Mogwai

Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), John Cummings (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). The band typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects. The band were for several years signed to renowned Glasgow indie label Chemikal Underground, and have been distributed by different labels such as Matador in the US and Play It Again Sam in the UK, but now use their own label Rock Action Records in the UK, and Sub Pop in North America. Rock Action records is named after Stooges drummer Scott Asheton, who had his name changed to Rock Action. The band are named after the creatures from the film Gremlins, although guitarist Stuart Braithwaite comments that "it has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one, but like a lot of other things we never got round to it." Mogwai means "evil spirit" or "devil" in Cantonese (Chinese: 魔鬼; Mandarin Pinyin: móguǐ; Jyutping: mogwai).
==Links To Peel==
The band were frequently championed by John Peel from their early days, and recorded no fewer than five Peel Sessions between 1996 and 2004. Peel also recorded a brief introduction for their compilation album Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996–2003.  After Peel's death in 2004, Stuart Braithwaite paid his tribute to Peel, when interviewed on The Guardian in 2005: 
: "...His influence on the band goes deep. We discovered all the music we love, from Sonic Youth to a crazy old blues man, from his show. He was a legend and a wonderful guy; the only person I can think of who worked for a major corporation for decades and remained unchanged by it. His integrity was such that you knew he would be playing the same music if he were working for the BBC or Norwich Hospital Radio."
As well as Mogwai, Peel played many other releases on the band's Rock Action label. In October 2003, Rock Action was selected as a Peel Label Of The Month for the BBC website. 
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
*1997 Festive Fifty: New Paths To Helicon #2
*1998 Festive Fifty: Xmas Steps #2
*1999 Festive Fifty: Cody #14
*1999 Festive Fifty: Stanley Kubrick #25
*2001 Festive Fifty: My Father My King #10
*2001 Festive Fifty: 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong #22
*2003 Festive Fifty: Hunted By A Freak #3
*2003 Festive Fifty: Ratts Of The Capital #6
;Post-Peel
*2006 Festive Fifty: Friend Of The Night #10
*2006 Festive Fifty: Glasgow Mega Snake #15
*2011 Festive Fifty: Drunk And Crazy #28
*2013 Festive Fifty: Wizard Motor #40
*2013 Festive Fifty: What Are They Doing In Heaven Today? #17
*2014 Festive Fifty: Repelish #32
*2014 Festive Fifty: Remurdered #4
*2015 Festive Fifty: Teenage Exorcists #20
*2016 Festive Fifty: Ether #34
*2017 Festive Fifty: Crossing The Road Material #23
*2017 Festive Fifty: Party In The Dark #8
*2018 Festive Fifty: Donuts #12
*2020 Festive Fifty: The Winter's Not Forever #31
*2021 Festive Fifty: Ceiling Granny #13
*2021 Festive Fifty: Ritchie Sacramento #2
== Sessions ==
Five sessions. Selection of tracks available on Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 (CD and 2xLP, PIAS, 2005).
1. Recorded: 1996-12-22. First broadcast: 11 January 1997.
*Super Heroes Of Bmx / Summer (Priority Version) / Waltz For Jo / Mogwai Salute The Brilliance Of Steve Lamacq
2. Recorded: 1998-01-20. First broadcast: 17 February 1998.
*Procedure 4 / Ex Cowboy / Don't Cry / New Paths To Helicon (Part II)
3. Recorded: 1998-08-23. First broadcast: 01 September 1998. Repeated: 21 January 1999
* Rollerball / Kappa / Spoon Test / Country
4. Live at Maida Vale 17 October 2001.
*Yes I Am A Long Way From Home / Nick Drake / You Don't Know Jesus / Radar Maker / My Father My King
5. Live at Maida Vale 21 May 2003 (The appearance of Mogwai is delayed by extra time in the UEFA Cup final, with Celtic playing Porto. As recalled in John Peel's Scottish Sessions, JP is full of praise for the band's eventual set: "Mogwai's always been a good band; I think you'd now have to say they're a great band. A bad night for football, but a great night for music.")
*Hunted By A Freak / Kids Will Be Skeletons / Killing All The Flies / Stop Coming To My House / Golden Porche / Ratts Of The Capital / I Know You Are / Helicon 1
== Live ==
*28 April 1997: live from London Music Week
#Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home
#Summer (Priority Version)
#New Paths To Helicon, Pt. 1
#Stereodee
*14 March 2000: live at Chemikal Underground 5th birthday party
#Helps Both Ways
#Year 2000 Non-compliant Cardia
#Mogwai Fear Satan
*30 October 2003: (Mogwai were due to play live with Melt Banana at the Concorde 2 in Brighton as part of One Live but pulled out at the last minute due to illness.)
