I'm always trying to push myself into unfamiliar places with the music, sometimes without success, I have to admit. But I'd rather be there than rely…

- Michael Gira

At a certain age, children are total Id - they're anything but beautiful little flowers. That always interests me. The place where the ego and the su…

- Michael Gira

I really wanted to get to the animal core of rock music and eliminate anything that wasn't necessary.

- Michael Gira

I am definitely less and less interested in music made by people that exist today, people that are living. I just see them as part of the whole stupi…

- Michael Gira

When I first started doing the quieter, more acoustic material in Swans, there was a lot of derision and outright hatred from the audience and press,…

- Michael Gira

You make your work and you can't ask for approval when you're doing it. Otherwise, it's going to be untruthful in some way.

- Michael Gira

Swans are majestic, beautiful looking creatures. With really ugly temperaments.

- Michael Gira

The sexuality of children - there's a lot friction there. That tension interests me a lot.

- Michael Gira

The goal is ecstasy, but I don't want to make some sort of saccharine pop music. I want to make something that's completely uncompromising: the best …

- Michael Gira