Swervedriver: Classic or Dud?

Lead singer Adam Franklin's pursuing a solo career now, if I'm not mistaken.

Best Rock Band of the `90's: Cop Shoot Cop

http://www.swerved river.com/rider_index.html

Anyway, what's so wrong about talking about shoegaze? What would you prefer we talk about?

People who say 'Stop talking about dregs of shoegazing' should look forward to me posting on their threads and telling them to stop talking about their favourite piles of crap.

I quite liked Swervedriver, even though I shockingly only have 2 of their albums- Raise and erm, 99th Dream, I think? I do have to give them props because they were one of the only good bands in the history of forever to bother playing in Albany, NY, while I was living there. And they brought Medicine with them, to boot!

Now there is a critically underrated band if I ever heard one...

Shoegazing threads, hooray!

SEEK: For Seeking Heat, Duel, Blowin' Cool, Last Train to Satansville, You Find It Everywhere, Mustang Ford

EXTRA SEEK: The Other Jesus

Dud:- 99th Dream

Definitely one of the better bands of the 90's

I keep on hoping for more pulp-fiction-like stories, a la "Last Train to Satansville". Never happened, though. And I still don't know what to make of _Toshack Highway_ (Adam Franklin's solo joint).

I especially love how you think it's going one way and then it, er, shifts gears into another song and then back again. Bonus points for the chiming major-key guitar riff in between the synth-wobbles and "I'm going down, down to the marketplace..."

US tour dates are leaking out...

From http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/03/swervedriver_re_1.html

Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles - May 31 (tickets on sale this Saturday)
Bowery Ballroom, NYC - June 11
Music Hall Williamsburg - June 12

Huh, was thinking about them the other day. Time to revive the old Vervediver supergroup idea if Neil and Rachel aren't busy.

First album = classic.

Great group. I just loaned Raise and Mezcal Head to a friend who hadn't heard them before.

CLASSIC!!!
First album would be even classier ,if re produced/remastered or whatever those boffins do.

The rest weren't bad either.

Search 'Duel', 'The Birds' - and loads of other stuff

When I was so obsessed with all those Septic bands - you know the ones- the NME and Melody Maker had these down as some GAZE band. Wrong.And I fell for it

They rocked

read this as Steendriver: Classic or Dud and was :(

Mezcal Head is one of my favorite albums.

yeah the first album really is incredible, still. a deluxe reissue with all the tracks from the first four EPs as a bonus would be ^_^

that would be perfect. they should do that with all of the albums

i love how like half of juggernaut rides is bsides

vervediver.. rofl

Don't forget Ejector Seat Reservation either. Some of their best songs are on that album.

Mezcal Head is one of my favorite albums.

-- BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, March 8, 2008 12:36 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

^

been listening to it a lot lately

Remember being at Reading, Festering in about , many years ago shunning this great band.

They were on the main stage. My trendy , snobby friends and myself- even worse -turned away, muttering 'fucking shoegazing shit' to go and watch probably somebody pointless like Heavy Stereo or Adorable in the tent.
I remember walking away thinking' What a great riff - what a tune' I can still picture the ugly dreadlocked, long haired pedal fixated tossers, flailing on the mainstage. Should have stayed. Peer pressure

Son Of Mustang Ford rules. There was some free tape with one of the music papers that had a great demo version of that song, I played that all the time when I was 16.

xp i'll rep for adorable!

different approach, though

one thing i love about swervedriver is how jagged their rhythm is.. almost vu-ish.. mixed with all those guitar tones of various colors and textures

mmm

Attention Swervedriver: Come to Seattle.

Duel is just a great rock song. Propulsive. Their songs tend to drag on a bit longer than I'd like at times, though.

I'm glad to hear there's so much love here for the first album! I'm kinda surprised, actually. I've still got my autographed vinyl copy. I think I'll dig that out.

Hmm. The first side isn't as good as the second, methinks. "Sci-Flyer" sounds suspiciously like Ride's "Seagull" in the riff department.

I saw Swervedriver and Adorable on the same bill! Though Swervedriver + Chapterhouse was a better combo. Happy days. I thought "Rave Down" was their best song.

I saw Swervedriver open for Ned's Atomic Dustbin. Odd double bill to be sure.

