Swans

[nessus (Doug Alan)]

I just got back from seeing the Swans, and let me tell you, these guys
are serious!  They've been to Hell, and their mission is to tell you
what it's like -- not to help you avoid the wrong path, that is
useless; you are doomed from birth -- but so you'll know.

When they came onto the stage, they stood and stared at the audience.
Unmoving.  For five minutes.  Their eyes saying "You are worthless
scum".  Eventually the keyboardist put her fingers on her keyboard (an
Ensonsiq Mirage sampling keyboard).  And pressed.  Two thousands
pounds of industrial metal fell on my head.  Or perhaps it was the
Fist Of God pounding on my soul -- saying "You are worthless scum -- I
will crush you".  Two seconds later, it happened again.  And two
seconds later, again.  For five minutes.

Then the two drummers joined in pounding in unison along with the Fist
of God.  Two torturers, beating their captives.  Crushing worthless
scum.  And then the bass player joined in.  Pounding one chord, over
and over, in unison with the drums.  The slavemaster, his power chord
saying "Row!", "Row!", "Row!", ... (Eventually, he broke one of his
strings.)  The guitarist then joined in, adding an unsynchronized
buzzing racket, which said "Maybe we'll chop you up with a chain saw
too."  Finally, the singer joined in.  His moans were usually
unintelligible, but the meaning behind them was clear: "I'm worthless
scum.  You're worthless scum.  We're all worthless scum."  Soon he
strarted drooling and frothing from the mouth while keeping this up.
And this continued for an hour.

If you haven't figured it out yet, these guys are scary!  For all
appearances, they could be axe murderers in their spare time -- 
delivering worthless scum to where they belong.  And, Dear God, I
repent.  Please don't send me to where the Swans are talking about.
I'll be good from now on.  I promise!  And please, can I have my
hearing back?

... What's that you say?  .... I'm already there....

		"Open your mouth.  Here's your money.  Feels good.
		 Open your mouth.  Here's your money.  Feels good."

		 Doug


P.S.  Roger Miller played before the Swans.  He was brilliant, as
always.