Goat is a Swedish alternative and experimental fusion music group. The band originates—according to its own publicity—from Korpilombolo, Norrbotten County, which has a history of voodoo worship.[1] The seven-piece band performs wearing masks and costumes, with each of the band members remaining anonymous.
Goat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Korpilombolo, Sweden |
| Genres | Experimental rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock, afrobeat, worldbeat |
| Labels | Rocket Recordings Stranded Rekords Sub Pop Records |
| Website | goatsweden |
To date, the band has released six studio albums: World Music (2012), Commune (2014), Requiem (2016), Oh Death (2022), Medicine (2023) and Goat (2024).[2] In 2023, the band provided the score to the acclaimed BBC/A24 drama series, The Gallows Pole, directed by Shane Meadows.
History
editFormation
editGoat, though currently based in Gothenburg,[3] claims to hail from Korpilombolo in Sweden which, according to the band's own publicity, has a history of voodoo worship after a witch doctor came and lived there. Supposedly, when Christian crusaders came and destroyed the village the surviving people fled and placed a curse on the town. This has been described as "a lovely story, if possibly not entirely rooted in reality."[4]
The band started playing music when they were children, as part of a local community tradition, and there have been many incarnations of Goat who have recorded over the last "30 or 40 years". There are now three original "core" members of the band, from Korpilombolo, but in live concerts they are augmented by four other performers from Gothenburg.[4]
Recording career
editThe group signed to Rocket Recordings, a UK-based record label formed in 1998.[5] In 2012 they released their debut single "Goatman" on limited edition vinyl, and began recording their first album. Commenting on the writing process, a band member said:[4]
"The songwriting process is strange. Normally, when we play together we don't play songs – we make music – and every time we play is a new time. When we had the possibility to record, we have made songs for the album. It started with the song 'Goatman', and that song was recorded just for us. Then Rocket [Recordings] asked us to write some more and we continued. Our songs are never really finished and we never know how they will end up when we start recording."
World Music was released on 20 August 2012 and has won good responses and international attention,[6][7][8] including the Australian music publication Happy Mag placing the album at no.5 on their list of "The 25 greatest psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s".[9] The title of the album comes from the different styles of music on the album. Goat commented:[4]
"We've been taught since we were small to have an understanding of not only western bands, but of music from other parts of the world. The title World Music was chosen because we believe we play 'world music', and that's what we think everyone plays".
Performances
editThe band performs wearing masks and costumes.[4]
After touring the United States in early 2013[10] the band played at that year's Glastonbury Festival[11] and the final holiday camp edition of All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Camber Sands, England.[12] In 2014, they played at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California and the Latitude Festival in Southwold, Suffolk, England.[13] In 2015, they played again at the Glastonbury Festival,[14] at Roskilde Festival in Denmark and Pukkelpop in Belgium. In 2016 the band played, amongst others, at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Cactusfestival in Bruges, and End of the Road Festival in Wiltshire, England. The band played support for Foo Fighters at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg on 5 June 2018. The band recently performed a headline set in the Far Out tent at the 2023 Green Man Festival in Wales.[15]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWE [16] |
UK [17] | ||
| World Music |
|
8 | — |
| Commune |
|
17 | 47 |
| Requiem |
|
— | 49 |
| Oh Death |
|
— | — |
| Medicine |
|
53 [19] |
— |
| Goat |
| ||
Live albums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Live Ballroom Ritual |
|
| Fuzzed in Europe |
|
| Levitation Sessions |
|
Compilation albums
edit| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK [17] | ||
| Headsoup |
|
48 |
Soundtracks
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Double Date |
|
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Gallows Pole: Original Score |
|
EPs and singles
edit- 2012: "Goatman/The Sun the Moon" (7" limited edition)[21]
- 2012: "The Sun the Moon"/"Goathead" (cassette, limited edition)
- 2012: "First Sonic Ritual" (CD, limited edition)
- 2013: "Run to Your Mama Remixes Vol.1" (12", limited edition)
- 2013: "Run to Your Mama Remixes Vol.2" (12", limited edition)
- 2013: "Stonegoat"/"Dreambuilding" (7", 12")
- 2014: "Hide from the Sun" / "Dig My Grave" (7")
- 2014: "Al Lover X Goat" (12", limited edition)
- 2015: "Time for Fun" / "Relax" (7")
- 2016: "I Sing in Silence" / "The Snake of Addis Ababa" (7")
- 2017: "Goatfuzz / Goatfizz" (7")
- 2017 "Try My Robe" (Live)
- 2018: "Let it Burn" / "Friday, Pt. 1" (7")
- 2021: "Queen of the Underground"
- 2021: "Fill My Mouth"
- 2022: "Under No Nation"
- 2022: "Do The Dance"
- 2023: "Do The Dance (Shit & Shine Rework)"
- 2023: "Seu Sangue" (EP)
In popular culture
editThe band's single "Let It Burn" was featured in The Grand Tour third season, episode 5, in which James May tested the Alpine A110. "Let It Burn" was also featured in the credits of AMC's Mayfair Witches Season 1 Episode 7.
Their music was featured in the 2017 British independent horror film, Double Date.
"Run To Your Mama" is the title track for Season 1 of the podcast series, Crimetown.
Let it Burn featured prominently in the soundtrack to the BBC dramatisation of The Gallows Pole.
References
edit- ^ Christopher R. Weingarten (16 October 2012). "Stream Goat's Magical Afrobeat - Metal LP 'World Music': Essential Listen & Q&A". Spin. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ Paul Lestor (28 September 2012). "New band of the day - Goat". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ Magnusson, Tobias (2012-03-21). "Goats voodoorock smittar av sig". Göteborgs Fria Tidning (in Swedish). Retrieved 2015-08-15.
- ^ a b c d e "The Quietus - Features - Escape Velocity - Voodoo Rams: An Interview With Goat". The Quietus. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ Rocket Recordings. Retrieved 27 March 2013
- ^ "Album Review: Goat - World Music". DrownedInSound. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "Goat - World Music". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "Goat". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "The 25 best psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s". Retrieved 2019-10-17.
- ^ Spin.com, Goat Announce First U.S. Tour Dates, Drop Mixtape of Afro-Rock and Black Metal, 10 January 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013
- ^ The Guardian, Glastonbury 2013: festival lineup, 27 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013
- ^ "End Of An Era Part 2 curated by ATP & Loop - All Tomorrow's Parties". Atpfestival.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "Latitude 2014 Line-up". Latitude Festival. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ "Glastonbury 2015 Line-up". Glastonbury Festival. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ^ "2023 Green Man Festival line up". Green Man Festival. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "SwedishCharts.com Goat discography". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Goat | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "Medicine by Goat Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 42". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ Triscari, Caleb (6 July 2021). "Goat announce new compilation album, 'Headsoup'". NME. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "Goat". Piccadillyrecords.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
External links
edit- Goat Sweden blog
- Goat discography at Discogs
- Goat on Bandcamp
