The Shoegaze genre emerged in Britain in late 1980s. The style's name derived from the habit of many of its members to stare down at their instruments or effects pedals while performing. It was also dubbed the "Scene That Celebrates Itself." Its sound was heavily influenced by both Dream Pop and Noise Rock, combining the lush, dreamy sounds of the former and the distorted guitar textures of the latter. My Bloody Valentine were Shoegaze's defining band, releasing two important albums during the genre's heyday. Although the main era of Shoegaze ended sometime in the early 90s, it has maintained a lasting influence.
The roots of Shoegaze can be traced back as far as The Velvet Underground. Its most immediate predecessors are the ragged Psychedelic Pop of The Jesus And Mary Chain, the Post-Punk of The Chameleons, the swirling guitars of Noise Rock band Sonic Youth, and the floating feel of Dream Pop act Cocteau Twins, whose chorus-saturated sound influenced later Shoegaze groups.
The genre began in earnest with the release of My Bloody Valentine's first album, 1988's Isn't Anything. On this album, they moved away from the Smiths-influenced jangly guitar blueprint of their early EPs and introduced the swirling waves of sound that would become Shoegaze's formula.
Another key band of the genre, Ride, issued their 1990 debut, Nowhere, an album which placed a greater emphasis on catchy songs. In 1991, My Bloody Valentine released Loveless. Considered their masterpiece, it influenced all Shoegaze bands that followed. That same year, Slowdive, another key act, issued their debut, Just for a Day. Chapterhouse also put out their first LP, Whirlpool.
British quartet Catherine Wheel joined the Shoegaze movement in 1992 with their first album, Ferment. They followed with 1993's Chrome. Bother were critical successes. Also in 1993, Slowdive issued their highly regarded sophomore album, Souvlaki. Chapterhouse's second album, 1993's Blood Music, found the band drifting away from their core Shoegaze sound. Going Blank Again, Ride's 1992 follow-up to Nowhere, also moved away from Shoegaze and toward a more upbeat, catchy sound. The record hit number 5 on the UK charts.
By this time, Britpop was the popular new genre in the Britain, elbowing Shoegaze out of the picture. Ride's third LP, 1994's Carnival of Light, echoed the sounds of the Britpop trend and met with flagging sales and poor reviews. Catherine Wheel's third record, 1995's Happy Days, mostly abandoned Shoegaze for more of a hard rocking Grunge feel. My Bloody Valentine hadn't released a new album since Loveless. When Slowdive disbanded in 1995, Shoegaze met its demise.
The sound of heavily processed guitars swirling through the mix was reborn with the second album from Iceland's Sigur Rós, 1999's Ágætis Byrjun. Although not strictly Shoegaze, the record showcased many of the genre's features. In the 21st century, Shoegaze has enjoyed a modest rebirth, thanks to a next generation of "Nu-Gaze" bands, such as New York's Asobi Sesku. Meanwhile, the world awaits the return of My Bloody Valentine from their interminable hiatus.
- My Bloody Valentine
- Ride
- Slowdive
- Catherine Wheel
- Chapterhouse
- Lush
- Swervedriver
- Curve
- The Boo Radleys
- Moose