{"id":630965,"date":"2026-06-10T10:32:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T10:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/630965\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T10:32:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T10:32:11","slug":"still-in-a-dream-984-1994","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/630965\/","title":{"rendered":"Still In a Dream: 984-1994"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Still<\/a>Still in a dream: shoegaze, slackers and the reinvention of rock, 1984-1994<\/p>\n

Published: White Rabbit<\/a><\/p>\n

Release date: 18th June 2026<\/p>\n

Still in a dream primarily spans the period at the start of renowned music critic Simon Reynolds\u2019 career, writing reviews, feature interviews and front cover stories for the weekly \u2018inkie\u2019 music paper Melody Maker on all the glorious bands that defined the era and the man, 1984-1994, according to Reynolds \u201c\u2026the most exciting period of my life\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n

C86, dream pop, daydream daze, Reynolds own buzzword (ROBW), shoegaze, slackers, revisionaries (ROBW), a thought-tingling definition of indie that I\u2019ll be quoting till kingdom come, rockers doing it differently, and a conversation starter \u2013 if we must \u2013 on Post-Rock v Britpop under the apt title Battle of the Britains. Fourteen chapters, over 450 pages, with a magnificently crafted introduction that sets the scene for the book. For some, a lucky 50-page fanzine (available at select record stores). Lo-fi small caps for the book title, and a cover that looks like a 4AD album cover. Reynolds knows his audience: musicians, other writers, and floppy-fringed boys engaged in the current culture who self-identified; Simon, a more handsome, clever, confident and capable version of themselves in brand-black denim jeans.<\/p>\n

Questions: Perhaps generational identity is a self-fulfilling fallacy, encouraged by the language of media and literature. Hypotheses: \u201cAs an operation, Mercury Rev demonstrated the fecklessness of the born-to-be-slack\u201d. Opinions: \u201c\u2026PJ Harvey\u2019s Rid of Me\u00a0was In Utero made by someone with an actual uterus.\u201d<\/p>\n

We know and appreciate the Simon Reynolds authority and formula but, still in a dream, is worth more than the value of considered critical conversation, with original ideas and theories from alternative fields of study, often named, sometimes forgotten since they\u2019re so deeply embedded, for example \u2018\u2026what you want is something the same but different,\u2019 in reference to hard-wired music fans, (Adorno and Horkheimer, 1944, The\u00a0Culture Industry: Enlightenment\u00a0as Mass Deception\u2019 from\u00a0Dialectic of Enlightenment.)<\/p>\n

Unlike his academic peers \u2013Simon Frith, John Fiske and Robert Walser \u2013 Reynolds is more contemporary and has a different creative narrative; the music is his muse. He wants to have a conversation about music, and more importantly, in this book, share what the musicians and artists have to say for themselves, exploring the creative process: how the Cocteau Twins\u2019 guitar sound evolved; the creative and experimental drive behind A. R. Kane, heartfelt (a Melody Maker front cover for Reynolds).<\/p>\n

The blurb for the UK tour (listed below) quotes Reynolds on still in a dream, \u2018a love letter to my youth\u2019.\u00a0 Simon was on an adventure, like the bands. It was about the sounds they could make, the swell, the spaces\u2026 Post-punk, no one talked of their musical influences from the legacy \u2013 inspiration came from inner voices, or experimental attempts to apply dreamscapes, or reinterpret myth, film, poems (no surprise Polly Harvey and Nick Cave dated for a while). Reynolds threw himself into each piece.<\/p>\n

His internal drive to create by his own volition shines through here, described as the follow-on from his acclaimed book Rip It Up and Start Again, the internet insists, a spiritual sequel.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything about this My Bloody Valentine gig suggests extreme heat,\u201d says Simon \u2013 in the present tense \u2013 at a London ULU gig, followed by a lyrical description of the \u2018blast furnace\u2019 of sound and its four elements.<\/p>\n

Still in a dream is not so much a memoir or biography, unravelling the person, but a grand hat tip and bow to the bands and their music; shared experiences with his readership and lifetime partner, Joy Press, a respected cultural critic, editor and author, and sometimes co-writer. Trinkets of that romance are told in an almost \u2018I married her, dear reader,\u2019 awkward tone, one that reflects the humble and shy person, the same one who boarded a plane for the first time to interview the Throwing Muses.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Throwing Muses did not transform rock, they did change my life.\u201d (I Bleed)<\/p>\n

