Ride

Ride formed in Banbury in 1988, four musicians writing songs in student digs before becoming, by 1990, one of the bands at the front of the Thames Valley scene. Their debut Nowhere reached number 11 in the UK and stands as one of shoegaze's most acclaimed records, its dense guitar textures held together by real melodic discipline. The 1992 follow-up, Going Blank Again, went further commercially, peaking at number 5, with the single "Leave Them All Behind" reaching number 9—the genre's commercial high point before the tide turned against it.

At a glance

Active

1988–1996, 2014–present

From

Oxford, UK

Records in the issues

2 (1990–1992)

Original labels

Creation Records and Reprise Records

Listen

In the issues

• 008
  Shoegaze and Dreampop

  Principal · 1982-1997

  Shoegaze and Dreampop is a genre from Thames Valley and London, UK, 1982–1997. Its principal artists include My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Ride and Cocteau Twins. This issue covers 10 essential albums and 16 dated events.

Records

• 

  Nowhere

  1990 · Go deeper in Shoegaze and Dreampop

  Original release: Creation Records · CRECD074 · CD · UK 1990

  Nowhere, Ride's debut, reached number 11 in the UK and stands as one of shoegaze's most acclaimed records, its dense guitar layers never losing the melodic thread underneath. Released in 1990, it showed the genre could be both noisy and accessible without compromising either quality.

  Listen on Spotify
• 

  Going Blank Again

  1992 · Go deeper in Shoegaze and Dreampop

  Original release: Reprise Records · WPCP-4776 · CD · Japan 1992

  Going Blank Again, Ride's second album, peaked at number 5 in the UK, with lead single "Leave Them All Behind" reaching number 9—shoegaze's commercial high-water mark. Released in 1992, it proved the genre could work on mainstream radio, at least briefly, before critical and commercial fortunes turned.

  Listen on Spotify

Family tree

Bands that shared members with Ride, and who.

• The Animalhouse1997–2000
  Loz Colbert, Mark Gardener
• Oasis1991–
  Andy Bell

Places

• The Falcon
  Camden, London · 1980s-present · Shoegaze and Dreampop

  This Camden venue hosted regular shoegaze shows and became a key meeting point for 'The Scene That Celebrates Itself,' where bands like Ride, Slowdive, and Moose would attend each other's performances.

• Creation Records Office
  London · 1983-1999 · Shoegaze and Dreampop

  Alan McGee's label headquarters became the epicenter of shoegaze as he signed My Bloody Valentine, Ride, and Slowdive, giving them artistic freedom despite the financial risks that nearly destroyed the label.