Turn My Head Into Sound
A history of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine by Andrew Perer
New from Jawbone: the first book-length study of one of the most acclaimed and influential bands and musicians of recent decades, published to coincide with My Bloody Valentine’s reunion shows this autumn. On sale October 17 (UK) / December 2 (USA).
Turn My Head Into Sound: A History Of Kevin Shields And My Bloody Valentine tells the story of one of the great sonic innovators of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
My Bloody Valentine have released only three albums in their forty-year career, but each of them has made a seismic impact. Isn’t Anything (1988) is often cited as an Ur-text of shoegaze and dream rock; Loveless (1991) is an undisputed masterpiece heralded by many as the greatest album of the 1990s; m b v (2013) is one of the best-loved comeback albums in recent memory.
For those who know Kevin Shields and his work already, he is an indie-rock icon, but by other measures he’s still a relatively obscure figure in the musical mainstream, and to date there has been no full-length appraisal of his work or his band’s career. Until now.
Turn My Head Into Sound is based on research gathered over decades as well as interviews with people who were there, some of them speaking on the record for the first time. Longtime fans of the band will find plenty of new information here, including the full story of the tumultuous period at Island Records following the release of Loveless.
Shields is truly a one-of-a-kind musician, and this book—which fills in the gaps, corrects errors, and takes an objective look at his and the band’s entire career, warts and all—paints the full picture of one of the most revolutionary sonic artists of our time, including his work outside of MBV as an engineer, producer, remixer, and auxiliary member of Primal Scream, as well as his contributions to the soundtracks to several films by Sofia Coppola.
Advance praise for this book
‘This book provides the most thorough accounting yet of My Bloody Valentine’s full, multi-decade history, even including those years where it seemed like they simply disappeared. Whether you’re a new listener or someone who was there early on, you’ll learn a lot!’ NED RAGGETT, author and journalist
‘Very interesting for anybody that is into the history of music and the process of making it. It goes beyond My Bloody Valentine.’ MARC MAROT, managing director, Island Records UK, 1990–99
About the author
Andrew Perer is a music critic and researcher based in Los Angeles, California. This is his first book. For more information, visit turnmyheadintosound.com
Turn My Head Into Sound by Andrew Perer
Published by Jawbone Press (www.jawbonepress.com)
264pp softcover / ISBN 9781916829145 / £16.95 UK / $24.95 US
