Rickies and Shoegazers

Birdie · Post by **Birdie** » Thu Feb 01, 2001 4:35 pm

Anyone remember shoegazing? All those brit bands back in the early 90s with a JCB full of pedals and more Rickies than you can shake a digi-delay at?

The somewhat sexy and booze-crazed Miki Berenyi of Lush had a gorgeous fireglow 330 12 which matched her hair quite nicely

Mark Gardener and Andy Bell of Ride both sported 330s live, though Bell was always a closet rock boy and went on to sport a nasty line of Les Pauls and now plays 3rd fiddle to Noel in Oasis, as bass player. I expect the money's good.

Slowdive made a very pretty noise with (I think) a 360, a 330 and a Jag. And then their was Chapterhouse, but they were ****.

And then their was Martin Carr of the Boo Radleys who started as shoegazers and went pop, having a hit featuring his beat up old Rick (model unclear)

Perhaps a revival is due.

Birdie

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Sat Feb 03, 2001 6:43 am

Martin Carr is playing as a solo act called Brave Captain these days. Slowdive are now a country rockish outfit called Mojave 3, they sound better for it. I saw a lot of shoe-gazing acts in my college days, all uniquely dull live experiences. Spotting the make and model of their guitars (no doubt bought for them by rich parents, as all these bands came from the affluent south of England) made up for the boredom. The Boo radleys were a decent band as for the rest I think they should remain resident in the 'where are they now?' file.

tomrat · Post by **tomrat** » Mon Feb 05, 2001 1:20 am

oh my thats harsh.....I havent heard that shoegazers term in a long time....i always thought the Lush girl with the red hair and the Fireglo Rick combo was cool....
tom

Oruga65 · Post by **Oruga65** » Mon Feb 05, 2001 6:18 am

Now I listen to Ride's tunes more than ever. 'Twisterella' is a 9t's anthem, one of the best pop songs in this decade. For a really jangly theme listen to 'Time machine' and its ricky sound (am i wrong?)that simulates the sound of a clock.

Oruga65

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Mon Feb 05, 2001 12:50 pm

Granted, Ride improved a lot but when I think of the exciting and visceral music coming out of the States like The Pixies and Throwing Muses the shoegazers seemed fey and self-indulgent. The whole thing was a reaction against the Manchester indie /dance crossover thing of the Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. You would never have known half the shoegazers were playing Rickies cos of all the delay and reverb ladelled over their recordings. I prefer Ricks as God intended,the Brit version, razor sharp Mod sounds like The Who or The Jam, or the American variety McGuinn, Rain Parade and inevitably Peter Buck.