!!!!!NEWEST!!!!!
Chal Ravens has written a lovely in-depth review of Still In A Dream at London Review of Books
There's even an LRB playlist so you can listen as you read.
Also some very nice reviews from Classic Pop and ArtReview
"One way to read the history of guitar music between 1984 and 1994 is to see an era where bands, at least until grunge broke, lacked focus. In this narrative, punk and its angular kid sibling, postpunk, sucked the life out of rock for those who followed. That’s not how things seemed to Simon Reyn olds, then a young music journalist writing for Melody Maker. For Reynolds, bands like Cocteau Twins, R.E.M., Pixies, Felt and My Bloody Valentine were radical and exciting. So what did it all mean, and did it matter any way? These are questions Reynolds grapples with in Still In A Dream, which picks up where his acclaimed story of post-punk, Rip It Up And Start Again, left off. He argues that ‘arsequake’ (really), shoegaze and all the other mini-genres deserve your attention. As to why, it’s because a generation of waifs and strays made glorious music that, without being overtly political in an often conservative era, “represented a kind of spiritual resistance or diffuse dissent”. He makes his case through a com pelling mix of report age-cum-memoir, musical history and cultural theorising, while keeping things accessible. One of the finest music books of the year."
- Jonathan Wright, Classic Pop
"Framed by Thatcherism in Britain and the Reagan–Bush hegemony in the US, Reynolds historicises his preferred schools of 1980s and 90s under ground rock as resistant partisans of ‘desire and dream’, pitting ‘intensified existence’ against ‘the coarsening values of the mainstream’. But he makes an ongoing case too. Both eulogy and manifesto, Still in a Dream is an enthralling, nostalgic meditation on formative, lost-in-music moments and an eloquent, enduring argument for an art of bliss and bewilderment"
- Declan Long, ArtReview
Event coming up in Walthamstow on October 20 with Daniel Avery + Kitty Empire!
UPCOMING EVENTS
REACTIONS FROM READERS WHO DIDN'T GET SENT IT FOR FREE
"What a fantastic book this is! It is, I think, the finest work by the best living music writer.
Simon Reynolds looks back fondly on an era during which he worked for Melody Maker, once seen as the poor relation to NME but which evolved into a journal that took more risks after the Punk explosion had died down. His writing on everything from The Smiths to My Bloody Valentine is exceptional but what makes the book so special is that he describes his own journey into the world of rock criticism as seen from the mature perspective of a sixty something.
He evokes a world which, post-Internet, no longer exists; recalling an era when information was not available at the click of a mouse. He does so without descending into mawkish nostalgia.
In the afterword he confesses : "The job of a rock writer, almost a scared duty, was the make things seem bigger than they were." The sense of discovery, independence and adventure is what he values in music both then and now. Rock and pop are still what he calls among "life's essential inessentials" and Reynolds' gift to music lovers of all ages is to articulate passionately why this still holds true.
- Martin Raybould, Goodreads
"Surprised even myself by how much I enjoyed and devoured this book. Just loved it.... What I really appreciate about Simon’s writing is his capacity to trace the lineage of sounds and influences, his thoughtful capacity to put words to ineffable qualities of music.... but perhaps moreso, his ability to see into the ethos of the time, place and people who were making the music. His sense of how the cultural aesthetic and music philosophy and politics are all boiled into the indie music is just fabulous, and I found myself often amazed at how he was capturing feelings of an era that I felt true, but had never articulated. I love this ability to see how the potent fresh music of a culture are a direct manifestation of that moment’s gestalt.... I thank Simon for such a labour of love and such a delightful insight.... Over 400 pages and I wished it was longer.... If you love this era of music, read this book. So, so satisfying.
- Robert, Goodreads
"I read this in two days flat: that's how much I enjoyed it. Like 'Rip it Up' and 'Energy Flash', Reynolds gives you the big picture 'rise and fall’ narrative and zooms in on individual artist and albums to explore what makes them great/innovative/strange. The analysis of why Morrisey's lyrics so distinctive and evocative was particularly strong. It is more personal than his other books, but without being self-indulgent. It ends with a rousing defence of music as a dream world, which will seem a bit odd if you've come to this book straight from Rip it Up."
