Kristof Hahn on Bowie, Swans, and Lap-Steel Drone

Kristof Hahn, German lap-steel guitarist for experimental rock band Swans, released his new solo album 'Six Pieces' in November 2021 on Australian label Room40. The album explores deep, evolving drone landscapes through his signature instrument. Hahn, born in 1959 in Saarbrücken, studied classical guitar before moving to West Berlin in 1980. He joined Swans for their 1989 live tour and 1990 album, left in 1992, then returned as a permanent member from 2010 to 2017 and again from 2019. He also played in Michael Gira's Angels of Light (1998) and joined Pere Ubu in 2017. His collaborations include Alex Chilton (Koolkings, 1990), Viola Limpet (Les Hommes Sauvages, 2004–2010), Thomas Wydler of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Sultans of Gedankenbrain, 2019 album), and Italian groups The Three Blind Mice and SNEERS. He has recorded film scores and translated books from German to English, including a David Bowie biography. In an interview, Hahn stated he has no definition of art but sees it as communication between external and internal worlds, often confused with perfection. He defines music as 'taming air molecules to dance in a certain way.' His favorite visual artworks are Gerhard Richter's 'Kerze' (1982) and Kandinsky's 'Kreis II' (1925). Upcoming projects include a new Swans album in early 2022 and a follow-up album with Sometimes with Others.