Public Castration Is a Good Idea cover

Public Castration Is a Good Idea

Released

The majority of this double LP, originally released independently by the band, was recorded at a legendary March 1986 gig at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. Swans performed at absolutely punishing volume in this era — eyewitnesses have compared the experience to sticking one’s head in a jet engine — and stretched their songs to mind-warping length. The opening “Money Is Flesh” is 12 minutes long, and the first four minutes of that are just a pounding beat and clanging bass/guitar chords, so slow it’s like being struck by a pile-driver over and over and over. More of a purgative ritual than a live album; when you really do need to be crushed under and obliterated by music, nothing else will do the job like this.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Love and Rockets cover

Love and Rockets

Love and Rockets
Strawberries cover

Strawberries

The Damned
Kaleidoscope cover

Kaleidoscope

Siouxsie & the Banshees
Earthling cover

Earthling

David Bowie
Pleasure cover

Pleasure

Girls at Our Best!
Rabies cover

Rabies

Skinny Puppy
Rembrandt Pussyhorse cover

Rembrandt Pussyhorse

Butthole Surfers
Isn't Anything cover

Isn't Anything

My Bloody Valentine
From the Hip cover

From the Hip

Section 25