First time I saw both of 'em as well. VERY odd.

uk show announced.

SWERVEDRIVER play their first British show for 10 years

SEPTEMEBER 16TH at London Scala

Pioneering shoegaze legends Swervedriver have returned from a 10‐year hiatus to play a special show at London’s Scala.
Promoted by Club AC30, the event will see the band performing material from their four previous albums, released on Creation and Geffen.
Swervedriver have left an indelible mark on alternative music, with tracks like ‘Never Lose That Feeling’ and ‘Duel’ earning them a place amongst the alt‐indie greats.
The band will be touring the States later in the year, with the possibility of new material to follow.

'duel' slays.

six by seven supports.

fuck you guys for talking about how much you love this band without even acknowledging all the racist skinhead neo-nazi stuff

Swervedriver =! $krewdriver

I saw them when they came through Seattle a couple of months back. It was cool. I was amazed how little they'd aged.

Saw that Scala gig on my last.fm, might try and make that. Even though I still haven't heard anything since their 1st album, but I loved that when I was 16.

That would be the pre-nazi album, obviously.

fuck you guys for talking about how much you love this band without even acknowledging all the racist skinhead neo-nazi stuff

All I'm saying is watch out when I put Cormega on the blast in a NORE thread.

(yes "the blast" was intentional stfu)

I saw the Austin show a couple months ago, it was really great.

The three Creation albums due for reissue mid-October, with bonus tracks:

Raise:

# Hands
# Andalucia
# Kill The Superheros
# Over

Mezcal Head:

# Never Lose That Feeling
# Planes Over The Skyline
# The Hitcher
# Paris

Ejector Seat Reservation:

# Maelstrom
# The Directors Cut Of Your Life
# Just Sometimes
# Neon Lights Glow

(This last one also has the original hidden tracks.)

Anyone go to the reunion show in London the other week? I went to Black Lips/King Khan & BBQ Show instead.

The first one alone is missing these tracks from their EPs:

Volcano Trash
Juggernaut Rides (!!!)
She's Beside Herself (!!!)
Afterglow
Zedhead
Flawed
Out
Laze It Up
Surf Twang
Deep Twang

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Did most of those end up on the best-of, though?

Juggernaut Rides includes only "Juggernaut Rides" of the above selection.

Are these UK only?

nope:

http://www.hispeedsoul.com/artists.php?artistID=6

RAISE, MEZCAL HEAD and EJECTOR SEAT RESERVATION US reissues!

January 6th 2009 (now has been changed to 2-19-2009) sees the first three Swervedriver albums re-issued in the US by Second Motion/Hi Speed Soul Records

Artist. SWERVEDRIVER Title. MEZCAL HEAD-EXTENDED VERSION
Street Date. 2/19/2009

Notes.
Limited edition digitally remastered and expanded digipak edition of this 1993 album featuring four bonus tracks ('Never Lose That Feeling', 'Planes Over The Skyline', 'The Hitcher' and 'Paris') and liner notes from the band.

Tracks

1. For Seeking Heat
2. Duel
3. Blowin' Cool
4. MM Abduction
5. Last Train To Satansville
6. Harry And Maggie
7. A Change Is Gonna Come
8. Girl On A Motorbike
9. Duress
10. You Find It Everywhere
11. Never Lose That Feeling
12. Planes Over The Skyline
13. The Hitcher
14. Cars Converge On Paris

Artist. SWERVEDRIVER Title. RAISE-EXTENDED VERSION
Street Date. 2/19/2009

Notes.
Limited edition digitally remastered and expanded digipak edition of this 1991 album featuring four bonus tracks ('Hands', 'Andalucía', 'Kill The Superheroes' and 'Over') and liner notes from the band.

Tracks

1. Sci Flyer
2. Pile Up
3. Son Of Mustang Ford
4. Deep Seat
5. Sandblasted
6. Sunset
7. Feel So Real
8. Sandblasted
9. Lead Me Where You Dare
10. Hands
11.Anadalucia
12. Kill The Superheroes
13. Over

This is awesome, but I think I already own everything the band's ever recorded. Please report back if the remasters "sound" good enough for completists to reconsider buying said reissues.

Adam Franklin's new one is definitely worth checking. 100% recommended. Better than his last attempt.

