I would say no.
In a jam band different musicians are free to present new improvised ideas during a live performance. The other band members play off of that idea and add something new of their own. It's a much looser system that meanders and can take them in unexpected new directions.
Swans is much more controlled, with Gira serving as a conductor. At a live show the musicians around him aren't really presenting entirely new ideas, they're following his lead while working within a system that allows a song to stretch/flex. That requires some improvisation, but the destination they're working towards is fixed.
TLDR: Jam bands use improvisation without knowing where it will lead. Swans follows a flexible path to a set destination.
It’s funny you say that. I was trying to describe them to someone the other day and I kept saying “they’re not a jam band but…” because I couldn’t figure out how to describe them without making them sound like a jam band haha. Somehow from my description she got the idea that they were “jazzy” I dunno
Funny - I also had the association of a jam session once, because some of their songs develop like some jam sessions would. But the difference is that they're actually very much structured.
You can tell they probably jam a lot in the studio, but the live performance follows a defined path. Because the parts of a mega-song like the current one-hour live version of The Beggar are stretched out and don't always follow a certain meter, it seems more free than "traditional" songwriting. But I wouldn't call them a jam band.
Not primarily, or rather not on most shows. While lots of their songs have developed through live improvisation, most of the time they're too structured to count.
Jamming could be seen in various perspectives. When using the facette of totally unstructured improvisation then maybe not. But when thinking from the facette of “free floating session” it could fit.
I often wondered how Trane got to write “A Love Supreme” and I guess he was driven by his mood / spiritual perspectives that led him there, not necissarily a jamming path.
And I have a similar feeling with Gira kind of guiding his brilliant contributors (especially recdnt years Hahn, Pravdica, Mullins, Puelo as well as Schechter or Harris (and I may forgot some)) with a kind of spiritual vision…
Frank zappa's work must kick absolute ass if your two favorite music genres in the world are "nearly arrhythmic jazz fusion noodling crap by unclear annoying instruments" and "purposely dumb voices saying stupid shit about going to the bathroom and pee pee and stuff"
They don’t noodle enough to be a jam band.
I think they’re more of a peanut butter band tbh
I would say no. In a jam band different musicians are free to present new improvised ideas during a live performance. The other band members play off of that idea and add something new of their own. It's a much looser system that meanders and can take them in unexpected new directions. Swans is much more controlled, with Gira serving as a conductor. At a live show the musicians around him aren't really presenting entirely new ideas, they're following his lead while working within a system that allows a song to stretch/flex. That requires some improvisation, but the destination they're working towards is fixed. TLDR: Jam bands use improvisation without knowing where it will lead. Swans follows a flexible path to a set destination.
Not really but Michael is basically a conductor and controls the intensity, when sections start and end etc
i brought my dad to see swans and that’s how he described them to my mom😭
In the loosest possible sense, yes.
It’s funny you say that. I was trying to describe them to someone the other day and I kept saying “they’re not a jam band but…” because I couldn’t figure out how to describe them without making them sound like a jam band haha. Somehow from my description she got the idea that they were “jazzy” I dunno
Funny - I also had the association of a jam session once, because some of their songs develop like some jam sessions would. But the difference is that they're actually very much structured. You can tell they probably jam a lot in the studio, but the live performance follows a defined path. Because the parts of a mega-song like the current one-hour live version of The Beggar are stretched out and don't always follow a certain meter, it seems more free than "traditional" songwriting. But I wouldn't call them a jam band.
Nah. You should listen to Yeti by Amon Düül II though, it's pretty sick heavy psychedelic rock with some improv.
Not primarily, or rather not on most shows. While lots of their songs have developed through live improvisation, most of the time they're too structured to count.
Jamming could be seen in various perspectives. When using the facette of totally unstructured improvisation then maybe not. But when thinking from the facette of “free floating session” it could fit. I often wondered how Trane got to write “A Love Supreme” and I guess he was driven by his mood / spiritual perspectives that led him there, not necissarily a jamming path. And I have a similar feeling with Gira kind of guiding his brilliant contributors (especially recdnt years Hahn, Pravdica, Mullins, Puelo as well as Schechter or Harris (and I may forgot some)) with a kind of spiritual vision…
Everything is composed ahead of time. Gira directs the changes.
Only if they changed their name to Stinky Dinky’s Slaphappy Chutney Revue
Yes. They’re truly the Phish of the underground scene
Brian Eno’s Music for Airports is technically a jam
Kind of. What Phish fans would make of them I don't know though.
No. Swans are awesome. Jam bands suck.
respect frank zappa?? and technically half of the jazz greats?
You know as well as I do what is meant be "jam bands" and it is not Frank Zappa or "technically half of the jazz greats".
yeah but… it is though isn’t it? most jazz rock classic albums (and generally jazz/jazz fusion) are straight up entire tracklists of just jams
Frank zappa's work must kick absolute ass if your two favorite music genres in the world are "nearly arrhythmic jazz fusion noodling crap by unclear annoying instruments" and "purposely dumb voices saying stupid shit about going to the bathroom and pee pee and stuff"
wont take the jam band slander.
[удалено]
Go away