Many of the songs were written as a way of paying tribute to specific people, but in the end the songs took on a life of their own and I didn't worry about accuracy or biographical truth, so it's not a problem.

I wanted to challenge myself and move into something new. I felt that using the name Swans and the sonic attitude that that engenders was what I needed to move forward musically, and it's led to lots of new things.

Swans are majestic, beautiful looking creatures. With really ugly temperaments.

The music takes you. It has to be alive. It's like you hammer something, and the way it happens to bleed leads you into new directions.

When I walk around New York now, there are so many ghosts. I find it very uncomfortable. There were many hard years, and I never really achieved any kind of comfortable financial success, so I just associate it with struggle. When I had a chance to get out, I was elated.

Maybe in the future I'll put out someone's one-off project, but generally I don't have time.

I don't throw my body down on the stage at all anymore because I'm sure I'd snap like a twig.