Music differences - US vs UK

There's really no such thing as 'Indie' anymore though, it's all mainstream.

How is the US for getting to see unsigned bands?  Is MySpace helping bands over there the way it is here?


Vicky

There's really no such thing as 'Indie' anymore though, it's all mainstream.




Vicky

Real indy is still going strong.  It's what my kids and their friends listen to and seek out.  As soon as the bands hit mainstream the kids move on to something new.

What I mean is that most of the smaller 'independent' labels (which is where the term comes from) are owned by the major labels anyway.

Vicky

What I mean is that most of the smaller 'independent' labels (which is where the term comes from) are owned by the major labels anyway.

Vicky

They're on the internet now, they don't need a label.

I am pretty sure that it is the aim of most bands to get signed by a record label....most serious musicians aren't going to be satisfied with only getting coverage on MySpace.  It's a great resource to find unsigned bands, and fine for those who just want to stay as an underground success, but for any one who has ambition to pay the rent with their music then a label is a necessity.

Vicky

Sigh.  But it is real indy, it's not mainstream and it is going on. I'm done.

Indie doesn't mean the same thing it meant in the 80s but it is more or less the same concept and just as real. The point is its bands and artists who might otherwise not get heard. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_music

I've had a hard time finding a reliable UK source for straight ahead rock music.  I'm a fan of Foo Fighters, System of a Down, Green Day, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Oasis, and a bunch of smaller bands in the same vein. 

In the US, I used to be able to listen to Squizz and Ethel on XM Satellite Radio to hear new bands, and since it played without commercials, I could leave it on in the background all day.  When something I liked came on I could see what it was immediately.  This was awesome.

Over here in the UK, I like a lot of the stuff that's played on Kerrang and to a lesser extent Scuzz, but Kerrang and Scuzz repeat the same stuff over and over again throughout the day, and only rarely play new music; they stick with rock hits rather than emerging artists.  The only new band I've found since coming over here 13 months ago is Reuben.

How this relates to the UK/US music scene is it seems to me that rock bands with grungy looking people playing distorted guitars and shouting are not as popular in the UK as rock bands with good looking people dressed well (if ironically), playing in a quirky style and singing prettily.   

Indie doesn't mean the same thing it meant in the 80s but it is more or less the same concept and just as real. The point is its bands and artists who might otherwise not get heard. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_music

Oh, absolutely.  And I think it is great that the big labels do support 'indie' bands and run divisions on the same model as independent labels used to be.  It's just a shame that it's all part of the corporate machine now, that's all.


Vicky

I think the first reason that lodged itself in my head for wanting to move over here was music. I was huge into BritPop, Madchester, Shoe-gazing (Thames Valley), and some Bristol stuff (Portishead, Massive Attack).... I was also sick of paying import prices and having to search high and low for stuff I liked (for any Bay Area people, for many years I think I probably kept Mod Lang in business!!).

As for radio I think it's generally better here, not counting good college radio (there are bad college stations too!!) While US radio went through a nice "alternative" phase while I was at uni and just before (The Quake!!! Live 105 in it's early days!!) I think US commercial radio is DIRE. I listen to Virgin and XFM and while it's still too commercial for me, I like it FAR more than any mainstream US stations.

Me too.
Music was MY LIFE at the time i moved here, and music was one of the reasons I came over (Icicle Works, Echo & The Bunnymen, Big Country...).

I'm not sure what's meant by college radio stations... i've never been to college.   But I remember The Quake!  I used to go to the studio and be in Alex Bennett's studio audience!

We dont get Virgin on FM here, and i cant listen to medium wave... it sounds weird and tinny.  But i listened to Virgin when i lived in London, and i liked it a lot.   Up here, i listen to XFM Scotland, and Radio 2, but only to feed my love when Radcliffe & Maconie are on. 

Me too.
Music was MY LIFE at the time i moved here, and music was one of the reasons I came over (Icicle Works, Echo & The Bunnymen, Big Country...).

I'm not sure what's meant by college radio stations... i've never been to college.   But I remember The Quake!  I used to go to the studio and be in Alex Bennett's studio audience!

We dont get Virgin on FM here, and i cant listen to medium wave... it sounds weird and tinny.  But i listened to Virgin when i lived in London, and i liked it a lot.   Up here, i listen to XFM Scotland, and Radio 2, but only to feed my love when Radcliffe & Maconie are on. 

Do you have Sky TV? Cause you can listen to Virgin, and a zillion other stations, on there.

Go digital!  You might like Radio6 Music as well.  I tend to listen to Xfm and Virgin during the day, but get really frustrated at the ads and the tiny playlists.  When Xfm started they played a much wider variety of music, but it's getting a bit annoying now.  6 music is pretty eclectic - you will get indie, new rave, pop and prog, and more!

Vicky

I'm not sure what's meant by college radio stations... i've never been to college.

Honestly, all the term 'college radio' refers to is the type of music played.  Back when we were young (you know, the stone age) it would have been stations that played Husker Du, R.E.M. (the IRS years), The Replacements, The Pixies, etc.  You know, back before people used the term 'indie' to describe a band.

I share pkmac's sentiment, I would kill to get something that even begins to play a format anything similar to BBC Radio 1 in the states...I haven't listen to US FM Radio in years.

Why kill anything?  Just get Sirius and get the real thing.

* leviramsey will be waking up to Moyles tomorrow as the King of All Media takes his usual 3-day weekend.

Do you have Sky TV? Cause you can listen to Virgin, and a zillion other stations, on there.

I don't have Sky, but i think we have the same thing on our cable system.   However, the only time i really listen to music is in the car.