Mogwai

Biography

Mogwai () are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogwai typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects.
The band were for several years signed to Glasgow label Chemikal Underground, and have been distributed by different labels such as Matador in the US and Play It Again Sam in the UK, but now use their own label Rock Action Records in the UK, and Temporary Residence Ltd. in North America.
Mogwai's tenth album, As the Love Continues×As the Love Continues19 February 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1To the Bin My Friend, Tonight We Vacate Earth5:092Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever4:453Dry Fantasy5:104Ritchie Sacramento4:125Drive the Nail7:146Fuck Off Money5:537Ceiling Granny3:588Midnight Flit6:089Pat Stains6:5510Supposedly, We Were Nightmares4:3611It’s What I Want to Do, Mum7:23, reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart on 26 February 2021.

Formation (1991–1995)

Stuart Braithwaite and Dominic Aitchison met in April 1991, and four years later formed Mogwai with old schoolfriend Martin Bulloch. The band's name comes from the name of the creatures in the feature film Gremlins, although guitarist Stuart Braithwaite comments that "it has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one, but like a lot of other things we never got round to it." The word mogwai means "evil spirit" or "devil" in Cantonese.
The band debuted in February 1996 with the "Tuner"/"Lower" single and by the end of the year they received 'single of the week' from NME for "Summer", a feat repeated early in 1997 with "New Paths to Helicon×New Paths to HeliconJanuary 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1New Paths to Helicon 12New Paths to Helicon 2". After playing a few shows the band expanded with the introduction of John Cummings on guitar, and then Teenage Fanclub drummer Brendan O'Hare joined while they recorded their debut album Mogwai Young Team×Young Team21 October 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home5:592Like Herod11:453Katrien5:274Radar Maker1:395Tracy7:226Summer (Priority version)3:327With Portfolio3:148R U Still in 2 It7:249A Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters2:2110Mogwai Fear Satan16:19.

Mogwai Young Team (1995–1997)

The album, released in October 1997, reached No. 75 on the UK Albums Chart, and featured a guest appearance from Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap. In 1998 the band had their first singles chart success with a split single with Magoo of Black Sabbath cover versions reaching No. 60 in the UK and an EP of "Fear Satan" remixes×Remixes20 April 2013 · Single · RemixSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASpecial N (L. Pierre remix)4:54BThe Copper Top (Mogwai remix)5:23 reaching No. 57. In the same year, an album of remixes of the band's tracks by the likes of Kevin Shields, Alec Empire, and μ-ziq was issued (Kicking a Dead Pig: Mogwai Songs Remixed). The band also remixed tracks for David Holmes and Manic Street Preachers. O'Hare was sacked after the release of the album (reportedly after upsetting the rest of the band by talking all through a performance by Arab Strap).

Come On Die Young (1998–1999)

Barry Burns was brought in prior to the recording of Come On Die Young, the band's second album. He had already played a few shows with the band, as a flautist and as an occasional pianist. According to Stuart, Barry was invited into the band because he was a "good laugh". The album reached No. 29 in the UK. The band line up remained unchanged from 1998 until November 2015, when John Cummings left to pursue other projects. Fellow Scottish musician Luke Sutherland has contributed violin (and more recently vocals and guitar) to Mogwai's records and live performances.

Rock Action (2000–2001)

The band's 2001 album Rock Action×Rock Action4 April 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Sine Wave4:552Take Me Somewhere Nice6:573O I Sleep0:564Dial: Revenge3:285You Don’t Know Jesus8:026Robot Chant1:0472 Rights Make 1 Wrong9:318Secret Pint13:379[untitled]7:1710Close Encounters3:56 gave them their then-highest UK album chart placing, reaching No. 23. The album was less guitar-led than previously, featuring more electronics; a larger than usual number of tracks also featured vocals, and guest vocalists included David Pajo of Slint, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol. Shortly afterwards the band released "My Father My King×My Father My King22 October 2001 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 trackAMy Father My King20:13", a cacophonous 20-minute song which closed their Rock Action-period shows, and was billed as a companion piece to the album.

