The Telescopes

The Telescopes formed in Burton upon Trent in 1987, Stephen Lawrie developing a sound rooted in noise rock and psychedelic music that was immediately ferocious and uncompromising. Their music drew on the Velvet Underground, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and the noise rock tradition in ways that were deliberately abrasive and hypnotic — a sound that prioritised sonic intensity over conventional melody.

They released 'Taste' (1989) on What Goes On Records — a ferocious, uncompromising noise rock record that earned strong reviews and established them as one of the most important new British acts. Following What Goes On's bankruptcy, they signed to Creation Records and released their self-titled second album (1992), a more melodic and varied record that showed a band willing to evolve beyond the noise rock of their debut.

The Telescopes have continued to record and perform with remarkable longevity under Lawrie's leadership, releasing new music into the 2020s. They are one of the most enduring acts of the early-1990s British shoegaze scene — a band whose combination of sonic intensity, psychedelic atmosphere, and Lawrie's uncompromising vision has sustained a devoted following.