Turn My Head Into Sound – Andrew Perer – Book Review
by Killian Laher

With My Bloody Valentine about to play live shows for the first time since 2018 (and their first show in Ireland in 12 years), here is a book about Kevin Shields and company.  For those who have been searching for the story of the band, that search has come to an end with this book.  It’s written with real enthusiasm and love for MBV’s music.  Andrew Perer doesn’t hold back in terms of how single-minded, uncompromising and downright unreasonable Kevin Shields has been over the years.

Perer takes the story of the band chronologically from their early days with singer Dave Conway, to the late eighties/early nineties version synonymous with, for want of a better word, shoegaze.  The band’s story is one of frustration, missed opportunities and… some brilliant music.  The author is clearly very knowledgeable about the band as he attempts to describe their music, and there is plenty to get your teeth into if you’re interested in the equipment the band uses.  Their trials and tribulations with Alan McGee and Creation Records, as well as their later experiences with Island Records, are outlined in detail. The band’s dissolution and subsequent reformation are also discussed.

Shields’ work with Primal Scream, Patti Smith and others is covered here as well. The release of the comeback m b v album is another topic, but there is no mention of the chinchillas, which Shields allegedly kept for a few years!  My Bloody Valentine are the type of band that you can really nerd out about, and this book will definitely aid that process.  Fans will devour it, and it’s a comprehensive and essential read for anyone interested in the band.