Bill Laswell
Photo: nomo /michael hoefner http://www.zwo5.de, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Guitarists · b. 1955

Bill Laswell

American musician (born 1955)

Born
12 February 1955
Salem
Country
United States
Active
1978–
Record labels
Virgin Records
Discography
80 albums

Biography

Bill Laswell is a jazz musician who plays guitar, bass instrument and voice. Bill Laswell was born on 12 February 1955 in Salem. The music is usually filed under jazz and dub music. Record labels: Virgin Records. The discography here lists 80 albums, from “Baselines” (1983) to “Mount Analogue” (2026). Honours include Człowiek ze Złotym Uchem (2013).

William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, world music, jazz, dub, and ambient styles. According to music critic Chris Brazier, "Laswell's pet concept is 'collision music' which involves bringing together musicians from wildly divergent but complementary spheres and seeing what comes out." Although his bands may be credited under the same name and often feature the same roster of musicians, the styles and themes explored on different albums can vary dramatically. Material began as a noisy dance music band, but later albums concentrated on hip hop, jazz, or spoken word readings by William S. Burroughs. Most versions of the band Praxis have included guitarist Buckethead, but they have explored different permutations on albums.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Baselines 1983
Hear No Evil 1988
Lost in the Translation 1994
Outer Dark 1994
Visitation 1994
Silent Recoil: Dub System One 1995
Somnific Flux 1995
Subsonic 2: Bass Terror 1995
Web 1995
Interpieces Organization 1996
Oscillations 1996
Sacred System Chapter One: Book of Entrance 1996
City of Light 1997
Dub Meltdown 1997
Sacred System: Chapter Two 1997
Jazzonia 1998
Oscillations 2 1998
Permutation 1998
Broken Vessels 1999
Hashisheen: The End of Law 1999
Havana Mood 1999
Imaginary Cuba 1999
Invisible Design 1999
Dub Chamber 3 2000
Lo. Def Pressure 2000
Outland 3 2000
Points of Order 2001
Radioaxiom: A Dub Transmission 2001
Book of Exit: Dub Chamber 4 2002
A Navel City / No One Is There 2004
Aftermathematics Instrumental: Rhythm and Recurrence 2004
Brutal Calling 2004
Massafat 2004
Version 2 Version: A Dub Transmission 2004
Roots Tonic Meets Bill Laswell 2006
In Praise of Shadows 2008
Kasbah Rockers 2008
Lodge 2008
Invisible Design II 2009
Bass & Drums 2011 · Live
Dub of the Passover 2011
Means of Deliverance 2012
Túwaqachi (The Fourth World) 2012
In Dub 2015
After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness? 2016
Azonic Halo 2016
Risurrezione - Dubopera 2016
Tagnawwit - Holy Black Gnawa Trance 2016
The Stone 2016
Nowstalgia 2018
Caravan To The Stars 2019
Myth - Dreams Of The World 2019
Outland 1 2019
Realm of Spells 2019
Smoke + Glass 2019
Against Empire 2020
Gen Jyo Raku 2020 · Live
Kauai - The Arch of Heaven 2020
Bass & Drums Complete Session 2021 · Live
Essay in Light 2021
Incidents 2021
Saalfelden 2021 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 1 - Day 2 Set 2 2021 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 1 - Day 2 set 1 2021 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 4 - Day 1 Set 1 2021 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 4 - Day 1 Set 2 2021 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 4 - Day 3 2021 · Live
Nammu 2022
Redemption 2022 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 4 - Day 2 Set 1 2022 · Live
Tokyo Rotation 4 - Day 2 Set 2 2022 · Live
Axiom Sound System / Musical Freezone 2023 · Live
Black Terrain 2023
Willisau 2023 · Live
Sanctum 2024
NYC 2025 · Live
Live at the Knitting Factory 2026 · Live
Mount Analogue 2026
Mount Analogue 2026
1998-04-22: Sacred System: Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany · Live

Also plays on

Albums where Bill Laswell is credited as a sideman

1983 Future Shock — Herbie Hancock bass
1984 Sound-System — Herbie Hancock producer

Awards

  • 2013 Człowiek ze Złotym Uchem

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Bill Laswell play?

Bill Laswell is known for playing guitar, bass instrument and voice.

When and where was Bill Laswell born?

Bill Laswell was born 12 February 1955 in Salem.

What are Bill Laswell's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Baselines (1983), Hear No Evil (1988), Lost in the Translation (1994), Outer Dark (1994) and Visitation (1994).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.