A Beginners Guide To : Dronerock/Spacerock/Post-rock/Shoegazing.

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Hi there. New here and i'm aware there may be other threads on each of this style of music , but could you please take a few (minutes?) to tell me of the best bands/albums/ in those genres? I am only familiar with My Bloody Valentine and G!YBE and i'd like to hear more in that vein. Anything thats great in those genres mentioned.
Thanks for your help.

Brian Alexander, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Flying. Saucer. Attack.

Clay, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:37 (twenty-two years ago)

You need you some Spacemen 3. "The Perfect Prescription" album might be the perfect prescription. You can get that, or maybe wait for the the remixed uber-version set to be reissued soon. Or maybe get both! Also, if you like the, you may like the band formed by former member Jason Pierce, Spritualized. They're album "Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space," is a good one. Also, they have a new one out later this year "Amazing Grace," which is all over the web.

Ride would be a cool band to check out. "Nowhere" is a great album, and they also have a new best of that just came out called "OX4"...I think.

Early records by The Flaming Lips would also be a good choice. They have a comp of their early, acid soaked, years that just came out called "The Day They Shot A Hole In The Jesus Egg." It's all really good. I'm a big fan of the song "Chrome Plated Suicide."

And dude, Pink Floyd of course.

Slowdive's "Souvlaki" is another good one. The Velvet Underground "White Light/White Heat" is as close to a must-own that you can get.

For post-rock, Chicago's Tortoise is the place to go. Their "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" was a biggie in the genre. Sigur Ros too...I guess. Mogwai as well.

Check all this stuff out at allmusicguide.com if you don't already. I'm sure they have a genre trees about all this type of stuff that would scratch your itch.

ben welsh (benwelsh), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Welcome to us -- quick tip, Brian, use the search function before posting threads. That way you can find threads like these.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:43 (twenty-two years ago)

if you want post-rock please destroy any tortoise and sigur ros records you find, and buy bark psychosis, insides, seefeel, and disco inferno records instead.

jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Jess's advice is Thoroughly Sound.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:46 (twenty-two years ago)

disco inferno counts as post-rock now?

ben welsh (benwelsh), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Also, Earth and Sunn0))).

Clay, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Also Shannon and Level 42.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:50 (twenty-two years ago)

disco inferno counts as post-rock now?

It counted as post-rock then, too.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Well shit, get plenty of that too. I wish I could find those 5 EPs somewhere. I'm living off mp3s.

ben welsh (benwelsh), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:51 (twenty-two years ago)

*whistles idly and wonders if he should note his standing offer to burn a copy of all five for anyone who asks directly...*

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with you, Ben; DI doesn't sound "post-rock" to me at all. Being a youngster, my understanding of the genre is probably more informed by all those Chicago/Thrill Jockey bands than anything, though.

It's a stupid genre term, anyway.

Clay, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got copies of all five on mp3, thanks for noting that though. I really would like to own them. Their artwork was pretty cool. I have a connection at Rough Trade through my college paper and I tried to see if they had any old copies or whatever (I know, long shot) under the guise of writing an article about them.

I would have written the article...but it was all pretty much a big excuse to get my hands on those Eps...though they weren't all on Rough Trade, it still would have been nice.

ben welsh (benwelsh), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:55 (twenty-two years ago)

post-rock: term invented by reynolds to describe bark psychosis, no?

gaz (gaz), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:56 (twenty-two years ago)

F/i, Skullflower, Ashtray Navigations, HAWKWIND.

duane, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks. I'll check out what I can.

