Primer: A Millennial's Guide to Slowdive

SLOWDIVE
By MICHAEL MANNHEIMER

WTF is “Slowdive”? 

Slowdive is a pioneering shoegaze band from Reading, England. They formed in 1989 and split after just six years and three records, including landmark 1993 album Souvlaki. The band deserves a spot on the shoegaze Mount Rushmore alongside My Bloody Valentine, Ride and Swervedriver.


Wait, “shoegaze”? IDK what that even is.  

It's a genre of alt-rock spawned in the U.K. in the late '80s by a bunch of bands whose onstage demeanor—standing still and playing with dozens of effects pedals on the floor—led onlookers to believe they were staring at their shoes. Shoegaze is characterized by loud, reverb-drenched guitars, dreamy vocals and a detached, aloof rock-star cool.


And the band sounds like what again?

That moment in every space epic when the craft enters orbit for the first time as the astronauts stare in wide-eyed wonder at the sheer beauty and enormity of Earth. Replace the clunky dialogue of a film like Gravity with the music from Souvlaki and the band's 1995's ambient swan song Pygmalion, and watch as the YouTube hits come rolling in.


Who do I know that's down for them?

Deerhunter, M83, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Beach House's ethereal sound and languid guitar reveries wouldn't exist without Slowdive as its guiding spirit. Tumblr rapper Lil B even sampled "Catch the Breeze" on 2011 mixtape cut "Open Thunder Eternal Slumber."


Whoa, they were sampled by Lil B?

I know, right? Slowdive has no opinion in the ongoing Lil B-Kevin Durant feud, but the band's guitar tones are nearly as pretty as KD's jump shot, so I'm guessing they're firmly #teamdurant.


So why should I GAF about this show?

This reunion is actually a pretty big deal—the band was one of the headliners of this summer's Pitchfork Festival in Chicago and Primavera Sound in Barcelona. Slowdive is perfect background music for car rides, potlucks and late-night study sessions. Your mom might even like them. Plus, this is really great make-out music.


Wait, what's Pitchfork?

Just stop.

SEE IT: Slowdive plays Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., with Low, on Wednesday, Nov. 5. 8 pm. $25 advance, $30 day of show. All ages.

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.