- William, Goodreads
- WaneLietoc, r/indieheads, Reddit
"Long-awaited follow-up to the 2006 classic Rip it Up and Start Again. And by far the best Simon Reynolds has written.... Nearly every band covered in this book I fell in love with; the music, the way they looked and dressed, the music press at the time... the concerts and festivals I attended when these bands were in their pomp. I feel privileged to have been at an age to appreciate everything going on around 84/85/86/87. Reading this I get exactly the same impression that Simon Reynolds had, and this privilege and passion pours off every page. If you were my age around the time period of this book. If you fell in love with any/all of the band's mentioned in this book, then this is a book for you. A perfect accompaniment to his Rip It Up and Start Again. Thank you Simon for bringing back so many memories. Highly recommended." - - Bookends (Amazon.co.uk reviewer)
"I've never dropped everything so fast to read a book immediately after receiving my pre-order.... It's a good book. It met my sky-high expectations" - Richard Balmer (Goodreads)
"Enjoyed this more than Reynolds’ “Rip It Up and Start Again”... Much more personal and sensational than his recounting of Post Punk history. These years clearly have much fondness attached to them from him which makes this a joy to read." - Aaron Hodgetts (Goodreads)
"Reynolds is a great writer. Many visceral, haptic descriptions of music that made me immediately put the book down and look up whatever song he was waxing lyrical about.... I loved hearing Reynolds discuss the critical 'battles' which took place within the independent music zine world (who did Melody Maker think was the future of music, and how did this show that NME's position was retrograde, old hat, soporific?). A lot of this reads like an impassioned plea for the value of criticism. It reminded me of how much I owe my aesthetic taste to those who write about art, who helped me see its value – it's beauty." - Luke McCarthy (Goodreads)
"Reynolds is one of the sharpest minds in music journalism, and like his other excellent books, this one is no disappointment. Taking a HUGE area of music to cover, he depicts his time writing for Melody Maker in the 80s / 90s and the emerging explosion in indie rock." - Nick Cubs (Goodreads)
"Reynolds is really good at contextualising even the most minor subgenres such as "Arse Quake" dialectically, showing what things in the culture they existed in-reaction-to, and what then reacted against them in turn. He is also a very fun and approachable writer and in this book, talks about most of my very favourite bands while deflating some of the mythos around them.... What I like is the lack of reverence towards every band and movement without the tone ever being snarky or disrespectful. It casts an impressively wide net, telling a cohesive story of the wriggling rise and fall of guitar-based Indie Rock from the early 80s until the mid-90s. " - Ben Yaxley, Goodreads
"I have never gone to the bookstore and bought a book as fast in my life as I did when I discovered Still in a Dream. An account of my favourite genres of music from Simon Reynolds, someone who ate, breathed, and slept in this era. It was so fascinating to see how so many of my favourite bands, including Cocteau Twins, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine, could possibly be connected to bands such as The Stone Roses, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains. Simon Reynold’s thesis of shoegaze being a dreamy form of escapism from politics as opposed to punk and rock’s outright urgency and anger is fascinating. It was fun to read the context behind my favourite bands as well as learn about new bands. Some sections interested me more than others... but I still thoroughly enjoyed!" - Jo, Goodreads
"Highly enjoyable blend of memoir, history, anthology. Reynolds never really fails."
