Turn My Head Into Sound: A History of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine

Andrew Perer

Book cover for Turn My Head Into Sound: A History of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine
Image for variant 9781916829145
Book cover for Turn My Head Into Sound: A History of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine
Image for variant 9781916829145

Turn My Head Into Sound: A History of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine

Turn My Head Into Sound: A History of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine

Andrew Perer

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Description

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 several films by Sofia Coppola.


About the Author

Andrew Perer is a music critic and researcher based in Los Angeles, California. This is his first book. For more information, plus a gallery of images to accompany the book, visit his website, turnmyheadintosound.com

Critical Reviews

"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 had been there early on, you'll learn a lot!"--Ned Raggett (The Quietus, Bandcamp, Pitchfork)


"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)


"Neither fan service nor primer, Turn My Head Into Sound commendably strikes the perfect balance. The result is a rare thing indeed: a rock biography worth reading."--J. Jackson Toth, Aquarium Drunkard


"Offers illuminating insights [and] brings a singularly hazy brand of music into HD focus."--Johnny Sharp, Classic Rock


"A devotional account of the life and work of Shields ... the detail is intense."--Chris Roberts, Record Collector


"A comprehensive and essential read for anyone interested in the band."--Killian Lahr, No More Workhorse


"One of the most fascinating stories that I've read."--Eric Senich, Booked on Rock


"A very, very good book."--Gary Foster, Unchained


Publishing Information

Publisher: Jawbone Press
Pub date: 2025-12-16
Length: 264 pages

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