"Indie"

OdinOdin Posts: 599
edited May 2008 in Other Music
A comment I just read on YouTube......

"All indie bands sound identical. There's never been an easier time for the music industry to make money out of the stupid empty soul-less little pop culture student morons. People who listen to indie don't care about music, they care about image. That's why the industry keeps churning out bands that look (and sound) identical; the insecure popularity-conscious indie crowd will know it's ok to listen to a new band who are exactly the same as some other band they already know it's 'cool' to like.

The irony about indie is that 'independent' used to be about being different and doing things your own way (hence the word 'independent'). But now, indie has spawned a whole generation of ignorant pricks, whose main concern is adapting their lifestyle and personality to appease some 'indie scene', lest their peers would consider them un-cool."


Discuss.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • AzwethinkweizAzwethinkweiz Posts: 547
    The person who wrote that completely hit the spot.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    I have to admit that the whole "indie" thing never did much for me at all. I gave it a fair shake, but it just didn't do anything for me.
  • AzwethinkweizAzwethinkweiz Posts: 547
    The only "indie" related band I really love is Death Cab. They have their own sound and Transatlanticsim is an amazing album.
  • muppetmuppet Posts: 980
    Whilst I like certain bands that could be classed as indie, I'd say that comment has it spot on, at least in regards to the UK.
  • As far as the UK goes - spot on.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

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  • muppetmuppet Posts: 980
    In fact, I think it pretty summed up that TV show "Skins" :p
  • i'm not sure what indie is. i guess i listen to a few indie bands. i like what i like. I kinda hate all the wannabe Beatles indie bands.

    i think maybe i just like all these new southern rock sounding bands.
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    There may be some indie bands like that, but there are some bands that get labeled as indie that make some great fucking music

    I love:
    built to spill
    modest mouse
    and you will know us by the trail of the dead
    minus the bear
    dredg


    and others

    I think the folks in those bands make music because they dig making it not because they are trying to fit into a scene. Even after modest mouse and built to spill moved to a major label they continued to make the same kind of music they had in teh past.
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  • 12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    Odin wrote:
    A comment I just read on YouTube......

    "All indie bands sound identical. There's never been an easier time for the music industry to make money out of the stupid empty soul-less little pop culture student morons. People who listen to indie don't care about music, they care about image. That's why the industry keeps churning out bands that look (and sound) identical; the insecure popularity-conscious indie crowd will know it's ok to listen to a new band who are exactly the same as some other band they already know it's 'cool' to like.

    The irony about indie is that 'independent' used to be about being different and doing things your own way (hence the word 'independent'). But now, indie has spawned a whole generation of ignorant pricks, whose main concern is adapting their lifestyle and personality to appease some 'indie scene', lest their peers would consider them un-cool."


    Discuss.

    And the award for the most intelligent (or only intelligent) comment on Youtube goes to...............whoever wrote that.



    PS: i'm not being sarcastic.
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  • bold99bold99 Posts: 17
    could not agree more....its funny because bands I like, like MMJ and the White Stripes for the most part were indie bands technically....but to me it has become a sound rather than just being on an indie label.
  • hendrix78hendrix78 Posts: 507
    I pretty much totally agree with the youtube guy. I love the idea of indie - i.e. a band recording on a shoestring budget with a DIY attitude creating music for the joy of it, not to become celebrities, but that is not what indie means anymore. I generally hate it when people try to turn a style of music into a lifestyle. For me, that just detracts from the truly important thing - which is the music itself. I don't give a shit what clothes a band wears or what their politics or world views are, I just care how their music makes me feel. Most current so-called indie rock does nothing for me. It seems marketed towards music snobs who think a guitar solo means you're a sell out, when in reality, they are the real sell outs because their focus is not on the music itself. They claim to be anti-conformist when all they are doing is conforming to a subculture. There is no true originaltiy in that.

    Ok, rant over. I just miss the days when indie meant great bands on labels like SST and Sub Pop.
  • isn't this basically like every other genre ever invented though?

    a few bands reject whatever is popular and start playing a new sound, then it catches on and gets popular and all the bands get lumped into one vague category, then other bands clone their sound, then moron fans start basing there lives around it and wear whatever clothes the bands wear, then the genre gets overexposed, people start selling out, and then some other sound comes along. repeat.
  • hendrix78hendrix78 Posts: 507
    MrSmith wrote:
    isn't this basically like every other genre ever invented though?

    a few bands reject whatever is popular and start playing a new sound, then it catches on and gets popular and all the bands get lumped into one vague category, then other bands clone their sound, then moron fans start basing there lives around it and wear whatever clothes the bands wear, then the genre gets overexposed, people start selling out, and then some other sound comes along. repeat.

    I think that's a pretty valid point. I guess for some reason many people (myself included) find the current indie hipster trend even more obnoxious than past homogenization of popular genres. They seem to have a snobbier attitude about it all.
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    All bands that claim to be "indie" need to conduct themselves like Fugazi, the absolute epitome of musical integrity, or insist upon being called something else.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • PaukPauk Posts: 1,084
    Indie is such a vague term. It's basically the genre bands describe themselves when they don't want to be put into a genre. Being on an 'indie label' doesn't describe a band at all! Most bands at one time or another have been on an indie label.

