Often imitated but never duplicated, MY BLOODY VALENTINE remain of the most influential bands of all time. They produced sounds with guitars that were almost imposible to identify like some kind of heavenly miasma of melodic noise that flowed in waves rather than notes. That mixed with excessive volume was enought to almost induce a very pleasing kind-of motion-sickness, especially live. I remember seeing them at the Roxy in LA once and it was about as loud as a Jet blasting down the runway of an aircraft carrier. Some of the wives of WB execs literally ran screaming from the building like their hair was on fire. Made for a great night for me, but maybe not so much for them, I'm guessing. Their somnambulant haze of reverb/delay/tremolo guitar strum over vocal harmonies fairly low in the mix only added to the angelic cacophany. It was up to the rhythm section to keep the framework of the songs intact. The result was intoxicating. M.B.V. originally formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1984 and had recored and released a series of EP's on various indie labels between '85 - '87. If you own any of those original pressings, CALL ME! I'm guessing you know the rest of the story and probably own both their albums: ISN'T ANYTHING (1988) & LOVELESS (1991 - over two years and half a million in the making) on Creation in the UK and SIRE in the US. Plenty of drama, laziness, psychosis, budget-busting, never-ending recording sessions lead to their departure from Creation and nearly caused a coronary for label-head Alan McGhee (Thx to Oasis he made his cabbage back and then some). In a classic case of Hey Hey, My My, they eventually burned and faded when they singed to Island in '92 and failed to deliver. Kevin Shields has surfaced here & there in recent years, touring with Primal Scream, working with Patti Smith (check out The Coral Sea - to be released next month), appearing on the "Lost In Translation" soundtrack, etc. Julie Muncy & I bumped into his sister in a bar (ouch) last fall in NYC and she claimed they were back together with plans to record. It was almost to good to be true...and it is because they have and they will. Both albums have been remasterd and will receive the deluxe version treatment this June and better still, see them at the Santa Monic Civic on Oct 1 & 2. That should help you sleep tight.