- Stagger Lee, Goodreads
"Reynold's adjective soup reminds me of the way I used to write about music, and that infuriates me. He quite clearly cares about the music under discussion here and puts into words a lot of what I have already felt in an unexamined way about the music that came out of this particular moment in rock culture - I admire his passion. Don't fw The Smiths, yes it is because of Morrisey, and yet the chapter dedicated to him was quite fun to read about and contextualizes why it is people find him so magnetic"
- Eamonn Kelly, Goodreads
"First, it’s Simon Reynolds—which means you’re instantly guaranteed forensic cultural criticism wrapped in razor-sharp, effortless prose. Second, his late-1980s personal memoirs land with uncanny precision, capturing the volatile, blissed-out haze of that transitional era right before indie rock calcified into stadium-ready posturing. But above all, Still in a Dream serves as the ultimate autopsy of guitar music after it’s ran its course: a brilliant, bittersweet chronicle of what happens when six-string romanticism finally hits its sonic end of the road and has nowhere left to go but pure noise."
- Ilya Miller, Goodreads
"Great book -informative/very readable"
- Alan David Jones, Amazon.co.uk
"The "post whatever" period of alternative music finally receives an in-depth dissection from cultural critique Simon Reynolds.... This book serves as a trip down memory lane with its loose timeline centered around the leitmotif of dream. Reynold's prose is as sharp as ever, and his connections to the milieus and awkward network of slacker's is heartfelt and never crosses over into sappy territory.... I recommend this book to anyone interested in a deeper dive of the lost generation."
- Maldini Damas, Goodreads
"Love this book covering the period of my youth when I was obsessed with all these bands ( admittedly I still am to a lot of them ) Feels particularly topical now shoegaze is no longer seen as a term of derision."
- Diabolik, Amazon.co.uk
"Such a wonderful book. Reynolds is the world's pre-eminent authority on alternative music. Although with Energy Flash, Rip it up and Start Again, and Shock and Awe he's set impossibly high standards, this might be his masterpiece. Essential" - Ingram, Amazon.co.uk
"Simon Reynolds, you have outdone yourself"- James Marples, Instagram
Two months since publication date, Still is still going strong
But please buy it from anywhere else but the Evil Empire - ideally from a bookshop if you can!
Fun wide-ranging conversation with Robin Allender for The Allender Calendar - hearable via Apple UK, Apple US, Spotify
Great chat with James Marples for The Readings Podcast, in Melbourne. Also at Apple and Spotify.
"Still in a Dream is Reynolds' clearest attempt to write close to his own life, with attention directed towards his work in the Melody Maker editorial office and the love affair with the American journalist Joy Press, to whom he is now married. This forms the framework for some overarching thoughts about work (what society wants from you) versus art (dreams and desires) and what opportunities existed in the transition between the 1980s and 1990s to escape society's expectations and create alternative worlds that went under the radar of a more utilitarian parent generation.
"One of the best things about Still in a Dream is the many descriptions of the material conditions under which the music – and Reynolds’ own journalism – came into being…. A small gap exists in time where they can create a life outside the demands of society. There is room to dream, and thus the music also sounded floating and yearning….
"Compared to Reynolds’ previous books…. Still in a Dream is a broader account of the connections between the individual and the collective and how cultural currents can wash through us and create oceanic trends…. Reynolds weaves all these stories together and gives a kind of portrait of a moment in time. The stories about being a music journalist in London, and what this community was about, are some of the most interesting things about the book. He takes self-criticism at some points and surprises with his music historical revisionism…. Reynolds is aware that the many journalistic conceptualizations have not always been for the best... In Still in a Dream Reynolds tries to sneak away from the labels. It fits well with the dream theme. He captures some currents under the language, and some melodic textures outside the reach of the official narratives. Maybe it's possible to bathe in the pink mist and still have new experiences." - Susanne Christensen, Vagant
"Was it all a dream? I'm still dizzy, there could be various reasons for that, but a noticeable, sweet whizzing lingers in my body. I've read the new book by one of the most influential music writers of our time: the Englishman Simon Reynolds. Still in a Dream is at times dizzying non-fiction about the most wonderful and dreamy music that was created in the alternative rock era 30–40 years ago. This was among the last events in analog pop culture before the internet changed everything. At that time, alternative expressions could be viable, without having to be explicit resistance work, like today. You also have to dig out old LPs, CDs, seven-inches and maxi singles, not least Youtube videos, to get this music straight into your veins again. Thus, a very inspiring book."
