It only took one mention from Brian Eno to get me to buy this album. To be fair, it was a very strong mention, one of those where he claimed Soon to be pointing the way to a completely new future (as he says about something every few years).
Shortly after I got the album, My Bloody Valentine played at Sheffield Arena as part of the Rollercoaster tour, with the Jesus and Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr and Blur. They were incredibly loud and the sound was very indistinct. Caroline said she couldn't bear it, and headed for the foyer. I joined her. I thought it couldn't possibly have been supposed to sound like that, and I assumed they must be having problems with the sound.
I later read that My Bloody Valentine had made it a condition of their participation that they could use their own PA. In other words, they had taken great care over the sound, and it surely was supposed to sound like that. That intrigued me. The idea that the musicians were ahead of what my ears were prepared to hear (this has happened a few times, including with Laurie Anderson in 1986 and Sonic Youth in 1989). I wished I could rewind and listen to the show again, without leaving for the foyer.
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