In this episode of the Art of Longevity, David Freer chats to Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai, the internationally renowned, post-rock, kings of the crescendo. Though Mogwai’s career refuses to reach one - instead they just keep on steadily rising. How have they done it?
Known for their masterful use of crescendos, Mogwai have been making music since 1995, with 11 studio albums that have gained increasing popularity over time, with their latest As The Love Continues reaching the lofty milestone of #1 in the UK album chart.
Stuart's recently published autobiography, Spaceships Over Glasgow, offers an insightful exploration of the band's progression and key periods of their journey. Though they never consciously planned for their success, Stuart shares some valuable insights into how artists can remain relevant and popular over a long period of time.
“I can’t see any of this as conscious…’ We weren't expecting to be making 5/ 6 albums, never mind 10/11”.
Despite the resolute lack of long-term planning, Stuart and his merry band have become masters of the music long game. One key takeaway is the importance of confident incremental steps and staying true to the original values that inspired them to pursue music. Stuart notes that some bands lose their edge by changing their sound to fit a particular trend, while Mogwai remained steadfast in their approach.
He also cautions against nostalgia for early hits, as this can lead to creating less appealing new music. Stuart acknowledges that younger listeners today don't care much about the age of musicians and can appreciate the work of artists who have been making music for many years.
“I remember when the Sex Pistols reformed people were laughing at them because they were 40 years old. People just don’t think that that's old now. Young people don’t care, they're listening to bands a lot older than the Sex Pistols were then.”
Stuart also shares his thoughts on the difference between young and old songwriters, acknowledging that life experience can inform songwriting but also warning against becoming too comfortable and failing to push oneself creatively.
“Your life is an absolute burning bin fire, (but you can write a good tune), whereas a lot of (older artists) get too comfortable, they almost don’t have to do any better as they're already millionaires or whatever”.
Throughout the interview, Stuart offers numerous nuggets* of wisdom for avid music fans and emphasizes the importance of Glasgow as a cultural hub that has inspired many talented creatives. (*that's ‘nuggets’ as in golden, not daft Glaswegians!).
Celebrating where you came from remains a key part of Mogwai’s manifesto and that’s just one of the many elements that has seen this band remain relevant for decades, perhaps now more than ever.
Maybe Mogwai are simply building to the crescendo to destroy all crescendos!
Read Spaceships Over Glasgow here
Mogwai has reissued two early albums; Young Team and Come On Die Young - links on the web