My Bloody Valentine cannot be neatly tethered to a specific place, time, scene, or genre. The incarnation of the band responsible for three groundbreaking studio albums and several stunning EPs first convened in London in 1987, featuring Bilinda Butcher (guitar/vocals), Colm Ó Cíosóig (drums/sampler), Debbe Googe (bass), and Kevin Shields (guitars/vocals/sampler).

A band of the same name, also featuring Ó Cíosóig and Shields, originated in Dublin in 1983, subsequently leaving Ireland and eventually settling in the English capital after stints in Holland and Germany. Their intention was to change the band’s name to usher in a radically different musical direction and present a new line up, but they were discouraged to do so by their label at the time, Creation Records.

After a series of more typically indie releases, they pursued a far more singular approach to creating unconventional and innovative music, eschewing conventional techniques, clichés, and gimmicks, while soaking up inspiration from hip-hop artists like Public Enemy and Beastie Boys and the peerless production work of The Bomb Squad.