Annotation
Up to the release of “Yanqui U.X.O.”, GYBE placed the exclamation mark at the end of their name. It was then moved to match the film they had taken their name from.
- “[Yanqui U.X.O.] marks the first release by the group after slightly altering their name (moving the exclamation mark from the "emperor" to the "you")” -- Wikipedia
- “In the beginning of their career, they were known as "Godspeed You Black Emperor!", but the name was later changed to have the exclamation point after the word "You".” Urban Dictionary
- “Another suggested that moving the exclamation mark in their name (up until the release of their current album, they were known as Godspeed You Black Emperor! ) was evidence of their "often hard-to-spot sense of humour"” The Guardian’s review of Yanqui UXO
Wikipedia
Godspeed You! Black Emperor (sometimes abbreviated to GY!BE or God's Pee) is a Canadian post-rock band which originated in Montreal, Quebec in 1994. The group releases recordings through Constellation, an independent record label also located in Montreal. After the release of their debut album in 1997, the group toured regularly from 1998 to 2003. Their second album, 2000's Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, received critical acclaim and has been named as one of the best albums of the decade. In 2003, the band announced an indefinite hiatus in order for members to pursue other musical interests. In the intervening period, the group was occasionally rumored to have broken up, but finally reconvened for a tour which began in late 2010. Since reforming, they have released four more albums, the most recent being G_d's Pee at State's End! in April 2021.
The band has gained a dedicated cult following and remains very influential in the post-rock genre. Their music, mainly instrumental in nature, has been noted for its contrasts between ambient soundscapes and chaotic crescendos; use of field recordings and spoken word monologues; and focus on dystopian, anarchist and anti-war themes. In September 2013, their fourth album and their comeback release after 10 years, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!, won the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.
One of the band's best known songs, "East Hastings", from their 1997 album F♯ A♯ ∞, was used in the 2002 film 28 Days Later. However, it does not appear on the film's soundtrack because the rights to the song could not be obtained.
Discography
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