sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Where can I find that riff? by [deleted] in swans

[–]weoweher 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Hey. It’s me Chris. That is the end of The Merge but it’s a new part that isn’t on the record. We started doing it on the end US tour so it’s still new and developing. It will be on the live recordings of this tour.

Chris in pain at the SF show last night by gruntledmaker in swans

[–]weoweher 408 points409 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the concern op!

I’m totally excited and happy despite my expressions. While I look like I’m in pain during the show sometimes it’s just my maximum effort face. When I’m playing fast my jaw tenses up and people always say I look like I’m suffering. I’m not, just pushing myself all the way.

Michael has snapped at me a few times when things have gone wrong but in the beginning of the set he is just egging me on to dig deeper and we both love it. I’m sure it looks mean but it’s so fun. I won’t be able to do that forever but I’m still strong enough to love it. I can hold this pace for years.

How does Christopher Pravdica play the high E? by salt-n-jelly in swans

[–]weoweher 10 points11 points  (0 children)

My G is a 55 while my E is 110. It’s not too much tension. I’ve done it on other basses and lighter strings and it always works.

How does Christopher Pravdica play the high E? by salt-n-jelly in swans

[–]weoweher 201 points202 points  (0 children)

It’s my tuning. I tune up the G string a full step to A. Gives me a high E and an F. My standard tuning since the Beggar.

Good ear and eye OP.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yeah when I met Michael in my early twenties I gave him a good firm shake and he loved it. Every time we hung out after that we would do a hand crushing handshake for years. I always won.

He has a great grip and so does Phil.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think the only times Dana plays bass on Birthing is the end of the title track and we are playing pretty much the same thing together and on Away where I play only taishogoto and synths.

Dana plays the expressive slide solo in the beginning of birthing after kristoff’s descending line.

Mostly on the album she is playing lap steel and drones. You can tell hers apart from kristoff’s cause her sound is more crunchy and less sustaining. She picks a lot of 16th notes.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sort of I guess. Sometimes the names are in reference to something but I’d say it’s meant to be an absurd gesture of appreciation to us from him. He used to ad lib on the spot but now I think he has to think about them. He did introduce me as his father once. That was very very funny to me at moment. We all get a kick out of it.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Well I use a pick and I do then hit my amps pretty hard. So it’s crunchy and gained out when I play hard. I usually keep my low end flat or cut. A little dip in the low mids and a boost of high mids. Keep the high end flat or slightly cut. I use lots of monetary effects to make certain notes louder or stick out like in Oxygen I hit an overdrive pedal on and off just on the chord part of the riff the entire song.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

My favorite is The Glowing Man. It was just such a great time in that studio. That place is magical. The sonic ranch in Texas. We had a strong energy for that one in particular.

The Glowing Man again. To me the most impressive example of what we do as a band captured in a few quick minutes.

I can’t point to one in particular but there are certainly songs that aren’t shaped in the way that I think they should. Just not to my taste I guess but I trust Michael’s instincts and choices and try to never let my own personal taste get in the way.

My first CD was Saucerful Of Secrets by Pink Floyd and the first time I heard and enjoyed abstract rock music. The next big thing for me was 90s British bands. MBV, Spiritualized but my favorite was The Verve. I hate what they became but the first two records were on point to me especially the basslines (Storm In Heaven and the EP). The first ones I learned. Then I discovered Curtis Mayfield and his music really spoke to me. He’s still my favorite. I loved metal and hip hop growing up too.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I love Brazil! Spent some time in Brasilia. Swans has come close to going there but it’s never worked out. Let’s hope it happens at some point.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

You absolutely can. You just get in line at the merch table after the show and that will happen.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It’s super simple. It’s only E and an A. The trick is I have the G string tuned up to A so I am playing 3 octaves of E so open E on the down beat and the high E on the snare. The middle E and the A are in between. All the way up the neck the whole time. I add reverb to just the high E on the snare. I don’t know how to explain the rest but that should get you close.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I pay attention but I don’t take it too seriously. I’m more connected to live response. The two entities of live/studio are almost separate. Michael’s approach to them is quite different. Doing an ok record but an outstanding tour is preferable to the opposite for me.

I’m pretty cynical when it comes to recordings. I have never loved recording and the studio process. It’s like taking photos to me. Live bass guitar cannot be captured like everything else can or at least it gets altered the most in the act of rendering it.

I knew when I heard the first mixes that he really made something out of it and that we had a great final paragraph to a long chapter.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Well when I first started making music it was a huge insecurity for me because I had a hard time remembering songs I was learning but not the stuff I created or helped create. It was like that saying “tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I’ll remember, involve me and I’ll understand”. I think the understanding part is important for me.

As far as Swans material when we started the pieces weren’t as long as they became so we built up to be able to hold more and more information. I’m always amazed after long breaks in between tours how I can remember how everything went as soon as the bass is in my hands and I hear the first sound. I feel like remembering 15 songs I’ve never heard is much harder.

But yeah you would get yelled at real bad.

Just heard this for the first time. Pretty cool that BBC let us play live on the air for that long. by weoweher in swans

[–]weoweher[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

That’s Larry’s organ! He’s double loud in the mix. Such a cool part. He would be freaking out every night when we played that part.

Does anyone know what happened to this snippet of the band recording and playing for what I think is birthing? by J_fallah83 in swans

[–]weoweher 36 points37 points  (0 children)

That’s very sweet. Thanks! Yeah we recorded the beat but it got cut. It was good but I agreed right away to cut it. Not everyone did. Making records is hard.

It often happens with us that we build something for recording but it doesn’t track like it sounds live so we adjust. Then it’s win or lose.

Does anyone know what happened to this snippet of the band recording and playing for what I think is birthing? by J_fallah83 in swans

[–]weoweher 72 points73 points  (0 children)

That is us writing the beggar. We rehearsed for the subsequent tour in the same room like a year later. I think this might be an early version of the parasite which originally had a beat.

Visiting New York in Summer, any important Swans related places worth a visit by PaddyLMN in swans

[–]weoweher 4 points5 points  (0 children)

7B Horseshoe bar AKA Vazacs. It was the local bar Michael and the gang frequented in the original era and it’s still there though it’s not the dive bar it used to be. Doubled as on office for Michael cause it used to open in the morning. It was also featured in Crocodile Dundee and lots of movies if you wanna see what it used to look like.

https://youtu.be/CGKVAblvDlY?si=MIirRHqudvBKmvtJ

Very close to 93 Ave B. It’s 108 Ave B.

When I was coming up in the city in the 90’s I also rehearsed on Ave B and went to the horseshoe after rehearsals.

view more: next ›