Wish I could type / articulate better

mezcal head is dope

Seeing these guyz live next month. Hoping it'll be good - its been a long time.

(Agree on Mezcal Head's awesomeness)

seeing them tonight!! the setlist from their brisvegas show last night is v heavy on the first two elpees

damn they're in australia at the moment?? sucks being on the other side of the globe in situations like these.

weird show. venue was way undersold (odd, considering that their sat show has been long sold out). 2nd support band had one of the worst mixes i've ever heard. swervies played p well and the setlist was fantastic, though as a result of the tiny crowd we only got one of the three encore songs on the setlist (missed out on sandblasted, drag)

When are they playing Ingerland again?

Checked their website and no sign of a show?

Would love to see them again after my poncy Reading no show ^^^

Another album?

Oh was the espy show LAST night? How weird! I guess I'll report back here on satdee night/sunday and letchers know how the Corner show went.

I think a lot of ppl maybe either didnt know about the 2nd show, or (rightfully) avoided Espy as a shite venue.

their brisvegas show last night

Never heard this term for Brisbane before and my immediate thought was, "those Vegas shows just keep getting more and more ridiculous, don't they".

hahaha

So hey I saw 'em live tonight and it was a pretty decent show! Here is some (apologetically bad) footage of "Last Train to Satansville" I filmed. Unlike my Wire footage last month this one came out crummy, I'm not sure why.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijoR0rowsBo

Thats OK I'm still enjoying it. Thanks for posting it!

:D

Swervedriver
Echoplex (below the Echo)
Los Angeles, CA
Sun, 06/19/11
07:00 PM

Irving Plaza
New York, NY
Thu, 06/16/11
10:30 PM

bee ok did you go to that show?

Swervedriver 2012 US Tour Dates
The boys are coming back:

Mar 28 Philadelphia, Union Transfer
Mar 29 Boston, Brighton Music Hall
Mar 30 Washington DC, Rock and Roll Hotel
Mar 31 New York City, Bowery Ballroom
Apr 2 Cleveland, Grog Shop
Apr 3 Chicago, Bottom Lounge
Apr 4 Seattle, Neumo's
Apr 5 Portland, Doug Fir Lounge
Apr 6 San Francisco, Slim's
Apr 7 Los Angeles, Key Club

for whatever reason, slim's tickets are listed at $163-164. what the fuckity fuck

Caught them at Taste of Chicago last summer and they were pretty great. Very cool to see people in their late teens/early 20s digging them. Second song was "Out" -- my son (six at the time) said, "Daddy, why are you laughing?" "This isn't a typical venue and they're already playing a B -- uhh, never mind."

bee ok did you go to that show?

no, i didn't make it but April 7th looks good, we will see.

Bummer they aren't coming to Austin this time. Caught them at Emo's a few years ago and tjhey definitely still had it. The crowd was a funny mix of hip looking college age kids looking disdainful and a bunch of old dudes like me re-living the glory days of the 90s.

Saw them tonight. They were great!

Believe it or not this was my first time seeing them too. (did see Adam Franklin solo a couple years back when he opened for The Church)

Also, I think a case can be made for the Foo Fighters ripping off Swervedriver as much as Garbage thieved from Curve.

Utterly baffled you'd not seen them before! (Then again, I have seen them since...god, 1994? Whenever the tour with Medicine was.)

HaveN'T, rather.

Anyone else see em with me at the Trocadero in San Francisco, 1994?

So I guess they were on Jimmy Fallon the other week?!?!

They were, who was drumming for them though?

They were, who was drumming for them though?

Mikey Jones (who plays in Adam Franklin's solo band). Supposedly Graham will be playing on the new album in some capacity (there were some new songs played).

Jez is in law school now, and currently blogs here: http://badearth.wordpress.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66vPbAmYriE

New song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzi-n6Injzc

And here's "Duel" from Saturday night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUO7K8XRbuM

Kinda bummed that Jez isn't with them anymore, I think this new guy may not be quite so good.

absolutely 100% classic.

so the question is, should i be happy with the original cd issues of the albums, or, should i track down the remasters, as i happen to love the murkiness of the originals but do wonder if i am missing out on a massive layer of 'oooohhhhhh' a la beatles/mbv remasters ....

oh, and less US touring .. us f*ckers in the UK would like a chance to up our levels of tinnitus .. ta.

