They're baaaaaaaaack....

[Ruairi]

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/46962-new-my-bloody-valentine-album-due-this-year

i'm fucking freaking the fuck out here, guys.

[A-Squared]

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/46962-new-my-bloody-valentine-album-due-this-year

i'm fucking freaking the fuck out here, guys.

It'll never happen! A few years ago, around the time of Lost In Translation, Kevin promised a new solo EP. Then a year later there was supposed to be a 2CD set featuring the remastered Creation EPs on one disc and the completed version of Glider on the second disc (apparently there were unfinished tracks from those sessions that he was going to finish). Neither of these things came to pass.

That said, I'd be glad if I had to eat my words this time out. But I'm not holding my breath for this.

[Lukas]

Really cool, but how old are these guys?

[tinobeat]

I'm thoroughly nonplussed by this news.

[Fiona]

Well I'm allowing myself to be excited by the possibility, so there!

[Elijah]

I can't believe that it's been 16 years since Loveless came out. Anyway, I'll put money on this thing actually getting released in 2011.

[Moon Pix]

Im trusting Kevin not to pull an Axl and keep delaying the thing forever and ever. Soon is a pretty safe bet if he says so.

[tinobeat]

Im trusting Kevin not to pull an Axl and keep delaying the thing forever and ever.

You mean like he's been doing for the past 16 years?

[Moon Pix]

You mean like he's been doing for the past 16 years?

Was he actually delaying it though? The story Ive always heard was that he ran up such a recording bill for it in the mid '90s that he was fired from the label he was on, leaving the project in limbo.

[tinobeat]

You were differentiating between the GnR delay and the MBV delay, as if Kevin Shields were somehow "more trustworthy" to put out a followup to the big album, when its pretty clear he's not. I don't care if he got fired or what, he created conditions under which the album became unreleasable. I don't think either artist is maliciously delaying things, but I think neither artist can be taken at face value when saying "no really, its almost here."

I don't really care, there are enough new bands and music to get excited about instead of worrying about nostalgia and impossible expectations.

[earl grey]

impossible expectations

yeah, i wonder if this might end up hurting the MBV image a bit in the end. they've got this almost impossibly high exalted status right now ... some ppl are almost inevitably going to be disappointed when this comes out, and the MBV mystique won't be the same. i'm excited to hear it, and i really hope they tour, but i just hope they deliver...

[Elijah]

If I can still enjoy Funhouse after hearing The Wierdness, I think it's safe to say that My Bloody Valentine's place in history is safe no matter how bad their long delayed follow-up sounds. If, in fact, it ever gets finished/released. Which I'm not holding my breath on.
.

[Ruairi]

I can understand people being skeptical, but this is the first time he's said that theres definitely an album coming out THIS YEAR, in the past he's always been, er, non-committal with regards to time (apart from that webchat where he said 'It's this year or bust for us' - that was in 1999, but he never specified what that EP might be, the content he's talking about in the Pitchfork article sounds like it's already completed). I mean,this will not be a follow-up to 'Loveless', it's a mixture of stuff that's been done in the 16 years since it came out, but the opportunity to hear ANY new My Bloody Valentine music is good enough for me.

Also, I assume everyone knows by now that they're playing dates next summer, Deb Goodge is rebuilding the MBV website etc, so a new record (of old stuff) doesn't seem that strange.

It's impossible to convey in type how nervously excited I am about seeing them live/hearing unheard material.

[tinobeat]

If I can still enjoy Funhouse after hearing The Wierdness, I think it's safe to say that My Bloody Valentine's place in history is safe no matter how bad their long delayed follow-up sounds. If, in fact, it ever gets finished/released. Which I'm not holding my breath on.
.


Oh definitely, I'm not worried about their legacy. I just don't believe him, really, nor am I particularly interested. THAT SAID, if it happens and is awesome, I'll be so happy to be proved wrong..

[Miss Tasty Princess]

I'm much more excited about the prospect of the Ozzy-era Black Sabbath doing a new album. The new song they played at OzzFest a few years ago would've fit nicely on Vol 4.

