Big Sonic Heaven

In my younger years back in Forest, Ontario in the mid 90's I was quite fortunate to have had the opportunity to tap into one of the fertile hotbeds in music, Detroit Michigan.

During these pre-internet years there was a sound that permeated through the terrestrial airwaves of Detroit's 96.3 FM. The show was known as Big Sonic Heaven hosted by Darren Revell, and it aired Sundays at 9PM till 1AM.

He would feature shoegaze(1), dream pop, and trip-hop as well as local talents around the area of Detroit. I got my first taste of many artists such as Aphex Twin, The Boo Radleys, Blur (Leisure, Chemical World), Catherine Wheel, Lush, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Chapterhouse, Slowdive and the Cocteau Twins.

The show initially aired a time when shoe-gaze was in its prime and these sonic sounds had a significant impact on me. The shoe-gaze sound feels like Phil Spectors "Wall of Sound" blasted to mars and back.

The British music press—particularly NME and Melody Maker—named this style shoegazing because the musicians in these bands stood relatively still during live performances, whilst concentrating on their effects pedals on the floor, hence the idea that they were gazing at their shoes.[1]

Ride - Vapour Trail
Lush - Sweetness & Light
The Cure - Strange Days
Slowdive - When the Sun Hits
My Bloody Valentine - Come In Alone
Interpol - Untitled (LIVE)

Follow this link to Darrens top 10 Big Sonic Heaven Tracks