Mark e - spot on.

One band that I would love to see again, properly, thanks to my Reading fuck up^.

Always touring on another continent....

after years of indecision, i have decided to order the orig edition of the bands debut album on cd as opposed to the remaster so it matches the other albums i have.

also, the remasters are f*ckin' digi-pack, which as me and sick know only too well, are the product of the devil ..

oh, and look :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Juggernaut-Rides-89-98-Swervedriver/dp/B0007735BC/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1336941899&sr=1-4

insane.

italics !?

sorry 'bout that ..

i mean where did these guys get their main love ? UK, or US ?

genuine question.

and yes, i am indeed trying to keep this thread above the sodding MBV reissue thread, a la old school creation battle days.

i mean swervedriver vs mbv

no contest for me ..

hmmmm, has such a poll been done ?

The reason the amazon price is like that is because that seller has a program that spikes the price if there aren't other references to compete with it. It adjusts itself automatically if there are other price points. Or the seller is one of those opportunist idiots.

Yo

http://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/deep-wound

Kept the old logo, awesome..

Mixed by mark gardener, huh.

very swervedriver-esque.

love it.

and yes, bands that retain a good logo throughout a career = worthy.

this band is really good!

haha kinda surprised you of all ppl hadn't heard 'em - they're p kickass yeah

i remember like some videos on 120 minutes and stuff here and there but never really listened to them

it's funny i always think of all these american bands that try to be british but i forget sometimes there are british bands that seem american

these guys have a total vibe like Hum or shit like that, or even Sugar...i guess my friend saw them play with Poster Children back in the day that makes sense

yeah I mean you're the ilxor I'd be most willing to believe had a doctorate in 90's guitar indie - Hum comparison otm, although I think if anything I prefer Hum, they had a bit more scope and a fuller sound IMO

there aren't many british bands that seem american tbh but swervedriver probably among the best in a decade that also contained (lol) bush and gomez

although my favourite yankee-style brit indie-rock album of that decade was and probably always will be catherine wheel's 'adam and eve'

finished mezcal head

now listening to raise

man i miss going to shows where all 4 bands sounded basically like this

Duress is massive. That solo, dear lord. The wah pedal needs no further justification (not that it ever did.)

agree.

MH and ESR = best double bill ever ?

quite possibly.

so much more than your standard shoegaze noise.

question : has anyone heard the remastered editions vs the originals ?

i have the original cds, and avoided the remastered editions upon release.

was i a bad man to do this ?

Ha, I just checked the Poster Children archive, the show I saw was 22 yrs ago this past Monday.

P-Kids kind of mopped the stage w S-Driver

and yet ...
the P-Kids releases i have ( tool of the man, junior citizen) are pretty crap and have not become massive playlist faves ..

this reformation (and promise of new material) pleases me a lot more than ride.

never got a chance to see this lot back in the day.

seems to be that they have toured the US a lot more than the UK since they started up again.

Yeah they definitely always had a strong following over here. Good thing too! Of all the original first wave bands they were probably the ones that stuck through the 'tour often enough and something will happen' cycle the best.

oh, yeah that's a great thing ned ..

~ mumble l*cky b*stard mumble mumble .. ~

No UK dates again?
wtf?
Great band; One of my favourite homegrown groups, who I nearly missed thanks to shitty journalists tying them into the shoegaze scene (which I didn't hate, but...) -cos they liked effects pedals and they came out of Oxford, seemingly .
They had some real high spots. Then just sort of faded away. I haven't played their last album much at all
I quite like some of Adam Franklin's solo stuff, mind.

I reckon they'll be dull live ,anyhow... fck em

Oh are there dates already listed?

not seen any dates .. just going on past grooves.
never heard any of adams solo material.
am i bad man who believes that the sum of parts etc.
and yeah, you could be right re them being dull.
but, damn, some of those songs over a wall shaking pa system.
stare at your shoes all you like, but just make that wall of noise, please.
have re-added the bands albums into the archive (higher bit rate cos i wanted to !), and they still sound absolutely fantastic.

http://www.swervedriver.com

On here Evan

oh look .. i was right.

f&ck.

not even one solitary 'lets get all of the uk fans in one room' gig in london ..

