Algis Antanas Kizys (born September 8, 1960 in Chicago) is a

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

ist best known for his long-time membership in

band Swans. First joining Swans on 1986's '' Greed'' LP, he stayed with the group through ''

The Great Annihilator ''The Great Annihilator'' is the ninth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released on January 23, 1995, through frontman Michael Gira's own record label, Young God. The album has been described by Gira as a compani ...

'' (1995). He is also a founding member of Of Cabbages and Kings, an offshoot of Bag People.

Biography

Of Cabbages and Kings featured Kizys, founder/guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist/producer Carolyn Master, Roy Mayorga (

Nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. It can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the throat. Over 30 d ...

, Soulfly, Stone Sour), Vinnie Signorelli ( Unsane), Ted Parsons ( Prong, Swans, Godflesh, Jesu, Teledubgnosis) and Diane Wlezein. Kizys, Master, and Wlezein previously played in Bag People. Kizys has spent time in Foetus' live incarnation and played for

Glenn Branca Glenn Branca (October 6, 1948 – May 13, 2018) was an American avant-garde music, avant-garde composer, guitarist, and luthier. Known for his use of volume, scordatura, alternative guitar tunings, minimal music, repetition, drone (music), dronin ...

in his ''Symphony No. 6''. Kizys was a member of Problem Dogs, his first band formed with Rick Radtke, John Connors, and

Demetra Plakas Demetra Plakas (born November 9, 1960) is an American musician, best known for being the Drum kit, drummer in the Rock music, rock band L7 (band), L7. Early life Plakas was born November 9, 1960, in Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago, Illinois. ...

(who later played drums with L7). During this time, August 1982, he briefly joined forces with guitarist Edward "Phast Eddie" Lines, Connors and Plakas as Phlegm Magnets, which played several shows at the Space Place in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. From 1994 -1997 Algis Kizys created a band with singer songwriter Soraya Rashid called "Soraya". Other members included Norman Westberg (ex Swans), Ted Parsons (Prong), Vinnie Signorelli (Swans, Unsane), Eric Hubel (

), and J. G. Thirlwell (Foetus) Kizys with Jonathan Bepler and David Thorpe composed "Firmament" for

Nerve A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of nerve fibers (called axons). Nerves have historically been considered the basic units of the peripheral nervous system. A nerve provides a common pathway for the Electrochemistry, electrochemical nerv ...

magazine's "Sweet & Vicious" audio book. Firmament served as a soundscape to the JT Leroy story, "Natoma Street", performed by Callie Thorne. Gus Van Sant used "Firmament" for the pivotal scene in his film, " Finding Forrester", starring Sean Connery. Kizys's current band, NeVAh, features Vinnie Signorelli from Unsane and Norman Westberg from Swans. NeVAh are currently playing in what is left of New York's underground scene.

Discography

; Swans ; Of Cabbages and Kings ;Other appearances

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kizys, Algin 1960 births Living people American rock bass guitarists American male bass guitarists American indie rock musicians Of Cabbages and Kings members Pigface members Swans (band) members American punk rock bass guitarists American post-punk musicians American industrial musicians Noise rock musicians American people of Lithuanian descent Guitarists from Chicago Guitarists from New York City American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists