Swans: What is This?

Handmade Limited Edition CD Fundraiser with more options

Signed by M.Gira and numbered (1 – 2500)

Scroll Down for Purchase/Support Options

PLEASE FIND THE LETTER AND COMMENTS AS WELL AS VIDEOS AND PHOTOS OF THE PROJECT AND ITEMS AFTER PURCHASE OPTIONS BELOW.

YOUR SUPPORT WILL MAKE THE NEXT SWANS ALBUM POSSIBLE AND THE BEST IT CAN BE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND BELIEF IN THE MUSIC AND ITS POTENTIAL!

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN GET (see various images below):

The CD of 10 MG acoustic versions of songs for new album, in handmade package with woodblock print, hand printed by Nicole Boitos, based on a design by M.Gira. Signed, doodled upon, and numbered. Comes with extensive lyric sheet and a separate sheet of MG notes on the songs; A fine art screen print poster, black red and gold, image drawn by M.Gira; A dark grey t-shirt, printed with white and black image of the What is This? icon; Executive Producer option; Meet and Greet Option; Free guest list spot plus one at any upcoming Swans concert; Advance Purchase of upcoming album in whatever format you choose; EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION OF 40 OAK BOX SET (see various images below). THE BOX CONTAINS: The CD in its package; unique print of the icon image on fine art paper by Nicole; unique one of a kind drawing by M.Gira; hand crafted/assembled/fetishized unique art object “Gravity Machine” (numbered 1 – 40) by M.Gira, in black velvet pouch, signed by MG; a unique “no-self” polaroid portrait by M.Gira (signed); a “Thought Knot”; a color postcard of the poster image, with personalized note of thanks to you from M.Gira on back. The box itself is expertly and professionally crafted in oak by The Brothers Dressler in Toronto. The box is lined on the interior bottom with black felt.

Option 1 - $40 : "What Is This?" CD of 10 MG acoustic versions of songs for new album, in handmade package with woodblock print, hand printed by Nicole Boitos, based on a design by M.Gira. Signed, doodled upon, and numbered. Comes with extensive lyric sheet and a separate sheet of MG notes on the songs

Option 2 - $55: Option 1 + a CD copy of the upcoming Swans album upon its completion.

Option 3 - $65: Option 1 + a LP copy of the upcoming Swans album upon its completion.

Option 4 ﻿- $100: Option 1 + receive an "Executive Producer” credit in the upcoming Swans studio album + your choice of an CD or LP copy of the upcoming Swans studio album.

Option 5 - (SOLD OUT) $150: Everything in Option 4 + A dark grey t-shirt, printed with white and black image of the What is This? icon. Unavailable anywhere else. (You will be contacted after you place your order regarding the size of shirt you would like)

Option 6 - (SOLD OUT) $200: Everything in Option 5 + A fine art screen print poster, black red and gold, image drawn by M.Gira printed by Zaklab. (see image below). It is 24" x 18" and it is screen printed on thick, archival paper. Each poster is signed by M.Gira and dedicated by name to you. Limited to 200 numbered copies unavailable anywhere else.

Option 7 - (SOLD OUT) $250: Everything in Option 6 + be on guest list +1 for one show on upcoming Swans tour (and come and say hi at the merch table after the show)

Option 8 - (SOLD OUT) $500: Everything in Option 7 + EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION OF 40 OAK BOX SET (see various images below). THE BOX CONTAINS: The CD in its package; unique print of the icon image on fine art paper by Nicole; unique one of a kind drawing by M.Gira; hand crafted/assembled/fetishized unique art object “Gravity Machine” (numbered 1 – 40) by M.Gira, in black velvet pouch, signed by MG; a unique “no-self” polaroid portrait by M.Gira (signed); a “Thought Knot”; a color postcard of the poster image, with personalized note of thanks to you from M.Gira on back. The box itself is expertly and professionally crafted in oak wood by The Brothers Dressler in Toronto. The box is lined on the interior bottom with black felt. Option 8 comes with pre-order copies of both the CD and LP versions of the new album.

Thanks for your support!

If you wish to donate separately from the above purchase options, please do so by clicking the Paypal button below. All donations, large or small, are sincerely appreciated! Again, any donations made by clicking the Paypal button below have no connection to your purchase (via the shopping cart) of any of the options above. Thanks again!