Ha- I guess I should have just checked the band's website.

They played in London in April fwiw

ahh .. i knew that was going to happen.
as it is, i very much doubt i would have been able to go along due to parenting chaos etc.
still, my point remains.
the US vs UK groove for this band.
i understand the reasons of course.
perhaps i should listen to ride more.

New album details, new song

http://www.stereogum.com/1727869/swervedriver-setting-sun/mp3s/

this is amazing news. even though i think they were the weakest shoegaze band live, Chapterhouse blew them off the stage, still going to see them at the Roxy on Sunset show.

Swervedriver:
03-04 San Diego, CA - Casbah
03-05 Los Angeles, CA - Roxy Theatre
03-06 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-08 Seattle, WA - Neumo's Crystal Ball
03-09 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
03-12 St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
03-13 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
03-14 Chicago, IL - TBA
03-15 Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
03-16 Cincinnati, OH - The Woodward Theater
03-17 St. Louis, MO - The Duck Room @ Blueberry
03-19 Dallas, TX - Club Dada
03-20-21 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-23 Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
03-24 Durham, NC - Motorco
03-25 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
03-27 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
03-28 Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
03-29 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer

as much as I want to be excited about this, I'm feeling pretty skeptical that the album will be good. Their new drummer has a real plodding style that takes away from the energy of their music.

yeah, as much as i hate to admit it, i agree.

is alan moulder involved with the production for this album, as i would say he was a big factor in how the albums sounded.

Rock & Roll Hotel is a big step down from their last DC show I went to at 9:30 Club... would definitely see them again though.

http://www.resident-music.com/image/cache/data/variousmarch2015/swervedriver-500x500.jpg

http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/189734/9

The band will also hit the road for an 11-date tour between in May, stopping in Portsmouth, Brighton, Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, York, Oxford, Bristol, Nottingham and London. They're also set to appear at SXSW next month.

Tickets for the new tour are on sale at 9am on February 21, priced at £15.00, £16.50 in Bristol and Nottingham, and £17.50 in London, plus fees.

Swervedriver Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows

Tue May 12 2015 - PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
Wed May 13 2015 - BRIGHTON Haunt, Brighton
Thu May 14 2015 - CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri May 15 2015 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy2 Birmingham
Tue May 19 2015 - GLASGOW King Tuts
Wed May 20 2015 - LIVERPOOL O2 Academy2 Liverpool
Thu May 21 2015 - YORK Fibbers
Fri May 22 2015 - OXFORD O2 Academy2 Oxford
Sun May 24 2015 - BRISTOL Thekla
Mon May 25 2015 - NOTTINGHAM Bodega Social Club
Wed May 27 2015 - LONDON Scala London

Annnnd new album streaming

http://www.npr.org/2015/02/22/387539394/first-listen-swervedriver-i-wasnt-born-to-lose-you

Nice! A few songs in and it is already better than I expected. I was really worried this would just plod along without much fire.

several songs in .. and this is a keeper.

No doubt. I got the purple vinyl coming.

first listen done.
bloody hell, i did not expect that.
the album sounds like the band have continued after 99th dream and made another album.
i expected a clean, polished modern sound, but no, they have made the same mix of dirty guitar noise, fuzz, excess, and hum friendly tunes.
ok, it will never ever surpass 'ejector seat .. ',
as nothing ever will in my world, but as an album to come back with after a long extended break, this really is a brilliant continuation of the bands groove.

2nd listen : even better.

feels like a throwback to Raise

I'm loving it.

Little things ,like the imaginative bass line in the opener , tasty chord progressions on so on.
The overall feel is still lost on the 'highway'(interstate) with an everlasting yearning for something that's always over the everlasting, dusty, horizon.
I say 'highway' rather than road as they are lost somewhere near Topeka , Kansas rather than the A40 near Didcot

I even hear 'gas stations' in the opener.

Fine by me. They take me out there with them

Hoping to see them in York, mind.

Curious what made them the weakest shoegaze band live, back then. Saw them in St Paul a couple nights ago and, wow, so much sensory delight, despite a very modest presentation relative to recent MBV or Slowdive. The music's saturation with melodic, ear- and brain-warming detail was never fuller, in any other band.

Just got tickets for the Brooklyn show! Very excited.

