The man behind the legendary Swans and the Young God record-label talks to Refugee Radio.

We interviewed him for during an unexpected Swans tour of the UK in 2010. He talked to us about the new album and the early years in New York.

49 mins ----Play

One of the most important bands of the past 50 years, Swans exploded out of New York's post-punk No-Wave scene alongside Lydia Lunch and Sonic Youth. Led by the uncompromising Michael Gira, they tore through dissonance, volume, noise and melody, throwing down a gauntlet that few have dared approach.

They shut down in 1997, long after most of their rivals had either sold out or shuffled off. But now they are back like a thunderbolt, as hardcore and violent and beautiful as ever.

This podcast features tracks from the Swans album My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, as well as bonus material from the trailblazing Suicide and Young God discovery, Devendra Banhart. Originally recorded for our Breakfast show on RadioReverb97.2FM, October 2011.

• Swans on MySpace
• Track by track guide to the new album by Michael Gira
• Swans on Wikipedia
• Swans on AllMusic

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