Answer this for me....

[Krilons Resa]

How is a band independent, or "indie", if said band is signed to a label?

 

[dill_the_devil]

That's something I've never fully understood myself. Here in England at least, "indie" became just another genre tag for every style of music that vaguely evoked the Beatles, the shoegazer movement, post-rock or any guitar-based music that wasn't ostensibly hard rock or metal oriented. "Britpop" was an equally nebulous and loathsome tag.

 

[NAD]

Because they suck without the help of others.

 

[Chromatose]

several years ago I was perusing the local hipster record store, and they had a spot on the wall for the current "10 HOT NEW INDIE ALBUMS" or something or the other...

Anyway, In Flames - Reroute to Remain was on said wall and I lollered.

 

[Krilons Resa]

On a sidenote, I located some left behind bottles of this!!!!! One of the best beers ever. Im gonna have to buy the last two they have left. Didnt think Id see ti again.

 

[Krilons Resa]

several years ago I was perusing the local hipster record store, and they had a spot on the wall for the current "10 HOT NEW INDIE ALBUMS" or something or the other...

Anyway, In Flames - Reroute to Remain was on said wall and I lollered.

Exactly another example. i dunno.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Top 50 Independent CD Sale List @ store


1. YORKE, THOM-Eraser
2. GNARLS BARKLEY-St. Elsewhere
3. PANIC! AT THE DISCO-A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
4. FLOGGING MOLLY-Whiskey On A Sunday (CD/DVD)
5. MONTY ARE I-Wall Of People
6. COOK, DANE-Harmful If Swallowed
7. POWERMAN 5000-Destroy What You Enjoy
8. FRANTI, MICHAEL/SPEARHEAD-Yell Fire!
9. BUCKCHERRY-15
10. GYM CLASS HEROES-As Cruel As School Children
11. PEARL JAM-Live At Easy Street
12. TERROR-Always The Hard Way
13. SHERINIAN, DEREK-Blood Of The Snake
14. SPOON-Telephono/Soft Effects (2 CD)
15. NEW YORK DOLLS-One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This
16. STEVENS, SUFJAN-Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras From Illinois
17. COOK, DANE-Retaliation (2 CD/DVD)
18. DRAGONFORCE-Inhuman Rampage
19. BOOT CAMP CLIK-Last Stand
20. DEVITO, LOUIE-Dance Factory: Level 4
21. BAND OF HORSES-Everything All The Time
22. DRAGONFORCE-Sonic Firestorm
23. BODY COUNT-Murder 4 Hire
24. BURY YOUR DEAD-Beauty And The Breakdown
25. LONG WINTERS-Putting The Days To Bed
26. DEAD PREZ & OUTLAWZ-Can't Sell Dope Forever
27. JOHNSON, JACK/G. LOVE/FRANKENREITER, DONAVON-Some Live Songs
28. KNIFE-Silent Shout
29. TAPES 'N TAPES-The Loon
30. POSTAL SERVICE (DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE)-Give Up
31. STEVENS, SUFJAN-Illinois
32. DRAGONFORCE-Valley Of The Damned
33. SHINS-Oh, Inverted World
34. CAMERA OBSCURA-Let's Get Out Of This Country
35. HELMET-Monochrome
36. VERSE-From Anger And Rage
37. BEIRUT-Gulag Orkestar
38. PEACHES-Impeach My Bush
39. VOIVOD-Katorz
40. ARCADE FIRE-Funeral
41. ARCTIC MONKEYS-Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
42. CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH -Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
43. STRAPPING YOUNG LAD-New Black
44. HEDBERG, MITCH-Strategic Grill Locations
45. BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE-Poison
46. JR WRITER-History In The Making
47. LACUNA COIL-Karmacode
48. LEWIS, JENNY (RILO KILEY)-Rabbit Fur Coat
49. 7L & ESOTERIC-A New Dope
50. HEDBERG, MITCH-Mitch All Together (W/ DVD)

 

[Krilons Resa]

not-mainstream/underground/independent

edit: I take that back, I just noticed Pearl Jam...

mainstream/not-mainstream/underground/independent

fixed.

 

[NAD]

TAPES 'N TAPES

hahaha what?

 

[Krilons Resa]

The Loon nikkuh! What!?

 

[dill_the_devil]

Dragonforce? Indie? Whuh?

 

[NAD]

The #2 spot on this list is currently at #5 on the Billboard chart.

hahaha who the fuck is LeToya?! I'm checking out the Billboard list right now, what the fuck is this shit? Oh she used to be in Density's Child, I thought it was Latoya Jackson making a massive comeback or something. PS: I still hate those fucking NOW! music things.

 

[NAD]

As the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC redefined pop music for the masses upon the closing of the 1990s, 980 were also making girls scream and swoon with their darling good looks and delightsome harmonies. Fronting the vocal group was the svelte charmer Nick Lachey.

Whoa, I didn't know this dude was famous outside of that blonde simpleton he was nailing for a spell. Also, what is 980? Is that supposed to be 98º or something? I remember them looking like those Savage Garden fags I used to flip off back when I worked in the "music" department at K-fart.

Man, I'm so out of touch.

 

[dill_the_devil]

I used to kind of like Savage Garden... well, a couple of songs, anyway. LOL

 

[Eminor]

Indie actually referred to the label, rather than the band. That's been switched around over time.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Many indie labels are distributed by major labels... or major labels have some ownership stake.

Hell, Blabbermouth just had a news item about a bunch of major labels forming some "Independent Label Group" consortium, didn't they?

 

[Eminor]

Yes. Although the distribution help doesn't impact the label (except for making their stuff more available), while the ownership stake is obviously a different issue.
Take Ani Difranco--she puts out all her own stuff on her own label. I don't know whether or not she has any distribution help, but otherwise that's about as indie as it gets. Big labels have been after her for years, but she does it her own way and makes infinitely more cash.

 

[Demonspell]

That's something I've never fully understood myself. Here in England at least, "indie" became just another genre tag for every style of music that vaguely evoked the Beatles, the shoegazer movement, post-rock or any guitar-based music that wasn't ostensibly hard rock or metal oriented. "Britpop" was an equally nebulous and loathsome tag.

Damn, I hate labels that give a false sense of legitimacy and street cred (another phrase I passionately detest) and misrepresent the nature of the music...my hypothesis is people use "indie" because college rock got overused or something. Getting back to the original question, they can if the label is an independent operation in the proper sense of the word...

 

[dorian gray]

How is a band independent, or "indie", if said band is signed to a label?

excellent question. I've never wondered this myself though as I've always thought of "indie" music as pure shit. Has anyone ever actually *heard* Ani diFranco? Jesus. She's terrible. A huge draw for the dike crowd though. I can see how she's successful. Probably drives a subaru.

 

[dorian gray]

Whoa, I didn't know this dude was famous outside of that blonde simpleton he was nailing for a spell. Also, what is 980? Is that supposed to be 98º or something? I remember them looking like those Savage Garden fags I used to flip off back when I worked in the "music" department at K-fart.

Man, I'm so out of touch.

this right here is one of my all-time favorite posts