Filth is the debut studio album by Swans and is the band's second release following their self titled EP.
Track List[]
- "Stay Here" (5:35)
- "Big Strong Boss" (3:02)
- "Blackout" (3:47)
- "Power For Power" (5:52)
- "Freak" (1:13)
- "Right Wrong" (4:43)
- "Thank You" (3:52)
- "Weakling" (5:20)
- "Gang" (3:18)
- "Live at The Kitchen NYC 1982-3" (24:25) (2015 Remaster Bonus Track)
Cover[]
The cover of Filth features a stark red, black, and white color scheme that started with the Swans EP. The cover of the album came from drummer Roli Mosimann's girlfriend, a dental assistant, who had spare X-ray photographs.
Re-releases[]
Neutral Records again reissued Filth in 2012, but Michael Gira confirmed this to be a bootleg. This release is no different to the initial release. The album was properly reissued in 2015 in a remastered state with two extra discs of bonus material, the first being the previously released Body to Body, Job to Job compilation and the second including unreleased live recordings and the self titled debut EP. This version was marketed as a "a definitive, comprehensive document of Swans during the time period 1982 – 1985".[1]
2015 Remaster (Disc 3) Track List[]
For information on the second disc, see the page for the Body to Body, Job to Job compilation
- "Laugh" (4:09) (From Swans EP)
- "Speak" (4:28) (From Swans EP)
- "Take Advantage" (4:35) (From Swans EP)
- "Sensitive Skin" (6:17) (From Swans EP)
- "Living Arms" (3:26)
- "Howling Red Sheet" (3:40)
- "Big Strong Boss" (2:46)
- "Clay Man" (4:56) (From Cop)
- "We'll Hang For That" (4:38)
- "This Is Mine" (7:02) (From Young God)
- "Why Hide" (8:36) (From Cop)
- "I Crawled" (7:06) (From Young God)
(Tracks 5-9 are live at CBGB in NYC, 1982/83)
(Tracks 10-12 are live at Heaven in London, 1984)
Credits[]
Credits adapted from Filth liner notes.
Swans[]
- Michael Gira – bass guitar, vocals, lyrics, tapes, production
- Jonathan Kane – drums, percussion
- Roli Mosimann – drums, percussion, tapes, production
- Norman Westberg – guitar
- Harry Crosby – bass guitar
Additional musicians[]
- Sonda Andersson – mechanicals
- Sue Hanel – guitar (tracks 5 to 9 on disc 3)
- Daniel Galli-Duani – saxophone (tracks 1 to 4 on disc 3)
- Bob Pezzola – guitar (tracks 1 to 4 on disc 3)
Technical personnel[]
- Mark Berry – engineering
- Catherine Ceresole – photography
- Nicolas Ceresole – photography
- Lee Ranaldo – photography
- Paul A. Taylor – layout
- Doug Henderson – mastering
- Greg Curry – engineering (tracks 1 to 4 on disc 3)
- Ray Bardani – engineering (tracks 1 to 4 on disc 3)
- Susan Martin – production (tracks 1 to 4 on disc 3)