Gabriel Saloman Mindel is a lot more than one half of the United States best known noise bands. He's also an interdisciplinary artist and a scholar whose research studies the interplay between sound and power, as he theorizes how noise can push the limits of the body in struggles over space and political autonomy.

Gabriel has an MFA from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in the History of Consciousness from UC Santa Cruz. He's also a longtime Phantom Power listener and supporter of the show. We first met a little over a year ago at the Unsound Festival in Poland, where Yellow Swans played a packed reunion show. It's been a lovely thing to get to know him--he's a gentle soul who makes aggressive sounds tied to some serious ethical and political commitments.

In today's interview, we talk about the history and music of Yellow Swans, the interplay between noise, ethics, aesthetics, and politics. Gabriel even breaks down how he and Pete produced the track we were just listening to. Even if you're not a fan of noise music, I think you're going to love this fascinating conversation. And next month, we'll play part two of the interview, in which Gabriel discusses his scholarship on the work of other artists, including Raven Chacon, Hildegard Westerkamp, and Prince.

You can find Yellow Swans online at Bandcamp and Instagram.

They will be performing at GRM's annual Présences Électronique festival on Feb 13. In London, first at the Lexington on Feb 16 and then Corsica on Feb 18, and then finish at Bozar in Brussels.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro & Welcome

5:53 Gabriel Saloman Mindel

6:52 What is a Yellow Swans Show?

12:48 Early Influences & Discovering Noise

13:45 DIY, Punk, and the Noise Scene

21:57 Noise, Community, and Spirituality

22:45 Performance, Consent, and Audience Experience

24:00 Paradoxes: Noise, Calm, and Reception

29:17 Crafting the Sound: Gear & Process

41:43 Band Dynamics & Collaboration

45:07 Legacy, Recognition, and Touring

51:04 Art, Politics, and the Noise Scene

53:09 Fascism, Provocation, and Identity in Noise

59:44 Inclusivity and Change in the Scene

60:24 Outro: Thanks & What’s Next

Click here to read the full transcript.

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Gabriel Saloman Mindel Pt. 1: Yellow Swans, Noise, and the Art of Pushing Boundaries