Shitgaze
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Shitgaze is an internet-based microgenre coined in the mid-2000s by the Midwestern rock band Psychedelic Horseshit. The genre is characterized by its use of brickwalling lo-fi production, guitar feedback and distorted sounds, drawing influence from noise rock and garage rock.[3][4] Shitgaze was one of the earliest examples of an internet microgenre[5][6], later followed by chillwave.[7] Artists primarily garnered popularity through early music blogs and online music discussion forums, alongside the emerging blog rock movement.[3]
| Shitgaze | |
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| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Early 2000s, United States |
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Notable acts include Psychedelic Horseshit, the Hospitals, No Age,[8] Times New Viking,[9] early Wavves, Grave Babies, Sic Alps,[10] Vivian Girls,[11] Sealings, early Best Coast,[12][13][14] Meth Teeth, Pink Reason, the Bitters, Eat Skull and P.H.F.[15][16]
Characteristics
The scene was notable for its lo-fi aesthetic and DIY ethic, with recordings often made on low-grade equipment, employing shoddy recording techniques which appealed to bands who were on a budget[17]. Artists blend the sounds of shoegaze and garage rock with influences from noise rock, garage punk, noise pop and more.[3]
History and etymology
Summarize
Perspective
The term shitgaze is a portmanteau of “shoegaze”, as well as the sound of the genre which aimed to make recordings sound like "shit". It was coined by the Midwestern rock band Psychedelic Horseshit[6][18] to describe their brand of rock music, prominent act Times New Viking later followed, with the label being adopted by underground music artists and bloggers.[19][20] The term first saw prominence in the 2000s West Coast garage punk scene which included artists like Ty Segall, the Intelligence, Gang Wizard, and the Hospitals, the latter of which featured Coachwhips guitarist John Dwyer.[3]
Additionally, Philadelphia independent record label, Siltbreeze, founded in 1989 by Tom Lax, became a central hub for the movement, releasing many early shitgaze recordings by bands like Vivian Girls, Psychedelic Horseshit, Eat Skull, Pink Reason and Times New Viking.[21][22][23]
San Diego rock band Wavves[24][25][26] are regarded as one of the most notable and commercially successful bands to emerge out of the original shitgaze scene,[3][27][28] with the sound later proliferating and intertwining with bands like Best Coast.[12][13][14][29] Music blogs and sites like Vice,[30] Spin,[31] NME[10] and Pitchfork[32][33] helped further popularize the shitgaze label through various articles and music reviews during the late 2000s to early 2010s.[34][35]
Decline and legacy
By the mid-to-late 2010s, shitgaze fell out of prominence around the same time wider blogosphere-related music scenes like bloghouse, blog rock and blog rap heavily declined as online streaming algorithms began to take over. Mike Lesuer of Flood magazine later wrote a retrospective article on shitgaze, that stated: "When I think of subgenres that define the early-’10s, many of them can only be stumbled upon in 2023 by finding a Tumblr account that hasn’t seen activity since the height of seapunk—which, like witch house, likely faded from memory because no one could think of a cooler name for it".[3]
In 2013, the front man of the Canadian rock band Japandroids said "Shitgaze" was one of the titles they had been considering for their album Post-Nothing.[36]
See also
Reference
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