Biography
Slowdive are an English band formed in Reading in 1989, and one of the central groups of the shoegaze movement. They released three albums between 1991 and 1995[1].
The band reunited in 2014 and played a year of shows before recording a self-titled album, their first in 22 years, which was released in 2017. It was self-financed, made partly at Courtyard Studios in Oxford, and drew on the songwriting of Neil Halstead alongside the vocals of Rachel Goswell[3].
The band signed to Creation Records after a self-titled EP in November 1990 and released their debut album, Just for a Day, in September 1991, to largely unimpressed reviews.[4] Their second album, Souvlaki (1993), was received with mixed notices at the time but is now widely regarded as a classic of the genre.[5]
Drummer Simon Scott left in 1994, and the band released Pygmalion in 1995. Creation dropped them a week later and the group broke up, with Halstead, Goswell and drummer Ian McCutcheon going on to form Mojave 3.[4] Slowdive announced their return in November 2013 and released Everything Is Alive on 1 September 2023.[4] Halstead has described the band as having two sides, one long and instrumental, the other more pop-minded.[6]
References
- Song Exploder, Episode 111: Slowdive — Episode page for Neil Halstead's breakdown of the song; band background and notes referencing Wuthering Heights.
- FACT: Slowdive, Sugar for the Pill on Song Exploder — Coverage of Halstead's account of Cornwall, acoustic origins, delay, drums and bubble-wrapped guitar.
- Bandcamp Daily: The Return of Slowdive — Interview context on the reunion, self-financing, Courtyard Studios sessions and the album title.
- Slowdive (Wikipedia) — Band history: formation, albums, breakup and reunion dates.
- Souvlaki (album) (Wikipedia) — Recording history, release, chart position and critical reception.
- Slowdive Are More Alive Than Ever (Spin, 2023) — Halstead on the band's pop side and ambient side.