slowdive: classic or dud?

I'm very conflicted over the idea of new material. For a long time Halstead seemed like he had lost almost all interest in his older style, but maybe after long enough the urge for this sort of stuff could come back?
How could anyone really know if they could tap back into it, as good (or better) than it was?

Does anyone know of any bands who got back together to write some music and said "this really isnt working, we better split up again" before they recorded anything?

Does anyone know the name of that old Slowdive demo that was just cheery whistling and piano?

The Associates did just that, recorded some stuff and bailed wihout releasing it at the time, though it came out on an odds and sods comp a decade later. And it was pretty good!

Well I don't think they'd tease out this big announcement just to say they were considering giving it a go in Neil's garage and see what came out of it. I'm expecting a mini tour and a few festivals. Not much more

Is Neil's record label Shady Lane still going?

Okay, formal word starting to emerge

http://thequietus.com/articles/14357-slowdive-reunion-primavera-new-material

http://www.slowdiveofficial.com/

I'm excited about new material if they follow through on that. Really hope it has the spark.

Also playing London Village Underground on 19 May.

And interviewed.

I really don't remember that bad of a press kicking but I can't say I read everything then...

I remember well the press kicking when SOuvlaki came out...
Anyway, I am fucking thrilled by this - concerts are nice but new music is what I'm excited about. I have an irrational feeling these guys could still deliver.

I'm still excited.

I always thought that if they ever regrouped that they wouldnt bother with Pygmalion because it was thought of as a Neil album. Very happy to see that is not the case.

FACT mix:

http://www.factmag.com/2014/03/10/fact-mix-430-slowdive/

Okay so, they're playing FYF Fest in August in LA

https://twitter.com/FYFFEST/status/467354663285571584/photo/1

Ergo...American tour?

Was just listening to Pygmalion the other night. After a few years of having it in my collection and not really rating it that much it finally clicked in a big way.

oh wow, i have seen Slowdive like eight times and would love to see them again. Mojave 3 like five times. what news, thanks Ned as i will have to see this show.

And they're back indeed, from tonight in London:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlZM2JwVtiE

Try that again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlZM2JwVtiE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6IQnMWRSew

And a setlist here: https://www.facebook.com/DecayFM/photos/a.384279701582515.100712.369708673039618/808147132529101/?type=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbHpDRYw56M

Blue Skied An' Clear. So good.

Friends went and have been raving on Facebook

(Was a secret gig ahead of tonight's(?) official comeback gig)

They will also be playing in Germany next month at the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig.

and primavera (sp?) in a week or so.

Entire show...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8668KWHeSeI

i read that Rachel Goswell is partially deaf.

does it mean the sound of the shows will be relatively quiet?

sounding great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsn9oQvZGhI

Haha, so Slowdive are now posting their various pedal boards! They've started with Rachel's

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/10257041_10152506345687754_4471334917264928557_n.jpg

All pedals coming from Joe's Pedals: joespedals.com

amazingly detailed breakdowns of their boards (including illustrations) from their prime:

http://www.guitargeek.com/neil-halstead-slowdive-1993-guitar-rig-and-gear-setup-diagram/
http://www.guitargeek.com/rachel-goswell-slowdive-1993-guitar-rig-and-gear-setup-diagram/
http://www.guitargeek.com/christian-savill-slowdive-1993-guitar-rig-and-gear-setup-diagram/

Rachel's has gotten more complex, I see.

And a new promo photo

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpX9OQIIcAAkSvR.png

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpX9OQIIcAAkSvR.png

Neil looks like a psychotic killer

"North America was good to Slowdive back in the 1990s," the band said in a press release. "The fact that the last Slowdive concert was performed in Toronto (at Lee's Palace) in 1994 is poignant. It felt like we were playing to people who 'got it' and some of our favourite performances were on those tours. We have a special connection to our audience in North America and we can't wait to return in 2014!"

Slowdive:

07-16 Padova, Italy - Radar Festival
07-18 Suffolk, England - Latitude Festival
07-20 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
07-23 Taipei, Taiwan - The Wall
07-25 Niigata Prefecture, Japan - Fuji Rock Festival
07-26 Shanghai, China - Qianshuiwan Culture and Arts Center
07-28 Hong Kong - Rotunda 3
07-31 Singapore - The Ground Theatre
08-03 Katowice, Poland - Off Festival
08-07-09 Göteborg, Sweden - Way Out West
08-08-10 Helsinki, Finland - Flow Festival
08-09 Oslo, Norway - Oya
08-14 Hasselt, Belgium - Pukkelpop Festival
08-15 St. Malo, France - La Route du Rock Festival
08-23 Los Angeles, CA - FYF Fest
08-29-31 Stradbally, Ireland - Electric Picnic
09-09 Geneva, Switzerland - La Batie
10-22 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
10-23 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
10-25 New York, NY - Terminal 5
10-26 Boston, MA - Royale
10-27 Montreal, Quebec - Le National
10-28 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House
10-30 Chicago, IL - The Vic
10-31 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
11-03 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore
11-04 Seattle, WA - Neptune
11-05 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
11-07 San Francisco, CA - Warfield
11-08 Los Angeles, CA - The Theatre at Ace Hotel

wow what a great tour, hope they do a similarly extensive tour of Europe next year.

yeah, as much as I'd like to see them, festivals are not my thing

They seem to be bigger in the US than UK. Hard to imagine them playing a venue as big as Terminal 5 (3,000 capacity) on a UK tour.

Doesn't seem that outrageous, they played 2 shows on 2 consecutive nights in London, 450 and 1000 capacity, sold them both out pretty much instantly iirc. At least irc that I couldn't get a ticket to either of them.

so i'm getting tix for the 11-08 Los Angeles show. will be closing out the US tour.

Just announced 2 gigs at the Forum in London in December :)

Low is doing the North American tour dates with Slowdive. Doubly psyched.

I bought a 2LP white marbled copy of Pygmailion yesterday that appears to be from 1995. Is this a bootleg? Anyone have this pressing?

The normally reliable Discogs describes it as an "unofficial release", but it also says it's on Creation so who knows.

http://www.discogs.com/Slowdive-Pygmalion/release/2975785

So.... do I want to go and see them at The Forum in December or not? Part of me says 'yes - obviously', part of me says 'no, it'll be rubbish, they're 24 years older, the audience will be 24 years older, you didn't even like them live that much at the time, what makes you think you'll link it now?'. I need to decide pretty quickly.

Go

They were great in Oslo in August. Really great, better than I dared hope for. You should go.

What did they play? I was a big fan of the first 3 EPs, but never bought the first album and don't really know it, got the second album and thought it was alright but not great, got the ambient 'in mind' stuff, never bothered with the last one.

Just saw them in Boston, a great evening awash in their sound. Anyone else catch them on the US tour?

Last night in NYC. Great show

Going to Chicago. Can't wait!

As a double bonus, got to see Low do a free (electric) in-store last week in Indianapolis. Icing on the cake.