Kevin Shields: 'Britpop was government conspiracy'

Fresh from slamming the Mercury Prize, Kevin Shields has turned his attention to Britpop, suggesting that the popular musical movement that saw the rise of Oasis and Blur was actually the work of a government conspiracy.

In an exclusive Guardian interview, the My Bloody Valentine leader reacted angrily upon its mention.

"Britpop was massively pushed by the government," he said. "Someday it would be interesting to read all the MI5 files on Britpop. The wool was pulled right over everyone's eyes there."

Shields' broadside follows his heavy criticism of the Mercury Prize. Speaking last month, he claimed that the competition excluded m b v, his band's first release in 22 years, on the grounds that it didn't have major label distribution.

“It's interesting to learn that to be as independent as we are is … virtually illegal", he said. "It's not a real record. Our album's not a real album because it's independent. The corporate-ness has got to such a point where we've essentially been told that we don't exist. So, technically, that album doesn't exist. OK? It's not allowed to exist according to the Mercury prize.”