A man performing live on-stage with an acoustic guitar.
Kevin Shields performing with My Bloody Valentine in 1989

Kevin Shields is an Irish musician, singer-songwriter, composer, and producer who has released one collaborative album and scored the film Lost in Translation, in addition to a prolific career as a producer and mixer. He began performing in the late 1970s and formed the Dublin-based punk rock band The Complex with drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig and guitarist Liam Ó Maonlaí. Following Ó Maonlaí's departure, Shields and Ó Cíosóig recruited vocalist David Conway[1] and formed a new band, My Bloody Valentine, in 1983.[2]

After a number of minor mini-album/EPs and singles, the band released their first two full-length studio albums, Isn't Anything (1988) and Loveless (1991)—both of which pioneered an alternative rock subgenre known as shoegazing.[3] During this time, Shields created a guitar technique known as "glide guitar", which includes extensive use of the tremolo arm while strumming[4] and features reverse reverb sourced from his Yamaha SPX90 processing unit.[5]

Following My Bloody Valentine's disbandment in 1997, Shields began a career as a producer and mixer, with a number of artists, including Yo La Tengo, Dinosaur Jr., The Go! Team, The Pastels, Le Volume Courbe and Spacemen 3.[6][7] He contributed guitar and also co-producing to two Primal Scream albums, XTRMNTR (2000) and Evil Heat (2002), and became a touring member of the band between 1996 and 2006. During this time, Shields composed music for the Canadian contemporary dance group La La La Human Steps and recorded four songs for Sofia Coppola's 2003 film Lost in Translation—which earned him nominations for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for Best Film Music,[8] an Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) award for Best Music in a Film,[9] and an Online Film Critics Society award for Best Original Score.[10] In 2008, Shields released The Coral Sea, a collaborative live album with Patti Smith, on which he provided musical accompaniment to Smith's reading of her book of the same name.

Albums

With Patti Smith

Title Album details
The Coral Sea
  • Released: 7 July 2008[11]
  • Label: PASK (001)
  • Formats: 2×CD, DD

Singles

Year Single Album Ref
2003 "City Girl" Lost in Translation: Original Soundtrack [12]
2017 "Only Once Away My Son" with Brian Eno N/A [13]
2018 "The Weight of History" with Brian Eno N/A

Contributions

List of solo contributions to compilations and soundtracks
Year Song(s) Album Ref
2001 "Outro" Geographic Compilation [14]
2003 "City Girl"
"Goodbye"
"Ikebana"
"Are You Awake?" 		Lost in Translation: Original Soundtrack [15]

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances
Year Album Artist Ref
1996 Strange Familiar Russell Mills & Undark [16]
Beyond the Pale Experimental Audio Research [17]
1997 The Köner Experiment [18]
Hand It Over Dinosaur Jr. [19]
1999 Subliminal Minded DJ Spooky [20]
Afterglow Dot Allison [21]
2000 XTRMNTR Primal Scream [22]
More Light J Mascis + The Fog [23]
2001 Gift Curve [24]
Ear-Bleeding Country: The Best of Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. [25]
Know Your Enemy Manic Street Preachers [26]
2002 Evil Heat Primal Scream [27]
2003 Live in Japan [28]
2006 I Killed My Best Friend Le Volume Courbe [29]
2008 The Hollow of Morning Gemma Hayes [30]
2010 Wake Up the Nation Paul Weller [31]
2013 More Light Primal Scream [32]
2014 Auto Music Brian Reitzell [33]

Production

Producing

List of producing work
Year Album Artist Ref
1991 "How Do You Do It?" The Impossibles [34]
1995 Appeal to Human Greed God [35]
1997 Hand It Over Dinosaur Jr. [19]
1998 Kicking a Dead Pig Mogwai [36]
1999 Afterglow Dot Allison [21]
2000 More Light J Mascis + The Fog [23]
2001 Ear-Bleeding Country: The Best of Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. [25]
2002 Evil Heat Primal Scream [27]
2003 The John Peel Sessions J Mascis [37]
2004 American Whip Joy Zipper [38]
2005 Blackrays Defence The Beat Up [39]

Mixing

List of mixing work
Year Album Artist Ref
1997 Unfair Kind of Fame The Pastels [40]
Autumn Sweater Yo La Tengo [41]
1998 "No Flies on Frank" Damian O'Neill [42]
Kicking a Dead Pig Mogwai [36]
Illuminati The Pastels [43]
1999 Only The Strongest Will Survive Hurricane #1 [44]
2000 XTRMNTR Primal Scream [22]
"Accelerator" [45]
2003 Live in Japan [28]
The John Peel Sessions J Mascis [37]
2004 Thunder, Lightning, Strike The Go! Team [46]
American Whip Joy Zipper [38]
2005 Blackrays Defence The Beat Up [39]
"Ladyflash" The Go! Team [47]
2006 Marie Antoinette Bow Wow Wow [48]
2010 All Rise Wounded Knees [49]
2023 House of Cards Eyedress [50]

