MOGWAI (BAND)

'Mogwai' is a Scottish band from Glasgow, United Kingdom. Formed by Stuart Braithwaite and Dominic Aitchison in 1995, Mogwai has since become one of the most influential and best known names in post-rock.
They compose lengthy instrumental guitar-based pieces in the post-rock tradition, usually focused around the elaboration of a single theme, and are known traditionally for dynamic contrast, melodic bass riffs, and their use of guitar distortion and effects. Stuart Braithwaite has commented on the lack of lyrics within Mogwai's music, saying:
The band were originally signed to renowned Glasgow indie label Chemikal Underground, but are now distributed by different labels, such as Matador in the US and Play It Again Sam Records in the UK. They have also developed their own label, Rock Action Records, named after Stooges drummer Scott Asheton who had his name changed to Rock Action.^[1]
Their style has been influenced by bands including The Dirty Three, Joy Division, Pink Floyd, The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, and post-rock pioneers Slint. During 2004 the band supported tours by two major influences, Pixies and The Cure. Mogwai's style has easily identifiable connections to genres like shoegaze, math rock, art rock, and occasionally instrumental metal. While their sound bears little resemblance to traditional punk rock, the band seems to identify closely with the punk ethic.
Mogwai is named after the creatures from the film ''Gremlins'', although guitarist Stuart Braithwaite comments that "it has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one, but like a lot of other things we never got 'round to it."¹

Contents

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations, remixes and live albums

EPs

Singles

Film

Television

References

External links

Discography

Studio albums

★ ''Mogwai Young Team'' (27 October 1997)

★ ''Come on Die Young'' (29 March 1999) '#29' (UK)

★ ''Rock Action'' (30 April 2001) '#23' (UK)

★ ''Happy Songs for Happy People'' (9 June 2003) '#182' (US), '#47' (UK)

★ ''Mr. Beast'' (March 6, 2006) '#128' (US), '#31' (UK)

★ '' (30 October 2006)

Compilations, remixes and live albums

★ ''Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)'' (April 1997)

★ ''Kicking a Dead Pig'' (8 May 1998)

★ ''EP+6'' (23 September 2000)

★ '' (21 February 2005)

EPs

★ ''4 Satin'' (26 May 1997)

★ ''No Education = No Future (Fuck the Curfew)'' (29 June 1998)

★ '' (18 September 1999)

★ ''Travels in Constants'' (18 March 2001)

★ ''U.S. Tour EP'' (24 May 2001)

★ ''UK/European Tour EP'' (2 November 2001)

★ ''Travel Is Dangerous'' (26 June 2006)

Singles

Release date	Release	Album
March 1996	"Tuner"/"Lower"	''Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)''/(none)
1 July 1996	"Angels vs Aliens"	''Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)''
4 November 1996	"Summer"/"Ithica 27ø9"	''Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)''
February 1997	"New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 1"/"New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 2"	''Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)''
May 1997	"Club Beatroot, Part 4"	(none)
23 March 1998	"Do the Rock Boogaloo"	(none)
1998	"Sweet Leaf"	(none)
22 September 2001	"My Father My King"	(none)
30 January 2006	"Friend of the Night"	''Mr. Beast''
26 June 2006	"Black Spider"	''

Note: The versions of "Tuner" and "Angels vs Aliens" that appear on ''Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997)'' are re-recordings.

Film

★ Mogwai recorded the soundtrack for Douglas Gordon's ''Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait'', which was called "''The finest film at Cannes.''" by ''The Observer''. The film was also shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.^[2]

★ Mogwai worked on the original score music for the film ''The Fountain'', composed by Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet.^[3]

★ They have two songs, "Auto Rock" and "We're No Here" (from ''Mr. Beast'') on Michael Mann's 2006 ''Miami Vice'' redux.

★ The track "I Know You Are But What Am I?" appears on the soundtrack of ''Wicker Park''.

★ The track "Auto Rock" appears in the trailer of the upcoming Jodie Foster film ''The Brave One.''

★ The track "Christmas Song" is used in the film ''The Girl Next Door.''

★ The track "Secret Pint" is used in the Michael Moore film ''Sicko''.

★ The track "Hunted by a Freak" is used in the film The Football Factory

★ A remix of "Tracy" is used in the "Emerica - This Is Skateboarding (2003)" credits. The remix in question is the ''Kid Loco's Playing with the Young Team Remix'' and is available on the Mogwai remix album Kicking a Dead Pig.

★ The track "Take me Somewhere Nice" features in the 2005 Larry Clark film Wassup Rockers.

Television

★ "Hunted by a Freak" and "Mogwai Fear Satan" were used in the BBC's Ultimate Rock Climb.

★ "We're No Here" and "Auto Rock" were featured in '' episode "Rio".

★ "Tracy" was used in the '' episode "Hurricane Anthony".

★ "I Know You Are But What Am I" and "Like Herod" were used in '' episodes "Homebodies" and "Spark of Life", respectively.

★ "We're No Here" was used in the episode "Cyberwoman" of the BBC sci-fi series ''Torchwood''.

★ "Hunted by a Freak" was also used rather frequently in ''The X Factor''.

★ "Take Me Somewhere Nice" and "Kids Will Be Skeletons" were used in the sixth season of ''Sex and the City'',^[4] while "Close Encounters" was used in the fourth season.^[5]

★ "Take Me Somewhere Nice" was also used in ''The Shield'' in its first-season episode "Pay in Pain." First-season episode "Dragonchasers" used the song "Helicon 1."

★ "Glasgow Mega-Snake" is also featured on the latest Tony Hawk video game, ''Tony Hawk's Project 8''.

★ "Auto Rock" as well as "We're No Here" was used in the third episode of the ninth series of ''Top Gear''.

★ "Cody" is used in the second episode of the first season of ''Skins'' as well as the BBC drama Coming Down The Mountain which coincidentally stars ''Nicholas Hoult''.

★ "Helicon 1" is used in the third episode of the first season of ''Friday Night Lights''.

★ "Take Me Somewhere Nice", "Christmas Song" and "2 Rights Make 1 Wrong" were used in ''Queer as Folk (US)'' episodes 210, 406, and 511, respectively.

References

1. FAQ
2. "Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait". edfilmfest.org.uk. Retrieved on 28 January, 2007.
3. [1]
4. Sex and the City episode 77 music guide
5. Sex and the City episode 64 music guide

External links

★ Interview with Mogwai on Cult Cargo

★ Mogwai's official website

★ Mogwai's US record label

★ Mogwai's UK record label

★ Follow The Beast: Official Mr Beast Site (Matador Records)

★ Mogwai collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

★ Mogwai page at Wimstream.com

★ "Mogwai: Art Rock that Rocks" CBC Radio 3 Live Concert Session; article by Robert Robot

★ Bright Light ! An unofficial Mogwai website

★ Concert photos by Laurent Orseau (Black Session)