How the shoegaze pioneers Ride imploded, vanished, and eventually found their way back home
In short: Formed in Oxford in 1988, Ride became defining architects of the shoegaze sound. Yet, internal friction and a disastrous final album led to a sudden dissolution in 1996. Decades later, the band defied expectations by reuniting, proving that even the most fractured creative partnerships can eventually find a new rhythm.
Ride emerged from the Oxford music scene in 1988, founded by Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence Colbert, and Steve Queralt. Their early work, particularly the albums Nowhere (1990) and Going Blank Again (1992), established them as shoegaze icons. The band initially thrived on a collaborative, jam-based songwriting process, but the pressure of constant touring and shifting musical tastes began to erode their cohesion. By the time they recorded their third album, Carnival of Light (1994), the group had moved toward a more traditional rock sound, and the songwriting process had become polarized, with Bell and Gardener refusing to intersperse their tracks.
The tension reached a breaking point during the 1995 sessions for their fourth album, Tarantula. Creative differences regarding the inclusion of dance music influences and personal conflicts led to Gardener walking out during mixing. The album was released in March 1996 to harsh criticism and was withdrawn from sale after only one week. The band officially split, with members pursuing various solo projects and collaborations, including Bell’s stint as the bassist for Oasis starting in 1999.
Despite long-standing denials that they would ever reform, the band members maintained contact and eventually reunited in 2014 for a series of international tour dates. This return to the stage reignited their creative spark, leading to a string of new studio albums: Weather Diaries in 2017, This Is Not a Safe Place in 2019, and Interplay in 2024. Today, the band continues to celebrate their legacy, performing their classic records in full while maintaining a modern output that suggests the internal fractures of the 1990s have finally healed.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Ride (band)
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