Mogwai... Intro

It’s taken me a few listens to get into the new Mogwai record Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. But I'm there now. There’s some driving Neu type motorik rhythms, a lot of riffing but without really shaking your for attention on the first few listens. It’s a more concise record than their last A hawk Is Howling but not with anything that stands out as much as the song Batcat or The Sun Smells Too Loud.
It was late one night back in early 1998 when I was first introduced to Mogwai. I was about to go to bed but thought I’d have a flick through the channels to see if there was anything worth staying up for. To my surprise and joy, on Chanel 4 The Super Furry Animals were playing the song The International Language Of Screaming. The programme was highlights of an NME award show gig at the Astoria. Next on was a band that I didn’t know, the song began quiet with clean guitars and a brooding baseline, then went super heavy, then quiet again, then back to heavy then a real cool guitar melody that followed the baseline. Then it built up to super intense heavy and then back down again.



The following weekend I went up to hmv in Oxford Street and bought their album Young Team. I’d never heard anything like it and I played it over and over.
The following week I went around to one of my mates, we were thinking about starting up another band and I asked if he’d heard of the band Mogwai. He hadn’t so I tried to explain them to him.
“Well most of their songs are long and instrumental, but without guitar solos. They start quiet and build up slowly to an intense crescendo.”
He wasn’t interested and we never did start another band. Though loads of other bands would soon start who were very much influenced by Mogwai.

Get Mogwai: San Pedro mp3 Here