Happy Songs for Happy People (2002–2003)

Mogwai's 2003 album Happy Songs for Happy People×Happy Songs for Happy People21 May 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Hunted by a Freak4:162Moses? I Amn’t3:023Kids Will Be Skeletons5:284Killing All the Flies4:355Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep3:076Ratts of the Capital8:277Golden Porsche2:498I Know You Are but What Am I?5:179Stop Coming to My House4:53 continued the band's movement into the use of electronica and more spacious arrangements. It was the band's first album to sell in any numbers in the US, reaching No. 13 on the Billboard Independent Albums Chart and even spending one week in the Billboard 200. Reviews were generally favourable, although as Pitchfork Media said in 2008 "...(the album's) reception ranged from middling to favorable. Some praised the band's scope, grandeur, and willingness to explore beyond the bounds of the quiet-loud-louder dynamic it had mastered; others lamented a lack of the same, alternately calling Happy Songs too soft, too small, or too stiff."

Mr Beast (2004–2006)

In March 2006, the album Mr Beast was released in a regular format and in a limited deluxe edition package that came with both the album on CD and a DVD documenting the recording process entitled The Recording of Mr Beast. The album was described by Creation Records head Alan McGee as "probably the best art rock album I've been involved with since Loveless. In fact, it's possibly better than Loveless" – referring to the influential 1991 album by My Bloody Valentine. AllMusic called the album "Possibly the most accessible yet sophisticated album Mogwai (have) released".

The Hawk Is Howling (2007–2008)

The band's sixth studio album was recorded from late 2007 until early 2008, and was released in September 2008. It was the first Mogwai album not to feature vocals, and was also the first to be self-produced by the band; the album was recorded by Andy Miller at Chem19 Studios in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, and mixed by Gareth Jones at Castle of Doom Studios in Glasgow. The album spawned an EP, Batcat×Batcat8 September 2008 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracksABatcatB1Stupid Prick Gets Chased by the Police and Loses His Slut GirlfriendB2Devil Rides, featuring the title track from the album and also a collaboration with Roky Erickson, with Erickson providing vocals on "Devil Rides".

Burning / Special Moves (2009–2010)

In 2010 the band released their first live film (Burning, filmed by Vincent Moon and Nathanaël Le Scouarnec, which premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in February) and live album (called Special Moves×Special Moves20 August 2010 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead6:012Friend of the Night5:303Hunted by a Freak4:074Mogwai Fear Satan11:435Cody6:106You Don't Know Jesus5:317I Know You Are but What Am I?4:048I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School7:5792 Rights Make 1 Wrong9:0510Like Herod10:3811Glasgow Megasnake3:5012Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home5:4813Scotland's Shame6:3014New Paths to Helicon Part 18:4015Batcat5:4716Thank You Space Expert7:0617The Precipice7:03). Burning contains eight tracks from the band's Brooklyn shows during their 2008/2009 American tour, whilst Special Moves adds nine more tracks from the same source. Special Moves was the first release on Mogwai's own Rock Action records, named after Stooges drummer Scott Asheton, who had his name changed to Rock Action.

Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (2011–2013)

