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'tuner' / 'lower' 18th march 1996
7": rock action records [RAR001]

  • tuner
  • lower

    500 only, self-released debut single.
    'tuner' was re-recorded for the 'ten rapid' compilation.

    sleeve photo by neale smith

  • insert notes:

    recorded by larry primrose in the autumn of 1995 at the brill building, glasgow.
    post production of lower drone at apollo, glasgow by rik flick.
    extra parts recorded in dominik's house.
    additional radio tuning - victoria braithwaite

    nme review (april? 1996): [scan]

    "up in glasgow, of course, if there's one thing they love more than sonic youth, it's wilfully recording material in that authentic 'bootleg' style. mogwai, however, eschew that aesthetic, on the understanding that as they've just written two really brilliant songs, everyone might as well hear them. 'tuner' whispers dreamily in our ears, and then suddenly metamorphoses into the insistent feedback-drone of 'lower', taking us all quite by surprise. two layers of the same cake, then, but with bark psychosis icing and a crispy side-salad of long-forgotten noiseniks, the telescopes. when you were five you'd have called this record "skill", shortly before falling over and grazing your knee."

    'angels vs aliens' 1st july 1996
    7": che recordings [CHE061]

  • angels vs aliens

    split single with dweeb, initially on green vinyl.
    uk indie top ten hit!

    image: inner sleeve

  • recorded by paul savage at mcm studios, hamilton. re-recorded for 'ten rapid'.

    'summer [demo]' may/june 1996
    7": che records [CHE059]

  • summer [demo]

    a rough demo of 'summer', plus tracks by uresei yatsura and backwater. given away to the first 50 people who turned up to each of the may/june 1996 uresei yatsura support tour gigs. some copies have white label, white paper sleeve instead of the stamps shown on these pictures:

    images: urusei side | mogwai side

  • 'summer' / 'ithica 27ø9' 4th november 1996
    7": love train [PUBE014]

  • summer
  • ithica 27ø9

    1500 pressed. both available on 'ten rapid'.

    nme 'singles of the year' 1996 - no.33

  • 'summer' credited to braithwaite/aitchison/robertson/mogwai.
    'ithica 27ø9' credited to braithwaite/aitchison.
    recorded august '96 by paul savage at mcm studios, hamilton.
    sleeve photo by neale smith, layout by victoria braithwaite.
    dedicated to rose, who shall not be forgotten.

    melody maker review (november 1996): [scan]

    something to do with the name, i think - and the fact that they shared a split single with dweeb - but i was expecting a really nasty cat-bothering racket from mogwai. 'summer' thankfully transcends my scabby, mean expectations to become...well, i think it's mbv burrowing into tindersticks 'vertrauen II', or sonic youth seducing john barry. whatever, the xylophone is queen of all it surveys here and mogwai, far from being unwelcome marauding gremlins, are most desirable company."


    nme review

    'new paths to helicon' february 1997
    7": wurlitzer jukebox [WJ22]

  • new paths to helicon pt. 1
  • new paths to helicon pt. 2

    3000 pressed. #2 in john peel's "festive 50" chart in 1997.
    'helicon 1' got daytime airplay on radio 1 in the uk.
    both available on 'ten rapid'.

  • both tracks credited to braithwaite/aitchison.
    recorded by andy miller at mcm studios, hamilton.
    sleeve design and layout by victoria braithwaite.
    goodbye gonk.


    nme

    melody maker

    magnet review (?? 1997): [scan]

    "a beatific indie guitar symphony bearing grand overtones of fripp and eno plus angelo badalamenti, set against a cresting-dynamics rhythmic backdrop for maximum release potential. the light/dark quotient runs pleasurably high for this instrumental - and mogwai seems set to usher in a new kind of tension."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Paths_to_Helicon,_Pt._1

    '4 satin' ep 26th may 1997
    uk cd: chemikal underground [CHEM015CD]
    uk 12": chemikal underground [CHEM015]
    us cd: jetset [TWA14CD] 18th august 1997

  • superheroes of bmx
  • now you're taken
  • stereo dee

    images: cd cover | inside cd cover

  • 'superheroes of bmx' includes a phone conversation between stuart braithwaite and david jack.
    lyrics and vocals on 'now you're taken' by aidan moffat (arab strap).
    vinyl version has a ferris wheel sleeve, cd has a night sky sleeve.

