Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor performing live in London, England in November 2000
Background information
Also known as	Godspeed You Black Emperor!, GY!BE, God's Pee
Origin	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres	Post-rock experimental rock drone dark ambient
Years active	1994–2003, 2010–present
Labels	Constellation, Kranky
Associated acts	A Silver Mt. Zion, Set Fire to Flames, Fly Pan Am, HṚṢṬA, Esmerine, Hiss Tracts
Website	brainwashed.com/godspeed
Members	Efrim Menuck Mauro Pezzente Mike Moya Sophie Trudeau Thierry Amar David Bryant Karl Lemieux Aidan Girt Tim Herzog
Past members	John Littlefair Thea Pratt Bruce Cawdron Norsola Johnson Roger Tellier-Craig Grayson Walker James Chau Peter Harry Hill Fluffy Erskine

Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a Canadian experimental music collective which originated in Montreal, Quebec in 1994. The group releases recordings through Constellation, an independent record label also located in Montreal. After the release of their debut album in 1997, the group toured regularly from 1998 to 2002. In 2003, the band announced an indefinite hiatus in order for members to pursue other musical interests. In the intervening period, the group was occasionally rumored to have broken up, but finally reconvened for a tour which began in late 2010. In October 2012, they released their fourth album, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!, followed in March 2015 by their fifth album, Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress.

The band has gained a dedicated cult following and remain very influential in the post-rock genre. In September, 2013, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! won the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor was formed in 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, by Efrim Menuck (guitar), Mike Moya (guitar), and Mauro Pezzente (bass), taking its name from God Speed You! Black Emperor, a 1976 Japanese black-and-white documentary by director Mitsuo Yanagimachi, which follows the exploits of a Japanese biker gang, the Black Emperors. The band initially assembled after being offered a supporting act for another local band named Steak 72. Thereafter, the trio performed live on a few separate occasions, before ultimately deciding to produce an album. The cassette, All Lights Fucked on the Hairy Amp Drooling, was self-released in December 1994 and limited to thirty-three copies.