Looking to Shoegaze

A few years ago, a pal of Bronagh’s asked me what I meant by Shoegaze music. To answer back that ‘…it’s just bloody good music.’ wasn’t going to cut ice. So I simply summarised by saying it was like light and delicate soundscapes made up of heavily distorted guitar playing and vocals that were sometimes difficult to hear clearly as they were lost in the mixing of the records.

‘…so it’s just a load of noise?’ came the response. Not it is not!!

It could be argued that Shoegaze is an experimental experience when you listen to the music. It’s not what you would call upbeat and that might make it a bit inaccessible for some. (See above!!). For me though, it has been for many years one of the standard bearers of the music I love to listen to whether live or from the studio recordings.

So where did the term Shoegazing come from?

Well it, probably, came from the tendency of the guitarists to focus, head down, at their feet and the guitar pedals they were using while performing live.

The heavy distortions, created by the interaction of guitar and pedals, generated a generous wall of sound that was often matched with dream like often-indecipherable vocals that functioned as an additional instrument themselves.

So who were/are the pioneers of Shoegaze?

I would say my first exposure to the movement would be The Jesus and Mary Chain with the release of their debut album Psychocandy in 1985. Tracks like Just Like Honey and Taste of Cindy were totally different to anything happening around that time. They still sound fresh almost 40 years on.

Add into the mix the superlative Elizabeth Fraser and The Cocteau Twins with Loreilei or Sea Swallow Me from Treasure released in 1984 and The Moon and The Melodies released in 1986 respectively.

And then four of my long-time favourite bands, My Bloody Valentine (When You Sleep), Ride (Paralysed), The Pale Saints (Sight of You) and Slowdive (When The Sun Hits). Who produced albums full of fantastic tracks like the four listed here.

And to bring the post up to date with the A to Z Musical Tour, Bronagh and me will be hitting The Barrowland to see Slowdive this coming Friday, The Usher Hall to see The Jesus and Mary Chain in March and SWG3 to see Ride later in the summer.

Give a listen to the Shoegaze Playlist. I hope you like it as much as I do.