[photo courtesy of High Road Touring]

By Paul Nern, Contributor

My Bloody Valentine announced Wednesday their signing to Domino Records and the recording of two new albums for 2021 via The New York Times. The shoegaze pioneers also released their full catalogue for streaming services and a reissue series for their previous records on vinyl.  

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“Our original plan was we would record both albums back-to-back and then go tour on that,” Kevin Shields, guitarist and one of the founding members of My Bloody Valentine, said to The New York Times. 

2020 of course was not good to anyone, so the project was forced back to 2021.  

Shields felt compelled to make the music of MBV available to stream after hearing complaints from his nieces and nephews, who were trying to show his music to their friends. “Yeah, I guess my perception of the world isn’t the world,” Shields said to The New York Times. 

Fans of the band are bound to rejoice, as My Bloody Valentine’s music is now more accessible than ever.

Often credited as the group to propel shoegaze to the front of alternative music with the fuzzy and nostalgic-sounding Loveless, My Bloody Valentine have always gone against the mold. Their fuzzy, distorted, psychedelic sound set them apart from the typical alternative acts of the time.

After Loveless, the band disappeared for 20 years until 2013’s release of m b v.  Similarly against the mold, in 2001, Shields let Island Records sue him rather than release music he didn’t like. My Bloody Valentine has continued that pattern of behavior as they join the streaming world a little later than most.  

My Bloody Valentine was founded by Shields and drummer Colm O’Ciosoig in the early 1980s. Originally a dirty, moody, guitar-driven band, their sound evolved with the later arrival of vocalist and guitarist Bilinda Butcher and bassist Debbie Googe. Together, they blended their sound and influences to create the sound we know and love today. All four are still current members of the band, promising fans with what is sure to be an interesting double release later this year. Check out My Bloody Valentine’s music here.