About this Event
Join us at The Long Play Sessions for an immersive and intellectually charged evening with acclaimed music critic and cultural historian Simon Reynolds, as he discusses 'Still in a Dream: Shoegaze, Slackers and the Reinvention of Rock, 1984–1994', with Rudy Tambala from A.R Kane.
In Still in a Dream, Reynolds picks up where Rip It Up and Start Again left off, tracing the underground explosion that followed post‑punk: the rise of shoegaze, noisepop, slacker rock and grunge. Drawing on his firsthand experience as a journalist embedded in the scene, Reynolds captures a moment when guitar music turned inward and expansive at the same time — when distortion, volume and texture became vehicles for emotion, alienation and altered states.
From the shimmering dreamworlds of Cocteau Twins and Slowdive, to the visceral noise of Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement, Reynolds explores how this music reflected the psychic climate of the time: youth disaffection, political conservatism, and the last flourish of analogue culture before the internet remade everything. Both personal memoir and cultural analysis, the book is as much about how music felt as how it sounded.
Far more than a scene-by-scene history, Still in a Dream examines why this era continues to echo through contemporary music, fashion and attitudes — and how its ethos of experimentation, withdrawal, intensity and beauty reshaped the possibilities of rock music for decades to come.
What to Expect
- A talk from Simon Reynolds exploring the ideas, emotions and cultural forces behind the book
- Deep discussion of shoegaze, underground guitar music and alternative culture from 1984–1994
- Insight into Simon's writing process, music journalism career and experiences documenting the era as it unfolded
- Reflections on youth, alienation, escapism, politics and the changing role of music media
- Audience Q&A, offering the chance to engage directly with Reynolds on music history, criticism and legacy
- Book signing — bring your copy or purchase one on the evening
We look forward to welcoming you to The Long Play Sessions for a rich, reflective and exhilarating exploration of this defining period of modern music history.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
ICMP | London, Queen's Park, 76-78 Salusbury Road, London, United Kingdom
GBP 6.13 to GBP 12.50
