Kevin Patrick Shields is an American-born Irish musician, singer-songwriter, composer, and producer, best known as the vocalist and guitarist of the band My Bloody Valentine. They became influential on the evolution of alternative rock with two of their studio albums Isn't Anything (1988) and Loveless (1991), pioneering a subgenre known as shoegaze. Shields's texturised guitar sound and his experimentation with his guitars' tremolo systems resulted in the creation of the "glide guitar" technique, which became a recognisable aspect of My Bloody Valentine's sound, along with his meticulous production techniques.
Shields performing at Coachella Festival in 2009
Shields performing at Riverside in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England in 1989
Shields (left) performing as a guest with The Charlatans in London, England in January 2011
Shields performing at The Roundhouse in London in June 2008
My Bloody Valentine (band)
My Bloody Valentine are an Irish-English alternative rock band formed in Dublin in 1983 and consisting since 1987 of founding members Kevin Shields and Colm Ó Cíosóig, with Bilinda Butcher and Debbie Googe (bass). Often cited as a pioneering act in the shoegaze genre, their sound is characterized by dissonant guitar textures, subdued and androgynous vocals, and unorthodox production techniques.
Clockwise from top left: Kevin Shields, Bilinda Butcher, Colm Ó Cíosóig, and Debbie Googe
Bilinda Butcher performing in 1989
Kevin Shields performing in 1989
Bilinda Butcher and Debbie Googe performing in 2008