Swearing at Motorists
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.
Swearing at Motorists live in Indianapolis, Indiana in the early 2000s.
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.