Today we have an extra special Memory Tape from music writer, critic and journalist David Quantick, who takes us down Memory Lane with a Shoe-Gazing theme tape! You may remember David wrote a column called Memoirs of a Shoe Gazing Gentleman in the NME as Lord Tarquin back in the 90s. Let him guide through this tape filled with nostalgia and shoe-gaze splendour!
"OK - this tape collects my memories of Shoe-Gazing and the music that reminds me of that era from when I wrote the NME column Memoirs Of A Shoe Gazing Gentlemen by Lord Tarquin i.e. me.
It begins with Melt by Siouxsie And The Banshees, a pre shoegaze classic by a big influence on that era and then into Fallin by Lush, one of my favourite bands of the time doing a rare Dennis Wilson song - an interesting angle. I knew Lush and in fact still do. Emma from Lush is my neighbour. Soon By My Bloody Valentine is a great song by the emperors of shoe gaze, the Beatles of the movement and I love MBV and their continuing career. Twisterella by Ride reminds me of when every band was labelled shoegaze. SUGAR HICCUP by the COCTEAU TWINS is another 'gaze influence and a great song. Prize by Kitchens Of Distinction might be shoegaze or not but they're a massively under-rated band and they're back too. When The Sun Hits by Slowdive is archetypal shoey. Just Like Honey by The Jesus And Mary Chain is a classic and Phil from Lush is now in them. Leaving the oddly hooky Breather by Chapterhouse which is great and finally the debut by a band who were labelled shoegaze for a week - There's No Other Way by Blur.
I remember going to Syndrome and the Powerhaus, drinking with these bands, reviewing them, watching them get big or small, and then seeing "nu-gaze" make some of them cool again."