Brian Alexander, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Post-rock is a very limiting term at the least. In its original usage by Simon Reynolds, who more or less coined it, post-rock referred to music that used 'traditional' rock instruments or instrumentation but did so to create music not sounding very rock at all. Good examples would be bands like Main or, as noted earlier by Jess, Seefeel or Bark Psychosis. That the term ended up describing the watery backwash of Tortwah and its associated minions and fellow travellers is just one of those ways that terms can find their own particular center of things. I'm not a purist per se -- to me that would be like the endless debates about what 'punk' is -- but I am annoyed (as is Jess, doubtless) that the term refers to one particular approach/label/scene when the other one is so thoroughly wiped from memory that it's barely acknowledged anymore.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 04:58 (twenty-two years ago)

"post-rock referred to music that used 'traditional' rock instruments or instrumentation but did so to create music not sounding very rock at all."

Way too broad. Is Borbetomagus post-rock, in that case? What about the Mahavishnu Orchestra?

Clay, Monday, 14 July 2003 05:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Context is all, Clay. Ask SR about it, he reads and sometimes posts here, so I'm probably misremembering the specifics, but a free interpretation of the term sure could include them and plenty of others. Why not?

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 05:09 (twenty-two years ago)

True enough.

Clay, Monday, 14 July 2003 05:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"post rock" can't truly happen until production of "rock" totally ceases so you shouldn't worry about it

duane, Monday, 14 July 2003 06:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, search Talk Talk. Really. Like, NOW.

Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 14 July 2003 08:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, search Talk Talk. Really. Like, NOW.

Shityeah. And Pram's The Stars Are So Big, The Earth Is So Small - Stay As You Are album, and Bowery Electric's Beat, and anything by Ui especially Lifelike and their Uilab collaboration with Stereolab.

Stereolab, now I think about it, probably fit better than any other band to ALL FOUR genres mentioned in the thread title - start off with the Mars Audiac Quintet and Emperor Tomato Ketchup albums, then delve into the splendid Refried Ectoplasm (Switched On Vol.2) compilation and life will never be the same again.

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 14 July 2003 08:59 (twenty-two years ago)

and i thought this was going to be kate's messages all over the place...

joan vich (joan vich), Monday, 14 July 2003 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Mazzy Star "She's My Babe"

dave q, Monday, 14 July 2003 09:41 (twenty-two years ago)

a primer:

grimble grumble - second mind
slowdive - she falls
drop nineteens - kick the tragedy
cerberus shoal - broken springs spring forth from broken clocks
medicine - one more
alisons halo - chalkboard james
bowery electric - slow thrills
bardo pond - this time (so fucked)
roy montgomery - liverpool 82
disco inferno - love stepping out/last summers sound
aerial m - wedding song number 3
hood - cold house
secret shine - into the ether

thatll do for now i guess

gareth (gareth), Monday, 14 July 2003 09:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Hows about Labradford? Its minimalist and ethereal, so I suppose they conform to the bracket ;)... And they're damn good, esp. Mi Media Naranja and E Luxo So (the latter being the more abstract of the 2).

Slowdive, FSA, Tortoise, Seefeel (also check out Mark Clifford's outings as Disjecta and 'production' work with Mira Calix) etc. etc. are all good entry points :)

... Bowery Electric are a bit too half-way-house if you ask me...

Nat, Monday, 14 July 2003 09:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Catherine Wheel had their moments. Or perhaps it was just one moment (Black Metallic).

Zora (Zora), Monday, 14 July 2003 10:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Damn. I thought this was another joke "welcome back Kate" thread. Ah well.

kate (kate), Monday, 14 July 2003 10:29 (twenty-two years ago)

plenty of great stuff mentioned already, the new american analog set album is nice, too.

weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 14 July 2003 10:30 (twenty-two years ago)

yo la tengo - electropura

weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 14 July 2003 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks everyone. If theres anything else I should know please tell me.
I downloaded Spiritualized - Pure Phase and some of Spacemen 3 - A Perfect Prescription. Are all their stuff as good as this?

Brian Alexander, Monday, 14 July 2003 10:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Brian - their other stuff is better. Search Ladies & Gentlemen... and Laser Guided Melodies.

Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 14 July 2003 11:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Laser Guided Melodies is the only Spz album you will ever need. Hell, it may be the ONLY ALBUM you will ever need. OK, except for Playing With Fire by Spacemen 3. Two of the best albums ever made.

