The Month of Mauz...Swan Song

 

Taking their name from an early Swans EP, The Young Gods are a Swiss avant garde/electronic/industrial rock band formed in 1985 in Fribourg. Current & past members include Franz Treichler (lead vocals), Alain 'Al Comet' Monod & Cesare Pizzi (keyboards), Frank Bagnoud, Use Hiestand, & Bernard Trontin (drums). They are notable for their distinctive sound, in which a sampler is utilized to create the sound of electric guitar & bass guitars, whilst retaining a live drummer & vocalist. They recorded their own guitar& bass tracks then played them back using keyboards for live shows (one of the first bands to do so). Using this technique has allowed their live shows to sound pretty much the same today as they did when they began.

The Young Gods are linked to earlier share JG Thirlwell by their producer Roli Mosiman, a famous drummer & record producer from Thurgau, Switzerland. Roli moved to Ney York City in the early 80s. In 1983 he joined industrial avant garde band Swans as drummer. While working on their second full-length Cop, he met JG Thirlwell (Foetus) who was engineering the album. He collaborated with Thirlwell as Wiseblood, one of JG's side projects. As record producer Mosiman is best known for his work with The The, Hair & Skin Trading Company, New Order, & the Young Gods. He was very influential in the Young Gods direction, sound, & even their name. Rosi died September 15,  2024 in Wrocław, Poland where he had lived since 2021.

Originally released in 1987 as the Young Gods first full-length, this is the 2012 reissue with a second live recording CD also from 1987. 

 

The Young Gods - The Young Gods 2xCD remastered, Two Gentlemen Records TWOGTL018, 2012.
all decryption codes in comments

The Young Gods CD1 -
Nous de la Lune    
Jusqu'au Bout    
À Ciel Ouvert    
Jimmy    
Fais la Mouette    
Percussionne
Feu    
Did You Miss Me
Si Tu Gardes    
The Irrtum Boys    
Envoyé    
Soul Idiot    
C.S.C.L.D.F.
        
Live at Fri-Son 1987 CD2 -     
Nous de la Lune    
Fais la Mouette    
The Irrtum Boys    
Jimmy    
Percussionne    
Did You Miss Me
Sing Sing
Feu    
A Ciel Ouvert    
Envoye    
Soul Idiot    
Jusqu'au Bout

 

 

 

 

The Young Gods - L 'Eau Rouge (Red Water), Play it Again Sam Records USA BIUSCD1029, 1989.

La Fille de la Mort    
Rue des Tempêtes    
L'Eau Rouge    
Charlotte    
Longue Route    
Crier Les Chiens    
Ville Nôtre    
Les Enfants    
L'Amourir    
Pas Mal

 

 

 

 

The Young Gods - T.V. Sky, Play it Again Sam Records BIAS201CD, 1992.

Our House    
Gasoline Man    
T.V. Sky    
Skinflowers    
Dame Chance    
The Night Dance    
She Rains    
Summer Eyes

 

 

 

 

The Young Gods - Only Heaven, Interscope Records 92554-2, 1995.

Outside    
Strangel
Speed of Night
Donnez les Esprits
Moon Revolutions
Kissing the Sun    
The Dreamhouse    
Lointaine    
Gardez les Esprits    
Child in the Tree

 

 

 

 

As a counterpart to Only Heaven, here's an Ambient re-imaging (reimagined using samples & textures from the original release)... 

 

 

The Young Gods - Heaven Deconstruction, Play it Again Sam Records BIAS309CD, 1996.

December    
Aoaçu    
Acid Strangel    
Improper    
Drun    
Riversky    
F    
Borea    
Scories    
Landing    
Messages    
Nano Pata    
Lova    
Light Residues    
Under    
Numière    
Windklang

 

 

 

Miles to go before we sleep,
NØ