Indie Summer

2:49 AM
Indie summer

2010:  The past decade has fast become the era of the indie god, ushered in by the catastrophic losses major labels suffered as a result of the technology storm that forever changed the climate of the music world.  The capability to write, produce, record, mix, market, and perform music has been placed in the hands of the artist and, much like global warming, it has forever changed the music industry.  

The popularity of once no-name garage bands and college circuit barfly favorites  has caused both fans and artists alike to brand once independent music as "indie" in the same fashion that "Band-Aid" became the worldwide term for bandage.  But with the newfound fame came the dilution of the value in truly independent music.    

While deserving artists have found success under the umbrella of a new generation of fans with a greater appreciation for wider genres of music, I am apathetic to support the branding of "indie" as a genre.  Perhaps the music snob in me can't get past the conspiracy theorist argument the devil's advocate throws at me: The idea that this is corporate America's reincarnation attempt to revive major label successes.  While the quality of mainstream music has progressed, the artist's independence is muddled when played alongside overproduced noise on Clearchannel stations.

Abusing what was once industry slang to promote the bands is like a cross-burning to indie fans; it's confusing and a bit of a paradox to see Sony or Virgin put out an "indie" record.  If the artist is bought (or as some might say, "sells out" to a major label), I'm pretty sure the grandfathering clause does not apply here, as I have no doubt that the independence gets lost when the not-so-free-thinking execs put their grimy, green-scavenging hands on it.  

Selling to the masses in the reality age where shows like Jersey Shore become popular is evidence to support that most of the execs' target market have lousy taste in music.  As long as the weather reporter sends the right message it won't matter what the actual weather is going to be, because someone is making it rain.  And while there may be a silver lining to every cloud, I know I am not the only twentysomething concert-goer annoyed by the all-ages pollution emitted to my once comfortable concert ozone.  Hopefully soon we will see the legislation that removes their carbon-footprint.

I want to see bands who are truly independent use the label so I can decide for myself what genre I want to put them in.  This is not to say that I dislike that Interpol or other deserving bands signed with a major label.  Of course some musicians want to be successful at what they love and that's great.  I also want to clarify (as a result of Bill yelling at me) that I do not have anything against musicians making it big. I am just selfish and want to keep them to myself sometimes....after they sign with a major label the bands are no longer "indie" ...they become "corpie". On a good note, it looks like the "indie" scene will last through the winter of music cycles.  And that makes me happy.