Biography
One of indie rock's creative oddities, Mogwai was an instrumental band whose sound was part psychedelic, part industrial trance, and part melodic art-rock. Naming themselves after the lovable creatures in the movie Gremlins, the group's original lineup-guitarist Stuart Braithwaite, bassist Dominic Aitchison and drummer Martin Bulloch-was formed by three Glasgow school friends in 1995; longtime guitarist John Cummings and keyboardist/guitarist Barry Burns joined soon after. After a string of singles and EP's, their 1997 full-length debut Mogwai Young Team introduced their trademark flowing soundscapes, with the first two tracks totaling eighteen minutes. Mogwai hit their commercial peak two albums later, with 2001's Rock Action-- an ironic title, as it began their ongoing flirtation with electronica. (Later the name of their own label, the title was a nod to the Stooges' Ron Asheton, whose nickname it was.) The album featured vocals but not English lyrics; one track had Super Furry Animals member Gruff Rhys singing in Welsh. Fans of their guitar dynamics were however rewarded with a companion single, "My Father My King," whose 20-minute title track had become the capper of their live shows. Ironic album titles also continued to be a Mogwai trademark, with 2003 bringing Happy Music for Happy People (whose emotional tone was in fact relatively upbeat) and 2011 bringing the oft-quoted title Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Mogwai also began writing film soundtracks beginning with Zidane: A 21st Century Portrai in 2006; that year also brought The Fountain on which they collaborated with the Kronos Quartet. The band had only one further personnel change, with Cummings leaving in 2015 (they continued as a quartet) and the trademark sound remaining in place, with guest singers (including psychedelic godhead Roky Erickson on 2008's Batcat EP) adding freeform vocals. 2017 brought Every Country's Sun, reuniting the band with producer Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips), who'd last worked with them on Rock Action. The album was played in its entirety at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, four months before its release.
