son Isaac by God, and attempts to but God stops him and says Only kidding it's a test of your loyalty More or less. This is what Gira said, but there's a less acknowledged connection to the album title, and that is the cult group formerly known as the children of god, they made enough of a bad name for themselves they were supressed and kicked out of countries, (EDIT: apologies , this detail doesn't realate to them I was thinking of The Process Church of the Final Judgement, an English group who influenced and inspired Charles Manson to emulate some of their mind control techniques.) subsequently changed their name but I think rose McGowan and the Phoenix kids were raised in the group, or a similar organization

[@ericthered64]

yes, this is indeed very intense. Swans are one of my favourite bands at the moment, next to the Pop Group, Sonic Youth and Mission of Burma

[@kipolop]

THEEEEEEEESE ARE THE THINGS

[@craigmac303]

Amazing. As a teenager listening to this in Melbourne, the Swans answered all. Friggin hard, loud, demanding. NIN, Sunn O))) all owe heaps to this band. So what if MG was an alcoholic. Having a music brain like this would send you somewhere or you would have came somewhere bad to make it. Wish I saw them.

[@LowNoiseJasonSkilz]

wow! very powerful. heavy art

[@BushCheney]

I meant no harm. Sometimes everything is true, isn't that what Einstein said: E=mc2 or all is Light. To me the Swans overbearing darkness is a rare form of Light. The conundrum is even expressed in their name, something lite and beautiful like "Swans".

[@darlingmerciful2957]

Those drums are heavy

[@moesgard]

@dannysrlyblck @dannysrlyblck yes there is, This and a version of "like a drug" (posted by someone else round here) can be found on the "kill the Child 1985-87" live record You can find it easily for download here and there These are by far better recordings than the Feel good now "live, which sounds like crap. A pity the german tv didn't record the whole gig (or maybe they did ...)

[@glyph68]

Swans and Throbbing Gristle. Bauhaus. There was a very dark scene, yep. I seem to remember the clubs, but only on a spinning light level, silhouettes and really strange faces.

[@birdandthe]

saw swans twice in 1987 loudest gigs ive ever been to, swans ceased to exist in my book on dec 31 1987, with the recording of lwtua and the beast was dead. The slight problem with this vid is you cant hear the bass, it was lifting me of the floor at the two gigs.

[@solwolfpunk]

WoW Thanks!

[@auxemoron87]

just saw Swans in Boston on Sept. 29th. they were so fucking loud :^)

[@WeHaveExplosive]

@dannysrlyblck not officially unfortunately, there's probably a bootleg but those are impossible to find. The live album "Feel Good Now" might have a similar sounding rendition but can't remember.

[@aselfishimpulse]

christgau once called gira "the voice of god in the apocalypse" I think he was right!

[@WeHaveExplosive]

@jacc0placc0 I'm hoping to catch them in Glasgow in October, fingers crossed!

[@s1ayd]

Imagine him 15 years later with Angels of Light.

[@hippojuice23]

Avant-metal?

[@pajkossy]

Look at them! This is music! This is what performance looks like when it comes from the very souls of performers. I feel sad and sick when I see Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor spinning their fake angst-ified consumerism out of the treads of influence from amazing bands like SWANS.

[@Labyrinthman]

This is great !!!

[@svoboda73]

uauh 1987 total nichilism I saw them live in 2011 in berlin alwayz impressive amazing powerful music coming from a life of suffering only.................

[@dreiproductions]

@WeHaveExplosive THIS IS BEYOND METAL!!! it makes the so-called-metal of today week!

[@777v666]

I totally agree with you there, but the reason swans is more brutal is because you can relate to the human side of it, you can hear Giras human voice mourning and wailing. Amazing song. Amazing live show.

[@napalmslayer]

what a genius band

[@SandraNazz]

wish i was there to see this live. sadly i wasn't even alive in 1987.

[@ryanharrisonawesome]

THIS IS MY LIFE!

[@Brock2097]

Didn't know Gira was an alcoholic. This kind of explains "Alcohol the Seed" off the Great Annihilator album.

[@richardm123uk]

Never been bettered