The music's saturation with melodic, ear- and brain-warming detail was never fuller, in any other band.

a perfect summation.

Anyone see em this weekend for free with the Church at SXSW?

me! It was an awesome show, was very impressed by the fiery versions of Satansville and Duel. New songs sounded good to.

*too

Ah lucky you. And though they are past their ... heyday .. would have been fun to see the Church on the bill too

Great video of the SXSW show I went to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joZYZxoOfa0

Really privileging the new stuff here.

This new album is so great for the Spring, I love when releases match their seasons well.

during my thursday wine excess, i got tix for this sundays show in bristol.

any ilm'rs going : FAP ?

Hey, new track via Adult Swim

https://soundcloud.com/adultswimsingles/swervedriver

very nice

Dawn, O.P., Swervedriver -- this singles series is in my brain. Let the thread bump also serve as a reminder that "I Wasn't Born to Lose You" is terrific!

http://www.swervedriver.com/images/Swerve-2017-618.png

Raise and Mezcal Head September Tour 2017:

9/7 Metro, Chicago
9/8 Lee's Palace, Toronto
9/9 Brighton Music Hall, Allston
9/10 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
9/11 Union Transfer, Philadelphia
9/12 Back Cat, Washington
9/14 Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
9/15 Terminal West, Atlanta
9/16 The Social, Orlando
9/17 Siberia, New Orleans
9/18 Trees, Dallas
9/19 3ten Austin City Limits Live, Austin
9/21 191 Toole, Tucson
9/22 Casbah, San Diego
9/23 Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco
9/24 The Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles

i'm so going, Rise and then a break and then come back to playMezcal Head? heaven!

How about.... hell yes

Yeah, I'll be going to this

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YzdviSTdVfjPb_iUYPMiJ038ullBDXC7Fd3kt0ultK4ygJ9nuAf2-R5pQmBnSksOMIL7esSZALXWCUOpsBvqMMZ80O2TobCfih3cwyOZ2NSQ6QfSSAEWp5082Mf-kfnfzbU07YZyCc4A8JZaNrdYx5r6Wg1tYjoJmZvDwevgU_H4YSRux3mwAbl-q6KnqYZfzw1zko2et79d8sqLH3NcUG3AStvoTCWvu3foNMGAqtbz902wfTtOYclcwXJ3iRRoPGTcZl5TTt1LjpsUIoEaXcalIpisOdiy57dycgQno25KcEexBmbfhB-5OcqvsD9369cM8VQTrPCjKsb74xDhDsrlVh9jDOidRxKcN0hnIl7hPTziM45QV8hVqrkIvhEx_EDAxE-ZC128WO6adY7N7bKhXWYwr9tFS70LVmR2mDrQye5y3a2R57XNP7c3aFqu97C4XEUhoEMIzAzMnAnJAKjgdZkcck8aV6JrAsHLYGp1w9_FZ16WSVkiOZ64ImZSFV16xbwtEaYIRSkv7v2anJ2ma2xaN2snTd856Plot3xv7X_rayewSvY-DmNLFBR_iMSznRBB8pAGPdFtjSXsmTaKi5-kRsujch3yBa5E3OK67g6fB-sc9iyklN72x-K6p1Ln7Pg-1tdagYGih_PMHK1oZhtCGwnxok1de_UK-wvwEQ=w1689-h950-no

on my way, pretty excited even if i have been sick all weekend.

New single sounding excellent. I swear they're a better band now than before

Other new single sounding excellent!

I keep forgetting to check it out!

new album is out this is great!

shoegaze bands on the whole do really well with reunions/comebacks

yeah I really enjoyed this. title track into theeascending is stunning

Dug their last a lot, and will get this one. Missed them in the day, though I saw many mentions of them in connection with Curve. Think Alan Moulder produced both? Plus they each had a Holy Grail cd rarity back in the day. Going back catalog has been rewarding. "Rave Down" off _Raise_ is a standout.

Hm, hadn't realized there was a new one. Will investigate.

Well here's something fun -- the original version of their debut EP

https://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/petroleum-spirit-daze

Wow cool! A good read from Mr. Franklin there too re: the band’s early days

I have the original CD of this!

I do too! Guess when it came to this band, we were a little (wait for it) ahead of the swerve.

