Simon Reynolds

Born in London in 1963, Simon Reynolds started out writing about music as a founding member of Monitor, an Oxford-based pop journal, which lasted six issues before expiring in 1986. By then he had joined Melody Maker as a staff writer. Thinkpieces and interviews drawn from his late '80s writing for MM were collected in Blissed Out: The Raptures of Rock (Serpent's Tail, 1990). In October 1990 Reynolds went freelance and started dividing his time between London and New York. Since then he has contributed to The New York Times, Village Voice, Spin, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The Observer, Artforum, New Statesman, The Wire, Mojo, Uncut, and other magazines. The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion & Rock'n'Roll, co-written with Joy Press, was published in 1995 (Serpent's Tail in the UK and Europe; Harvard University Press in America).

From 1991 onwards Simon became increasingly involved in rave culture and obsessed with electronic music, ultimately resulting in Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture (Picador, 1998), published in North America as Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture (Little, Brown). The American version of the book was nominated as a finalist for the 1999 Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Awards.

For the duration of 1998, he worked as a Senior Editor at Spin before quitting to return to freelance life. Currently, he is writing a history of post-punk music, 1978-84, title TBA, due for publication in the UK/Europe by Faber & Faber late 2004, and in America by Viking Penguin early 2005. Reynolds maintains a website archive of his work called Blissout and posts regular commentary on his weblog Blissblog. Having moved permanently to Manhattan at the end of 1994, he lives in the East Village with wife Joy Press and their three year old son Kieran.

Blissout

Blissblog

Buy books by Simon Reynolds

A Guy Called Gerald: Wicked Guy!
Profile and Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1995

American Music Club: Psycho Thriller
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1989

Laurie Anderson: Clarity’s Angel
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Wire, March 1992

Aphex Twin
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, November 1993

Band of Susans: Repeat & Frayed
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, May 1988

Bark Psychosis: Hex
Review by Simon Reynolds, Mojo, March 1994

Beastie Boys, The : Beasties
Interview by Simon Reynolds, i-D, January 1994

Big Black : Steve Albini: Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, November 1992

Big Youth: Natty Universal Dread; and, Various Aritists: A Jamaican Story
Review by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, May 2001

Björk: Debut
Review by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, August 1992

Black Sabbath: The Complete '70s Replica CD Collection 1970-78
Review by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, December 2001

Blur Vs. Oasis: A U.S. Perspective
Overview by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, September 1995

James Brown: Startime
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1991

Tim Buckley: Starsailor
Retrospective by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, July 2000

Kate Bush : Heaven’s Kate: Kate Bush
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, November 1993

Kate Bush
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Pulse!, December 1993

Butthole Surfers : The Butthole Surfers: Deeper & Down
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, December 1990

David Byrne: From Ur to L.A. and back again
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, June 1991

Nick Cave : Of Misogyny, Murder and Melancholy: Meeting Nick Cave
Interview by Simon Reynolds, National Student , 1987

Charlatans, The (UK) : The Charlatans
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Spin, 1990

Charlatans, The (UK) : The Charlatans: Glory Days
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, December 1990

Chemical Brothers, The : The Chemical Brothers: Back To The Lab
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Spin, July 1999

Ciccone Youth: The Whitey Album (Blast First)
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, January 1989

Lloyd Cole: Cool-cut
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, February 1990

Consolidated
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, July 1991

Julian Cope: Krautrocksampler: One Head’s Guide To The Great Kosmiche Musik - 1968 Onwards
Review by Simon Reynolds, Mojo, December 1995

Julian Cope: Blonde on Peggy Suicide Blonde
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Pulse!, August 1991

Cop Shoot Cop: Consumer Revolt
Review by Simon Reynolds, Village Voice, February 1991

Elvis Costello and Martin Amis: Prophets of Doom
Essay by Simon Reynolds, Arena, Summer 1991

Creatures, The : The Creatures: Demon Hunters
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, 1990

Cure, The : Robert Smith: Dr. Robert Explains It All
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Pulse!, June 1992

Cure, The : The Cure: Robert Smith's Wish List
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, December 1992

De La Soul: Malice In Wonderland
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, May 1991

Dinosaur Jr.
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, January 1991

Doors, The : Jim Morrison: The Anatomy Of Madness
Essay by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, April 1991

Ian Dury : The Life and Rhymes of Ian Dury 1942 – 2000
Obituary by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, June 2000

Elastica: Twang Twang, You're Cred!
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1995

Fad Gadget : Cult Heroics: Frank Tovey
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1986

Donald Fagen: Steely Don is no fly-by-night
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, May 1993

Faith No More: God, The Devil And All The Rest
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, June 1992

Fall, The : The Fall: The Infotainment Scan (Matador)
Review by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, July 1993

Fleetwood Mac: Tusk
Retrospective by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1995

Guns N' Roses : Guns N’ Roses: Danger Lurks Beyond The Doors
Profile by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, August 1991

Half Japanese : Moe Tucker/Half Japanese: Powerhaus, London
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, April 1989

Happy Mondays: Mourning Afternoon
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, May 1987

Happy Mondays : Jane's Addiction/Happy Mondays: Madison Square Garden, NYC
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, May 1991

PJ Harvey: What Makes Polly Scream?
Interview by Simon Reynolds, i-D, October 1993

Jimi Hendrix: Black Secret Technology
Retrospective by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, July 2000

Hole: Belting Out That Most Unfeminine Emotion
Interview by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, February 1992

House Of Love, The : The House Of Love's Guy Chadwick
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, October 1991

Husker Dü : Husker Du: Candy Apple Grey
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1986

Husker Dü : Husker Du: Why Aren’t They Massive?
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1987

Jane's Addiction/Happy Mondays: Madison Square Garden, NYC
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, May 1991