*30 March 2004: live set from All Tomorrow's Parties 2004
#Bmx
#Jesus
#Flies
#I Know
#Helicon
#2 Rights Make 1 Wrong
#Sinewave
#Ratts
== Other Shows Played ==
(This list was compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive. Please add more information if known.)
;1996
*23 February 1996: Tuner (7 inch) Rock Action Records (JP: “..it is from Glasgow. Found a letter from Stuart Braithwaite who is of the band.”)
*15 September 1996: A Place For Parks (Various Artists CD - The Camden Crawl II) Love Train
*November 1996 (FSK): A Place For Parks (v/a CD - The Camden Crawl II The Revenge) Love Train
*03 November 1996: Summer (7" - Summer / Ithica 27 ϕ 9) Love Train
*23 November 1996: Summer (7" - Summer / Ithica 27 ϕ 9) Love Train
*01 December 1996 (BBC World Service): Summer (7" -Summer / Ithica 27Φ9) Love Train
;1997
*25 January 1997: New Paths To Helicon Pt 1 (7 inch – New Paths To Helicon) Wurlitzer Jukebox (JP: "But first, Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai has been in touch with us and thanks me for playing their record. But points out that I was playing it at the wrong speed.")
*27 February 1997: New Paths To Helicon (7") Wurlitzer Jukebox
*29 May 1997: Now You're Taken (CD - 4 Satin) Chemikal Underground
*08 October 1997: Katrien (CD: Young Team) Chemikal Underground
*09 October 1997: Tracy (CD: Young Team) Chemikal Underground
*04 November 1997: With Portfolio (CD: Young Team) Chemikal Underground
*23 December 1997: New Paths To Helicon (7 inch) Wurlitzer Jukebox FF#2
;1998
*10 March 1998: Fears Satan (The Surgeon Remix) (12" - Fear Satan Remixes) Eye Q
*24 March 1998: Summer (Klute's Weird Winter Mix) (album - Kicking A Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs Remixed) Eye Q
*02 April 1998: Summer (Klute's Weird Winter Mix) (album - Kicking A Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs Remixed) Eye Q
*05 May 1998: Honey (CD: A Tribute To Spacemen 3) Rocket Girl
*20 May 1998: Xmas Steps (CDS - No Education = No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground
*26 May 1998: Rollerball (single - No Education No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground 
*27 May 1998: Helps Both Ways (EP - No Education = No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground (EP - No Education = No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground
*May 1998 (BBC World Service): Helps Both Ways (CD Promo - No Education = No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground
*09 June 1998: Rollerball (EP - No Education = No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground
*01 July 1998: Small Children in the Background (single: Xmas Steps)
*24 September 1998 (& Thurston Moore): Untitled (CD: Root) white label
*14 October 1998: Summer (CD - Vi E Brann) white label
*01 December 1998: I Can't Remember (EP: Glasgow)
*29 December 1998: Xmas Steps (Promo CD-No Education = No Future (Fuck The Curfew)) Chemikal Underground FF#2
;1999
*20 February 1999 (BFBS): Helps Both Ways (2xLP-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*02 February 1999: Year 2000: Non-Compliant Cardia (2xLP-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*04 February 1999: Kappa (2xLP-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*09 February 1999: Waltz For Aidan (2xLP-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*11 February 1999 (Radio Eins): Waltz For Aidan (album - Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground CHEM033
*11 February 1999 (Radio Eins): Kappa (album - Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground CHEM033
*25 February 1999: Year 2000: Non-Compliant Cardia (2xLP-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*03 March 1999: Cody (CD-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*04 March 1999 (Radio Eins): Cody (album - Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground CHEM033
*22 March 1999 (BFBS): Cody (2xLP-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground
*02 September 1999: Stanley Kubrick (EP – Mogwai EP) Chemikal Underground (new Mogwai single – “exclusive, exclusive, exclusive!”)
*09 September 1999: Stanley Kubrick (EP) Chemikal Underground (JP says Mogwai have apparently been advised that the Peel show doesn’t have the right profile, but “we still love them.” On the other hand, “Be honest, would you want to do anything that did have the right profile in the eyes of the marketing folk? I certainly wouldn’t. Wish I was a fighting man.”)