This slower take on "Juggernaut Rides" is very interesting.

We finished the recording and I took a copy with me to Seville in Spain where I was having a week's holiday with my girlfriend. There was strong weed and oranges everywhere and I remember sitting by the ocean listening to these songs while looking across the water at the haze in the distance that was Morocco - I was looking at Africa while listening to our first record!

Mate, that was some strong weed indeed; Is Seville anywhere near the ocean?

Sounds nice though. I bought the original EP on CD as well.

> Is Seville anywhere near the ocean?

If you're in Seville for a week, taking a daytrip to the Estrecho isn't a big uh... stretch.

Must we be so reasonable.

couple of new bside comps on their bandcamp page:

https://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/honey-heavens-above

https://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/youth-at-the-summit

mezcal head : it really is all that and so much more.
not sure they ever bettered their thing across a whole album as well as they did on this.

a mighty mighty sound. they definitely lightened up a bit afterwards. 99th Dream is my favorite

they definitely lightened up a bit afterwards

think this is exactly why i love MH so much.
sonically it's a heavy listen, and they definitely pulled back from the excess after this album.

when quieter moods are required, then for me its all about 'Ejector Seat Reservation' which i genuinely believe to be one of the best modern rock albums ever,
and is a prime target for rediscovery by the Mojo/Uncut crew.

All their albums are so fantastic even the new ones are incredible.

fuck you guys for talking about how much you love this band without even acknowledging all the racist skinhead neo-nazi stuff

― and what, Thursday, 31 July 2008 14:57 bookmarkflaglink

still one of my favourite ever ILX posts

It's funny, Ejector Seat sounds even more extreme to me, just layer upon layer of blown out guitars. I think it may have thrown their career off track. That one is badly in need of a reissue.

Also kind of funny to sample an anguished Kurt Cobain.

I had built ESR up so much in my mind (was hard to find in the US in the late 90s) that I was kinda let down at the time lol. Love “son of Jaguar e” and “the birds”

I love how they do this escalating thing on songs like "Duel" and "Bring Me the Head of the Fortune Teller" where each successive section introduces an even more impossibly massive guitar sound. It's almost like they are constantly trying to outdo themselves in a guitar arms race.

I Wasn't Born to Lose You still my favorite. '10s Swervedriver > '90s Swervedriver imo (narrowly), though I should probably take that to the controversial opinions thread.

That is quite challenging, for sure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJc1HN2PxXI

remember seeing them in St. Paul a few years ago and still don't remember a British band that dressed so American

Saw them on their first USA tour that he talks about (Soundgarden/Swervedriver/Monster Magnet) which was really amazing.

(though he said it was 1991 but it was in fact spring 1992)

Yeah Swervedriver had hit America twice before that "A&M rocks out" lineup (which I saw as well) -- summer 1991 opening for Ned's Atomic Dustbin in a quick bicoastal stint IIRC then a separate tour near the start of 1992 with Ratcat opening. I saw them next on a Mezcal Head date but sadly never have seen them since.

The Mezcal Head date I saw them on had them opening for Smashing Pumpkins, a pretty good pairing given the Alan Moulder connection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNH7ZngZcIo

Expanded reissue of 99th Dream on deck:

https://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/99th-dream-2

CD1 - '99th Dream' remastered extended album
99th Dream 5:27
Up From The Sea 3:24
She Weaves A Tender Trap 3:43
These Times 3:22
Electric 77 7:36
Stellar Caprice 3:47
Wrong Treats 4:24
You've Sealed My Fate 3:53
In My Time 4:32
Expressway 3:33
Behind the Scenes of the Sounds & the Times 7:05
Why Say Yeah 3:14
93 Million Miles From The Sun (..and Counting) 3:30
The Director's Cut of Your Life 4:41
Straight Thru Your Heart 4:06

CD2 - 'Mercury Lounge' - live in NYC 14th Jan 1998
Behind the Scenes of the Sounds & the Times 6:50
Sandblasted 5:01
She Weaves A Tender Trap 3:50
How Does It Feel To Look Like Candy 3:27
Duel 5:16
99th Dream 5:59
The Birds 3:19
Wrong Treats 4:07
Never Lose That Feeling 4:35
Rave Down 6:00
Kill the Superheroes 9:35
For Seeking Heat 3:56
Duress 13:23