In September 2010, Mogwai left longtime North American distributor Matador Records, and signed with Sub Pop. Braithwaite also stated that the band were working on material for a new album for release in early 2011. On 27 October 2010, Mogwai announced their seventh studio album, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will×Hardcore Will Never Die, but You Will2 February 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11White Noise5:032Mexican Grand Prix5:173Rano Pano5:144Death Rays6:005San Pedro3:276Letters to the Metro4:407George Square Thatcher Death Party3:598How to Be a Werewolf6:229Too Raging to Cheers4:2910You’re Lionel Ritchie8:29Disc 21Music for a Forgotten Future (The Singing Mountain)23:09. The album was released on 14 February 2011 in the UK and entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 25. A bonus edition featured an additional CD featuring a 23-minute piece called "Music for a Forgotten Future (The Singing Mountain)", which was recorded for an art installation by Douglas Gordon and Olaf Nicolai. Three singles were released from the album; "Rano Pano×Rano Pano18 January 2011 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Rano Pano5:172Hasenheide3:29", "Mexican Grand Prix×Mexican Grand Prix7 February 2011 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Mexican Grand Prix5:172Slight Domestic5:33" and "San Pedro×San Pedro22 May 2011 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1San Pedro3:272George Square Thatcher Death Party3:30".
In 2012 a remix album, A Wrenched Virile Lore×A Wrenched Virile Lore19 November 2012 · Album · RemixSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1George Square Thatcher Death Party (Justin K Broadrick reshape)5:092Rano Pano (Mogwai is My Dick rmx)7:193White Noise (EVP mix)5:204How to Be a Werewolf (Xander Harris remix)6:505Letters to the Metro (Zombi remix)7:216Mexican Grand Prix (Reworked by RM Hubbert)4:347Rano Pano (Tim Hecker remix)4:458San Pedro (The Soft Moon remix)3:539Too Raging to Cheers (Umberto remix)6:2910La mort blanche (Robert Hampson remix)13:41 was released which included tracks from Hardcore... remixed by numerous artists including Xander Harris, The Soft Moon, Robert Hampson and Justin Broadrick. The album, whose title is almost an anagram of "Hardcore Will Never Die" was again released by Sub Pop in the US, and Rock Action Records elsewhere.

Rave Tapes (2013–2015)

In July 2013, Mogwai performed their soundtrack to Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait×Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait23 October 2006 · EP · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABlack Spider5:10BHalf Time6:36 for the first time at dates across the UK. An announcement of new live dates followed, including two nights at the Royal Festival Hall, and an appearance closing the final holiday camp edition of the "All Tomorrow's Parties" festival in Camber Sands, England.
They announced their eighth studio album Rave Tapes×Rave Tapes14 January 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Heard About You Last Night2Simon Ferocious3Remurdered4Hexon Bogon5Repelish6Master Card7Deesh8Blues Hour9No Medicine for Regret10The Lord Is out of Control on 28 October 2013. The album was released on 20 January 2014 on Rock Action×Rock Action4 April 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Sine Wave4:552Take Me Somewhere Nice6:573O I Sleep0:564Dial: Revenge3:285You Don’t Know Jesus8:026Robot Chant1:0472 Rights Make 1 Wrong9:318Secret Pint13:379[untitled]7:1710Close Encounters3:56 in the UK, Spunk in Australia and Hostess in Japan and South-east Asia, while Sub Pop released the album in the US on 21 January. Rave Tapes was produced by Mogwai and Paul Savage, and the song "Remurdered" was uploaded to the Rock Action and Sub Pop SoundCloud pages at the time of the announcement. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 10 and, as of April 2014, was the best selling UK album released in 2014 in terms of vinyl sales.
An EP titled Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1.×Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1.28 November 2014 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Teenage Exorcists3:29A2History Day5:48A3HMP Shaun William Ryder5:12B1Re-Remurdered (Blanck Mass remix)5:03B2No Medicine for Regret (Pye Corner Audio remix)7:13B3The Lord Is Out of Control (Nils Frahm remix)4:54 on Rock Action was released on 1 December 2014 featuring three new tracks from the Rave Tapes sessions, along with three remixes of tracks from that album by Blanck Mass, Pye Corner Audio and Nils Frahm. The EP was recorded in Glasgow with Paul Savage.
In June 2015 Mogwai played a series of high-profile shows in the UK and Ireland, climaxing with two nights at the Camden Roundhouse, to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. At the same time, in association with ATP, they curated a series of shows at the London venue featuring acts that have "challenged, intrigued and inspired" them, including The Jesus and Mary Chain, Public Enemy, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. A career retrospective album comprising three CDs or six LPs, Central Belters×Central Belters23 October 2015 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 34 tracks · 3 discsDisc 11Summer4:282New Paths to Helicon, Part 15:583CODY6:354Christmas Steps10:395I Know You Are but What Am I?5:196Hunted by a Freak4:177Stanley Kubrick4:168Take Me Somewhere Nice6:5992 Rights Make 1 Wrong9:3310Mogwai Fear Satan16:22Disc 21Auto Rock4:202Travel Is Dangerous4:023Friend of the Night5:304We’re No Here5:385I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead6:456The Sun Smells Too Loud7:007Batcat5:248Mexican Grand Prix5:199Rano Pano5:1510How to Be a Werewolf6:2211Wizard Motor4:4112Remurdered6:2713The Lord Is Out of Control4:2314Teenage Exorcists3:33Disc 31Hugh Dallas8:342Half Time6:513Burn Girl Prom Queen8:324Devil Rides4:015Hasenheide3:296Tell Everybody That I Love Them4:417Earth Division6:028Hungry Face2:249D to E6:0210My Father My King20:15, was released on 23 October.
On 15 November 2015, the band announced that guitarist John Cummings had left to pursue his own projects.

