A style of rock music that emerged in England in the late 80s that featured blisteringly loud and dreamily reverberated feedback. Recently revived by electronic bands like M83 and Ulrich Schnauss.

When you eat dirt for the first time and leave your family to build a shack in the woods

A genre originating in 80s England, now international. Defined by highly distorted guitars, and vocals, usually high-and-breathless or low in the mix, sometimes absent.

A psychedelic style, but not "trippy" psychedelic, more a dreamy, distant feel.

Pioneeered by My Bloody Valentine, but few bands actually sound like them anymore.

Loud guitars and quiet vocals is a usual dynamic.

Shoegaze is defined by a certain guitar sound, so electronic bands such as M83would NOT be considered shoegaze, but could fit into the related genre of dreampop

To play an instrument (especially a guitar) with one's head down, as though gazing at one's shoes.

shoegaze is everything except for having sex and/or smoking Cigarettes After Sex