Though it only lasted a handful of years during the late '80s and early '90s, the shoegazing subgenre has had some impressive lasting power to this day. Contemporary artists such as Ulrich Schnauss, the Radio Dept., Film School and M83 have been dubbed "nu-gaze", and retrospectives of luminary acts such as Slowdive, Swervedriver and Seefeel have been compiled over the last while. That said, a documentary by NY-based auteur Eric Green is now in the works to tell the story of shoegazing.
Gathering all of the VIPs that both contributed and are indebt to "the scene that celebrates itself," Green recently told Pitchfork, "It's basically about the Cocteau Twins, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine, and what an indelible impact they had on modern music.
"The bulk of the movie is in the late 80s-early 90s, which is a pretty interesting time period, because a lot of these groups were picked up by major labels in the U.S. Around 1990, people thought that this was going to be the next big thing. And then there was a huge backlash, and [shoegaze] was turned over for, let's say, more press-friendly genres.
"But I think this music had a lasting impact on me and other people," Green says, "and I think it's important that a story from that time period be told."
The lengthy list of artists Green interviewed for the film include My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields and Debbie Googe, the Jesus & Mary Chain's Jim Reid and Douglas Hart, Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde, Slowdive's Neil Halstead, the Cure's Robert Smith, Ride's Mark Gardner and Andy Bell, Lush's Emma Anderson, Swervedriver's Adam Franklin, Curve's Toni Halliday, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie, Flying Saucer Attack's David Pearce, Pale Saints' Ian Masters, the Boo Radleys' Martin Carr, producer Alan Moulder, Creation Records founder Alan McGee, Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, as well as members from "nu-gazers" Asobi Seksu, Serena-Maneesh, Ladytron and Autolux.
No date has been set for the film yet.
Slowdive "Allison"
Cocteau Twins "Heaven or Las Vegas"
Swervedriver "Duel"
The Jesus & Mary Chain "Just Like Honey"
Gathering all of the VIPs that both contributed and are indebt to "the scene that celebrates itself," Green recently told Pitchfork, "It's basically about the Cocteau Twins, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine, and what an indelible impact they had on modern music.
"The bulk of the movie is in the late 80s-early 90s, which is a pretty interesting time period, because a lot of these groups were picked up by major labels in the U.S. Around 1990, people thought that this was going to be the next big thing. And then there was a huge backlash, and [shoegaze] was turned over for, let's say, more press-friendly genres.
"But I think this music had a lasting impact on me and other people," Green says, "and I think it's important that a story from that time period be told."
The lengthy list of artists Green interviewed for the film include My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields and Debbie Googe, the Jesus & Mary Chain's Jim Reid and Douglas Hart, Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde, Slowdive's Neil Halstead, the Cure's Robert Smith, Ride's Mark Gardner and Andy Bell, Lush's Emma Anderson, Swervedriver's Adam Franklin, Curve's Toni Halliday, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie, Flying Saucer Attack's David Pearce, Pale Saints' Ian Masters, the Boo Radleys' Martin Carr, producer Alan Moulder, Creation Records founder Alan McGee, Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, as well as members from "nu-gazers" Asobi Seksu, Serena-Maneesh, Ladytron and Autolux.
No date has been set for the film yet.
Slowdive "Allison"
Cocteau Twins "Heaven or Las Vegas"
Swervedriver "Duel"
The Jesus & Mary Chain "Just Like Honey"