Every Country's Sun (2016–2019)

In April 2016, Braithwaite told the Guardian that the band were writing new songs and would be travelling to the US later in the year to record a new album with Dave Fridmann, who produced Rock Action×Rock Action4 April 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Sine Wave4:552Take Me Somewhere Nice6:573O I Sleep0:564Dial: Revenge3:285You Don’t Know Jesus8:026Robot Chant1:0472 Rights Make 1 Wrong9:318Secret Pint13:379[untitled]7:1710Close Encounters3:56 some 15 years previously. On 25 November, Fridmann announced that the band had started recording the album with him. On 3 March 2017, the band announced that they had completed recording and were mastering the album at Abbey Road Studios. The band have announced a worldwide tour to coincide with the release of the new album, starting with dates in Europe in October before visiting North America in November, and finally playing in their home city of Glasgow in December.
On 14 May 2017, the band announced the new album would be named Every Country's Sun and would be released on 1 September 2017. They also shared the first song "Coolverine×Coolverine15 May 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Coolverine6:17". On 2 June, Mogwai played a show at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, only announced on the day, which consisted of Every Country's Sun played in full.

As the Love Continues (2020–2024)

On 29 October 2020, Mogwai announced a new album, As the Love Continues×As the Love Continues19 February 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1To the Bin My Friend, Tonight We Vacate Earth5:092Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever4:453Dry Fantasy5:104Ritchie Sacramento4:125Drive the Nail7:146Fuck Off Money5:537Ceiling Granny3:588Midnight Flit6:089Pat Stains6:5510Supposedly, We Were Nightmares4:3611It’s What I Want to Do, Mum7:23, which went on to reach No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart on 26 February 2021. The lead single, "Dry Fantasy×Dry Fantasy29 October 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Dry Fantasy5:10", was premiered on BBC Radio 6 and made available for download the same day. On 13 February, the weekend before the album's release on 19 February, the band streamed a show recorded at Glasgow Tramway where they played the album in full. Following a social media campaign asking various celebrities to promote it, the album entered the UK chart at No. 1 in its first week of release, a position that the band called "totally surreal". As the Love Continues was nominated for the Mercury Prize, which honours the best of British music, in 2021. The album won the 2021 Scottish Album of the Year Award.

The Bad Fire (2024–present)

As announced on 29 October 2024, the band released their eleventh studio album, The Bad Fire×The Bad Fire24 January 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11God Gets You Back6:412Hi Chaos5:243What Kind of Mix Is This?4:124Fanzine Made of Flesh4:345Pale Vegan Hip Pain4:256If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others7:23718 Volcanoes6:198Hammer Room5:179Lion Rumpus3:3310Fact Boy7:05Disc 21God Gets You Back (demo)5:432Hi Chaos (demo)4:383What Kind of Mix Is This? (demo)2:584Pale Vegan Hip Pain (demo)5:595If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others (demo)8:08618 Volcanoes (demo)5:077Hammer Room (demo)3:028Lion Rumpus (demo)3:57, on 24 January 2025. Three songs, "God Gets You Back×God Gets You Back17 September 2024 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1God Gets You Back6:41", "Lion Rumpus×Lion Rumpus29 October 2024 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Lion Rumpus3:332God Gets You Back6:403God Gets You Back (radio edit)3:41" and "Fanzine Made of Flesh×Fanzine Made of Flesh7 January 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Fanzine Made of Flesh4:342Lion Rumpus3:333God Gets You Back6:41", were shared in the lead up to the album's release. A film about the band, If the Stars Had a Sound, was released in the UK and Ireland on 19 November 2024.

