Swing Set were active from 1983 to 1993, and they had a following at live m… Read Full Bio ↴Swing Set were active from 1983 to 1993, and they had a following at live music venues in the Twin Cities and an impact on college radio stations around the country; their first album, Life Speeds Up, landed in the Top 50 on U.S./Boston Rocks college charts. Singles from their next two albums, 1990’s The Soul Remains and its follow-up, DIG, also received commercial airplay.

The band was led by Mike Nilles, who founded the group and served as a songwriter, guitarist, and singer alongside fellow guitarist and vocalist Dan Prozinski. The late Kevin Foley, who would go on to play in Tommy Stinson’s Bash and Pop, held it down on bass; Dave Nussbaum played piano and synths; and Mick Wirtz played drums.

“Blackout” was originally recorded in 1985 at the historic Blackberry Way Studios, and was released the next year on Life Speeds Up. It was recently digitally remastered by Blackberry Way Records‘ Michael Owens — who has recently placed several Blackberry Way recordings onto popular television shows — and was included on the label’s 2014 compilation, Mini Hits of Minneapolis, Vol. 2. The compilation that contains the song is available on Blackberry Way’s website in addition to iTunes, Amazon and Tidal.