"Simon Reynolds is the kind of music writer who makes you want to rush out and listen to a hundred bands you have either never heard of or heard of / meant to check out / never got round to. If you dabbled with any of his previous books (Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-84 is one of our particular faves) you’ll need little encouragement to make a beeline for this one..... An essential purchase for the muso in your life, Still in a Dream is as entertaining, informative and combative as a night out with your gig going buddies." - Bookmunch
"A masterwork . . . The fascinating thing about Simon Reynolds is that as he gets older and adds more books to his canon, it becomes increasingly fascinating to see where his attention will turn next. Where ever it is you know it's going to be good. After all, you don't get to be the best music journalist working today for no reason" ― Neil Mason, Moonbuilding, Book of the Week
"Through the fug of nostalgic haze, [Reynolds] brings his subjects and their times to crystal-clear life, with plenty of the kind of new, exciting pin-sharp thought we came to adore from the very best of the weekly music press . . . Still in a Dream acts beautifully as a thorough, thoughtful examination of the many featured bands and their music, as an encapsulation of the societies in which they emerged, and as a memoir of the formative years of Reynolds' adult life" -- David Pollock ― Record Collector
"His writing is passionate. . . it's a thrill ride. If you weren't there, you'll wish you had been" - Uncut
"We know and appreciate the Simon Reynolds authority and formula but, Still in a Dream, is worth more than the value of considered critical conversation . . . not so much a memoir or biography, unravelling the person, but a grand hat tip and bow to the bands and their music . . . In the end, Still in a Dream will be personal for some readers too: triggering stops and starts as you retrieve vinyl, CDs and other memorabilia to revisit with fresh interest" -- Ngaire Ruth ― Louder Than War
"For those of us who lived through the late 80s and early 90s, it’s a bit disconcerting to see this period of music eulogised through multiple articles and books. But every so often, a ‘must-read’ book emerges from this literary mountain, and Simon Reynolds, ex-Melody Maker journalist, has written a remarkably detailed account of what you might term alternative music.... There are some interesting stories from the perspective of somebody who was definitely there and most likely wore the t-shirt. It’s one for the music nerds, but it’s written with a real sense of joy. Even the most ardent student of this period will surely not be familiar with everything here; there’s plenty of scope to learn... It’s an extraordinarily detailed work, nostalgia for a pre-Internet age. It will be of interest to anybody interested in the music of the period" - No More Workhorse
"A masterful cultural and social archaeology"- Richard Imrich, Fullmoon
"Pretty good" - Kieran Press-Reynolds, GQ
EARLIER COVERAGE
Kieran Press-Reynolds chats with Dad for GQ - long, rambling, occasionally goofy colloquy with my firstborn
My Baker's Dozen on reinvention of the guitar at The Quietus - with a YouTube playlist to accompany.
Moonbuilding - lovely review by Neil Mason (scroll down a ways)
Matt Moore at Lost Tempo appraises not just the new book but the entire Reynolds bibliography
Financial Times best books of the summer
To Here Knows When podcast - excellent chat with Paul McDermott
Word In Your Ear podcast - fun chat with Mark Ellen and David Hepworth - Word In Your Ear podcast - the episode with me now available on Apple and YouTube
Quietus news story by Christian Eede on Still In A Dream, with comments from myself and from the cover designer Henri Holz
German version from Ventil Verlag. November 2026
American translation on Da Capo January 2027
Spanish language version is due from Caja Negra Editora in Argentina. 2027.
Italian version from Minimum Fax. 2027
French version from Audimat. 2028
PLAYLISTS AND FOOTNOTES
Still In A Dream YouTube playlist
Early activity at the Still In A Dream Footnotes blog - The Lost Epigraphs and Lodestar Quotations - with much more to follow in due course
Check out Instagram.com/simonreynoldswriter/ for the latest news about the book
