Swallow were the British-based duo of Mike Mason and Louise Trehy. Signed to 4AD

4AD

4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...

, they only released one studio album and one special remix collection before leaving the label. They moved on to Rough Trade Records

Rough Trade Records

Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

 for a further EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 before they disbanded.

History

Mike Mason had previously played keyboards in Into Paradise

Into Paradise

Into Paradise were a indie rock group from Dublin, Ireland, whose influences included Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen. They formed in 1986 as Backwards into Paradise, and released their debut EP, Blue Light, in 1989 on the independent record label, Setanta...

, while Louise Trehy had founded record label Setanta with Keith Cullen. Mike Mason had also directed and produced promotional video for Spacemen 3

Spacemen 3

Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...

. They were signed by 4AD after sending a demo to the label. The band released their debut album Blow in July 1992. Initially compared with Cocteau Twins

Cocteau Twins

Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...

 and My Bloody Valentine, the band remixed the Blow album to break down the John Fryer

John Fryer

Captain John Fryer RN was the sailing master on the HMAV Bounty, a British vessel made famous by the Mutiny on the Bounty....

 production, creating the limited edition follow-up release Blowback. After relationships with 4AD broke down, Swallow began writing and recording at home. A newly-funded Rough Trade records released the four track EP Hush, which included a cover of Steve Miller

Steve Miller (musician)

Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...

's "Dear Mary". Around the time of the EP's release in 1994, Swallow briefly toured with Mazzy Star

Mazzy Star

Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith...

.

In the middle of recording their second full-length album, Rough Trade lost their funding, and Swallow's recording efforts were in tatters. By this point, Mike Mason and Louise Trehy's relationship ended, and Swallow quietly disbanded.

Louise Trehy left the music industry altogether, but Mike Mason continues with musical endeavours. Currently, Mason works with music, film and photography , and has directed music videos for Spacemen 3

Spacemen 3

Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...

, Spiritualized

Spiritualized

Spiritualized are an English space rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3...

, Slowdive

Slowdive

Slowdive were an English shoegaze band that formed in 1989. The band formed in Reading, Berkshire and primarily consisted of Nick Chaplin , Rachel Goswell , Neil Halstead , and Christian Savill...

, and The Mekons. Some of Mason's other music projects include Cowboy Racer, which features Marijne van der Vlugt

Marijne van der Vlugt

Marijne van der Vlugt , is a Dutch musician, former model and MTV Europe VJ. She is the daughter of Dutch actor Bram van der Vlugt. Marijne started her career as a VJ for MTV Europe in the early 1990s and hosted such shows as 120 Minutes and The Pulse with Swatch...

 from Salad

Salad (band)

Salad were a UK-based pop music group formed in London in 1992, that included Dutch vocalist/keyboardist Marijne van der Vlugt, bassist Pete Brown, drummer Rob Wakeman , and guitarist Paul Kennedy...

, Writing and producing with artists Lettie, Jessie Grace, Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Dalis Car album 2 with Mick Karn

A collection of home recordings, titled Soft, was released digitally in May 2009.

Albums

• Blow (July 20, 1992; 4AD
  4AD
  4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
  
   CAD 2010)
  1. "Lovesleep" – 4:57
  2. "Tastes Like Honey" – 4:39
  3. "Sugar Your Mind" – 4:02
  4. "Mensurral" – 4:04
  5. "Peekaboo" – 5:10
  6. "Lacuna" – 2:21
  7. "Oceans and Blue Skies" – 3:36
  8. "Follow Me Down" – 4:49
  9. "Halo" – 2:56
  10. "Cherry Stars Collide" – 3:44
  11. "Head in a Cave" – 6:36

• Blowback (Blow remixed and edited by the band – September 28, 1992; 4AD TAD 2015)
  1. "Oceans and Blue Skies" – 3:40
  2. "Head in a Cave" – 7:09
  3. "Tastes Like Honey" (Instrumental) – 3:58
  4. "Peekaboo" (Dub) – 3:41
  5. "Sugar Your Mind" – 4:26
  6. "Follow Me Down" (Excerpt) – 1:36
  7. "Mensurral" (Instrumental) – 5:08
  8. "Cherry Stars Collide" (Instrumental) – 5:30

• Soft (digital collection of 1994 home recordings – May 10, 2009; White Lines)
  1. "Holes" – 4:46
  2. "Hush" – 4:39
  3. "Just Another Feeling" – 4:08
  4. "Blood to Water (Rain on Me)" – 4:02
  5. "Tuneport" – 0:58
  6. "Thrill Me Skinny" – 5:02
  7. "Flooded" – 5:35
  8. "Watching the Sun" – 6:00
  9. "Julian" – 4:44
  10. "Heavenly" – 4:42
  11. "It's All Right" – 1:38
  12. "Hang Ups" – 5:30
  13. "Dear Mary" (Steve Miller
      Steve Miller (musician)
      Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...
      
       cover) – 4:25

EPs

• Hush (June 19, 1994; Rough Trade
  Rough Trade Records
  Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
  
  R3223)
  1. "Hush" – 4:38
  2. "Flooded" – 6:39
  3. "Watching the Sun" – 5:26
  4. "Dear Mary" (Steve Miller cover) – 4:26

Compilations:
Swallow tracks also appear on:
Volume compilation
Joyride (4AD) film soundtrack album
13 year itch 4AD compilation

External links

• Swallow's official website
• Swallow on 4AD's website
• Swallow's official MySpace page
• Swallow at Discogs.com