BRIEF HISTORY Broken Things came together from the indie rock, free jazz/improv and folk scenes of Chicago, with guitarist Bill MacKay’s songs anchoring the band’s exploratory journeys. Swim to the River is their debut recording, and the 2nd disc to feature cover art by MacKay. It is an independent release being promoted by Michael Siniscalchi who formerly handled marketing and promotion at Delmark Records. PLAYERS Bill MacKay, guitar + songs Greg Ward, alto saxophone Todd Hill, bass on tracks 2,3,6 Tim Daisy, drums Jason Ajemian, bass on tracks 1,4,5 RELATED BANDS IN ORBIT Bill MacKay (Darts & Arrows, Bud Melvin) Greg Ward (Occidental Bros, Jeff Parker) Todd Hill (Cougar) Tim Daisy (Vandermark 5, Triage) Jason Ajemian (Rob Mazurek, Who cares how long you sink, Triage) ART MISSION This music hits on a mixed network of themes: cinematic, poetic, and political | We jam together the forms that feed us at the root, as simply and directly as we can | If an eternal mission of art is to fragment reality, we're all for it | We’re all partly broken | may the shards of that damage… sing! SOME OTHER HISTORY Pittsburgh has more bridges than any other city in America. Visions of these and their neighbors - the valley-cutting rivers of the city - was one inspiration in MacKay’s early songs. The Oakland neighborhood was another: a refuge from the conformity& alienation of school, allowing access to two items of interest: punks and the Pittsburgh playhouse, a legendary movie house showing a different movie every night.