Michael Gira's mighty Swans play live at London's Koko this Thursday, 15th November. In advance of the show, Joseph Burnett speaks to the man himself about thirteen of his favourite albums, from Miles Davis and Gorecki to Throbbing Gristle and Pink Floyd

Michael Gira and Swans have cast long shadows over 2012, via two critically hailed albums (one live, the other the monumental The Seer) and an extensive series of tours and gigs. Whether appearing solo or with the full backing of his near-legendary band, Gira projects an incomparable aura onstage, an intensity so potent it transfixes the imagination.

As we discovered while quizzing the man on his thirteen favourite albums (or the thirteen he thought of when contacted - he's keen to stress this isn't a definitive top thirteen) on the eve of Swans' performance at OFF Festival in Poland, that intensity doesn't just apply to his shows or records, but to interviews as well. It's rare that talking about music is this scary...

Click the image below to begin browsing through Michael Gira's favourite albums, and go here to listen to a Spotify playlist from the 13.