Hunker down and take 22 years to pen its follow up, that’s what.
OK, so it’s not the accustomed practice – although not totally in isolation – and would not feature too highly on any ‘how to have a career in rock music’ guides, but it is what My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields and co did after 1991’s monumental Loveless slayed everyone who heard it.
It was a multi-layered mega-opus filled with wall of sound depth, reverb-laced, distortion-indulging guitars, where wistful dream pop serenity was married with tear-your-hair-out moments of maniacal musical lunacy.
Its production was laborious – Shields’ now well-documented (and celebrated) perfectionism reportedly cost £250,000 and nearly bankrupted Alan McGee’s Creation Records. Oasis would help him out a couple of years later, though, so don’t feel too sorry for him.
Famed for gigs so loud audience members would vomit, MBV released their seminal LP and disappeared, Shields cropping up occasionally in the ensuing years before finally, after much delay, releasing its follow up, m b v, last month.
It’s a similarly dense and surprising record, and a deserved follow-up, if not in the ways you would expect (moments of simplicity abound).
The fact it got made at all is stunning and the opportunity to hear it and the band’s back cat’s one not to miss.
Hammersmith Apollo, W6 9QH
March 12 & 13 | Doors at 7pm | £28.25
Tube | Hammersmith
hammersmithapollo.net
