Let's make this birthday one to remember.

71 years old (Born on February 19, 1954)

Happy Birthday, Michael Gira! May your day be as loud and unforgettable as a Swans concert—though hopefully with fewer earplugs required. Your relentless creativity has gifted us decades of groundbreaking noise rock masterpieces; here's hoping this year brings you even more sonic adventures (and perhaps slightly less tinnitus).

From pioneering experimental sounds to founding Young God Records in 1990, you've consistently pushed musical boundaries while inspiring countless artists along the way. Thanks for reminding us that music can still surprise—and occasionally terrify—in all the best ways possible.

Cheers to another trip around our noisy sun—you legend!