From industry pariahs to shoegaze icons: the improbable survival of Slowdive
In short: Formed in 1989, Slowdive endured a brutal critical backlash that once saw a rival musician claim to hate them more than Hitler. After being dropped by their label in 1995, the band vanished, only to return decades later as celebrated pioneers of a sound they were once mocked for creating.
Slowdive emerged from Reading in 1989, founded by childhood friends Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell. Their early EPs initially garnered critical praise, but the band’s fortunes shifted dramatically with the 1991 release of their debut album, Just for a Day. As the British music press pivoted toward the burgeoning Britpop and grunge movements, Slowdive became a target for derision. Critics labeled their ethereal, guitar-heavy sound as dreary and unfulfilling, with one writer famously declaring he would rather drown in a bath of porridge than listen to their second album, Souvlaki.
The hostility was pervasive. The band, mostly teenagers at the time, faced intense pressure from labels and journalists alike. Their US label, SBK Records, bungled marketing efforts—including a controversial incident where a statue commemorating the end of slavery was stenciled with the band's name—and eventually pulled funding mid-tour. By 1995, following the release of their third album, Pygmalion, the group was dropped by Creation Records and effectively disbanded. Members moved on to various projects, including the folk-influenced Mojave 3 and solo endeavors, leaving the Slowdive name in the shadows for nearly two decades.
The narrative shifted in 2014 when the band reunited for the Primavera Sound festival. To their surprise, they found themselves playing to larger, more appreciative crowds than during their initial run. This resurgence was fueled by a newfound appreciation for shoegaze among younger generations. Their 2023 album, Everything Is Alive, marked a milestone as their first top ten record in countries including the United Kingdom and Germany. Today, Slowdive is recognized not as a failed relic of the 1990s, but as a foundational influence on modern dream pop and ambient music.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Slowdive
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