    sleeve notes:

    all tracks credited to mogwai.
    'now you're taken' written by dominic aitchison and aidan john moffat.
    'superheroes of bmx' recorded by andy miller at mcm studios, hamilton.
    'now you're taken' recorded by jamie harley at chambers, edinburgh.
    'stereo dee' recorded by paul savage at mcm studios, hamilton.
    sleeve design and layout by 'vic' (victoria braithwaite?)

    uk singles chart - no. 110


    nme

    melody maker

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_Satin

    club beatroot pt.4 may 1997
    7": f&j/13th note [SHaG13.04]

  • stereo dee [live]

    500 pressed. split with ph family.
    'stereo dee' recorded at 13th note, glasgow [13th feb 1997]
    credited to 'd.aitchison/s.braithwaite'

    images: sleeve front | sleeve back | record label

  • 'do the rock boogaloo' 23rd march 1998
    cd: fierce panda [NING47CD]
    7": fierce panda [NING47]

  • sweet leaf

    split single with magoo.
    mogwai cover black sabbath's 'sweat leaf', and magoo cover 'black sabbath'.

    melody maker review scan

  • 'no education = no future [fuck the curfew]' promo april 1998
    cd: chemikal underground [pchem026cd]

  • xmas steps
  • rollerball
  • helps both ways

    images: cd sleeve | cd

  • cd promo for the "no education..." ep. the third track, 'helps both ways', was removed from the final ep for legal reasons: mogwai sampled american football commentator john madden without asking permission. 'helps both ways' was later re-recorded, with a different commentary sample, for the come on die young album.

    from steven mccann:

    "they sampled john madden from the megadrive on it and their lawyers advised them to remove the samples so they wouldn't get sued by sega. rather than do this they decided to scrap the track and record something else instead."

    'no education = no future [fuck the curfew]' ep 29th june 1998
    cd: chemikal underground [chem026cd]
    12": chemikal underground [chem026]

  • xmas steps
  • rollerball
  • small children in the background

    'small children...' replaces the legally troubled 'helps both ways' that appeared on the original promo.
    uk singles chart - no.68 (week of release).

  • john (aka CpT. Meat) - guitar, bass, piano
    stuart (aka pLasmatroN) - guitar, piano
    dominic (aka DEMONIC) - bass
    martin (aka bionic) - drumkit

    luke sutherland plays violin on 'xmas steps'
    barry burns plays analog keyboard on 'small children..' - his first musical appearance on a released mogwai recording?

    'xmas steps' and 'rollerball' recorded at cava, glasgow, april 1998, by geoff allan.
    'small children..' recorded at chem 19, hamilton, may 1998 by andy miller.

    'xmas steps' was later re-recorded for the come on die young album and retitled 'christmas steps'. all three tracks also appear on 'ep+6'.

    the 'fuck the curfew' title refers to a curfew which was imposed upon all under-16s in lanarkshire, scotland, which made it illegal for them to be out after 9pm.


    nme

    melody maker

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Education_%3D_No_Future_(Fuck_the_Curfew)

    '4 satin' ep [us mispress] 18th august 1998
    cd: jetset [twa14cd]

  • guardians of space
  • now you're taken
  • superheroes of bmx
  • stereo dee [early]

    the wrong master was used for this us release of the '4 satin' ep. later pressings used the correct master.
    wah-wah heavy mix of 'stereo dee' ("the one on the 4 track version has a flanger over the whole track for the last 5 minutes for some unknown reason" - stuart), and otherwise-unavailable track 'guardians of space'. the tracklist on the sleeve is incorrect.

  • 'mogwai:ep' 18th october 1999
    uk: chemikal underground [chem036]
    us: matador [ole412-2]

  • stanley kubrick
  • christmas song
  • burn girl prom queen
  • rage:man

    the us release is titled 'ep+2' and contains two bonus tracks - 'rollerball' and 'small children in the background' from the 'no education=no future (fuck the curfew)' ep.

    more info

  • 'ep + 6' 23rd august 2000
    cd: toys factory [TFCK-87224] (japan)
    cd: chemikal underground [CHEM056CD] (uk)
    cd: spunk [URA012] (australia/nz)

  • stanley kubrick
  • christmas song
  • burn girl prom queen
  • rage:man
  • xmas steps
  • rollerball
  • small children in the background
  • superheroes of bmx
  • now you're taken
  • stereo dee

  • video: stanley kubrick
  • video: xmas steps ("no education..." version) (japan only)
  • enhanced cd section: screensavers, images etc (uk only)

    this (initially) japanese-only release this brings together 'mogwai:ep', 'no education..' ep and '4 satin' ep. chemikal underground followed with a full uk release on 17th september 2001.

