Swans' Michael Gira interview | 2010 | The Drone

Shot at BBMIX Festival, Paris, France
Interview by David Pais.
Production by Milgram : milgram.tv/
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[@diegosebastian2226]

Gira has to be taken at face value, absolutely. Met him in person, his music helped me get out of a deep hole after my mother's death. I mentioned this to him and he was very kind in his reply, speaking briefly about the loss of his own father. He was extremely empathetic to my loss. The severe facade is just an interpretation of his completely genuine approach to life. No fluff, no useless additions.

[@IElrekkaI]

dude is so intense. i couldnt handle interviewing him

[@maximosmagyar9653]

I might be interviewing him in the near future. I'm sort of worried. Certainly excited though.

[@sneed8119]

Ted Magyar the

[@EatPieYes]

Ted Magyar Did you do it? If yes, how was it?

[@juliankenning]

He's actually a very pleasant and polite man.

[@Violetcas97]

Ted Magyar he seems like an easy enough person to get along with, just doesn’t seem to have the patience for stupid questions or journalistic time wasters

[@leavinghope1970]

One thing I like about Michael Gira is that he doesn't put up with any bullshit from anyone. I like that in a person.

[@TwentyTwenty90]

Gira is such an interesting, intelligent musician. Unsung genius in my opinion.

[@mwells219]

Michael is a true artist, who works from a place of raw honesty without any kind of pretention.

[@ECHtoplasm]

Gira: Can you please include the question in the video? Interviewer: Okay Gira: Would you do that? Inteviewer: Okay Gira: Would you please? Interviewer: Okay [proceeds to not include question in interview]

[@JonathanNelsonOfficial]

ECHtoplasm it is included.

[@Pleaseunderstand]

I love the way he smiled when he talked about people dead in the ditches and drug violence...

[@FrailDog]

New Age Retro Hippie it gives you a rush when you havent seen stuff like that in a while, it gives you a reminder that you and the people around you are not invincible.

[@wanneske1969]

He's in the same league as Ian Curtis or Nick Cave, very charismatic, intelligent, a living legend and a bit scary. I met him a few times and he's not as rude you would think.

[@emile235]

Murray Wilson worked for Gira's dad. Wow. Murray lost an eye when some metal flak shot out of a machine in what was presumably the same factory. Gira and The Beach Boys' paths connected in a bizzarre horrible brutal manner. Gira and The Beach Boys' visions of America at opposite ends of the spectrum. Amazing

[@tarrasque419]

Very interesting

[@JonathanNelsonOfficial]

It's nuts how music perceptibly vicious and terrifying can evoke total joy and ecstasy. You just have to take it in, and after a bit, you're completely alive. It's bizarre!

[@MortonGoldthwait]

Michael Gira is anything but God, and that is why Swans is so amazing.

[@jeffreysaxon]

Don't forget The Angels Of Light.

[@Paperbagman555]

He seems like a crazy genius with an awesome sense of humour

[@untro7287]

thor is killing it on the drums, what a badass

[@user-ed7gm7ol8k]

this man have 10 peoples life.

[@mattmaloneandtheholyspirits]

Gira is phenomenal. SWANS are the greatest band ever, period. Thankyou so much for the interview! "That deep sex death place in your stomach"

[@SUPERCHARGER-xh7jt]

I never want to interview this guy. Because he scares the hell out of me.

[@charmicarmicat2981]

What I love most about Mike is how humble he truly is. I really don’t think he truly understands how much he changed music and how important his body of work is.

[@_chary990]

i had no idea he has such a wild youth, and man, NY in the 70s, they always describe it as a paradise of a war zone.

[@Crimsonphilosophy]

I wasn't sure but by the end of the video I am convinced he is John The Baptist.

[@stevenhines5550]

What a horrendously botched interview. He straight up requests the questions be included in the interview and the interviewer agrees - they even include that exchange in the snippet. Then, they turn around and edit out the questions and the effect is precisely what Gira anticipates. The overall experience is a buttload of music and commentary utterly without context.

[@melvinmelvins5202]

Gira's been fighting this kind of nonsense for years. If there's one thing he hates it's being misunderstood or having his answers skewed by journalists. It reminds me of when Gira was talking about an article Spin magazine did on them in 1986. Gira agreed to the interview, and the journalist was seemingly professional, asking decent questions...only for it to be printed as some dumb S&M-esque crap.

[@lucifersam99]

That would be part of the song "The Seer". The new album is REALLY fucking good by the way.

[@FractalBolt]

No way this interview's so short. Where's the rest? I want to learn more about his life in Israel and L.A! He should write an autobiography.

[@lucifersam99]

More people need to access that deep "sex/death" part of their stomachs. Myself included.

[@JimHarrisArt]

That was fantastic.

[@76percent]

Excellent interview

[@michellesola2811]

Great interview!

[@SuperDuckPro]

Great interview, really eye opening to know the context from where Swans's music come from.

[@dukeon]

I feel power running through my veins and out my eyes And into empty godforsaken minds without reality

[@theekrusher]

Amazing man and life

[@moeezS]

This was pretty great.

[@anonymouzzz4307]

10 seconds in and I'm terrified already

[@err0r]

Gira, so full of stories as you would expect. Which makes me wonder: how long did this interview last, and is there any left-over footage? That would be fantastic to see. I assume he's not the interviewee type, but hell, I find him a far superior subject that 95% of the music/rock types out there who are just plain vacuous.

[@alexhenderson2729]

i like that they made the artistic decision to leave the interviewers questions out of the interview.

[@aviansoul]

The merch booth out front is the last independent record store... Amen to that!!!

