The Call is an American rock band formed in Santa Cruz, California in 1980. The main lineup consisted of members Michael Been, Scott Musick, Tom Ferrier, and Jim Goodwin. The band released nine studio albums over the next two decades before disbanding in 2000. Their 1986 song, "I Still Believe ", was covered by Tim Cappello and included in the 1987 film The Lost Boys. The band also achieved significant success in 1989 with "Let the Day Begin", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard U.S. Mainstream Rock chart and was later used as a campaign theme song for Al Gore's 2000 Presidential Campaign.
My Bloody Valentine are an Irish-English alternative rock band formed in Dublin in 1983 and consisting since 1987 of founding members Kevin Shields and Colm Ó Cíosóig, with Bilinda Butcher and Debbie Googe (bass). Often cited as a pioneering act in the shoegaze genre, their sound is characterized by dissonant guitar textures, androgynous vocals, and unorthodox production techniques.
Shoegaze is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume. It emerged in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the late 1980s among neo-psychedelic groups who usually stood motionless during live performances in a detached, non-confrontational state. The name comes from the heavy use of effects pedals, as the performers were often looking down at their pedals during concerts.
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as reverb, echo, tremolo, and chorus. It often overlaps with the related genre of shoegaze, and the two genre terms have at times been used interchangeably.
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth by Robin Guthrie and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981 and replacing Heggie with multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde in 1983. The group earned critical praise for their ethereal, effects-laden sound and the soprano vocals of Fraser, whose lyrics often eschew any recognisable language. They pioneered the 1980s alternative subgenre of dream pop and helped define what would become shoegaze.
Cornershop are an English indie rock band best known for their single "Brimful of Asha", originally released in 1997 and, in a remixed version, topping the UK chart in 1998. The band was formed in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh, his brother Avtar Singh, David Chambers (drums) and Ben Ayres, the first three having previously been members of Preston-based band General Havoc, who released one single in 1991. The band name originated from a stereotype referring to British Asians often owning corner shops. Their music is a fusion of Indian music, indie rock, alternative and electronic dance music.
Secret Shine are a British indie band formed in the early 1990s, who were signed to Sarah Records. Their early releases with Sarah and A Turntable Friend followed a pop style, before the band went in a more shoegaze direction with the 1992 release Untouched, triggering comparisons with Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.
Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite, Barry Burns, Dominic Aitchison, and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogwai typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects.
The Telescopes are an English noise, space rock, dream pop and psychedelic band formed in 1987 by artist, composer and musician Stephen Lawrie with band members David Fitzgerald and Joanna Doran joining later. The band’s line-up is in constant flux, there can be anywhere between 1 and 20 members on a recording.
Strange Free World is the second album by British alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction, released on 19 February 1991 in the US by A&M Records and on 18 March 1991 in the UK by One Little Indian Records. It is the follow-up to their 1989 debut Love Is Hell. Noted producer Hugh Jones, who worked with Echo & the Bunnymen, among many others, helped KOD to sound more at ease in the studio.
Greed is the third studio album by American experimental rock band Swans. It was released in 1986, through record label K.422. Greed marks the slow turning point for Swans away from the harsh, brutal noise rock of prior releases, and is also the first Swans album to contain contributions from Jarboe.
The Death of Cool is the third studio album from British alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction, released on 3 August 1992 in the UK by One Little Indian Records and a day later in the US by A&M Records. The album is the follow-up to 1991's Strange Free World and was once again produced by Hugh Jones. While considered by most fans to be their strongest effort, the album was largely ignored by the general public in the midst of the popularity of grunge rock in 1992, peaking at number 72 on the UK Albums Chart. AllMusic critic Ned Raggett praises the album as a "multifaceted, deeply felt hour of music that is easily the equal of such similar masterpieces of post-punk guitar rock as The Chameleons' Script of the Bridge and The Sound's Heads and Hearts." Lead singer Patrick Fitzgerald said this of the album:
People didn't understand the album...and it sold half of Strange Free World. It was too dark and gloomy and questioning, this being the height of Madchester and E. You had "...Tooting Broadway" and the queer-bashing scenario of "Breathing Fear," the AIDS death song of "When in Heaven"...perhaps a little challenging for its time...
Love Is Hell is the debut album by British alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction, first released in April 1989 by One Little Indian Records in the UK and A&M Records in the US. While the album earned KOD comparisons to bands like Echo & the Bunnymen and The Chameleons, the guitar soundscapes created by Julian Swales and the passionate lyrics and vocal delivery from Patrick Fitzgerald gave Kitchens of Distinction their own signature sound. The album also maintains a punkier sound than to be featured on the band's later albums. The 1993 CD edition of the album includes the band's 1989 Elephantine EP as 4 bonus tracks.
Cowboys and Aliens is the fourth studio album by British alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction, released on 3 October 1994 in the UK by One Little Indian Records and on 24 January 1995 by A&M Records in the US.
Capsule: The Best of KOD 1988–94 is a compilation album by British alternative rock/dream pop group Kitchens of Distinction. The two disc set was released by One Little Indian Records on 21 April 2003. The first disc features some of the band's best songs, culled from their four albums: Love Is Hell (1989); Strange Free World (1991); The Death of Cool (1992); and Cowboys and Aliens (1994), while the bonus disc collects B-sides, acoustic versions and live tracks. The booklet features track-by-track notes by lead singer/bassist Patrick Fitzgerald.
Shoegazing Kids is the second studio album by French indie rock band Stuck in the Sound. Released on 26 January 2009 through Discograph Records, the album was available as both a physical release and download in their home country of France, but exclusively as a download in a number of other countries. The songs on the album were all recorded in the same studio and the record was mixed in New York City by producer Nick Sansano and mastered by Ted Jensen. The record contains a mixture of indie rock and shoegaze genres, and the track "Ouais" was in particular hailed for its Britpop style. The album featured the first instrumental track to be released by the band and has been described as more ambitious and experimental than Stuck in the Sound's previous effort, Nevermind the Living Dead.
Esben and the Witch are a British three piece rock band formed in Brighton in 2008. consisting of Rachel Davies, Thomas Fisher (guitar), and Daniel Copeman. Their name comes from the Danish fairytale, "Esben and the Witch".
"Leave Them All Behind" is a song by the British rock band Ride. It was released on 3 February 1992 as the lead single from the band's second studio album Going Blank Again, of which it is the opening track. The song's lyrics are a confident statement about Ride's musical talent relative to the rest of the shoegaze scene, which is why the band wanted to release it as the album's first single. It features both of the band's singers, Andy Bell and Mark Gardener, on lead vocals.
Scar is a mini album by English rock band Lush. It was released on 9 October 1989 on 4AD. Originally intended to be a three-track single release, Scar was produced by John Fryer and the band themselves and recorded at London's Blackwing Studios in 1989.
Hotline TNT is an American rock band from New York City. The band is fronted by singer and guitarist Will Anderson, who writes all of the band's recorded music, and is accompanied by a rotating lineup of musicians. The group's music generally encompasses a melodic, guitar-driven sound often likened to shoegaze. They have released two full-length albums, Nineteen in Love (2021) and Cartwheel (2023), with plans for a third in the future.