    [scottish folk songs] & [guns 'n' roses covers ep] *scrapped*?

    both of these projects were mooted in interview and mentioned on mogwai's official website, but as of june 2004 it is believed that no recording has taken place for either ep.

    [chino ep] *scrapped*?

  • cortez (tbc)

    mogwai asked deftones singer chino moreno to add vocals to a track recorded during the sessions for 'rock action', with the working title of 'cortez'. recording and touring schedules meant that this never happened. cat power and pj harvey were also approached.

  • 'travels in constants' ep 18th march 2001
    cd: temporary residence [TIC12]

  • untitled
  • quiet stereo dee
  • arundel

    subscription-only series of 12 cd eps titled "travels in constants" starting in june 1999. the last batch, released in march 2001, featured mogwai. tracks recorded in may 1999.

    images: front | back

  • 'untitled' is different to the track of the same name that appears on the japanese issue of rock action.
    'quiet stereo dee' is an alternate version of "stereodee" from '4 satin' ep.
    'arundel' is a cover of a papa m song from the 1999 album, 'live from a shark cage'.

    all recorded at sub station studio in cowdenbeath, scotland in 1999, and produced by michael brennan jr. and kevin lynch.

    stuart (holy stuarto) – guitar, keyboard
    dominic (bearded monsignor) – bass guitar
    john (john of arc) – guitar
    barry (st. francis of assasin) – guitar, piano, flute
    martin (pious bionicus) – drums

    drowned in sound review (?? 1997): [http://drownedinsound.com/releases/5077/reviews/647]

    "track 1, simply called untitled starts with drifting guitars building up to a driving atmosphere laden with haunting vocals before gently placing you on the ground with the words of a monologue bringing you to your senses. the next track quiet stereo dee builds you up gradually leaving you expectant for a dramatic end but instead drifts off into space. this brings us to the final track arundel is a papa m cover and is a gentle piano instrumental, a relaxing end to a great single. this is one of mogwai's best singles since no education = no future and it's a shame that it is limited."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travels_in_Constants,_Vol._12

    us tour ep [2001] 24th may 2001
    10": matador [ole552-1]

  • d to e
  • drum machine

    bardo pond tracks:
    'despite the roar (in spite of themselves)' (alternate take)
    'highlands'.

    image: sleeve

  • split 10" ep sold on the merchandise stand during mogwai's us tour with bardo pond in may/june 2001. housed in a plain white sleeve with 'mogwai' stamped/screened in red on one side and 'bardo pond' in purple on the other. 'd to e' also appears (in an alternate version) on the japanese issue of "rock action" as 'untitled'.

    'd to e' and 'drum machine recorded at cava, glasgow by tony doogan.
    'drum machine' features the remote viewer.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Tour_EP

    'my father my king' 22nd october 2001
    cd: rock action [ROCKACTCD10]
    12": rock action [ROCKACT10]
    us cd: matador [ole538-2]

  • my father, my king

    long time live favourite finally gets a release. more info

    images: sleeve | promo sleeve | sleeve

  • 'my father my king' 22nd october 2001
    cd: spunk [ura055] australia/new zealand

  • my father, my king
  • you don't know jesus (live)
  • helicon 1 (live)

    live tracks recorded by tony doogan at rothesay pavilion, bute (14th april 2001). also available on the uk/european tour ep (november 2001).

  • uk/european tour ep [2001] 2nd november 2001
    cd: (no label?) [946.0013.221]

  • close encounters
  • drum machine
  • d to e
  • you don't know jesus (live)
  • helicon 1 (live)

    image: sleeve

  • a collection of tracks scattered across various limited-availability releases during 2001.
    'close encounters' is taken from the japanese release of 'rock action'.
    'do to e' and 'drum machine' were first released on the us tour ep from may 2001.
    live tracks recorded by tony doogan at rothesay pavilion, bute (14th april 2001), and also featured in the mogwai documentary film 'take me somewhere nice'.

