Mogwai Fear Satan

"Mogwai Fear Satan"
Song by Mogwai from the album Mogwai Young Team
Released	21 October 1997
Recorded	MCM Studios Hamilton, Scotland
Genre	Post-rock Instrumental rock
Length	16:19
Label	Chemikal Underground Jetset
Producer	Paul Savage
Mogwai Young Team track listing
"Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home" "Like Herod" "Katrien" "Radar Maker" "Tracy" "Summer (Priority Version)" "With Portfolio" "R U Still in 2 It" "A Cheery Wave from Stranded Youngsters" "Mogwai Fear Satan"
Music sample Mogwai Fear Satan

"Mogwai Fear Satan" (sometimes referred to as "Fear Satan"^[1] and sometimes just "Satan"^[2]) is a song by Scottish post-rock group Mogwai, which ends their 1997 debut studio album, Mogwai Young Team.

Overview

"Mogwai Fear Satan" is a sixteen minute long instrumental, using basic rock instrumentation; guitars, bass, and drums, along with flute. The origin of the song title stems from bassist Dominic Aitchison’s fear of the Devil, due to his Catholic upbringing, which continues to this day as Aitchison is the only religious member of Mogwai.^[3]

Musical composition

"Mogwai Fear Satan" begins with a guitar melody riff consisting of three chords by Stuart Braithwaite and John Cummings, which is soon joined by bass played by Dominic Aitchison and a frantic drumbeat played by Martin Bulloch, which fades gradually in. The same guitar riff is repeated throughout the song, at times frighteningly distorted. During the quiet parts of the song, in the build up to the explosion of sonic noise and feedback which Mogwai are known for, there is a quiet, haunting flute melody played by Shona Brown over tribal-sounding drums. The song slowly fades out into feedback and noise.

Media usage

• In 2002, a short excerpt of "Mogwai Fear Satan" was featured in "Eddie Kidd Rides Again", an episode of the documentary television program, RE:Brand, hosted by English comedian and actor, Russell Brand.
• It was also featured on soundtrack for WRC4, The Official Game of the FIA World Rally Championship on PlayStation 2.
• Manic Street Preachers used the song as the intro music for their 2005 Past Present Future tour of the UK.
• Repeatedly referred to in Christopher Brookmyre's book Pandaemonium where a 28 minute remix has been created by some of the schoolchildren and played at a school dance.
• Part of the song was used in the 2007 documentary The 11th Hour.

Remixes

There are five official remixes of "Mogwai Fear Satan". The Mogwai Remix (LP Version) can be found on the remix album, Kicking a Dead Pig. The second disc of Kicking a Dead Pig, entitled Fear Satan Remixes, includes the Surgeon Remix, the Mogwai Remix, the μ-Ziq Remix, and the My Bloody Valentine Remix.

Personnel

• Stuart Braithwaite – guitar
• Dominic Aitchison – bass guitar
• John Cummings – guitar
• Martin Bulloch – drums
• Shona Brown – flute
• Paul Savage – producer, mixer

Notes

1. ^ Fear Satan Remixes on Discogs
2. ^ Mogwai – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, Scotland (23 September 2006) Set list
3. ^ Phone Interview with Stuart Braithwaite, 1999

External links

• "Mogwai Fear Satan" on Last.fm
• "Mogwai Fear Satan" Guitar Tablature