Soundtracks and other work

In 2006, the band provided the soundtrack to the film Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait×Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait23 October 2006 · EP · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABlack Spider5:10BHalf Time6:36, with the soundtrack album released the following year. The band's songs "Auto Rock" and "We're No Here" were used in Michael Mann's 2006 film Miami Vice. The band also collaborated with Clint Mansell and Kronos Quartet on the soundtrack to The Fountain in 2006. Mogwai are also featured in the 2009 post-rock documentary Introspective. The band donated an exclusive track to the PEACE project in April 2010 in support of Amnesty International.
In 2012, the track "Glasgow Mega-Snake" was featured on the soundtrack of the video game Spec Ops: The Line. In the same year, the band provided the soundtrack for the Canal+ French TV series Les Revenants×Les Revenants22 February 2013 · Album · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Hungry Face2:252Jaguar2:193The Huts4:024Kill Jester3:305This Messiah Needs Watching4:376Whisky Time1:407Special N3:498Relative Hysteria3:419Fridge Magic3:2310Portugal4:0211Eagle Tax3:2212Modern2:4913What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?5:5214Wizard Motor4:41 (broadcast as The Returned in the UK). The album, Les Revenants, was released on 25 February 2013. The track "Kids Will Be Skeletons" was featured as part of the soundtrack of the story based video game Life Is Strange.
In 2015 the band supplied the music for Mark Cousins' documentary Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise. The soundtrack was reworked and released as Atomic×Atomic29 March 2016 · Album · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks · 2 discsDisc 1A1Ether5:10A2SCRAM5:41B1Bitterness Centrifuge4:51B2U-2354:34B3Pripyat4:19Disc 2C1Weak Force5:08C2Little Boy3:52C3Are You a Dancer?3:53D1Tzar5:13D2Fat Man5:58 on 1 April 2016, through Rock Action Records. The band carried out an extensive live tour of Europe and Japan performing the soundtrack against a backdrop of the screening of the film, beginning in Austria on 1 May 2016. They then announced a North American tour of the album for January 2017. The band also co-wrote the score to Fisher Stevens' 2016 documentary film about climate change Before the Flood. The score was performed and written by Mogwai, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Gustavo Santaolalla.
In 2016 Braithwaite took part in a documentary about Glasgow music, and Chemikal Underground Records, called Lost in France. The film was directed by Niall McCann and brought Braithwaite (along with members of The Delgados, Franz Ferdinand and others) to Mauron, Brittany, to recreate a gig they played just after Mogwai had formed. The film features Mogwai live, as well as footage of Braithwaite playing Mogwai tracks solo and interviews with Braithwaite and his old label-mates such as Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Emma Pollock (The Delgados) and Stewart Henderson (The Delgados). It premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival to positive reviews and was called "Funny, vital and sobering" by Scotland's arts magazine The Skinny.
In August 2018 Mogwai released the soundtrack for the movie Kin, and in May 2020 the soundtrack for the 2020 Sky Italia & Amazon Prime series ZeroZeroZero×ZeroZeroZero1 May 2020 · Album · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 21 tracks1Visit Me2:412I’m Not Going When I Don’t Get Back2:283Telt1:554Chicken Guns4:495Nose Pints2:046Fears of Metal2:377Space Annual1:228Invisible Frequencies2:549Moon in Reverse4:0110Don’t Make Me Go Out on My Own3:1611Lesser Glasgow4:1812Frog Marching4:0313El Dante3:4814Major Treat2:1615Rivers Wanted4:1116Summon the Sacred Beast3:2217Modern Trolls3:5218The Winter’s Not Forever3:4719He Loved Trees2:1820Witches of Alignment3:5721The Wife Was Touched4:53. As an extra Mogwai released in 2014 their own whisky brand, a year later they tried out a (limited edition) spirits brand of rum. In July 2022 Mogwai released the soundtrack for the Apple TV+ series Black Bird×Black Bird8 July 2022 · Album · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 23 tracks1Titles4:552Jessica2:463No Going Back2:324Court1:055Boiler Buddies3:176Coconut1:287He Fed on Me3:078Fields Are Everywhere2:319Like a Brother3:5310I Like Vans3:0811What If4:2412Searching4:0413Father Son Time3:5714Riot3:1715Clean Up Crew1:0416Waiting for Dad2:4717Better Times1:0218She Was Nice at First4:4719The Bike3:4120Release3:1021Bad Things3:3922Up All Night1:4223Not You Too3:48. In May 2025, Mogwai were revealed to have provided the soundtrack for The Bombing of Pan Am 103×The Bombing of Pan Am 10318 May 2025 · Album · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Calling all units4:202JFK1:243No Survivors3:204Luqa Airport3:305Swiss Timers4:046A little piece of Scotland5:317The Frankfurt Cell3:178Indian Head4:559Bad intelligence3:0810Are you ahead of them1:4711Closure2:5912Three Judges3:4513Back home to Giffnock2:5914Reconstruction4:5615We let you down2:55, a series produced by BBC and Netflix.