Jane's Addiction : Jane’s Addiction and Lollapalooza: A Woodstock For The Lost Generation
Interview by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, August 1991

Jesus & Mary Chain, The : The Jesus and Mary Chain: A Spectacle Of Eclectic Rock
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, March 1992

Jesus & Mary Chain, The : The Jesus And Mary Chain: In Never-never Pop Land.
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, 1988

Lush: Hazy Daze For The Scenesters
Profile by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, February 1992

Manic Street Preachers
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, July 1991

Manic Street Preachers: Righteous Hate 4 Real
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, November 1991

Massive Attack : Trip Don't Stop: Massive Attack and Portishead
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, September 1994

Meat Puppets : When Kurt Met Curt: Meat Puppets
Report and Interview by Simon Reynolds, Mojo, January 1995

Joe Meek : Various Artists: It's Hard to Believe It - the Amazing World of Joe Meek (Razor & Tie)
Review by Simon Reynolds, Spin, 1995

Mercury Rev
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, August 1991

Stephin Merritt : The Pocket Symphonist: Stephin Merritt
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Mojo, September 1995

Moby: In Trance As Mission
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, September 1993

Moose: XYZ
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, July 1992

Morrissey: Kill Uncle (Sire)
Review by Simon Reynolds, Village Voice, April 1991

Morrissey: Vauxhall and I (Sire)
Review by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, 1994

Morrissey: Songs Of Love And Hate
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1988

Morrissey: Songs of Love and Hate, Part 2
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1988

My Bloody Valentine : When You Wake You're Still In A Nightmare: My Bloody Valentine
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Alternative Press, October 1995

Nirvana: Nevermind (Geffen)
Review by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, November 1991

Nirvana: Now and Zen
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, December 1991

Nirvana: Smells Like A Sensation
Profile by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, December 1991

Nirvana: The Coliseum, New York City
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, November 1993

Nirvana : Pearl Jam Versus Nirvana: The Final Countdown
Essay by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, December 1993

Oasis : Blur Vs. Oasis: A U.S. Perspective
Overview by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, September 1995

Ocean Colour Scene: Fowler’s Mod English Usage
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, 1990

Pavement: Some Enchanted Evenings
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, July 1992

Pearl Jam Versus Nirvana: The Final Countdown
Essay by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, December 1993

Pixies, The : The Pixies: Ditties Of Pixilated Reasoning
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, 1990

Pixies, The : The Pixies: Speaking In Tongues
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1988

Pixies, The : The Pixies: Speaking In Tongues
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, May 1998

Portishead : Trip Don't Stop: Massive Attack and Portishead
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, September 1994

Primal Scream
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, 1991

Primal Scream
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1991

Primal Scream: No More Yesterday
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, August 1987

Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie: Prophet Or Dead Loss?
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, April 1994

Prodigy, The : Prodigy: The Fat of the Land
Review by Simon Reynolds, Village Voice, July 1997

Prodigy, The : Prodigy: Smack My Mix Up
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Spin, May 1999

Prodigy, The : The Prodigy: Touched By The Hand Of Prod
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, July 1994

Public Enemy
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, October 1991

Public Enemy: Fear of A Black Planet
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, 1990

Red Hot Chili Peppers, The : Red Hot Chili Peppers: Magicians followed but not chaste
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, September 1991

Lou Reed: Alchemical Engineering
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Wire, February 1992

Lou Reed: Mourning Glory
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Pulse!, February 1992

Replacements, The : The Replacements
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, November 1990

Roxy Music: Roxy Music/For Your Pleasure/Stranded/Country Life/Siren
Review by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, September 1999

Royal Trux
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Mojo, March 1995

Saint Etienne
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, April 1992

Saint Etienne : St Etienne: Debut That's Alpha Oscar Kilo.
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, October 1991

Scritti Politti: Enigma Variation
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, March 1988

Seal: A Conjurer Of Lush Grooves
Interview by Simon Reynolds, New York Times, August 1994

Paul Simon: Simon Reports Back To Base
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, May 1991

Slits, The : The Slits: Cut
Review by Simon Reynolds, Uncut, December 1997

Patti Smith: 'Even As A Child, I Felt Like An Alien'
Profile and Interview by Simon Reynolds, Observer Music Monthly, May 2005

Stereolab: Separation Terrorists
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, July 1994

Stereolab: Simple Minds
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Rolling Stone, April 1996

Stone Roses, The : The Stone Roses: Shooting From The Lip
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1989

Stone Roses, The : The Stone Roses: The Morning After
Retrospective and Interview by Simon Reynolds, Spin, May 1995

Stooges, The : Stooges Reissues
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, 1994

Suede in the U.S.A.
Report and Interview by Simon Reynolds, Spin, June 1993

Suede: Roll Over, Jimmy Dean
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, June 1992

Suede: The Best New Band In America?
Report and Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1993

Suicide
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, February 1989

Teenage Fanclub : Teenage Fan Club: Bandwagonesque (DGC)
Review by Simon Reynolds, Village Voice, December 1991

Teenage Fanclub: The Glitz And The Grunge
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, December 1991

Frank Tovey : Cult Heroics: Frank Tovey
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1986

Tricky
Interview by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, June 1995

Moe Tucker/Half Japanese: Powerhaus, London
Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, April 1989

Verve, The : Richard Ashcroft: Having The Verve To Become Unashamedly Epic
Interview by Simon Reynolds, The Observer, July 1992

Verve, The : The Verve: Urban Hymns
Review by Simon Reynolds, Village Voice, November 1997

Wire Reissues
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, 1994

Wire: The Ideal Copy
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, May 1987

Robert Wyatt: Going Back A Bit - A Little History of Robert Wyatt (Virgin)
Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, 1994