Ride

Ride is a 1980s and 90s British shoegazing band, formed by Laurence Colbert (Drums), Mark Gardener (Guitar), Steve Queralt (Bass) and Andy Bell (Guitar) in 1988. The band formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, a

Ride is a 1980s and 90s British shoegazing band, formed by Laurence Colbert (Drums), Mark Gardener (Guitar), Steve Queralt (Bass) and Andy Bell (Guitar) in 1988. The band formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, and officially broke up in 1996. During that time they received much critical acclaim, though this never translated into the chart and financial success that they aimed for, and for a short while it seemed that the band could prove themselves as defying the fate that befell lesser shoegazer bands. Since then, the band members have gone on to other projects, most notably Andy Bell who became the bass player for Oasis. Since 2001 the band has been semi-active and has released a number of compilation and live recordings, as well as a limited pressing EP with new material.

Gardener and Bell had been to Cheney School in Oxford appearing in the school's musical theatre productions and in October 1988 moved to Banbury to do Foundation Studies in Art and Design. There they met Colbert. Queralt was recruited from a local record shop. After considering the name 'Donkey' the band called itself 'Ride' after a piece of graphic design Gardener produced for a typography workshop. The first gig as Ride was for the College's Christmas Party in 1988. While still at Banbury the band produced a tape demo including the tracks 'Chelsea Girl' and 'Drive Blind'. In February 1989 'Ride' was asked to stand in for a cancelled slot at a student union gig at Oxford Poly that brought them to the attention of Alan McGee. After supporting The Soup Dragons in 1989, McGee from Creation Records signed a record deal with them.