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Introduction to the Indie Music scene

August 26, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: indie scene

I came across this article (not written by us) and wanted to share it with you.  Do you think this is a good introduction to the indie music scene for an outsider that doesn’t know anything?

Indie music is a type of alternative rock, which exists in the independent music world. The word is periodically used to refer to all underground music, and is the opposite of indie pop music.Indie rock music places an emphasis on electric instruments such as guitars and drums. Musicians in the genre are also known for using abstract sounds.The term indie rock is used because musicians work under smaller record labels instead of the major record companies.

Though indie rock is not technically a genre, it is considered to represent the underground culture in many aspects.Indie artists are known for demanding a large amount of creative control over their music, and this is something, which often alienates them from larger companies.Indie artists will strictly rely on word of mouth, tours, and independent radio stations in order to promote their music. Many of the popular artists will end up becoming popular with mainstream audiences, and may be signed by large record labels.

In the US indie music is considered to be a spin off from alternative rock. The movement is believed to have been started during the 1970s or 1980s. The indie rock music of the 1980s had sounds, which were described as being heavy and distorted. By the 1990s, indie music groups such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam became a main stream, and the genre became more widespread. Once the genre became popular, major record companies begin investing large amounts of money in it.

Once this happened, the term “alternative rock” became more of a misnomer. Traditionally, many musicians who have signed with major record companies were considered to be “sell outs” by their hardcore fans. My Original Music is an indie music site located at myoriginalmusic.com. Here you can find music by independent artists from all over the world. Today, indie rock is a term which has come to describe a wide variety of music. The term indie rock has been applied to psychedelic folk, synth pop, and post punk.

Sometimes the term indie rock becomes blurred, and some believe that the word will soon disappear much like alternative rock did. Mainstream artists such as Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys have been known to reach high levels on the indie music charts, especially in the United Kingdom. Some mainstream artists have even been signed to independent record labels.Many popular indie music artists become a main stream, and once this happens, they are no longer independent.

Despite the fact that many indie artists become main stream, this is not always the case. In fact, most independent artists are not mainstream, and do not wish to be. Money may be a motivating factor, but many artists play their music for the passion and not the money. Many major record labels exert a large amount of control over their artists, and the music which is sold is more often the product of the record companies than the artists themselves. Because of this, many artists have fought with the major record labels over creative control of their music.

The writers of this article have their own interesting site.  www.musicjuice.net  Check it out

And let me know your thoughts.

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DJ Lance Rock and Yo Gabba Gabba at Coachella 2010

April 27, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: indie scene

Trying to put the pieces of our weekend at Coachella 2010 back together. Here is a very fun part of it. If you have any small children you will know this performance well. If you don;t just sit back and enjoy!

As you can tell, fun was had by all in attendence at this show.  I am no longer embarassed to watch Yo Gabba Gabba with my 1 year old.  It seems as if I am not alone.  Even though a few drinks and maybe some other substances might have been helping this crowd out.

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Coachella 2010 lineup with music samples

April 17, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: indie scene

Hope you are enjoying Coachella if you are out in Indio, California. If not here is the full lineup with some music samples of some of the great bands there this year. Enjoy!

Let us know which band you think will be the breakout star of Coachella.  We really love and need your input.

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Has Zooey Deschanel Convinced You That She Can Sing Yet?

April 14, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: Music you should know, indie scene

We see many actors try to crossover into the music world, especially in the pop genre where they can have their voice so overproduced that nobody will notice that they can not sing. That is why I took notice when Zooey Deschanel entered the indie music world with M. Ward to form She & Him.

She had shown some singing chops in her movies before, most notably in Elf with Will Ferrell and The Go-Getter where she met M. Ward.  Now She & Him have released their second album Volume Two back on March 23rd and it seems to be another good one, I believe even better than the first. 

She & Him have announced tour dates for the spring of 2010.  They dazzled at SXSW again and will perform at music festivals such as Coachella, Bonnaroo, Savannah and Sasquatch

Above is a live recording of She & Him at the Sirius XMU studios from a couple weeks ago.  Stripped down i think her voice sounds even better.  It reminds me a little of June Carter Cash which is always a good thing.  She is living up to the new ‘Omaha Sound’ label and I feel will be singing for years to come.

Bottom Line:  This cute chick can sing!

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Lil Daggers Coming to NYC – Be There!

April 06, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: Music you should know, indie scene

In our exhaustive, yet constant search for great new independent music to introduce you to, we came across another winner.  Lil Daggers, a psychadelic garage rock band from Miami, FL.  They are relatively unknown as of yet, but I don’t think that will be for too much longer.  And they are coming up to NYC this weekend to visit you and me. 

Listen first:

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Then get out to see them this weekend:

  • -Friday, April 9th, ‘Midnight til Death Party’ @ Don Pedros- Lil Daggers -with- Medication, White Mystery, and Girls at Dawn
  • -Saturday, April 10th @ Don Pedros- Lil Daggers -with- Brown Ghost, Naked Beach, Estrogen Highs, and Wild Yaks
  • -Sunday, April 11th @ Glasslands – Lil Daggers -with- Dream Diary, White Mystery, and Shark?

Lil Daggers Live

These guys crowd the stage with interesting musicians, including an organist (something that always excites me a little), and work hard to put on one hell of an interesting show.  The Indie Band Guru will be there, will you?

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SXSW 2010 performance by The Soft Pack

March 24, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: indie scene

You may have noticed that we at Indie Band Guru are big fans of The Soft Pack.  They played a bunch of shows at SXSW 2010 and killed it as usual.  Here is some video of one of there shows at Trailer Space.  It always amazes me the places that they find for bands to play in Austin that weekend.  But I guess with about 1897 bands playing they get creative in where they can put a stage and pack in a music loving crowd.  Enjoy it now without being shoulder to shoulder with 100′s of other indie music lovers.

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Indie Music to Enjoy On St. Patrick’s Day

March 17, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: Uncategorized, indie scene

 Hopefully you have a few drinks in you by now and are enjoying the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.  Here is some great music to put you in the Irish drinking mood. 

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Black 47 are Celtic rock legends in NYC.  They formed in the Bronx back in 1989 and have played about 150 shows each year since.  Always remaining true to their principles and their political views has cost them real fame.  Due to their independent stance on affairs in the North of Ireland, their UK record companies refused to give them any support, thus cutting off the lucrative European market.  They were also one of the first bands to make a stand against the Iraqi war. 

They always return to New York City to play on St. Patrick’s Day.  For their 21st consecutive NYC show on the holiday, they will be at B.B Kings tonight starting at 7pm. 

They also just released a new album on March 2nd titled Bankers and Gangsters.  It is vintage Black 47 and if you like what you hear here, you should give it a listen.  Enjoy the day and feel free to share some good stories about your evening.

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The Chinese Indie Underground Music Scene

March 11, 2010 By: Indie Band Guru Category: indie scene

We came across a great video on CNN.com that our readers will like.  It  follows indie electro punk band, The Handsome Furs from Montreal, Canada, as they tour the newly re-established underground music scene in China.  The club scene there is so unestablished that a Handsome Furs show with 100 kids was the biggest show that they ever had there.  Take a look and share your thoughts.

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