Which is the real Coachella?
By Erik Morse
Last Monday’s announcement from Mexico City of the lineup for the upcoming Coachella Festival in Indio had more than a few prospective ticket buyers flummoxed. Where were all the celebrity headliners Goldenvoice had so skillfully assembled in years past? Where were the electro hipsters and indie-rock stalwarts whose appearances had succeeded in making Coachella the American Glastonbury?
After all the behind-the-scenes campaigning and Internet rumor-mongering that promised everyone from the Smiths to Gang of Four to Aphex Twin to Leonard Cohen, the unveiling was an extraordinary exercise in bathos. Thank goodness for Portishead. The biggest omission was the newly reunited My Bloody Valentine, who performs for the first time in over 15 years beginning this summer in the UK. After the major coup that brought the Jesus and Mary Chain to Indio last year, hopes were high that a second miracle might find Kevin Shields and co. headlining over the likes of Jack Johnson or Roger Waters.
My, my: My Bloody Valentine.
But keep in mind, Shields is first and foremost a sound professional and perfectionist, and although MBV did its fair share of festival runs at Glastonbury and Reading, the band’s dense harmonic alchemy was always best suited for the club. More than that, Shields’ brilliant creations in the late '80s and early '90s were always predicated on his desire to work on his own terms, regardless of musical trends or finances. MBV was a true labor of love. If the Valentines had wanted to cash in, they could have done it years ago with Island Records.
Much like Morrissey, who was reportedly offered in excess of $80 million to reunite with Marr for a year-long tour in ’08, Shields’s preference for music over money will ensure his indie cred survives well past what seems a very lackluster April festival. Of course, this year’s inaugural All Point’s West, a.k.a., Coachella East, may yet redeem Goldenvoice and bring our shores some Valentines.
A recent interview with Kevin Shields.
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