[DarkAngel]

Here is a music style that was popular in late 80s early 90s and managed to stay artisically pure, I don't recall any of these artists
making MTV video, very rarely gave interviews.

ShoeGazer style is characterized by shimmering curtains/waves of distortion upon which layer after layer of instrumnets and vocals were added. The distortion is not hard edge wall of sound like JMC (jesus mary chain) but swirling/undulating waves almost hypnotic in nature. Atrists were almost motionless when performing usually staring down at their instrument, thus the
descriptive title shoe-gazing was coined.

I have many CDs in this catagory, here are some excellent examples:

MBV (my bloody valentine) - Loveless
Lush - Gala & Spooky & Split
Ride - Nowhere & Going Blank Again
Catherine Wheel - Ferment & Chrome
Slowdive - Just for a Day & Souvlaki

Any other artists/albums that must be heard in this catagory? Who has a favorite artist/CD in this catagory?

 

[royboy2k]

I think MBV actually made a video for "Soon," but I could be mistaken.

 

[erix]

Does The Cocteau Twins fall into this category?

MANY layers, swirling distortion, otherworldly vocals..

ok,
erix

 

[DarkAngel]

Roy
Tell me it ain't so, that MBV sold their artistic soul to the evil
MTV mass marketing machine........I am crushed!

 

[markl]

Bands without videos likely have a limited market and it's not worth record companies investing in videos for them (not that they are making "bad" music). Either that, or they are on independent labels that simply don't have the ability to produce videos. Doing or not doing videos should not be seen as a sign of artistic integrity, more like economic reality. As for me, I alwayd wanted to see my favorite bands on MTV. I always wanted them to take over, not remain marginalized.

As for shoegazer bands, how about the graddaddy of them all, Dinsosaur Jr?

Oh, but they had videos!

markl

 

[MacDEF]

The Cocteau Twins pioneered this sound and were around for a decade or more before any of the bands you listed -- and they are far better than any of those bands IMO

They were even around before Dinosaur, Jr. (which is more of a Jesus and Mary Chain-type band than these bands).

Definitely check out older Cocteau Twins albums, especially "Treasure"

 

[DarkAngel]

Cocteau Twins are indeed geat in their own right, and did provide influence to many shoegazer bands, while not officially being one themselves, AMG site has good description/history of shoegazers.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=C2680

Please feel free to start thread about Cocteau Twins and other 4AD artists, as I have all their albums excepts singles box set.

 

[royboy2k]

Okay read the first paragraph on This link, regarding the video thing.

 

[Nikolai Dot Org]

DarkAngel, you should clone this thread to the pretention.net music forums. Plenty of shoegazing/dream-pop/brit-pop gothic fashion prada nazis there.

I think it's fair to knock your own gang.

 

[DarkAngel]

Roy,
Good detective work about MBV video, 120 minutes & headbangers ball....what happened to the good shows MTV used to have?

Niko,
Can't we all just get along? It takes a village.......

 

[Nikolai Dot Org]

It certainly does.

Seriously though, check out the site. Lady Greycat has a huge bucket of Lush, Suede, Radiohead, and all sorts of other stuff. I'm sure it would spark an active discussion.

 

[zoboomofo]

I've just gottem my mits on a Mercury Rev cd -> Yerself Is Steam. Very excellent hooks, and a lot of noise. I love it.

Sorry for the crushing news Dark Angel, but MBV made a video for Only Shallow as well. I mention it because it was the moment I knew I had to get that album (Loveless)!

Other shoegazing recs:

What's a post by myself without a Verve reference?
The Verve - A Storm In Heaven (1993) -first 4 tracks = wow
- The Verve EP (1992) - very solid all the way through
but less distortion guitar

Nick McCabe is a guitar god!!!

 

[Dusty Chalk]

You might also be interested in this emailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Blisscent

 

[DarkAngel]

Three great examples of the Shoegazer genre:

1) My Bloody Valentine: Loveless


2) Ride: Nowhere


3) Catherine Wheel: Ferment



Relax, do not resist, let the waves of distortion carry you away.

 

[geom_tol]

Some very good new bands in the shoegazing category are Sigur Ros from Iceland, and Mogwai from Scotland.