[@comradeScallion]

Why does his voice sound so normal I can’t handle this right now

[@scottEhall3]

He smiles a lot in this video...

[@abstraktgirl]

i agree. my father will guide me up a rope to the sky had a cinematic feel to it

[@groundcontrol-x8701]

this band is much greater live,than listening to their albums-but they are also great,dont get me wrong.Gira has experienced a lot of exciting tings in his life-he says kill Your idols,but hes one of mine...

[@awsmdrummer62]

Petter Radja sonic youth said kill your idols. thurston moore was/is one of michael's good friends, and he was originally in swans before they recorded anything.

[@maurotruscello1065]

His smile is disturbing.

[@Demention94]

His life was disturbing

[@ShiceSquad]

Demention94 You can say that again. I had no idea how much hardcore shit he went through till I heard this.

[@wanneske1969]

He got raped a lot as a 15 year old in that Israëli jail. Hence the first Swans albums with themes like rape, shame, humility, revenge …

[@kanacubana827]

He wasn't raped while in prison but he heard others being raped or abused or tortured in an almost daily basis. I can't imagine how he felt being helpless and alone and just 15-16 yo at that jail, it really messed him up, although he menaged to get all his trauma and turn it into a good thing (that being his music and art and etc).

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

This guy is not a people person and that’s awesome.

[@aerokraft]

this interview is so fucking epic...

[@heythere5121]

I love this 😂😂

[@prometherion]

it's just an improvisation around No Words/No Thoughts.

[@BitchinnShoes07]

Heey I'll be damned. Michael Gira has a sense of humor.

[@jamiescott2126]

GOAT band

[@svperstar]

@ashzen21 I believe its the end of the first half of No Words/No Thoughts

[@Caligula138]

Fucking Amazing!!!

[@seanconnolly1893]

that fucking camera angle is so claustrophobic

[@elliotcurrier6095]

I fucking love that of all people, Murry Wilson worked for Michael Gira's dad.

[@GazmoSin1960s]

Intense thumbnail, intense guy. :) Excellent interview.

[@BoboBen35]

Michael is fucking terryfing

[@Ignoreitorlearn]

The official Swans site? Michael doesn't oversee that site anymore, Jarboe does I think. He certainly wouldn't be able to sell them through his label as he doesn't own the rights to those records haha! I saw White Light for those prices too, far higher when from independant sellers, lucky I got mine for $25, "Like new" condition, was a bastard to track down though!

[@GriffinK10]

Were they playing The Knot

[@DemonSlide]

Is it me or Gira kinda looks like House on this one? Not only physically but the way he speaks also. It is also fun to see how Maynard James Keenan has been influenced by MG, I've noticed certain similarities between the two when they speak or give out interviews, not to metion the cowboy hat :]

[@Hupsibasse]

Does anyone know the song @2:40?

[@nathanburnett9529]

Hupsibasse 7 years late but it’s My Birth from my father will guide me

[@606808909]

I wana be in a band that hammers on/off one chord for 5 mins screaming shite

[@killingforcompany]

@brucekinses The third one is Your Property.

[@NoiseKidd]

What's the first song that's playing during 1:20

[@fireandwater345]

Its called ''My Birth''.

[@NoiseKidd]

Thanks!

[@fmjr10]

6:47

[@karoz5742]

what's the song that plays at 1:00 ?

[@electrizer]

karo z "The Seer" from the album by the same name. But the whole song is 30+ minutes long.

[@Salamander676]

What's the song playing around 2:44

[@damando6631]

A little late but its “My Birth”. Hope you are still well.

[@atiostefony3760]

Waths the name of the song at..2:51

[@Azzamanify]

My Birth

[@thatoneweirdkid7385]

What’s the song from 1:02 to 2:03?

[@Azzamanify]

It's from "The Seer". It was recorded live in a similar arrangement as The Seer (intro)/I Crawled.

[@domdom9496]

What was the very last track? 'Jesus' etc?

[@theluckylittleredhouse]

Sex God Sex

[@domdom9496]

@@theluckylittleredhouse Thanks.

[@AGrock07]

my birth

[@connormchugh8456]

What's the song they're performing at 1:01 ?

[@connormchugh8456]

Nvm it's The Seer

[@gooeyllewy3729]

song at 2:50 I beg of you

[@kell7154]

My Birth

[@HiHatsAndBeatClaps]

Gira's a bit of a god.

[@JonathanNelsonOfficial]

HiHatsAndBeatClaps we all are. Now, if only we’d accept that and let go.

[@FrenchKettleStation]

It wasn't a question haha

[@ulfingvar1]

I am sure Robert Fripp, another band leader I admire, did NOT have the same experience growing up

[@07mrluke]

what's the song that ends this interview? the one he's shouting jesus

[@GhettoJanitor]

Sounds like Sex, God, Sex

[@evanisgay11]

Michael Gira > God

[@lachlanlol]

He asked for The Drone to keep the questions in. They only left one question. I wanted hear more Mr bad engrish.

[@BushCheney]

Michael Gira = God. e =mc2.

[@Ignoreitorlearn]

Where and when was he selling Greed for $60?

[@carcillian]

Like many are saying, interview is completely botched because they didn’t do what he repeatedly asked.

[@Garentei]

What the fuck is up with that camera.

[@BushCheney]

Almost, but: Michael Gira is God. "Gira" means God.

[@lemonlupen]

michael gira trauma dumping

[@mercster]

Weirdos.

[@sorrycaps]

Psycho. Psycho man, psycho music.

[@JonathanNelsonOfficial]

Tommy L. The norm is psychotic

[@moistoyzter8884]

Horrible interview