The fresh perspective on Nirvana in The Television Will Not Be Revolutionised, by comparison, Grunge v the Mass Media is a critical strength. Here, the journalist is at play: \u201cRock that popped: Pop that rocked\u201d, parody descended into pastiche since Retromania for Reynolds. Critical comparisons to popular TV and films of the era are prominent, including an in-depth discussion on Richard Linklater\u2019s Slacker and Dazed & Confused. There\u2019s an analysis of music videos linked to MTV (it made grunge but was also the enemy, Reynolds reminds us). That said, the critique is not precision surgery like feminist musicologist Sheila Whitely, or a working methodology like popular culture theorist Roy Shuker. It\u2019s personal. There\u2019s a story. Perhaps this is what makes still in a dream stand out from his back catalogue.<\/p>\n

You want personal?\u00a0 Go straight to Chapter Three, Haylcon Days: Talulah Gosh \u2013 Pastels \u2013 James \u2013 C86 \u2013 Sarah Records \u2013 Beat Happening + K Records or How Swoon is Now, Intermission, and Afterward\/Afterwards, a humorous true tale.<\/p>\n

The blurb for the UK tour (listed below) quotes Reynolds on still in a dream,\u00a0 \u2018a love letter to my youth\u2019.\u00a0 Definitely, but there\u2019s also some readjustment from the elder Reynolds; apparently, Cocteau Twins Liz Phair was sceptical of his theory of \u2018otherness\u2019 (Chapter 1, The Ethereal World).<\/p>\n

In the end, still in a dream will be personal for some readers too: triggering stops and starts as you retrieve vinyl, CDs and other memorabilia to revisit with fresh interest. \u00a0But if you cannot find your Pastels badge. Stay calm.<\/p>\n

UK Tour <\/p>\n

Monday 15 \u2013 London \u2013 Rough Trade East\u00a0Location: Old Truman Brewery 91, Brick Lane, London E1 6QL Time: 8 pm. Conversation with\u00a0Miki Berenyi\u00a0(Lush\/author Fingers Crossed) followed by audience Q+A and book signing. Get\u00a0tickets<\/a>\u00a0here<\/p>\n

Tuesday 16 \u2013 Bath \u2013 Roseberry Road Studios\u00a0Location: 25 \u2013 28 Roseberry Road, Bath, Somerset, BA2 3DX Time: evening, details TBC Conversation with\u00a0Jonathan Wright (journalist and Groovy Times co-founder)\u00a0Followed by audience Q+A, book signing and a DJ set from\u00a0Dave Howell \u2013 <\/a>Get tickets here<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday 17 \u2013 Bristol \u2013\u00a0\u00a0Strange Brew Location: Strange Brew, 10-12 Fairfax St, Bristol BS1 3D Time: evening, details TBC Conversation with Darran McLaughlin\u00a0(Strange Brew) Followed by audience Q+A and book signing (books courtesy\u00a0Bookhaus). Get tickets<\/a>\u00a0here<\/p>\n

Thursday 18 \u2013 London\u00a0 \u2013 IMCP The Long Play Sessions, Location: The Venue, ICMP (Queens Park Campus), NW6 6PA Time: 7 pm Conversation with\u00a0Rudy Tambala\u00a0(A.R. Kane) Followed by audience Q+A and book signing Get tickets here<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday 19 \u2013 Leeds \u2013 Waterstones\u00a0 Location: 93-97 Albion St, Leeds LS1 5AP Time: evening, details TBC In conversation with\u00a0David Hesmondhalgh (Leeds University\/author of Why Music Matters) Followed by audience Q+A and book signing. Get tickets here<\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday 20 \u2013 Brighton \u2013 Resident Location: 27 \u2013 28 Kensington Gardens, North Laine, Brighton, BN1 4AL Time: evening, TBC Conversation with Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins \/ Bella Union)\u00a0Followed by audience Q+A and book signing \u2013\u00a0Get tickets here<\/a><\/p>\n

~<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Words by Ngaire Ruth<\/p>\n

A Plea From Louder Than War<\/p>\n

Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.<\/p>\n

To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help. <\/p>\n

John Robb \u2013 Editor in Chief<\/p>\n

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO LTW<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Still in a dream: shoegaze, slackers and the reinvention of rock, 1984-1994 Published: White Rabbit Release date: 18th…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":630966,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[96,128,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-630965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=630965"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630965\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/630966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=630965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=630965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=630965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}