Slowdive



         


Slowdive was a shoegazer band formed in 1989, lasting until 1995. Prior to breaking up, the band consisted of Rachel Goswell (vocals/guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Neil Halstead (vocals/guitar), Ian McCutcheon (drums), and Christian Savill (guitar). The band sought to embark on a US tour during 1993, following the release of Souvlaki (which is their most popular and well-received record) and didn't receive the necessary funding from SBK, their label, for the last two weeks of the tour. Rather than shun a US tour, they chose to finance the tour out of their own pockets and managed to tour briefly during that year in the US.

In 1995, the band recorded their final record, Pygmalion. A misunderstood and widely misinterpreted "ambient" record, it took the dreamy guitar sound and warm yet solemn tone of earlier Slowdive to a newer, more minimalist extreme.

Slowdive has been described as sounding as if they are "falling down a hole," using sheets of reverb and warm guitars to create a strange tapestry of textures for any listener to enjoy. Nonetheless, the band relished strong songwriting, and Halstead continues to show off his songwriting skills in his post-breakup band, Mojave 3.

The band's influences include Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and The Cocteau Twins.

After being dropped from Creation Records in 1995, Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell, and Ian McCutcheon formed the band Mojave 3 and signed to 4AD.

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