[Fiona]

Also, I assume everyone knows by now that they're playing dates next summer

It's impossible to convey in type how nervously excited I am about seeing them live/hearing unheard material.
Next June can't come fast enough!!! :D

[Moon Pix]

I have my ticket booked for the second London show.

Can't wait.:)

[Fiona]

I have my ticket booked for the second London show.

Can't wait.:)
We're going the following night. There's a massive contingent from Dublin traveling to all the shows. Despite the strong likelihood of a home-town gig, no-one's taking any chances!

[Moon Pix]

We're going the following night. There's a massive contingent from Dublin traveling to all the shows. Despite the strong likelihood of a home-town gig, no-one's taking any chances!

Same here Fiona. Im expecting there to be a Birmingham gig sometime along the line but likewise Im not taking any chances. I missed the Mary Chain cause I was expecting them to do a proper tour and they havent so I missed my chance to see 'em.:(

According to NME.com the first London show sold out in 10 minutes and within the hour all tickets for the original 3 shows were sold. This is why theyve had to add more shows.

Whats up with all these '80s reunions at the moment anyway (fingers crossed for a reformed Specials tour).:)

[Paul]

(fingers crossed for a reformed Specials tour).:) Eew, really?

[Moon Pix]

Eew, really?

Absolutely Paul, I take it your not a fan?

[Elijah]

The Specials released an album in 1996 (http://www.amazon.com/Todays-Specials/dp/B000000WBK/) sans Terry Hall and Jerry Dammers. It was not good.

[Fiona]

Same here Fiona. Im expecting there to be a Birmingham gig sometime along the line but likewise Im not taking any chances. I missed the Mary Chain cause I was expecting them to do a proper tour and they havent so I missed my chance to see 'em.:(

According to NME.com the first London show sold out in 10 minutes and within the hour all tickets for the original 3 shows were sold. This is why theyve had to add more shows.
Moon Pix you muppet, I meant hometown gig for the band! :D

Tickets for the three original dates were available up to yesterday. It seems they were released on a staggered basis which is a bit of a pisser for people I know who bought tickets for Glasgow because they couldn't get London tickets, only for more to be made available later in the day.

[Fiona]

Saturday's and Sunday's shows were both great. Definitely recommend nyc-based fans go to the Roseland shows in September.

[Moon Pix]

Saturday show was truly amazing. Really loud. I was standing somewhere in the middle of the lower level and it was louder than any gig Ive ever been to and my typical thing is to make a dash for the barrier and just stay there. The songs from Isn't Anything are particuarly amazing live, really garagey.:)

[Fiona]

It didn't sound garagey in the least where we were standing on Saturday, but I do think it was a case of it sounding distinctly different depending on your location. The guitars sounded more squally (that's a positive!) and the vocals less distinct on Saturday, and we were standing around two-thirds of the way back. On Sunday we were at the front and the vocals were very clear, and the sound more rhythm driven. Sunday's 20-minute noise-interlude during "You Made Me Realise" was far, far better than Saturday's, much more dynamic and experimental in comparison to the more primal outbursts the previous night. We had made an advance decision to move to the back once the noise began!

The songs from Loveless were miles ahead of Isn't Anything as far as I'm concerned, also was thrilled to bits that the songs which would be lower in my order of adoration vied for favourite positions on the night. Loved the visuals too, the excerpts from Suspiria worked especially well.

Without a doubt the loudest experiences of my gig-going life, it would have been insanity to not use earplugs. Actually they were the first gigs I've been to at which earplugs were handed out and warnings issued to go without at one's own peril. Astonishing how many people did not use them.

Anyway, so, so much better than I dared to hope.

edit - like, best Irish band EVER. U2 can fuck off.

[Fiona]

People what didn't have earplugs, as photographed on Friday:

[Moon Pix]

Without a doubt the loudest experiences of my gig-going life, it would have been insanity to not use earplugs.

