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My Bloody Valentine

From: Dublin

Active: 1983-

Style: Indie

Lineup:

Bio:

Nowadays one of the most famous indie bands of the 80s & 90s. One day I'll dig out all those Melody Maker gush pieces and reproduce them here.

By the time of their commercial and critical success, only Kevin Shields (guitar) and Colm O'Ciosoig (drums) remained from the original lineup. Bassist Mark Ross left in December 1983. Paul Murtagh (of The Low / The Real Wild West) filled in on bass as a guest for a couple of gigs. Stephen Ivers (ex Atonomy) was a member during 1983-84. He left to join The Vampyres, a band that never got beyond the rehearsal stage, which also included future Gorehound Alan Byrne. He did some recording with Stano in 1985 (unreleased).


Stephen Ivers (left, Black Yamaha SG 3000) and Kevin Shields (right, SG 2000) at the North Star Hotel, Store Street Dublin, May/June 1983. The 4-track used to record the first is visible. This was used for backdrop live, with synth effects. [photo courtesy Stephen Ivers]

MBV took the unusual step of relocating to Berlin in 1984 rather than taking the well-worn path to London. By this time they were a trio of Conway, Shields & O'Ciosoig. Their first mini-LP "This Is Your Bloody Valentine" was released on the German Tycoon label in January 1985 with Tina credited with keyboards. This was later reissued by Dossier Records in 1990. The band moved to the London in 1985 where Debbie Googe joined on bass. They signed to Fever Records and then moved to Lazy Records. Bilinda Butcher joined as second guitarist. Finally the band found its home on Creation Records, signing in 1988 and releasing a series of outstanding EPs.

Photos and live tapes from the early Dublin lineups exist. There is also a video shot at St.Mary's Lane Rehersals, which should be sitting in Aidan Walsh's vault somewhere.

For the rest of the MBV story, see the following sites:
http://www.mybloodyvalentine.com
http://www.irishmusiccentral.com/mbv/index.html




 
MBV's Stephen Ivers, (left) at the TV Club late 1983 and (right) at the Baggot, early 1984
[photos courtesy Stephen Ivers]




• First Demo March 1984
Recorded on a portable 4-track in Kevin Shield's parents front room in Killiney.
Bass (played by Shields) and drums were added later at Litton Lane Studios, Dublin.
Lineup: Conway/Ivers/Shields/O'Ciosoig.


• This Is Your Bloody Valentine
mini-LP - Tycoon Records - ST7501 - Germany - January 1985
mini-LP - Dossier / Tycoon Records - DLP7501 / ST7501 - Germany - 1990
CD - Dossier Records - DCD7501 - Germany - 1990

Notes: Recorded in Berlin at SCS 8 track studios in December 1984. All songs written and arranged by Kevin Shields, Dave Conway and Colm Cusack. Kevin Shields aslo played bass. A fourth member Tina is credited with keyboards and her photograph appears on the back cover. Dossier Records reissued this album in 1990 -- don't be fooled into paying too much for this. If it says Dossier anywhere, it is not an original. The original cover has the label name TYCOON in the bottom right corner.



• Geek EP
7" - Fever Records - FEV5X - UK - December 1985 - PS
12" - Fever Records - FEV5T - UK - December 1985 - PS

Notes: Only the first two tracks appear on the 7-inch. Both surfaced on the Fever label sampler LP "Turn It Up ..Or Turn It Off" (FEV007) released in 1986.



• The New Record By My Bloody Valentine EP
12" - Kaleidoscope Sound - KS101 - UK - September 1986 - PS


• Sunny Sundae Smile / Paint A Rainbow
7" - Lazy Records - LAZY04 - UK - February 1987 - PS - several hundred copies
• Sunny Sundae Smile // Sylvie's Head / Paint A Rainbow / Kiss The Eclipse
12" - Lazy Records - LAZY04T - UK - February 1987 - PS - 2000 copies


• Strawberry Wine EP
12" - Lazy Records - LAZY07T - UK - August 1987 - PS, 2500 copies


• Ecstacy
mini-LP - Lazy Records - LAZY 08 - UK - November 1987 - 3000 copies pressed


• Ecstacy And Wine
LP - Lazy Records - LAZY12 - UK - February 1989
CD - Lazy Records - LAZY12CD - UK - February 1989
Combines both Lazy releases but with a different version of "Strawberry Wine"


Help!

We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can use, or spare copies of any releases, then please get in touch.


Last update: 5 February 2010.



See Also: Atonomy



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