Who are Mogwai?

Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (electric guitar, vocals), John Cummings (electric guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (electric guitar, piano, synthesiser, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drum kit). The band typically compose lengthy guitar -based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects.

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Music Style

Their style has been influenced by bands including MC5 , My Bloody Valentine , Sonic Youth, and post-rock pioneers Slint. During 2004, the band supported tours by two major influences, Pixies and The Cure . Mogwai's style has easily identifiable connections to genres like Shoegazing , Math rock , art rock and occasionally instrumental metal. Debut album Mogwai Young Team was described as "stunningly dynamic...[shifting] seamlessly from tranquil, bleakly beautiful soundscapes to brain scrambling white noise and sledgehammer riffing".

Barry Burns once stated in an interview with Chillville that he and the rest of the band don't like the categorization of post-rock because he believes it overanalyses everything.

Braithwaite has commented on the absence of lyrics in most of Mogwai's music, saying:

I think most people are not used to having no lyrics to focus on. Lyrics are a real comfort to some people. I guess they like to sing along and when they can't do that with us they can get a bit upset.

—Stuart Braithwaite, The Express

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