At some point during the second song I took mine out. Yes it was very loud and I currently have the tinnitus to prove it. Fortunately though I was standing a fair few rows back so it wasnt too bad. If I had started feeling any pain in my ears the plugs would have gone straight back in. Down the front you wouldnt have stood a chance though without ear plugs.

I had to stick my fingers in my ears though at times during the noise break in "You Made Me Realise." It was just the fact that it was so loud and noisy it was really difficult to listen to. Listening to that recording on youtube you can't possibly get any idea of just how extreme it was. Id love to know just how loud it was.

[larry]

while I've seen some pretty loud shows back in the day, and I love mbv, I'm not convinced there'd be much value in seeing something this loud. I don't like to have to wear earplugs, although I'm told there are some ritzier ones that don't totally muffle...still...

[Fiona]

At some point during the second song I took mine out. Yes it was very loud and I currently have the tinnitus to prove it. Fortunately though I was standing a fair few rows back so it wasnt too bad. If I had started feeling any pain in my ears the plugs would have gone straight back in. Down the front you wouldnt have stood a chance though without ear plugs.
Any ringing in your ears is a sign of damage. Pain level is not the yardstick you should be using! If you are still experiencing it two days later that's really not good. Nothing's worth jeopardising your hearing over. Why on earth would you take them out at all?
It was just the fact that it was so loud and noisy it was really difficult to listen to.Well then again, why on earth would you take your earplugs out? :rolleyes: It was fairly easy to listen to and appreciate with my earplugs in.

[Moon Pix]

Well then again, why on earth would you take your earplugs out? :rolleyes: It was fairly easy to listen to and appreciate with my earplugs in.

To be honest if I ever see them again I will definitely wear the ear plugs all the way through. I guess I just wanted to experience the full on-ness of MBV live at least once because I never got to see them back in the day.

I do have a very mild case of tinnitus on a permanent basis, the kind of thing thats slightly audible when Im asleep but any other time is masked by enviromental noises. The gig has made it louder but Im pretty sure it will return to normal in a few days time. The worst case of this sort of thing was the one time I was front row at a Fall gig around the time of Fall Heads Roll and I had a really loud piercing tinnitus for about 5 days afterwards. It was far worse than what Im hearing now.

As I say if I ever see them again Ill definitely wear my earplugs all the way through. Those volumes are pretty obscene. Id love to know from someone who saw them back in the day and still has their hearing wether it compared in terms of volume.

[Fiona]

while I've seen some pretty loud shows back in the day, and I love mbv, I'm not convinced there'd be much value in seeing something this loud. I don't like to have to wear earplugs, although I'm told there are some ritzier ones that don't totally muffle...still...
The venue was handing out earplugs for free - there was no excuse on the night. I left mine at the house by accident on Sat and used the freebies. They were ok but I had a bit of ringing when I went to sleep and I was near the back; still it had subsided by morning. The regular kind I use were perfect up front on Sun and I had no ill-effects. Going back to the root of it though, the band might like playing loud but there's no way on earth that was within safe levels - otherwise why hand out earplugs? Kevin Shields had easily 10 amps. There were plexiglass barriers between his area of the stage and Debbie & Colm's, presumably because the amps would have interfered with their monitors. Bilinda had a similar device. Believe you me, I appreciate the sensation of listening to music at loud volumes, but when there's a responsibility for the health of a few thousand people it's only right to put personal preferences aside.

[Fiona]

I do have a very mild case of tinnitus on a permanent basis, the kind of thing thats slightly audible when Im asleep but any other time is masked by enviromental noises. The gig has made it louder but Im pretty sure it will return to normal in a few days time.
Yeah, I hope it does but the thing is one day it won't return to normal. You're making it progressively worse. There's no cure, treatment is insanely expensive and does not have high success rates amongst patients (two of my friends are audiologists!). It's all about prevention, not cure Moon Pix.

[Moon Pix]

Kevin Shields had easily 10 amps. There were plexiglass barriers between his area of the stage and Debbie & Colm's, presumably because the amps would have interfered with their monitors.

Really? I didnt know that. From where I was standing I could see the 3 stacks behind him and I know that Belinda had the same. What else did he have for amplification?