Shoegazing is a genre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted until the mid 1990s, peaking circa 1990 to 1991. But don’t be fooled, it’s back! in a big way. My Bloody Valentine are touring again, now it’s your chance to shoegaze, here’s how…

Steps

1 If you’re a boy, let your hair grow.
2 Buy some hooped shirts and T-shirts, especially black and white.
3 Buy and rip a pair of light denim skinny jeans and wear a big leather jacket
4 Perform or watch a “motionless performing style, where you stand on stage and stare at the floor while playing. The sound of the music was overwhelmingly loud, with long, droning riffs, waves of distortion and cascades of feedback. Vocals and melodies created a wash of sound where no instrument was distinguishable from the other — but are usually very pretty and fundamental to the song, but its true that the magic of the songs is in the complex harmonics blended into noise.”
5 Write or listen to shoegazing music which is “introspective, self-deprecating music with a non-confrontational feel… Guitar effects are typically from two distorted rhythms interwoven together giving an exceptional muddied sound.

Tips

• Become more relaxed, nothing ever bothers a shoegazer too much
• Find a cool indie record store which has staff who were teenagers in the late 80’s and ask them about shoegaze music.
• You don’t have to be an expert on shoegazing, but it never hurts to know some of its history; The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Jesus and Mary Chain (especially Psychocandy) and the Cocteau Twins weren’t shoegazers they were important influences on them.
• My Bloody Valentine isn’t the only Shoegazer band, just the most well-known. Other good Shoegazer bands are: Teenage Filmstars, Ultra Vivid Scene, Fleeting Joys, Lush, Ride, Slowdive, Chapterhouse, and Catherine Wheel. Modern bands influenced by shoegazers include Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Silversun Pickups, and The Raveonettes.
• Loveless isn’t MBV’s only recording: You also need to have at least heard Isn’t Anything,and the You Made Me Realise and Tremolo EPs. (yes!)

Warnings

90s Britpop is the enemy of shoegaze. Shoegaze was all about chilling out and enjoying the weird sounds, Britpop was about getting energised and changing the world with catchy tunes (another nemesis of shoegaze). So yeah, Oasis fans won’t be too popular with shoegazers. Blur or Verve shirts may be OK given their background in shoegaze, but stay away from mentioning/wearing signs of other Britpop luminaries.

Things You’ll Need