And may I please just say... THE NEW MEDICINE ROXORS!!! OK, maybe it doesn't roXor, but it does KICK ASS. Or wibble ass. Which doesn't sound pleasant, but my god does it make me happy happy happy happy happy. Capitol Who?

Get yerself some Medicine if you want some yummy chewy shoe/drone/shimmerpop. Shot Forth Self Living is a good place to start.

But my god, this new album shows Manitoba and Capitol K and all those screengazer kids HOW IT IS DONE!!! I was having a rubbish day until I put it on. Now life is perfect. The end.

kate (kate), Monday, 14 July 2003 11:18 (twenty-two years ago)

hey admins, could we get some sorta set of permalinks on the top of the ILM pages, so that certain common threads(shoegazer, why the DMB licks TEH BALLZ, etc) could be linked to immediately by new folk?

Kingfish (Kingfish), Monday, 14 July 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

(I'm alone here in thinking that Medicine is shit on toast, I know, but I WILL SAY IT. However, you might indeed like it.)

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

More try DMST (aka Do Make Say Think), Exhaust, Shalabi Effect, Broken Social Scene, Hinterland, and once again i shall say for the masses, Moncton's The Peter Parkers.

Saw a band called The Germans (who are changing there name) who were good, I was more fascinated by the fact they stole a D5 from high school and didn't know enough to cover the R so it becomes a P but what can you do. Next show they are at Im bringing electrical tape for them.

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 14 July 2003 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

The Telescopes have a new album out. Anyone remember those shoegazers?

Ramon, Monday, 14 July 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anyone mentioned those first few Lush albums?

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 14 July 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Drop Nineteens

Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 14 July 2003 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Will I get drummed out of ILM if I mention D**** I* V**** as a pretty fine example of the collision between classic shoegazeriness and, er, beats and stuff? Or perhaps just a bunch of good songs in a row on a record?

Either way, Scorpio Rising by DiV and, what the hey, If... by Scorpio Rising too!

(X-post: Gala by Lush is quite brilliant - and if anyone can burn me a copy I'd be indescribably grateful)

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

If we're going to go that route, it's all about FLOWCHART.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

The first Death In Vegas was good, Contino Sessions alright, heard two tracks off the third (including the Liam G one) and swore never to buy it.

Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

If we're going to go that route, it's all about FLOWCHART.

Yus yus yus. Etc.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

ned how are those comps?

gareth (gareth), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Pretty fucking great, I have to say. Some randomness but it's all good stuff regardless, I'm beginning to think Sean is the unheralded American genius in the whole compound scene as described above. The way I see it, he's as magpie-like as Mr. Lilys, but he's actually, you know, good.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

get thee to Blisscent@yahoogroups.com for the usual insanity of such things as Claire Records, MBV breath holding and BRMC (cause you just can't get away from those street teams).

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

The Telescopes last album was a bit meh, but the current incarnation are great live.

RickyT (RickyT), Monday, 14 July 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Drone/post-rock (what the fuck??)/maybe what you're getting at: Acid Mothers Temple (also spacey), Jackie-O Motherfucker, Vibracathedral Orchestra, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Kinski, Landing, Rothko, Surface os Eceon, Circle, Yellow 6

Bardo Pond fans need to supplement with Skullflower, Paik & Comets On Fire.

loveliescrushing, and Astrobite are a bit MBV-like.

John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Monday, 14 July 2003 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

oh yellow6 played a beautiful set in oakland the other night and then charles atlas pulled out all the stops with a 15 minute thundering feedback and drums song that shamed godspeed.

the aforementioned pram record is so out of print and impossible to find it's like a taunt to recommend it.

the flowchart bliss out on darla is one of the best things that label ever released.

but, if you like MBV, check the first Lily's album.

anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Monday, 14 July 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Start here...

Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription, Playing With Fire
Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies
Spectrum - Soul Kiss (Glide Divine)
Bailter Space - Robot World
Bardo Pond - Amanita
Roy Montgomery - Scenes From The South Island
Loop - A Gilded Eternity
Bark Psychosis - Hex
The Telescopes - (the 3 Creation singles)
Flying Saucer Attack - Flying Saucer Attack, Chorus
Stereolab - Switched On
Kinski - Be Gentle With The Warm Turtle
Scenic - The Acid Gospel Experience

Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Loop - Wolf Flow (better than Gilded Eternity)
Kinski - Airs Above Your Station crushes all
Bardo Pond - the above, and add Bufo Alvarius + Lapsed
Yo La Tengo - Painful. It pisses all over Electropura
Blind Mr Jones - Stereo Musicale. Probably will catch grief for this, but they beat Ride at their own game (but "Seagull" is still ace.)
Spiritualized - Medication and Good Times eps. Essential and key. Forget anything after these.

Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I heard something a couple of hours ago from a band apparently called Duster that was pleasingly bliss/drone. Anyone have any info?

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 04:23 (twenty-two years ago)

if you want post-rock please destroy any tortoise and sigur ros records you find, and buy bark psychosis, insides, seefeel, and disco inferno records instead.
-- jess (dubplatestyl...), July 14th, 2003.

I've developed Rage.

David Allen, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 04:47 (twenty-two years ago)

The band or the club?

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 04:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Duster are a duo (?) on Up! records. nice, not unlike a fuzzier Low.

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

"Acid Mothers Temple (also spacey), Jackie-O Motherfucker, Vibracathedral Orchestra, Sunburned Hand of the Man, & Comets On Fire."

All awesome groups, but none of them really fit the description of the other bands being mentioned here. I know a lot of Spiritualized fans that hate the shit out of Sunburned Hand, for instance.

Clay, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 04:55 (twenty-two years ago)

i didn't know tortoise fans could rage

jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you're being a little too literal, Clay -- definitions are notoriously elastic in musical descriptions and genres, after all.

Duster are a duo (?) on Up! records. nice, not unlike a fuzzier Low.

Thank 'ee, Jim.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 05:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I keep gumming up this thread with my nitpickyness. Apologies to all.

Clay, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 05:03 (twenty-two years ago)

The band or the club?
-- Ned Raggett (ne...), July 15th, 2003.

You haven't seen 28 Days Later yet? Good, don't.

David Allen, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 05:17 (twenty-two years ago)

i wonder why no one talked about Main: they are THE dronerock band...

G.

giulio from genova, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 06:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Cause Robert Hampson is apparently the most miserable bastard in the world!

At least, according to HSA. I thought he was making this up, because he likes to diss other DDB's that he knows I fancy (like telling me stories about how Sonic Boom has green skin and bad teeth). But then HSA called one of his mates whose name started with H and I saw his phone number on the page! That would have caused a girly squeal about ten years ago. But now it just caused a bemused smile.

OK, you can get a broom and brush the names off the floor, I'm done.

kate (kate), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 07:28 (twenty-two years ago)

the aforementioned pram record is so out of print and impossible to find it's like a taunt to recommend it.

Oh...you mean The Stars Are So Big etcetc? I had no idea it was out of print. Ah well, if anyone would like a copy, I have it on (ahem) cassette and can probably do some sort of hilariously anachronistic "hi-speed dubbing" thing with it.

It's bloody good, and I'll throw in a burn of Too Pure's splendid drone/post/space/shoe primer Pop? Do We Not Like That if you like. Answers on a postcard.

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

In the GYBE vein you might want to ckeck out Molasses, SHalabi Effect, and Set Fire to Flames - and all of their spin-off shrapnel.

John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...
SubArachNoid Space anyone know about them?
Are they like Surface Of eceon?

Frankie, Thursday, 5 February 2004 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I have the Subarachnoid album Also Rising. I didn't like it at first, but now realize that it's good if you have the patience; listening to it looking for cohesive songs is kind of a waste. It's best listened to in one sitting straight through, perhaps after smoking a fatty.