    'close encounters', 'drum machine, 'd to e' recorded at cava, glasgow by tony doogan.
    'close encounters' features david pajo.
    'drum machine' features the remote viewer.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK/European_Tour_EP

    'my father my king' 19th december 2001
    cd: toys factory [TFCK-87273] japan

  • my father, my king
  • you don't know jesus (live)
  • helicon 1 (live)
  • dial:revenge (cd-rom video)
  • live tracks recorded by tony doogan at rothesay pavilion, bute (14th april 2001), and also featured in the mogwai documentary film 'take me somewhere nice'.

    'friend of the night' 30th january 2006
    cd: pias [PIASX064CDS]
    7": pias [PIASX064S]

  • friend of the night
  • fresh crown
  • 1% of monster (cd only)

    more info

  • 'travel is dangerous' promo april/may 2006
    cd: pias [PIASX066CDP]

  • travel is dangerous

    the one-track promo cd was issued in a different sleeve.

  • 'travel is dangerous' 26th june 2006
    cd: pias [PIASX066CD]
    12": pias [PIAS066]

  • travel is dangerous
  • auto rock (errors mix)
  • friend of the night (acid casuals mix)
  • like herod (live)
  • we're no here (live)
  • 'travel is dangerous' appears on the 'mr. beast' album. recorded and mixed by tony doogan at castle of doom studios, glasgow, 2005. produced by tony doogan and mogwai.

    'like herod' recorded at unit, toyko (25th january 2006)
    'we're no here' recorded at unit, toyko (24th or 25th january 2006)
    both live tracks mixed by john cummings at castle of doom studios, glasgow.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_Is_Dangerous

    'miami vice tracks' 31st july 2006
    download-only: pias

  • auto rock
  • we’re no here

    digital single released to mark the inclusion of these two tracks on the ost for michael mann's 'miami vice' movie.

    both tracks appear on the 'mr. beast' album.

  • 'black spider' 23rd october 2006
    10" vinyl: pias [PIASX067T]

  • black spider
  • half time

    digital release - 15th october 2006

    more info

  • both tracks appear on the 'zidane' ost. recorded by tony doogan and john cummings at castle of doom studios, glasgow, 2005. mixed by tony doogan. produced by mogwai and tony doogan.

    us tour ep [2008] 3rd september 2008
    cd single: rock action [rockact43cd]

  • 'colours move' (shibuya drunk remix by mogwai)
  • 'mogwai fear satan' (fuck buttons cover)

    us tour edition, september 2008. numbered cdrs in paper sleeve with hand drawn "young team" logos, ltd to 200.


  • uk/european tour edition, october/november 2008. 'finished' cd in printed sleeve, limited to 1000.
    sleeve reads "for sale only during mogwai/fuck buttons us tour, fall 2008". manufacturing wasn't completed in time, so they were sold in the uk/europe instead.

    from the sleeve of the limited cdr edition:

    this is a very special compact disc.

    this is one of a limited edition of 200 numbered handmade pre-release versions of the rock action records tour split single featuring the bands mogwai and fuck buttons.

    mogwai (specifically barry burns) remixed the fuck buttons song colour move. this is the first track on the cd. fuck buttons recorded a cover of the mogwai song mogwai fear satan. this is the second track on the cd.

    'batcat' ep 8th september 2008
    pias/wall of sound
    cd: [WOS037CD]
    12": [WOS037T]
    usa: matador 12" only [ole-827]

  • batcat
  • stupid prick gets chased by the polis and loses his slut girlfriend
  • devil rides

    more info

  • 'ghostrider' [unreleased]
    10": blast first petite [PTYT 028]

  • ghostrider
  • first reported in july 2009. scheduled to be part of the blast first petite alan vega 70th birthday ep series. mogwai cover suicide's 'ghostrider', alongside a live suicide track and one other artist. originally slated for release in september 2009.

    mogwai were quoted as 'recording' in september 2009 but there has been no further news since and the project is presumed shelved (november 2012).

    mogwai/fuck buttons remix ep 17th april 2010
    10" vinyl: rock action [rockact43]

  • 'colours move' (shibuya drunk remix by mogwai)
  • 'mogwai fear satan' (fuck buttons cover)

    500-only white vinyl pressing for 'record store day', 17th april 2010. both tracks previously on the tour cd available from the merch desk at shows in late 2008.

