Swearing At Motorists is a two-piece rock and roll band composed of Dave Doughman (guitar, vocals) and Joseph Siwinski (drums). They formed in Dayton, Ohio in the early 1990s. Joseph Siwinski replaced Don Thrasher (formerly of Guided by Voices), who had originally been on drums.
Critics have wisely referred to Swearing At Motorists as “The Two Man Who” and anyone who has been fortunate to see them live would surely concur. The band developed a reputation for being one of the most energetic charismatic American bands, both on stage and record. Their albums are a perfect combination of compact stadium rock sing-alongs and lucid love songs that portray a character at the mercy of his own destiny. It all began in the early 1990′s in the bedrooms and basements of Dayton, Ohio amongst the hazy murk of the Midwest American lo-fi scene — a movement championed by neighbors Guided By Voices as well as Sebadoh, The Grifters, and Pavement.
Heavily influenced by other lo-fi music, Swearing At Motorists' songs are characterized by emphatic, crunching tonic chords, emotive vocals, and raw recordings, though with more emphasis on production than many lo-fi acts. Lyrically, Doughman blends narratives of seemingly mundane everyday occurrences with occasional elements of surrealism or subtle commentary, such as in Calgon, Take Me Away!. Perhaps the best known Swearing At Motorists song, "Flying Pizza", named after a Dayton pizzeria, details an unpleasant encounter with an old acquaintance.
Swearing At Motorists' concerts are characterized by Doughman's energetic performances, which involve antics such as tearing the strings out of his guitar mid-song and jumping offstage, as well as comedic anecdotes relayed between, and sometimes within, songs. The band has toured the United States and Europe several times. Since 2000 all of their records have been released by Bloomington, Indiana label Secretly Canadian.
Frontman Dave Doughman has challenged The White Stripes to a contest of who can put on a better show and rock harder, but has been turned down.
Read more about Swearing At Motorists: Discography
Famous quotes containing the words swearing and/or motorists:
““He swore that day till the leaves shook on the trees. Charming! Delightful! Never have I enjoyed such swearing before or since. Sir, on that memorable day he swore like an angel from Heaven!””
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“To motorists bound to or from the Jersey shore, Perth Amboy consists of five traffic lights that sometimes tie up week-end traffic for miles. While cars creep along or come to a prolonged halt, drivers lean out to discuss with each other this red menace to freedom of the road.”
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)