Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Godspeed You! Black Emperor (in the past Godspeed You Black Emperor! , also known under the acronyms GY! BE and GYBE! ) is a group of Canadian Post-rock'n'roll based with Montreal, Quebec.

Course

Created in 1994 by Efrim Menuck and Mauro Pezzente, Godspeed You Black Emperor! draw its name from a Documentaire Japanese in Noir and white named God Speed You! Black Emperor of Mitsuo Yanagimachi describing the exploits of a band of motorcyclists, Black Emperors. This same year, the own-produced group All Fucked Lights one the Hairy Amp Drooling , a Musicassette distributed to only 33 specimens.

From two members initalement, the group passed to a fortnight over the period 1995 - 1998. During this one, in 1997, for the label Constellation Records, the group records f#a#∞ , which leaves in vinyl in limited edition 500 specimens; Kranky republishes it the following year in CD with several modifications.

It is only in 1999 with the exit of vinyl Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada , left and CD on the same model (but on two different labels) that their preceding production which the group leaves anonymity, thanks to the support of The Wire and John Peel, and particularly after having made the cover of the famous British magazine NME. It is also starting from this date that the group was reduced to its new current members after the departure during round 1998 of Mike Moya and its replacement by Roger Tellier-Craig.

In 2000 and 2002 leave two new albums, Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven and Yanqui U.X.O . Since 2002, no new production is appeared, the members of the group being occupied by their other projects, in particular has Silver MT. Zion or Fly Side Am.

Music and activism

This group is generally classified like pertaining to the movement Post-rock'n'roll, although it does not belong to any real framework and introduces a broad panel of influences, energy of the progressive Rock with the Punk and Classical music with the avant-garde. Its productions generally consist of a restricted number (2 to 4) of pieces lasting from 10 to 30 minutes divided into movements, sometimes mentioned on the small pocket. The instruments used varied according to the number of members, but the music remained based on Electric guitar - low Guitare - cords - percussion S, with occasional uses of Glockenspiel or French horn. The pieces are regularly introduced by spoken sequences recorded by the group in North America.

Openly and actively anti capitalist, Godspeed You! Black Emperor communicates little with the media, particularly before 2002. Efrim Menuck, although he refutes this title, is presented like the leader of the group, partly because it is mainly him which interacts with the press.

Members of the group

Current

Thierry Amar (low guitar)
David Bryant (guitar)
Bruce Cawdron (percussions)
Aidan Girt (percussions)
Norsola Johnson (violoncello)
Efrim Menuck (guitar)
Mauro Pezzente (low guitar)
Sophie Trudeau (violin)
Roger Tellier-Craig (guitar)
John Littlefair (projections)

Having left the group

List nonexhaustive.

Michael Moya

Discography

All Fucked Lights one the Hairy Amp Drooling (1994)
f#a#∞ (1997)
Lost in the House (track 2, sunshine + gasoline , the first being of Fly Side Am; free supplement of the Amazezine Magazine number 4; 1998)
Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada (1999)
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (2000), known also under the French translation Raise Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Yanqui U.X.O (2002)

External bond

Official website
Deadflagblues.net: French Fansite
32 concerts of Godspeed You! Black Emperor available on archive.org (formats: flac)

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