“Shoegaze is not a particularly song-focused genre but rather one best understood through albums and EPs. May these highly subjective but lovingly chosen recordings act as a springboard for your own journey into the shoegaze ether.” — @ryanpinkard
playlist 🔗 in bio
RELEASE DAY: It surprised even me that #Shoegaze is finally out in the world today.
Being that I turned in my manuscript more than a year ago, after starting my research a year before that, this project has felt more like a memory as of late. But now as I flip through its finally physical pages, it all comes back to me how much this project took over those 12 months of my life.
Just like the first book, this one was a labor of love, written purely because I felt compelled to. Though it didn't feel quite as hard the second time around, it required even more hours of work, and I was even more keenly aware that writing books about niche music styles is anything but profitable.
As I make clear from the Introduction, I wrote this book not because I am the world's most passionate fan of shoegaze (though my passion grew greatly), nor because I was the genre's most obvious expert (though I can certainly speak on the topic now), but because I was fortunate to find a subject that had not been fully explored (at least in book form) and a fascinating story that had yet to be fully told (as far as I know).
Given its influence and resurgence, both of which have only increased since I wrote the book, I still wonder how it's possible nobody had not gotten around to properly defining shoegaze previously, but I'm genuinely proud and hopeful that I was able to add something new to historical narrative, however big or small that may turn out to be.
Unlike with the first book, I don't have any plans for events in bookstores or record shops, though I'll gladly chat with anyone who wants to talk about it. Realizing my kinship with the shy, introverted musicians who tend to make this beautiful noise, and the shy, introverted people who tend to listen to it, I'd rather keep my head down and let it speak for itself.
More than a year since its release, I have finally gotten to experience a physical copy of one of my favorite editing projects: ‘Gettin’ Kinda Itchie: The Groups That Made The Mamas & The Papas’ by Richard Campbell. Drawn for over four decades of collecting artifacts and studying the band, Richard has become the undisputed authority on all things Mamas and Papas, and this meticulously researched book squeezes all of that knowledge into a profound prehistory, showing how the four members’ interweaving journeys culminated in the group they are now famous for and the greater folk rock explosion they epitomized. While Richard deserves all the credit for putting together this epic work, I am proud to have helped him refine his words in a meaningful way. Chock full of stories, pictures and other ephemera, and beautifully designed in its layout, I can’t recommend this book more.
I’m proud to share the latest of my editing gigs to see release:
Penned by the brilliant and humble Justin Patrick Moore, ‘The Radio Phonics Laboratory’ explores the intersection of technology and creativity that shaped the sonic landscape of the 20th century. This fascinating story unravels the intricate threads of telecommunications, from the invention of the telephone to the advent of global communication networks.
At the heart of the narrative is the evolution of speech synthesis, a groundbreaking innovation that not only revolutionised telecommunications but also birthed a new era in electronic music. Tracing the origins of synthetic speech and its applications in various fields, the book unveils the pivotal role it played in shaping the artistic vision of musicians and sound pioneers.
Thanks to Colin Steven at @velocitypress for the wonderful and challenging opportunity to ready this hefty manuscript for readers. Order your copy at velocitypress.uk, or via your local bookseller or record shop.
I had the immense pleasure of editing not one but two books being released today by @331.3books .
Written by the legendary @jane_savidge , THIS IS HARDCORE is a brilliant and frequently hilarious insider’s take on Pulp’s flawed but deeply consequential rumination on fame, aging, and pornography. A must-read for any fan of the band or Britpop at large.
Meanwhile, @bloodonthewax breaks down another misunderstood masterpiece—The Clash’s SANDINISTA!—with epic dedication. If you had written off this triple LP in the past, prepare to have your mind changed.
Congrats to you both for finally getting your books in the world!
Behold! I am tickled pink to share the cover art and pre-order link for my second book for the esteemed 33 1/3 series—SHOEGAZE—which is set to publish this October. I’ll have plenty more to say on this massive project in the coming months, but in the meantime I’ll simply share the back cover description below. (Pre-order link in bio.)
**********************
What the hell is shoegaze? A scene? A movement? A sound? Back in the Nineties, many would have said the so-called genre was entirely fabricated. The term itself, an offensive piss-take given by the notoriously catty and scene-obsessed British music press, was plainly rejected by the absurdly small collection of bands to which it supposedly applied.
Today shoegaze is undeniable. As a descriptor and as a source of influence, it is used in more ways and by more bands than anyone could have dreamed of thirty years ago. Between those periods of invention and ubiquity, the term, along with the bands it first described, all but disappeared off the face of the earth.
In this ambitious oral history of a genre that has eluded definition for three decades, Ryan Pinkard unearths the first wave of shoegaze, following the core bands, their sounds, their influence, and their journeys in and out of obscurity. What he discovers is the unlikely odyssey of this esoteric, experimental music form, which nearly became a mainstream entity, only to be viciously killed off, forgotten, and rediscovered by a new generation that regards it as one of the most influential alternative music events since the Velvet Underground.
Join us for the end of Sad Dads Book Club #3 read,
“Boxer”!
On Wednesday, February 28 at 9pm EST we are excited to welcome author Ryan Pinkard for a very special end of book Q&A as he dives into the fascinating work.
“When I first fell in love with The National, sitting 10 rows back from the stage at Red Rocks, I was 17 years old. Despite everyone in the band being twice my age, their music was as relatable as it was interesting and beautiful, speaking to emotions I was feeling then and ones I could anticipate feeling in the future.
Nearly 15 years later, Boxer is one of those rare albums that has continued to grow with me. After hundreds of spins I never tire of its charms. Knowing that a lot of people have that relationship with Boxer was one of my main justifications for proposing a book about it. What I couldn’t have expected was how an album that’s been with me for almost half my life, has never been more relatable.” - Ryan Pinkard
RSVP via the link in bio and stories; we’re super excited for this one! See you there Sad Dads!
.
.
#thenational #mattberninger #ryanpinkard #aarondessner #brycedessner #scottdevendorf #bryandevendorf
If you haven’t nabbed a copy of my book, or you’re looking for a spare, here’s your best opportunity to change that.
In honor of the Sad Dads Book Club, you can message me or the club for a special 20% off discount code for use in the Bloomsbury store: /us/nationals-boxer-9781501378027/
I’m tickled pink to share that my book, ‘Boxer’, has been selected for reading by the coolest book club in existence—the Sad Dads Book Club—where fans of The National read books referenced by (or in this case about) the band.
Join me and the most literate listeners in indie rock for a virtual Q&A discussion about the book, the album, the band, and who knows what else. Date and time TBA.
Back in 2022, Christian Klintholm and I shot a short film about a retired plumber named John, who has spent the past 48 years collecting trash and treasures that wash up on the obscure beaches of the Pacific Northwest.
At long last—after picking up a couple minor film fest awards—we are proud to finally share the finished product.
Narrated entirely by John himself, EXTREME BEACHCOMBING is a poetic and philosophical documentary featuring images, items, and stories from his one-of-a-kind Beachcombing Museum in Forks, Washington.
You can currently watch the full 16-minute cut on Vimeo. (Link in bio.) We sincerely hope you enjoy it.
I’m thrilled to finally get my hands on the physical copy of the excellent 33 1/3 book on Death Metal written by @tcoleswords , which I had the honor of editing. Whether you’re a metalhead or just curious about this fascinating and misunderstood genre, it’s a worthy read. 💀🤘
