This blog is quite clearly inspired by Julian Cope’s seminal book KRAUTROCKSAMPLER and especially the appendix where Cope picks his top 50 records of the genre. What I particularly like about this approach is that it is the writer’s personal choices and opinions. Although I only own a copy of the book in French [an entire English PDF can be downloaded via the link above] it served as an essential introduction to German music of the 60s and 70s that I prefer to label Komische. These were Cope’s 50 choices and offered a perfect introduction to an amazing ear-opening world. With KRAUTROCKSAMPLER as my guide I found more music I loved and am certain my top 50 komische would not match Julian’s. This does not make KRAUTROCKSAMPLER any less definitive.

Similarly I have always been critical of other summaries and use of the term shoegaze. I’m a self proclaimed expert on the genre and regularly bore friends and family with my definition of what is and what isn’t shoegaze. So, this blog is completely my opinions [whilst I may point to others – good and bad] and if you disagree you can have your say [maybe. at some point!].

What are the rules of shoegazesampler?

1. Cope picked 50 albums. I may do the same. Maybe more, maybe less. I haven’t chosen a definitive 50 in advance.
2. Let’s stick to alphabetical order by artist. No ranking.
3. There must be multiple choices per artist. Some acts dominate this genre  and deserve the attention of multiple entries.
4. It’s impossible to stick to long players. The EP is a hugely important format in shoegaze and to ignore it would miss many of the definitive moments and highlights [plus some of the albums are actually quite disappointing].
5. The blog is intended to be a work-in-progress. It is entirely for my own amusement. It is not really designed to be read by anyone. I may update sections as I go, when I think of stuff, and it will probably never be completed.
6. The rules can change at any time. I don’t intend to write a history of shoegaze but that may happen.

Right, I could write the rules forever. It is time to start the blog, starting with my views on shoegaze, what I like about it and what areas of the genre I wish to explore…