[gtcharlie]

oh no, just messing with you.  Built to spill is still really good.

Amen to that. And while I am throwing about bands that started indie and are now on larger labels how about Dr. Dog. Love the last two albums.

 

[foolsgold1986]

Oh wow, I have not heard that band for a long time.  I heard their first and since nothing.  I will have to check their work out.  I remember they were good not great the album I heard.  I would love to hear what they have grown to become.  Modest Mouse is another former indie label band.  Still uncompromisingly weird, love them.  I am curious gtcharlie what are your top five bands and top five albums.  Anyone that reads this please feel free to give yours as I would love to see your favs as well. 

 

[gtcharlie]

Oh wow, I have not heard that band for a long time.  I heard their first and since nothing.  I will have to check their work out.  I remember they were good not great the album I heard.  I would love to hear what they have grown to become.  Modest Mouse is another former indie label band.  Still uncompromisingly weird, love them.  I am curious gtcharlie what are your top five bands and top five albums.  Anyone that reads this please feel free to give yours as I would love to see your favs as well. 

That it a tough question. I think my top five is always changing and certainly my answer is different than it would have been 1 or 5 years ago. Having the Rhapsody music service on my iPhone has truly opened up so many new bands to me that I simply would never have experienced otherwise. For instance I just started listening to Nick Cave and the bad seeds. Some truly great stuff there. And Joseph Arthur. Give his Our Shadows will Remain a spin if possible. Quite brilliant in my opinion. Red House Painter another new discovery. Some truly intimate sad music.

But if I am going top 5 there must be Dinosaur Jr. Every time I put Beyond on and they start cranking on Almost Ready I get a big smile on my face. Going to think on the rest of them. So many choices.

 

[foolsgold1986]

If you like nick caves you might like "The Birthday Party".  It was his earlier band.  

 

[gtcharlie]

​

If you like nick caves you might like "The Birthday Party".  It was his earlier band.  

t
And I forgot to ask you your top 5?

 

[gtcharlie]

And I forgot to mention Dirty Three. If you haven't listened do yourself a favor. Brilliant.

 

[foolsgold1986]

Favorite Albums
 
1. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
2. Modest Mouse - Moon & Antarctica
3. The Antlers - Hospice
4. The Breeders - Pod
5. Tilly and the Wall - Wild Like Children

 

[Jupiterknight]

Not sure if I these days can really define or recognize indie music by a specific sound or even label anymore. Independent music (indie) was originally defined as music produced and released independently from major labels. Recording labels like Sub-pop or 4AD, I'm not even sure that I would classify these two labels as true indie labels anymore.
 
As for instance, 4AD amongst others now belongs to British Record Company, Beggars Group that owns several labels and releases artist like Adele, Lou Reed, The White Stripes, Sigurd Ros, Radiohead. One important factor, I really enjoy and appreciate 4/5 of these artists, but I'm not sure how much I would consider them to be true indie artists. Alternative, maybe so..
 
Elvis Presley was an indie artist, Sun Records... 

 

[foolsgold1986]

I think in the end it is an ethic rather than a sound even if there may be a tangible similarity with their sound.  I think it is a do-it-yourself type of mentality.  Like even the "indie" artists that are on major labels started at the bottom with small labels creating cred.  I think an indie band should be the belief in resisting being a commodity rather than art.  Like the normalization that is used by a lot of major bands.  I think that is a prime example of prefering to commodify your music than creating a better experience with your sound.  It would become too much about making sound that is highly sell-able but does it have a long ability to be appreciated to be loved.  How quickly are mainstream music is forgotten for that new act.  
 
I think a label should not be judged by its size but by the way it fairly treats its artists and promotes the creativity of its artists.  The dedication to create art.  I know art is hard to define.  I think it is something that makes me go awww.  I know that is very imprecise but that is how I experience it.  I think music should make me feel empathy or sympathy that after I listen to it I am a better person for doing it even so very slighty.  If it does not for me it is not worth my time.  Of course, we all take different things from music so art is perspective.  I am saying is what is mainstream I don't get that.  

 

[Jupiterknight]

Quote:

I think in the end it is an ethic rather than a sound even if there may be a tangible similarity with their sound.  I think it is a do-it-yourself type of mentality.  Like even the "indie" artists that are on major labels started at the bottom with small labels creating cred.  I think an indie band should be the belief in resisting being a commodity rather than art.  Like the normalization that is used by a lot of major bands.  I think that is a prime example of prefering to commodify your music than creating a better experience with your sound.  It would become too much about making sound that is highly sell-able but does it have a long ability to be appreciated to be loved.  How quickly are mainstream music is forgotten for that new act.  
 
I think a label should not be judged by its size but by the way it fairly treats its artists and promotes the creativity of its artists.  The dedication to create art.  I know art is hard to define.  I think it is something that makes me go awww.  I know that is very imprecise but that is how I experience it.  I think music should make me feel empathy or sympathy that after I listen to it I am a better person for doing it even so very slighty.  If it does not for me it is not worth my time.  Of course, we all take different things from music so art is perspective.  I am saying is what is mainstream I don't get that.  