Musical style

Early on in Mogwai's history, their music drew on Sonic Youth, Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine, and the God Machine. Over the following years, the band would incorporate elements from a wide range of bands and artists, including Rodan, Low, Neu!, Philip Glass, MC5, Fugazi, Aphex Twin, the Orb, and post-rock pioneers Slint. Braithwaite also listed Nirvana, Kraftwerk, and guitarist John McGeoch as personal influences.
Mogwai's style has easily identifiable connections to genres such as shoegaze, math rock, and art rock. Debut album Mogwai Young Team×Young Team21 October 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home5:592Like Herod11:453Katrien5:274Radar Maker1:395Tracy7:226Summer (Priority version)3:327With Portfolio3:148R U Still in 2 It7:249A Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters2:2110Mogwai Fear Satan16:19 was described as "stunningly dynamic...[shifting] seamlessly from tranquil, bleakly beautiful soundscapes to brain scrambling white noise and sledgehammer riffing". Douglas Wolk, writing for SPIN in 1999 said of the band: "Their compositions have gotten increasingly drawn-out and austere over time, sometimes barely more than a single arpeggiated chord or two evolving for ten minutes or more, whisperingly brutal in a way that recalls Slint more than any other band". Barry Burns once stated in an interview that he and the rest of the band do not like the categorisation of post-rock because he believes it over-analyses everything.
Their strong international fanbase is based, in part, on the band's music being largely lyric-free. Braithwaite has commented on the absence of lyrics in most of Mogwai's music, saying:

I think most people are not used to having no lyrics to focus on. Lyrics are a real comfort to some people. I guess they like to sing along and when they can't do that with us they can get a bit upset.

Band members

Current members
Stuart Braithwaite – guitar, bass, vocals (1995–present)
Dominic Aitchison – bass, guitar, keyboards (1995–present)
Martin Bulloch – drums (1995–present)
Barry Burns – keyboards, synthesizer, guitar, bass, flute, vocals (1998–present)
Current touring musicians
Alex Mackay – guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion (2016–present)
Former members
Brendan O'Hare – keyboards, guitar (1997)
John Cummings – guitar, programming, bass, drums, keyboards (1995–2015)
Touring musicians
Luke Sutherland – violin, guitar, vocals, percussion (1998–present)
Former touring musicians
James Hamilton – drums (2011–2013; substitute for Martin Bulloch)
Scott Paterson – guitar (2015; substitute for John Cummings, 2021; substitute for Alex Mackay)
Cat Myers – drums (2017–2018; substitute for Martin Bulloch)
Maria Sappho – keyboards (2024–2025; substitute for Barry Burns)
Timeline