    The NME's use of 'indie' on the other hand fits that description, but people shouldn't be whining about it. Find decent music and listen to it or shut up. I don't care what everyone else is listening to as long as I have some bands I like. In my opinion, whining about 'commercial' music is pretty much saying "I'm too lazy to look for decent music". I REALLY can't stand it.
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  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    fowls wrote:
    Indie is such a vague term. It's basically the genre bands describe themselves when they don't want to be put into a genre.

    The NME's use of 'indie' on the other hand fits that description, but people shouldn't be whining about it. Find decent music and listen to it or shut up. I don't care what everyone else is listening to as long as I have some bands I like. In my opinion, whining about 'commercial' music is pretty much saying "I'm too lazy to look for decent music". I REALLY can't stand it.
    Agreed on that :) My biggest pet peeve is people who say "music these days SUCKS". Seriously you people, fuck off! Stop being such lazy pricks and go out and find the good music. It's not a right you know.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • PrePre Posts: 17
    Well, Britt Daniel, the lead singer/guitarist for indie rock band Spoon, once said that he's never been interested in indie rock as a genre, and I think that it's a good point to make.

    Spoon is indie in the sense that they release albums on an independent label, not because they try to "sound indie." I think a lot of "indie" bands have forgotten about why they have that label and are caught up in thinking about it a genre more than anything else.
  • Murderers.Murderers. Posts: 1,382
    intodeep wrote:
    There may be some indie bands like that, but there are some bands that get labeled as indie that make some great fucking music

    I love:
    built to spill
    modest mouse
    and you will know us by the trail of the dead
    minus the bear
    dredg


    and others

    I think the folks in those bands make music because they dig making it not because they are trying to fit into a scene. Even after modest mouse and built to spill moved to a major label they continued to make the same kind of music they had in teh past.
    Yes, REAL indie bands. I'm talking about bands that are on INDEPENDENT LABELS.

    Don't forget Dinosaur Jr, and Sebadoh. ;)
    What the fuck is this world?
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    i agree to a point but it's not all like that. i think it's more of a fan thing than anything. i've been to a lot of idie shows and most of the time it's like an underground community of people who like to have fun and hear good music... sometimes though it is like a fashion show.. very clique-y and Star Trek-like. you feel like you're in the Twilight Zone or something.
    most of the shows i go to are not like that but i went to see Boris in Philly 2 years ago and it was sort of like that... the Twilight Zone. very weird.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    I thought Indie meant you were signed to an independant small or your own record label... that you didn't have a big record deal and therefore were not wealthy but enjoyed the freedom to do what you wanted instead of being forced to put an album out the way a company wanted to produce it so that it would sound a certain way...

    If anything I think the big record company 10 year 10 record deal is going away. I think record companies want to sign talent but then get a return on everything to get thier money back. Ultimately everyone in the music industry is in it for thier livelyhood. It's about making a living the way you want definately. With popularity comes strange bedfellows... but ultimately... we all make our own musical choices for whatever reasons.

    Humans do tend to like a feeling of belonging and solidarity whatever that group may be

    If you are so good that the scene comes to you... I don't think you should have to appologise for it.
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  • xSmackSoundxxSmackSoundx Posts: 479
    IDK... I like what I like and much of what I like happens to be indie bands... but its not like I limit myself to exclusively indie or anything like that...
  • facepollutionfacepollution Posts: 6,834
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    All bands that claim to be "indie" need to conduct themselves like Fugazi, the absolute epitome of musical integrity, or insist upon being called something else.

    They're too busy wedging their nuts into a pair of ladies jeans from top shop to give a shit about integrity!

    I totally agree with the youtube guy. Of course there are some great true 'indie' bands out there, who unfortunately get lumped in with a load of shitty bands, but then that happens in every musical scene.
  • hguz73hguz73 Posts: 245
    doesn't it have to do with "independent label"?..from what i know, the label "indie" doesn't refer to a specific musical genre
  • lephtylephty Posts: 770
    most "indie" threads usually become a pissing contest on who can list more indie bands that they listen to. i don't understand the purpose of being "indie" if it really still means that the bands are on independent labels. it will impress me more to see more independent bands in the near future! screw any labels. they steal from the artists IMO and they are probably the reason we have been getting the same recycled sound for the past few years (excluding a few bands).

    if i was a musician, i would go crazy if i had to sign a contract saying that such and such a label owns my songs that i created and i cannot do as i wish with them. or maybe someone can buy them and start putting them on commercials so i can look like a "sellout". does michael jackson and the Beatles ring a bell for anyone?
  • MattyJoeMattyJoe Posts: 1,424
    Some indie bands really stand out for me and I love them (examples: Kings Of Leon, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, The Bravery). But many others sound the same, especially ones from the UK/Europe.

    I don't think it's much different for indie than for any other genre. There are a few bands who really stand out and tons of others that just sound the same. Classic Rock is a good example. In indie, bands like The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and Interpol were originators and tons of subsequent bands just copy that sound.
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