CD3 - 'Doremi Faso Latido' - outtakes/demos
Butterfly 4:53
Canvey Island Baby 4:56
Up From The Sea 2:54
Straight Thru Your Heart 4:00
Sciflyer97 5:41
These Times 2:44
Carousel City 4:36
You've Sealed My Fate 3:32
Sea Foam 3:17
Wrong Treats 2:46
Cool Your Boots 4:34
Electric 77 6:54
Behind the Scenes of the Sounds & the Times 5:48
99th Dream (live TV) 5:41
Wrong Treats (live TV) 4:01

ohhhhhh yeahhhhhh!!!

stoked for disc 3

I’ve always wanted to hear the faster version of “these times” that was on the original geffen promo

this looks really cool, very intriguing selection of tracks

I would have included “good ships” over “93 million miles” personally

Had a real nice chat with Adam Franklin for the Quietus for a Baker's Dozen:

https://thequietus.com/articles/33716-adam-franklin-swervedriver-bolts-of-melody-bakers-dozen-favourite-music

Thanks for sharing Ned

Yer welcome!

Ha I did not see that particular Clash record making it, great anecdotes about Shake Appeal and the Swervies first US gig

Love that Bob Mould was an early fan, makes a lot of sense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7afNL0UGre8

Ned,

On slide 14, the italics after "The Book Lovers EP" are not closed and continue for the remainder of the entry.

spex
macOS Sonoma 14.2.1.
Mozilla Firefox 121.0.1

Your editor,

Stephen Q. Shasta

Yeah caught that — will pass along!

The riffs on ‘Sons of Mustang Ford’ are so great. That whole first Cd is ace.

First two albums including their B-sides are perfect, great stuff.

Proud to say I played Son of a Mustang Ford and Rave Down a lot when Raise came out in the US, on my late night show on an AM carrier current college radio station to like five people.

First 2 albums are classic, but I think Ejector Seat and 99th Dream are also really good.

I absolutely love Raise (and the early EPs) but I could never get into anything on Mezcal Head except "Duel" & "Duress" and I tried some of the records after that and they were not my thing. I feel like I may be an outlier Swervedriver fan.

"Last Train to Satansville" is aces and another excellent B-side also from the second album set:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0v5s8MkuKk

"Scrawl & Scream" was available on the Reel to Real EP that was released pre-Raise (summer 1991?) iirc.

"Last Train To Satansville" is 100% not for me.

I love all of it, but am an outlier insofar as I find the first one the hardest to get into.

Digging this Bolts of Melody album, but such a tease to bring in Besnard Lakes for such a brief appearance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz_F8wsZtnc

awesome - thank you!

And we got new EP

https://swervedriver.bandcamp.com/album/the-worlds-fair-ep

They also got an in depth feature/boost on Beato, of all places!!!

looks like they recorded this with him as well

hurrah!

Did anyone else buy they vinyl of this? Received it in the mail yesterday, and it appears to be mastered at the wrong speed?

Whoops ha just discovered I need a new turntable belt. As you were, everyone!

Belated but it was really nice to catch them again after three decades along the other night -- sadly couldn't stay through the whole set but what I caught was a treat. They have their sound and they do it very well.

saw them a few years ago on a boat in bristol,
and yeah,
for all their non-showy groove,
they can still make the noise work.

Never seen em, really wanted to this time but alas.

whole show was great of course but "MM Abduction" was the one last night, i really don't know how they do it

I’ve seen them twice during their reformation era. The first time they played Mezcal Head in its entirety, just a monster album to me since I heard it in 1993/4 (and played tracks off it as a college radio DJ) when it came out.

The second time was earlier this year. I guess their tour was broken up and they’re just getting to the West Coast now?

Shocked when I saw two teen girls at the concert, everyone else was an old man like me.

Oh I had my own surreal moments like that at my show. At one point two teens or young women walked by me, one of whom was wearing a Ride Nowhere shirt, and I had an unstuck-in-time moment and then some, thinking back to seeing Swervedriver for the first time in 1991 a couple of months after I first saw Ride for said album's tour in the same venue and where by default most of us WERE teens or young adults in those kind of T-shirts.

Seeing them tonight!

Man, this place is empty, it's too bad no one showed up.