  • 'rano pano' 18 jan 2011
    7": sub pop [SP918] and download

  • rano pano
  • hasenheide

    first release under mogwai's sub pop deal.

  • 'mexican grand prix' promo ?? 2011
    cdr: rock action [rockact54p]

  • mexican grand prix [5:15]
  • mexican grand prix (radio edit) [4:11]
  • Body-printed CDr, black and white printed card insert. Track credited to Mogwai/Sutherland.

    The 'missing minute' has been shaved off by removing a few seconds of beats from the start, fading out 20 seconds more quickly at the end, and by the removal of a couple of sections (totalling approx 35 seconds) from the main body of the track.

    'mexican grand prix' 7th feb 2011
    7": rock action [rockact54]

  • mexican grand prix
  • slight domestic

    First pressing - 1500 black vinyl
    Second pressing - 500 white vinyl

  • piccadilly records review:

    despite the building intensity, the a-side, which features luke sutherland (long fin killie) on vocals, isn’t exactly what you’d expect from them. (i’ve heard this on the radio a couple of times and not realised who it was.) driven by a neu-esque motorik beat , there are layers of keyboard and guitar topped with whispered / vocoder vocals.
    the b-side "slight domestic" is exclusive to this single and is a bit more like mogwai of old. an instrumental with layers of piano, strings, guitar and drums that rise to a crushing crescendo before dropping back down to a gentle finish.

    norman records review:

    now then, now then. i love some of my mogwai memories. the pissed-up, post-gig, sweat-sodden boys shouting comical territorial abuse at rowdy england fans streaming outside from their 1st floor dressing room at leeds duchess! being flattened & pummeled beyond belief at the carling festival by the most powerful roar, thrum & ferocity of white noise/blinding strobes! this 2011 newie has a sleeve that, cover art-wise, ties in with their first three (highly desirable) 7"s, seemingly picturing an aerial view of glasgow. continuing their long-standing outsider rock business with a fine double headed release that has a distinctly propulsive spacey feel on the track 'mexican grand prix'. this tune is led by breathy vocals from long fin killie/bows man luke sutherland and some call & response vocoder action from one of the regular boys, stuart i presume? it bears little resemblance to the moggers of yore, the steady mid-paced beat seems virtually electronic & there's much layering of atmospheric rock guitar. it also carries a slight neu! style pulse along with it. the flip, 'slight domestic' has some gorgeous haunting violin flourishes from mr. sutherland but this baby is an instrumental so no guest vox here. here we're wallowing in much more familiar territory - stately, grandiose, moving & driven by some highly emotive piano. it is a veritable modern post-rock epic that will keep the hordes most happy i should imagine. they've definitely chilled out over the years but there's plenty here to satisfy the devotee.

    'san pedro' 23rd may 2011
    7": rock action [rockact59] - ltd to 500 copies

  • san pedro
  • george square thatcher death party (session verion)
  • 'itunes festival: london 2011' ep 23rd july 2011
    digital-only ep: rock action [rockact64d]

  • death rays (live)
  • how to be a werewolf (live)
  • 2 rights make 1 wrong (live)
  • rano pano (live)
  • mexican grand prix (live)
  • auto rock (live)

    recorded at the roundhouse, london
    23rd july 2011

  • available exclusively from itunes:
    http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/itunes-festival-london-2011/id460386660

    'earth division' ep 12th september 2011
    12": rock action [rockact61]
    cd: rock action [rockact61cd]

  • get to france
  • hound of winter
  • drunk and crazy
  • does this always happen?

    more info

  • 'les revenants' ep 28th january 2013
    10" vinyl: rock action [ROCKACT73]

  • Wizard Motor
  • Soup
  • The Huts (Version)
  • This Messiah Needs Watching (Version)
  • 2000-only vinyl ep. music for canal+ tv show 'les revenants'. recording sessions took place in glasgow during 2012. a full ost album for the series was released on 25th february 2013, on cd, lp and digital download.

    the ep was released digitally, with no pre-announcement, on monday 17th december 2012.

    wizard motor appears on the ost album. alternate versions of the huts and this messiah needs watching also appear on the album. soup is exclusive to this release.

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