Mini VJ Set: Rob Turner, WTSH Contributor Extraordinaire, chooses his top 5 most influential shoegaze songs.

In November 1983, I had spent about 2 hours searching my favorite Record store, I pick up an album wrapped in yellow transparent cellophane, the artist unknown to me, the cover art was beautiful, I flipped the album over and read a note:

Dear Listener,

Thank you for lending us your ears, this is just a short note to tell you what, when and why.

What? The Bass and the Voices belong to Mark, the Guitars to Reg and Dave, the Drums to John. The noise belongs to everybody.

When? When Tony Skinkis takes the photos and drives the van, thank you; when Alastair plays the keyboards, thank you; When James Lipton gives us a guiding hand, thank you; when Spin and Steve of ARC Electronics (Southampton) work hard looking after our live sound, thank you; when Colin Richardson engineers miracles from a dying studio, thank you, when friends are friends at home or abroad, may Silvio's never close, thank you; and when Ken utters the immortal words "What is the script with this bridge?" - thank you.

Why?
Why Not.

We are the Chameleons and this is our first L.P., perhaps we will make another. Who knows? Not me!

Mark Burgess,
5 o'clock in the Morning, Nottinghill Gate, London.

P.S. Reg did the front cover, good isn't it!

The Chameleons - Up the Down Escalator (Script of a Bridge)
1983

Really was the band that started me down the path, to searching for other bands with the chiming, swirling guitar... it just did not have a genre yet.

******

The Rain Parade - This Can't Be Today (Emergency Third Rail Power Trip)
1983

1983 - another band that grabbed me that year (yes more Neo-Psychedelic, but had hints of Dream pop).

******

Loop - 16 Dreams (16 Dreams EP)

1986

******

A.R. Kane. So Far Away (When You're Sad 12")
1986

The band A.R. Kane is the one that really concreted the dream pop genre, even though I still feel they were and still are incredibly underrated.

******

The Kitchens of Distinction - Prize (single)
1988

KoD was and still is one of the bands that gave me the same feeling of discovery and was totally blown away by as the Chameleons. Between Patrick Fitzgerald's wonderful voice/genius lyrics and Julian Swale's just mind blowing guitar work!!!