WHAT IS THIS:

1. Leaving Meaning



2. Hanging Man



3. Amnesia



4. The Nub



5. Cathedrals of Heaven



6. Sunfucker



7. What is This?



8. My Phantom Limb



9. Annaline



10. It's Coming and It's Real

Hello There! Some time ago, when I made the decision to disband the most recent line up of Swans, I did so not only with trepidation, but also with a great measure of sadness. This, after all, was the longest lasting grouping of core musicians in the 35 year plus history of Swans, and we made some great work. We were (and remain) friends and collaborated seamlessly as an ensemble. However, a too-comfortable familiarity had taken hold and none of us could see the music surprising us further, so we ditched it, at least for the time being. Following our final performances at Warsaw, in Brooklyn, in November of 2017, after sleeping for what seemed like 6 months, I set about writing new songs for the next version of Swans. I’ve completed about a dozen, and you’ll find 10 of them on the CD we’re releasing as a fundraiser to help with the recording and production costs of the new Swans album. These are as close to the bone as it gets – just my acoustic guitar and voice. Should you delve into this collection, you’ll discover that the material leans heavily towards words (lots of them) and vocals, which I suppose is a natural inclination after 7 years of immersion in music that was so adamantly geared towards long instrumental passages… Though I’m certain these are fine performances here, these are demos, which means that they are skeletal versions intended as a guide for building the songs with other musicians. And build them (and expand them) I will - presumably to my usual excessive degree, though in this case that proclivity won’t be expressed in a musical style similar to the chapter of Swans that recently concluded. That much I know. Just how things will actually end up sounding is another matter. I have lots of thoughts about how the orchestrations should go, but for now they’re still amorphous, and I’m looking forward to diving in with other musicians in the studio and following where the sound we generate leads. As always, I’ll be looking for the unintended. During a recent phone conversation with my friend Bill Rieflin, I expressed my uncertainty about where this record would lead, especially after 7 years of knowing pretty much in advance the timbre and vocabulary that would be used when we (the recent, past version of Swans) played, and Bill said something I’ll employ as a guide for this new chapter: Follow the uncertainty, make that the thing. A person could do worse than to follow the advice of a supreme musical savant like Mr. Rieflin, so I intend to keep his words in my head as we work. Joining me in this slippery quest will be the following: The Necks: (Tony Buck, Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton). This transcendental improv combo will play basic tracks to my guitar part on 2 songs, and the songs will be further orchestrated and sung to thereafter. Tony will also play various instruments on other songs.

Kristof Hahn: Stalwart stabber of the sky, recent Swan, and past member of Angels of Light, will play various guitars and lap steel.

Larry Mullins: Stellar past Swans and Angels of Light member, will play drums, orchestral percussion, piano, organ, and whatever else seems appropriate.

Yoyo Röhm: Yoyo is a Berlin bassist and composer/arranger, and he’ll play double bass and electric bass, and will also lend his considerable arrangement skills to the proceedings and will help in gathering orchestral musicians and additional signature players.

Ben Frost: Composer, recording artist, maker-of-sounds and psychic landscapes. I will sit down with Ben once the songs have taken on a shape and I will say OK: What?

Anna von Hausswolff and Maria von Hausswolff: Anna is singer, organist, and composer and her sister Maria is a filmmaker who sometimes sings with Anna. Their voices combine wonderfully. They will sing myriad backing vocals on the record.

Baby Dee: recording artist, chanteuse extraordinaire, harpist and pianist. I wrote a song specifically for Dee to sing, and she has consented generously to come out of retirement to do so. She’ll also sing backing vocals, as will her friends Fay Christen and Ida Albertje Michels.

Jennifer Gira: Sometimes contributor to Swans, professionally arcane. Will contribute backing vocals and critique. She sings the song The Nub on the What is This? CD.

Bill Rieflin: Long time honorary Swan and past Angels of Light contributor, currently a member of King Crimson. Bill plays everything. I will sit down with Bill once the songs have taken on a shape and I will say OK: What?

Cassis Staudt: Past member of Angels of Light and passionate accordion pumper, she will play on various songs.

Thor Harris: Robust recent Swan and past Angels of Light superman, recording artist, percussionist, drummer, torturer of homemade instruments. I will sit down with Thor once the songs have taken on a shape and I will say OK: What?

Dana Schechter: Recording artist, past member of Angels of Light, bassist, vocalist, soundscape maker. I will sit down with Dana once the songs have taken on a shape and I will say OK: What?

Heather Trost and Jeremy Barnes: Long time purveyors of exotic Eastern European/Balkan/Turkish homemade hoedowns of psychedelic import as A Hawk and a Hacksaw. They sing and play multiple instruments. I will sit down with them once the songs have taken on a shape and I will say OK: What?

Norman Westberg, Phil Puleo, Christopher Pravdica, Paul Wallfisch: Heroic recent Swans members, ex-Swans, and Swans again forever. I will sit down with them once the songs have taken on a shape and I will say OK: What?

M.Gira will sing and play guitar and produce the record. CD photos 1. Original cover concept sent to Nicole by M. Gira.

2. Nicole's mock up of cover 3. Nicole making wood cutting 4. Nicole Printing The CD Sleeves 5. M. Gira adding to artwork and signing each cover 6. The inserts 6. Finished product The Shirt The Poster



A fine art screen print poster, black red and gold, image drawn by M.Gira printed by Zaklab. It is 24" x 18" and it is screen printed on thick, archival paper. Each poster is signed by M.Gira and dedicated by name to you. Limited to 200 numbered copies unavailable anywhere else.

Oak Box Set 1. Professionally crafted in oak by The Brothers Dressler in Toronto 2. hand crafted/assembled/fetishized unique art object “Gravity Machine” signed and numbered by M.Gira