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Thor Harris is a Texas-born musician, multi-instrumentalist, artist, and craftsman, renowned for his versatility and distinctive contributions to a wide array of musical projects. Born in 1965 in La Porte, Texas, and relocating to Austin in 1985, Harris has made a significant impact on the music scene, particularly within the experimental, rock, and avant-garde genres.

Harris was the percussionist for the influential post-rock band Swans, where his dynamic drumming and eclectic instrumentation played a crucial role in the band’s sound from 2010 to 2017. His contributions helped shape the critically acclaimed albums, "The Seer" (2012), "To Be Kind" (2014), and "The Glowing Man" (2016).

In addition to Swans, Harris has been a member of several other notable bands and projects, including Shearwater's lush, atmospheric soundscapes. He's also collaborated and recorded with Bill Callahan, John Congleton, Ben Frost, Amanda Palmer, Adam Torres, Devendra Banhart, and more, showcasing his wide-ranging musical abilities on various instruments including marimba, vibraphone, flute, and clarinet, among others.

Today, Harris is the frontman of the ensemble Thor & Friends—a vehicle for experimentation with the conceptual vocabulary of American Minimalism performed by a rotating cast of Austin-based musicians. Thor & Friends has performed at Austin Psych Fest, Levitation Festival, SXSW, Thing In the Spring, Martha Myths, and Sled Island Fest. They’ve toured in support of Xiu Xiu, Wye Oak, Timber Timbre, and Adam Torres, and have shared stages with Faust, Beak>, AJJ, Norman Westberg, Laraaji, and Yonatan Gat & The Medicine Singers, among many others.

The three original, core members of Thor & Friends - Thor Harris, Peggy Ghorbani, and Sarah “Goat” Gautier - released their first two records, Thor & Friends and The Subversive Nature of Kindness, on the Albuquerque, NM label, Living Music Duplication. They followed those up with two records titled "3" and "4" on the Indianapolis, IN label, Joyful Noise Recordings. In 2024, a full Thor & Friends ensemble of approximately 12 musicians recorded enough material for two full-length LPs to be released on Joyful Noise in 2025 and 2026.

Harris was Joyful Noise's 2019 Artist in Residence, for which he compiled a box set (actual wooden boxes he built by hand) consisting of "3", "4", and several new records made prolifically in collaboration with Jarboe, Rob Halverson, Adam Harding, Anni Rossi, and several other notable artists. He and Jarboe continue to collaborate on projects.

He then released Doom Dub - another collaborative effort with contributions from over a dozen artists including Lawrence English, Ben Frost, Yoko Ono, David Yow, Alex Somers, and more. He followed it up with Doom Dub II in 2022, adding even more person-power in the form of Mike Watt, Zola Jesus, Marissa Nadler, Monk Parker, and others.

In 2023, Dorian Wood and Thor Harris released You are clearly in perversion on Astral Editions. "The album drives with exacting movements, a spade of observation through the sediments of personal past, questions of identity, spirituality, carnality, love, and human history, until it strikes upon something sharp and flashing, obsidian, bright and searing, a spark, that winks wordlessly and fiercely in the swathing, cavernous darkness that blankets and infuses all things." - jp

Harris is an active member of several other current groups including the critically acclaimed krautpunk band Water Damage, known for its pummeling repetition, soundcult, and Wreckmeister Harmonies.

Beyond his musical pursuits, Harris is a talented visual artist and craftsman, known for his handcrafted marimbas and other percussion instruments. His artistic endeavors often reflect his deep connection to nature and his commitment to sustainability.

Harris is also an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness, openly discussing his struggles with depression and anxiety. His candidness has resonated with many fans and has helped to destigmatize mental health issues within the music community and beyond. He starred in a documentary about depression on the short-lived but brilliant Mental Health Channel that can still be seen here.

Thor Harris continues to be an influential and innovative force in the music world, celebrated for his creative spirit, technical proficiency, and the profound emotional depth he brings to his art.