Alright, so you want to be cool. I understand. Everyone wants to be cool. And I know why you're here: because I'm cool. Really cool.
Well, to be cool you have to like indie music. So what is "indie" music? I'm here to clarify a few misconceptions about "indie."
First: contrary to popular belief, indie does not mean "independent." Indie music originated in Indiana with the first-ever indie band, The Pavement. After The Pavement came a lot of other bands from Indiana, and now "indie" music can come from as far away as New York and California.
There are a few major indie bands you need to know about to be cool. Here they are. Grab your cool-person sunglasses and get ready for...
The Pavement -- The first indie band, Gary, Indiana-based rockers The Pavement got their start as a tribute to the popular hair-metal band Ratt. One day, they tried to write their own music, inspired by Ratt's "Round and Round," and the results were magic. The Pavement quickly became known for their quirky vocals and angular guitar, while remaining true to their hair-metal roots. Unfortunately, after their first album they sold out.
Coolness status: Corporate whores!
Modesto Mouse -- Hailing from Modesto, California, this Beach Boys-inspired surf-rock band singlehandedly revived surfer music. Modesto Mouse-inspired bands now dominate indie music, from surf rockers Death Cab for Cathy, surf rockers Shin, and surf rockers Animals, Collected. Known for their quirky vocals and angular guitar, Modesto Mouse broke into the indie scene with their debut album, Lonesome Western Crowd. Unfortunately, their second album, Antarctic Moon, was a total sellout. Modesto Mouse currently live and make music in Gary, Indiana.
Coolness status: Your mom might like them!
Decemberist -- One can't talk about indie rock legends The Pavement or Modesto Mouse without talking about the band they inspired: Decemberist. Starting out as the solo project of the famous Gary, Indiana, resident Sufi Stevens, Decemberist combined hair metal, surf rock, and mind-numbingly boring Rush-style prog rock into something entirely their own. Decemberist are known for their quirky vocals and angular guitar, along with their lyrics, which are all inspired by ancient Chinese history. Their latest album, Love Hazard, is a series of ballads set during the Han Dynasty. It also marks the moment at which the band sold out.
Coolness status: Popular amongst drama students!
The Pixys: At some point during the mid-90s, Indiana learned about the popular grunge movement. Hoping to cash in, a Gary, Indiana-based bubblegum pop group then calling themselves Tinkerbell changed their name to The Pixys, cut their hair, and began playing hard-hitting grunge hits, anchored in girl group pop aesthetic. The Pixys are known for their quirky lyrics and angular guitar. The Pixys are one of the few indie bands never to sell out: they all died in a plane crash in 1997. The plane, however, belonged to music giant Virgin.
Coolness status: You might as well listen to Madonna!
The Arcade Fires -- The Arcade Fires brought multiculturalism to Gary, Indiana, drawing performers from as far away as Canada! Their world music sound is primarily drawn from the African-inspired electronic music of Brian Eno. In fact, some people believe their backup vocalist is actually just Eno in a wig! Known for combining complex world rhythms with quirky lyrics and angular guitar, their most famous album is Funereal. Their second album, The Bible, remains controversial in the indie world, recorded during the band's brief flirtation with Creed-style Christian rock.
Coolness status: Currently opening for Creed!
Those are all of the important indie bands. Just mention these indie facts at a party sometime and you are guaranteed to be instantly popular.
Thanks for pointing out how fake some "indie" bands are. There's certainly a lot of posers out there - I recognized Decemberist, The Arcade Fires and Modesto Mouse and thought they were indie until now. Your humor was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteIt's not actually a commentary on indie rock, I just felt like making fake a guide. Two of the bands on there are amongst by three favorite bands. In fact, there's only one band there I don't like. (You'll note that I didn't do any bands I really hate, like Animal Collective or Vampire Weekend).
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