 
I think the original definition of indie music and what it is today or what we believe it is can be two or three very different aspects.
 
Originally, Indie was defined as small labels vs. large (mainstream labels).
 
Rough Trade Records was maybe the first label to which the word indie in the context of music recording first appeared or was credited. Johnny Marr of the the Smiths has been quoted many times, that the Smiths was the first indie band ever, although I don't quite agree on this statement since bands like the Buzzcocks released albums on this label a couple of years before the first the Smiths album was released. 
 
Anyway, the Smiths took their sound and their freedom how to produce their sound, independent of the control that at a time that was extremely dominated by major labels, to an artistic level where their albums actually sold more records than many artist, very popular, belonging to the major labels. In some ways they did become mainstream.. 
 
Things have changed and I do to a certain extend agree on that indie music almost 30 years later can be defined/interpreted in many different ways, subjectively as well.  All that I have experienced, is that the definition of what is indie music has expanded to much more than what it was 30 years ago where it was primarily associated with post-punk, new wave, early electronic/synthpop music etc.
 
At that time, the sound/feel of indie music was very much opposed to the traditional interpretation of popular music, we are speaking within a few years/ a decade or so. The artistic/creative/originality level is very much implicit and may have increased in later years, or not.. There was also a rebellion going on at that time, coming from a young generation against almost anything established or conservative. Very much like in the sixties, yet different. This was a major part of the sound and all included.  This is not happening today.. not the way that I have experienced it.
 
To comment your last sentence that I took the liberty to bold I didn't get what was mainstream in the 80's either and I still don't, but I'm also not included in their target group and neither are you 

 

[foolsgold1986]

You know what is funny last week I got the smiths collection in the mail.  It has been a lot of fun.  Amazon just got them back in stock before you had to order them from Britain.  
 
I think I fear what indie will become more than anything.  What do you think the future of indie is?

 

[Jupiterknight]

Quote:

You know what is funny last week I got the smiths collection in the mail.  It has been a lot of fun.  Amazon just got them back in stock before you had to order them from Britain.  
 
I think I fear what indie will become more than anything.  What do you think the future of indie is?

 
So you got the Johnny Marr remasters of the Smiths collection?  Excellent,  I really believe those recordings are wonderful, although Morrissey wasn't to pleased about what Johnny Marr came up with..
 
I have no worries regarding the future of indie. As a sound or something more creative/original it has always been sucked up and commercialized by major labels. Many examples, most obvious was Nirvana and the whole grunge rock period, MTV surely turned this into a mainstream event and many bands lost their creativity when signing to major labels or they ended up sounding very similar trying to achieve the same. New electronica, techno, we have seen it as well... sub-cultures turning mainstream and they loose their original intend and sound...
 
The positive side is that something new or different will always arise, maybe not quite as original as before, since I believe the potential is limited, but a new blend of everything else that has been presented before.
 
We have seen this happening with many other art forms before, paintings, architecture, film's etc.  It just continues..traditional, baroque,  modernism, post-modernism, post-post-modernism.. Even classical music progressed or whatever in the same way as will the music we enjoy now..
 
Certain Artist's are releasing albums on their own individual labels and only releasing a limited amount of original CD's/vinyls. although the digital century gives us all access to listen to their music, but they still have released an original "signed painting or drawing" that is unique on its own.  Part of the future.. I believe.. Unique, personal and blended with the past.. Not for everyone, but for those, maybe, very few who appreciates this..

 

[foolsgold1986]

The vinyl movement is an interesting element of indie/hipster culture.  It is objectively and scientifically a lower quality per volume it can reach before sounding god awful.  I understand it is a lot to do with people's interactivity with it.  The care it takes and the added work to play might speak to peoples desire to interact with it.  I mean music has for many seem to be back noise to get them from point A to point B.  Music originated as form of group participation is that what we are seeing with vinyl is people desire to continue what their ancestors once had.  Are those same people likely to enjoy the live music scene because I imagine they would get the same participation from that too?  
 
Also, I must make a side note all major labels started out as indie labels.  So here is my practical side (oh I hate it):
 
Could the indie scenes growth be due to the reduction in the profitability the major labels?  The majors refusal to reduce their overheads in the face of online downloads.  While indie can sell less Cd's and make more money.  They may not achieve the standing of the Beatles or sell gold after gold but they have better long term longevity.  With indie more artists can survive while before with the majors the amount of choices was pretty limited.  
  

 

[bloop]

I like vinyl myself. No DAC required, and used media is very cheap and often still quite good. I like CDs, too, but they tend to be louder than they need to be. I prefer to be trusted with the volume.

 

[foolsgold1986]

I was wonder.  I used to buy vinyl but I kept getting them with lots of static so I gave up.  Is there a way to remove that?  Also, what is a great player?