Shoegaze

Shoegaze
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsLate 1980s, Ireland and United Kingdom
Derivative forms
Fusion genres
Blackgaze
Other topics

Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with "dream pop")[10] is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume.[1][11] It emerged in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the late 1980s among neo-psychedelic groups[2] who usually stood motionless during live performances in a detached, non-confrontational state.[1][12] The name comes from the heavy use of effects pedals, as the performers were often looking down at their pedals during concerts.[13]

My Bloody Valentine and their 1991 album Loveless (1991) are widely regarded as defining the genre;[14][15] other prominent shoegaze groups include Slowdive, Ride, Lush, Curve, Pale Saints, Swirlies, Chapterhouse, and Swervedriver. A loose label given to the shoegaze bands and other affiliated bands in London in the early 1990s was "the scene that celebrates itself".[16] Most shoegaze artists drew from the template set by My Bloody Valentine on their late 1980s recordings, as well as bands such as The Jesus and Mary Chain and Cocteau Twins.[1]

In the early 1990s, shoegaze was sidelined by American grunge and early Britpop acts, resulting in relatively unknown bands breaking up or reinventing their style altogether.[1] Since the late 2010s, a renewed interest in the genre has been noted, namely among nu gaze and blackgaze bands.

  1. ^ a b c d e "Explore: Shoegaze | AllMusic". AllMusic. 17 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b Reynolds, Simon (1 December 1991). "Pop View; 'Dream-Pop' Bands Define the Times in Britain". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  3. ^ Richardson, Mark (11 May 2012). "My Bloody Valentine: Isn't Anything / Loveless / EPs 1988–1991". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Noise Pop : Significant Albums, Artists and Songs, Most Viewed: AllMusic". AllMusic. 2 June 2012. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012.
  5. ^ a b Heller, Jason. "Where to start with the enigmatic music known as shoegaze". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference xlr8r was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Olivier Bernard: Anthologie de l'ambient, Camion Blanc, 2013, ISBN 2-357-794151
    "L'ethereal wave (et notamment les Cocteau Twins) a grandement influencé le shoegaze et la dream pop... L'ethereal wave s'est développée à partir du gothic rock, et tire ses origines principalement de la musique de Siouxsie and the Banshees (les Cocteau Twins s'en sont fortement inspirés, ce qui se ressent dans leur premier album Garlands, sorti en 1982). Le genre s'est développé surtout autour des années 1983-1984, avec l'émergence de trois formations majeures: Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil et Dead Can Dance... Les labels principaux promouvant le genre sont 4AD et Projekt Records".
  8. ^ "Space Rock : Allmusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  9. ^ Despres, Sean (18 June 2010). "Whatever you do, don't call it 'chillwave'". Japan Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  10. ^ Rothman, Joshua (28 August 2015). "T. S. Eliot Would Have Liked Beach House". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  11. ^ Pete Prown / Harvey P. Newquist: "One faction came to be known as dream-pop or "shoegazers" (for their habit of looking at the ground while playing the guitars on stage). They were musicians who played trancelike, ethereal music that was composed of numerous guitars playing heavy droning chords wrapped in echo effects and phase shifters.", Hal Leonard 1997, ISBN 0-7935-4042-9
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Shoegaze, the Sound of Protest Shrouded in Guitar Fuzz, Returns". New York Times. 14 August 2017. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  14. ^ Sanders, Shane. "Shoegaze: The dreamlike guitar-driven genre defined by My Bloody Valentine and Ride". Gibson Gazette. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  15. ^ Anderson, Stacy (24 October 2016). "The 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. 2018 Conde Nast. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  16. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (1992). The Guinness who's who of indie and new wave music. Guinness who's who of popular music series. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness. ISBN 978-0-85112-579-4.