Ian Johnson (orion), Thursday, 5 February 2004 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

you are a hippy.

gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:16 (twenty-one years ago)

hey, eat me.

Ian Johnson (orion), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

FIRST DRONEROCK/SPACEROCK/POST-ROCK/SHOEGAZE ALBUM EVER: Ummagumma disc one. WHO'S WITH ME???

Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Dolphins Of The Forest, even if they wore tye die and didnt bathe properly.

jack cole (jackcole), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Did I mention Sennen? anyone in london should try to see them, they're playing soon but I forget where or when right now. Highly recommended (by me at least) anyway.

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

2 hour post-rock special: Gnosis radio show
@ Aural Moon
http://www.auralmoon.com/html/

on now [i.e UK time 7pm - 9pm, US East Coast 2pm - 4pm]

DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Cranes! Nobody's mentioned Cranes, who just own in a shoegazery goth-rock kind of way. Ned will tell you.

Stupid (Stupid), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Whats the difference really between this sort of jamming and Phish et al?
Is it just Indie Jam band stuff?

Raul, Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Well being a "jam band" is a particular thing, while "jamming" has a much broader use. It's like the difference between punk-rock as a genre and "punk" as a concept, I guess.

Stupid (Stupid), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:48 (twenty-one years ago)


Try Kiwi guitarist Roy Montgomery.

Temple IV and Scenes from the South Island are especially transcedent.

Very post-rock, very un-shoegazy. Atmospheric as all f**k tho.

mrleeward, Friday, 6 February 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Happy Songs for Happy People!

Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 6 February 2004 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Ativin?

Rod, Friday, 6 February 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...
Does Ned's offer to burn the Disco Inferno EP's for anyone who asks still stand, even to this day?

stephen morris (stephen morris), Wednesday, 1 December 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes it does, and I have a backlog I need to take care of!

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 1 December 2004 20:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Where do I sign up?

stephen morris (stephen morris), Wednesday, 1 December 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

And that response was almost unnecessarily fast.

stephen morris (stephen morris), Wednesday, 1 December 2004 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

'Post-Rock' first used by Glenn A. Baker and Stuart Coupe in 1979 to describe Pere Ubu.

Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 2 December 2004 02:46 (twenty-one years ago)

You guys need:

Hoover - Lurid Travesal of Route 7
Sunn O))) - White2
Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You

Recently, I picked up a Yind CD on Unwound's label, PNMV (Punk in My Vitamins) which was dope -- produced by original Unwound lineup; remixed by Replikants

TITS.JPG (ex machina), Thursday, 2 December 2004 03:02 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...
Ned what are Disco Inferno like?

Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 01:07 (nineteen years ago)

Uh, great? (There's a few threads on them...)

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 01:10 (nineteen years ago)

Do you think i'd like them?

Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 01:21 (nineteen years ago)

I should hope.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 01:46 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

New Grails album is really nice. They just keep getting better. Maybe they should have their own thread. I don't know if they qualify for this thread.

rockapads, Friday, 6 June 2008 17:43 (seventeen years ago)

> F/i, Skullflower, Ashtray Navigations, HAWKWIND.
>
> -- duane, Monday, 14 July 2003 04:57 (4 years ago) Link

- and this was four years ago! The new Ashtray stuff is really mining a heavy Hawkwind-loving seam at the moment, really digging it in a pounding, off-kilter headache inducing way.

Rombald, Friday, 6 June 2008 18:08 (seventeen years ago)

That sounds cool. Haven't listened to the Ashtray stuff that I do have in a while. Would like to hear it 'rock out' a little more. I've completely spent my budget for new records, though.

Trip Maker, Friday, 6 June 2008 18:13 (seventeen years ago)

Grails are great. Drummers in OM now too.

Herman G. Neuname, Friday, 6 June 2008 18:23 (seventeen years ago)


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