Swans: Sacrifice And Transcendence: The Oral History

I have to start this off by saying that, for whatever reason, I'm not that big on biographies presented as and oral history. Endless pages of quotes as opposed to a narrative can be a little boring at times. However, with that said, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Presented as a linear narrative, with input from virtually every person ever involved with the band, it takes you through the whole history and evolution of a truly unique artist i.e. Micheal Gira. As far as true insights into Gira's personality, it can be a little tricky as virtually everybody's testimony seems to oscillate between a man who is a driven know's exactly what he wants dictator and a open minded songwriter who lays out a basic framework and allows his collaborators to interpret freely. There are two points that came across to me while reading this work that have given me a much deeper appreciation for Gira and his life's work.1. This guy kept pushing with this band and pushing no matter what. Poor sales, small following, tours that never made money, the frustrations of keeping a band together or working with musicians that he couldn't get along with. Without getting too into "plot spoilers", I'll just say that most people would have given up and stopped a long time ago. This guy just never quit, never gave up on his vision, stood tall in the face of certain failure and took it all in stride. I can think of very few artists with this level of commitment, backbone, and just outright balls Though it does appear that things got a little better much later in his career. As a long time fan, it has occurred to me that while Swans will never be a household name they are certainly getting their fair share of notice in recent years. Whilst still being somewhat of a fringe band, at least they can make a living. Gira is well into his sixties at this point, as intense of an artist as he ever was, and people seem to finally be getting it. This makes me smile.2. Gira also earns a great deal of respect for allowing everybody in the book to speak their minds. Obviously, he didn't compile it, and I don't know to what degree he had any editorial input. However, he obviously was allowed to put his two cents in through his own voice, and if he were allowed to read the manuscript at all, he clearly didn't exclude anybody who had anything bad to say, and there are certainly a few. He even has the self awareness to acknowledge his failings in his dealings with various people through out his career.All in all, not a bad read, though for me Gira still remains something of, if not so much a mystery anymore, very much a paradox in regards to his personality. Arrogant yet self deprecating. Aggressive yet soft. Cruel and yet kind. Truly one of the greats in the annals of music, and I can only hope that more people can discover this amazing shamanic visionary, and the sacrifice that comes with transcendence.

A good read, a can't-put-it-down book. Well researched, details that surprised me, a fan for 25+ years.Would have loved more technical detail about various recordings, gear choices, etc. Gira's 355 is iconic yet it's not discussed in the book at all.

...like much of Swans music. This book consists of interviews with 125 people, so most of the musicians and others who’ve worked with Michael Gira through the past three decades told their stories. MG himself contributed to the narrative and he is fully self-aware. Throughout, he doesn’t comes off as a horribly negative and manipulative SOB but as an endlessly generative artist who’s hyper aware of the atomistic detail in his music. Everyone involved seems to have learned the hard way how demanding MG is and yet value their tenure with him, however long or short.His early life story has been told in part in interviews through the years but here we read close to the whole story. MGs older brother contributes as well and his corroboration as a non artist gives real insight into the source of his brother’s volcanic will.So much music has been created under intense and even excruciating conditions and for so long and, somehow, after it all, I feel warmth for the people involved and more intimacy for these records, some of which I’ve been listening to for over thirty years.

A captivating and in-depth exploration of legendary band Swans. A must read for anyone interested in "art v business" and surviving as an artist in a money focused world. This should be handed out to all incoming art students. Highest possible recommendations, best book on music and art I have read in years (and I read those a lot). Thank you for making this book.

I really enjoy oral biographies because the story's told in the words of the people that lived it, allowing for a more real and intimate experience. The author is also less likely to insert their own opinions. This book gives a vivid impression of what it was like being a member of Swans over the course of it's existence, and it covers Michael Gira's childhood as well. The only thing that would make it better would be more information about specific songs (lyric inspiration, etc ). If you enjoy this book I recommend Whores (Jane's Addiction) and Lexicon Devil (The Germs), both by Brendan Mullen. Rant by Chuck Palahniuk is fiction but uses the oral biography format, and is also good.

Great price for this beautifully bound book printed on quality paper! It's well worth the full vs Amazon price if you are a fan. Great stories... haven't read all of it yet, but Michael Gira is an intense guy and these stories from people that knew and worked with him make for the best, if only, biography written of him. Long live Swans!

This is an essential read for any fans of Swans.

Nicely made.