*12 September 1999 (BFBS): 'Stanley Kubrick (EP)' (Chemikal Underground)
*16 September 1999 (Radio Eins): Stanley Kubrick (EP – Mogwai EP) Chemikal Underground
*07 October 1999 (Radio Eins): Rage: Man (EP – Stanley Kubrick) Chemikal Underground
*28 December 1999: Stanley Kubrick (CD single-EP) Chemikal Underground FF#25
*29 December 1999: Cody (CD-Come On Die Young) Chemikal Underground FF#14
;2000
*29 March 2000: Nick Drake (LP: The Carve-Up) Loose
*06 April 2000 (Radio Eins): Nick Drake (LP: The Carve-Up) Loose
*19 April 2000: Nick Drake (LP: The Carve-Up) Loose
;2001
*27 February 2001: Dial: Revenge (CD - Rock Action) Southpaw
*13 March 2001: Sine Wave (album - Rock Action) Southpaw
*14 March 2001: Take Me Somewhere Nice (LP: Rock Action) Southpaw
*15 March 2001: Dial Revenge (LP: Rock Action) Southpaw
*March 2001 (FSK): Secret Pint (CD - Rock Action) Southpaw
*22 March 2001 (Radio Eins): Sine Wave (album - Rock Action) Southpaw
*27 March 2001: Take Me Somewhere Nice (LP: Rock Action) Southpaw
*29 March 2001 (Radio Eins): Take Me Somewhere Nice (LP: Rock Action) Southpaw
*12 September 2001: My Father My King (CDS) Rock Action
*26 December 2001: 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong (CD-Rock Action) Southpaw FF#22
*27 December 2001: My Father My King (EP-My Father My King) Rock Action #FF10 (Due to the very quiet start of this, the emergency tape cuts in, to JP's considerable chagrin: “Well, I'm sorry we had to muck that up for you. It seems the technology doesn't exist at Radio 1 to cope with quiet bits of records. I must ask the people over at Radio 3 how they manage to do it, because when you hear things like Handel's 'Messiah', you don't hear bits of S Club 7 being banged over the top of the quiet bits. At least, I don't think you do.”)
;2003
*16 April 2003: Haunted By A Freak (white label)
*23 April 2003: Hunted By A Freak (LP - sampler) Rock Action
*May 2003 (FSK): Hunted By A Freak (CD - Happy Songs For Happy People) PIAS
*01 May 2003 (Radio Eins): Hunted By A Freak (CD - Happy Songs For Happy People) PIAS
*02 May 2003 (BBC World Service): Hunted By A Freak (LP - sampler) Rock Action
*15 May 2003: Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep (LP - Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*08 May 2003: Moses? I Amn't (LP - Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*13 May 2003: Killing All The Flies (LP- Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*15 May 2003 (Radio Eins): Moses? I Amn't (album - Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*16 May 2003 (BBC World Service): Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep (LP - Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*20 May 2003: Killing All The Flies (LP- Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*04 June 2003: Stop Coming To My House (LP- Happy Songs For Happy People) Rock Action
*12 June 2003 (Radio Eins): Stop Coming To My House (LP-Happy Songs For Happy People) Play It Again Sam
*26 June 2003: Moses? I Amn’t (LP - Happy Songs For Happy People) Pias
*July 2003 (FSK): Killing All The Flies (CD - Happy Songs For Happy People) PIAS
*02 July 2003: Killing All The Flies (LP - Happy Songs For Happy People) PIAS
*25 December 2003: Ratts Of The Capital (CD-Happy Songs For Happy People) Matador FF#6
*25 December 2003: Hunted By A Freak (CD-Happy Songs For Happy People) Matador FF#3
;2004
*15 January 2004: Star Wars (LP- Rock Action Presents Vol 1) Rock Action
*04 February 2004: Dial Revenge (LP- Rock Action) Southpaw
*21 October 2004 (show presented by Underworld): Killing All The Flies (PIAS)
*27 October 2004 (tribute show presented by Mary Anne Hobbs): Hunted By A Freak (CD-Happy Songs For Happy People) PIAS
;Other
*John Peel's Scottish Sessions: Superheroes Of BMX (session #1, first TX 11 January 1997) (Mogwai's Stuart Braitwaite explains doing a session at the Hippodrome.)
*John Peel's Scottish Sessions: Helicon 1 (session #5, live on 21 May 2003) (Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai – story about live session at Maida Vale on night of Celtic losing UEFA Cup final and Peel.)
== See Also ==
* February 2001 (Peel's Record Box)
*March 2001 (Peel's Record Box)
*April 2003 (Peel's Record Box)
*Gigography 2000 
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Official site
* Other
Category:Artists