Mogwai

Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band from Glasgow, active since 1995. Their line-up includes Dominic Aitchison, Stuart Braithwaite and Martin Bulloch, with Barry Burns joining in 1998. Brendan O’Hare and John Cummings are former members, and Alex Mackay, Maria Sappho, Luke Sutherland, James Hamilton, Scott Paterson and Cat Myers appear as touring musicians at different points.

Style and influences

The band play long, mostly instrumental guitar-based pieces built around the development of a single theme. Their music is often defined by quiet-loud dynamics, prominent bass lines and an ambient sound that can shift between dark and grand. They are frequently described as post-rock, although they reject that label and say their sound does not closely resemble early genre pioneers such as Tortoise.

Their influences include The Cure, Joy Division, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine and Slint. Their work also connects with shoegaze, math rock, art rock and, at times, instrumental metal. Although they do not identify with punk rock musically, they are associated with a punk ethic.

Releases, labels and collaborations

Mogwai first sign with Chemikal Underground and later use several labels, including Matador in the United States and Play It Again Sam in the United Kingdom. They also run Rock Action Records, named after Ron Asheton of The Stooges, whose name had been changed to Rock Action.

Among their releases, Mogwai Young Team appears in 1997, Mr. Beast follows in 2006 and returns to a heavier sound, and Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will arrives in 2011. Rave Tapes follows in 2014, and Every Country's Sun appears in 2017 and marks a return to an earlier style. They also release the soundtrack Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait through Rock Action, and work on The Fountain with Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet. In addition, they remix Bloc Party’s “Plans” for Silent Alarm Remixed.

Film music and live work

In 2016, Mogwai release Atomic, a soundtrack composed entirely by the band for the documentary Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise. They also contribute to Before the Flood (Music from the Motion Picture). In 2018, “Helicon 1”, from the 1997 album Ten Rapid, appears on the soundtrack to Beautiful Boy. The band also perform the Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait soundtrack live at UK dates in 2013.

Members

Stuart Braithwaite plays guitar, bass and vocals; Dominic Aitchison plays bass, guitar and keyboards; Martin Bulloch plays drums; and Barry Burns plays guitar, keyboards, bass, synthesizer, flute and vocals. John Cummings plays guitar, programming, bass, drums and keyboards before leaving in 2015, and Brendan O’Hare plays keyboards and guitar during an earlier period in the band.