Mogwai (pronounced "mog-why") is a Scottish post rock band formed in 1995 that have become one of the most influential and best known bands of their genre. They compose lengthy instrumental guitar-based pieces in the style of post-rock, usually focused around the elaboration of a single theme, and are known traditionally for their quiet/loud dynamic, defined bass riffs, and an eminent chilled-out sound, sometimes dark and sometimes grand. Although frequently referred to as post rock, the band have revealed in interviews that they despise this categorization, insisting that their sound bears little resemblance to pioneers of the genre, such as Tortoise.
Their style has been influenced by such bands as The Cure, The Joy Division, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, and post rock granddaddies Slint. Mogwai's influence on the indie rock scene can be heard in the work of Explosions in the Sky, Italians Giardini di Mirņ, Qatsi, and most other contemporary post-rock.
Mogwai are named after the creatures from the film Gremlins (the word itself is Cantonese for 'little-monster'), although Braithwaite comments that "it has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one [name], but like a lot of other things we never got round to it.".
The fifth Mogwai album, Mr Beast, was released in March 2006 and returns to the heavier sounds of 1997's Mogwai Young Team. However, Mogwai have dropped most of their "post-rock" crescendoing, and their songs develop more like rock, with direct hooks and lyrics.
Mogwai produced the remix track of 'Plans' on the British group Bloc Party's 2005 album Silent Alarm Remixed.
Their latest album is a soundtrack to the documentary of global football star Zinedine Zidane called Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait and was released through their own label Rock Action in October 2006. They have also released a soundtrack to Darren Aronofsky's 'The Fountain' in collaboration with Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet.
Music Videos
* Hunted by a Freak
* Friend of the Night
* Travel is Dangerous
For further information, visit the band's site www.mogwai.co.uk | Download the press kit