Remixes

List of remixes
Year Song Artist
1996 "Londinium (Kevin Shields Mix)" Archive
1997 "Autumn Sweater (Kevin Shields Mix)" Yo La Tengo
"Cycle (My Bloody Valentine Remix)" The Pastels
1998 "Magic Nights (My Bloody Valentine Remix)" The Pastels
"Mogwai Fear Satan (My Bloody Valentine Remix)" Mogwai
"Coming Up Roses (Kevin Shields Mix)" Curve
"If They Move Kill 'Em (My Bloody Valentine Arkestra)" Primal Scream
"La Piscine (My Bloody Valentine Mix)" The Little Rabbits
1999 "Rising Sign (My Bloody Valentine Mix)" Hurricane #1
"Sweetness And Light (The Orange Squash Mix)" Lush
2000 "Take Me Through This Life (Remixed By Kevin Shields)" The Frank and Walters
2001 "Pure Morning (M B V Remix)" Placebo
2004 "Sinc (Kevin Shields Mix)" Mercedes
2005 "Thunder, Lightning, Strike - Kevin Shields Mix" The Go! Team
"Huddle Flash (Kevin Shields Vs. The Go! Team)" The Go! Team
2006 "I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)" Bow Wow Wow
"Fools Rush In (Kevin Shields Remix)" Bow Wow Wow
2010 "Living Room (Kevin Shields Remix)" David Holmes Featuring Carl Hancock Rux
2016 "Get Over You (Kevin Shields 2016 Remix)" The Undertones
2023 "House Of Cards (Kevin Shields Rainbow Belts Remix)" Eyedress

See also

References

  1. ^ McGonial 2007, p. 22.
  2. ^ McGonial 2007, p. 21.
  3. ^ "Shoegaze: Significant Albums, Artists and Songs, Most Viewed". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  4. ^ Di Perna 1992, p. 26.
  5. ^ Di Perna 1992, p. 152.
  6. ^ "Kevin Shields—Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  7. ^ Breihan, Tom (9 August 2010). "Video: Spacemen 3 Reunited Without Jason Pierce, With Kevin Shields | News". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Film | Anthony Asquith Award for Original Film Music in 2004". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  9. ^ "Winners 2004 | IFTA". Irish Film and Television Awards. Irish Film and Television Academy. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  10. ^ "2003 Awards (7th Annual)". Online Film Critics Society. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  11. ^ "The Coral Sea: Music". Amazon. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  12. ^ "City Girl" (CD). Kevin Shields. Inertia. 2003. LITEP 450612.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Hogan, Marc (25 October 2017). "Tracks: "Only Once Away My Son", Brian Eno / Kevin Shields". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Geographic Compilation—Various Artists". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  15. ^ "Lost in Translation—Original Soundtrack—Various Artists". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  16. ^ "Strange Familiar—Russell Mills & Undark: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  17. ^ "Beyond the Pale—Experimental Audio Research: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  18. ^ "The Köner Experiment—Experimental Audio Research: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  19. ^ a b "Hand It Over—Dinosaur Jr.: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  20. ^ "Subliminal Minded—DJ Spooky: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Afterglow—Dot Allison: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  22. ^ a b "XTRMNTR—Primal Scream: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  23. ^ a b "More Light—J Mascis: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  24. ^ "Gift—Curve: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  25. ^ a b "Ear-Bleeding Country: The Best of Dinosaur Jr.—Dinosaur Jr.: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  26. ^ Neate, Wilson (24 April 2001). "Manic Street Preachers: Know Your Enemy". PopMatters. PopMatters Media. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  27. ^ a b "Evil Heat—Primal Scream: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  28. ^ a b "Live in Japan—Primal Scream: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  29. ^ "I Killed My Best Friend—Le Volume Courbe: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  30. ^ "The Hollow of Morning—Gemma Hayes: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  31. ^ "Wake Up the Nation—Paul Weller: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  32. ^ McGovern, Kyle (23 April 2013). "Primal Scream's Kevin Shields-Assisted More Light LP Comes to America in June | Newswire". Spin. Buzz Media. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  33. ^ Minsker, Evan (20 March 2014). "Film Composer Brian Reitzell Teams With My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields on "Last Summer": Listen | News". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  34. ^ "How Do You Do It?" (12"). The Impossibles. Fontana Records. 1991. POSS 122.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  35. ^ "Appeal to Human Greed—God: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  36. ^ a b "Kicking a Dead Pig: Mogwai Songs Remixed + Fear Satan Remixes—Mogwai: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  37. ^ a b "The John Peel Sessions—J Mascis: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  38. ^ a b "American Whip—Joy Zipper: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  39. ^ a b Blackrays Defence (CD). The Beat Up. Fantastic Plastic Records. 2005. FPCD008.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ^ "Unfair Kind of Fame—The Pastels: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  41. ^ "Autumn Sweater—Yo La Tengo: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  42. ^ "No Flies on Frank" (12"). O'Neill. Artefact. 1998. ART 16.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  43. ^ "Illuminati—The Pastels: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  44. ^ Only the Strongest Will Survive (CD). Hurricane #1. Creation Records. 1999. CRECD 237.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  45. ^ "Accelerator—Primal Scream: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  46. ^ Thunder, Lightning, Strike (CD). The Go! Team. Vroom Sound Records. 2004. VMSD-011.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  47. ^ "Ladyflash" (7"). The Go! Team. Memphis Industries. 2005. MI054S.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  48. ^ "Marie Antoinette—Original Soundtrack—Various Artists: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  49. ^ All Rise (LP). Wounded Knees. Specific Recordings. 2010. SR0002.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  50. ^ "House of Cards Kevin Shields Rainbow Belts Remix - Single by Eyedress". Retrieved January 23, 2023 – via Apple Music.

Bibliography

External links

My Bloody Valentine
Categories