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Author Topic: Indie Elitism  (Read 18958 times)

Bastardous Bassist

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #50 on: 06 Apr 2006, 16:02 »

Quote from: karl gambolputty...
Maybe the buffoon was right though.  I mean, in our little circle of kewlness Pavement and Death Cab are equally well known, but out in the real world?  I dunno...


Yeah, but that's a downside, because you can't talk about music with someone who hasn't heard of any of the stuff you like.  I should know.  I like music that practically nobody my age listens to, so I try to go off talking about it, and end up with blank stares and not getting laid.  Liking obscure music is frustrating, not something to be proud of.
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karl gambolputty...

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #51 on: 06 Apr 2006, 16:09 »

Quote from: Kai
Have either of you been to a high school lately? I'm pretty sure I could walk down the halls and find a pretty large portion of people who know about both. and this is high school. You know, there place where everybody listens to shit because they're stupid high school kids?


All I can say is that you go to a much cooler high school than I've ever heard of.  Most of my fellow college students that listen to Death Cab give me blank stares when I talk about any band that hasn't been featured on the OC
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Jedit

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #52 on: 06 Apr 2006, 16:25 »

Quote from: karl gambolputty...
Most of my fellow college students that listen to Death Cab give me blank stares when I talk about any band that hasn't been featured on the OC


Now you know how I feel when I mention Furniture or Destroy All Monsters to my friends who attend college.  Growing old is no good thing.
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Bastardous Bassist

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #53 on: 06 Apr 2006, 16:30 »

Oh pshaw.  I like contemporary concert music and jazz.  I can't even talk about the biggest, most famous composers/artists, because people are completely unfamiliar with both genres.  And I don't even look cool knowing obscure bands, I just look like a complete, stuffy dork.
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Kai

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #54 on: 06 Apr 2006, 16:39 »

yes, but you're a jazz dork, which puts you a good head or so above the avant garde nerd kids*




*like me. (I love jazz, can't say I'm too super knowing on the obscure stuff).
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but the music sucks because the keyboards don't have the cold/mechanical sound they had but a wannabe techno sound that it's pathetic for Rammstein standars.

Bunnyman

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #55 on: 06 Apr 2006, 21:08 »

Quote from: Synchronicity
Quote from: Bunnyman
Wait, so Punk is just like modern art.


Basically. I think that's actually a pretty good comparison. (But who am I to talk, seeing as I actually enjoy some punk.)


And I like certain select bits of modern art.  So it's all good.

I've found that with most genres, eventually everyone's metaphorical cock is going to be shorter.  I know some you don't, you know some I don't, that dude seems to live a monastic existence finding every practictioner of the style and categorizing them with razor-sharp genre distinctions.

So just learn to use the piece you have and, if you find something that expands it a bit, more power to you.   I feel silly if I try to namedrop with serious listeners of IDM, hip-hop, Jungle, Trance, or whatever.  This is why we just need to both load up a playlist, hit shuffle, and go on a long road trip so we have to listen to it.
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KharBevNor

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #56 on: 06 Apr 2006, 22:12 »

Punks not really like modern art at all. The reasons for producing punk are often entirely different, and the audience enjoy it for entirely different reasons. Punk is egalitarian, modern art is elitist. Punk is outsider, Modern art is insider. The only thing they really share is the fact that they are normally either about making a political/social point, being staggeringly offensive, or both.

Oh yes, and punk is also good. If you don't enjoy any punk, you need to go and have a medical test to ensure you've still got enough adrenalin. If you're an indie kid, listening to a slew of horribly lo-fi rock and alt-folk bands, and praising their three chord pop sensibilities, and you don't like any punk, you may possibly die of a hideous combination of hypocrisy, bad taste and me beating you to death with a shoe.
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nescience

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #57 on: 07 Apr 2006, 01:57 »

I don't find this thread going anywhere.  Many contributors to this thread are elitists themselves (which is fine), but in their criticisms are ignorant of the complex interplay between independent music spirit and the elitism that springs up around it.  "Indie music" and "indie culture" are indeed two separate and easily-confused concepts, each ill-defined at that  (let me get it out of the way, I can probably be accused of appreciation of elements of both, but I don't like association with either).  I'm getting pretty sick of the term "indie music" as it evolves as convenient identifier for whichever set of styles mainstream media thinks it can package and sell as "indie".  It's not even a fucking genre-- what many call indie music these days often falls into the genres of Lo-Fi, Psychedelic Pop, Baroque Pop, Postmodern Rock, Emo, Twee Pop, Post-Punk Revival, New Wave Revival, Garage Rock Revival (3rd wave) New Folk, No Depression (also called Alt-Country) and some Electropop... and IT ALL SOUNDS DIFFERENT, PEOPLE.

What we call "Indie" isn't supposed to be elitist, but audiences associated with the music often make it so.  You're not supposed to like Pavement if you don't enjoy it (I hate it), and Pavement doesn't give a shit how cool they are.  I mean, where culture is concerned, I find it funny that people choose criticism of the elitism of "indie culture" and its trappings, yet talk with such reverence and obvious feelings of superiority about groups for whom they have obviously subjective affection for.  Were you picked on by Guided by Voices fans as a child, or something?  I wouldn't be surprised-- that Bob Pollard birthed a generation of shitty indie fratboys.

Long story short: it doesn't matter.  They're all the same, we're all the same.  The truth is "you" don't like whatever you think "indie" is, and I think "your" music is terrible.  Friends.

PS: Metal blows.
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beat mouse

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #58 on: 07 Apr 2006, 02:56 »

^^ there's your indie elitism right there.
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ProphetHobo

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #59 on: 07 Apr 2006, 09:37 »

Quote from: karl gambolputty...
Quote from: Spinless
So, to summarise:

Guys want bigger Indie Dongs than you.
Girls want bigger Indie Tits than you.

So let's see if I've got this right...Indie kids are looking down their noses at you because they're better endowed?


Except that girls seem to be a lot more secure with their indie endowment (indowment?) than dudes.  That being said, I'm indie hung like an indie horse.


I'll go ahead and admit I have a small cock.

Er.... INDIE cock.
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nescience

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #60 on: 07 Apr 2006, 10:50 »

I got confused for a sec and thought the Makeout Hobo was admitting to a small dick.  I was all like WHAAAAA
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ProphetHobo

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #61 on: 07 Apr 2006, 11:32 »

Quote from: nescience
I got confused for a sec and thought the Makeout Hobo was admitting to a small dick.  I was all like WHAAAAA


Nah man, I was a hobo before hoboing was cool.
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jcknbl

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #62 on: 07 Apr 2006, 12:39 »

Quote
I'm getting pretty sick of the term "indie music" as it evolves as convenient identifier for whichever set of styles mainstream media thinks it can package and sell as "indie".


I really agree with this. I remember looking at the MTV website a few months back (I have no idea why but there goes my indie cred) and was really confused to find an entire section dedicated to "indie".

Even though it was never a real genre the term used to say something about your music taste: that you cared about music enough to discover and pursue stuff that wasn't played on the radio or tv. That you might have some unique taste that wasn't the same as everyone elses. The word "indie" described the process of making, selling and listening to music- not the actual music itself.  Now days, if someone says "I like indie music" the response is usually "oh, like the Postal Service?"

Most genre names tend to survive commodification. Khar can still say "I listen to Metal" and mean something by it even though he probably doesn't mean Linkin Park. Since the word "metal" actually describes a particular aesthetic and form it's still useful even if its been commodified. The word indie, once its been commodified ceases to signify ANYTHING.

So heres the question: will the term "indie" still be used by anyone five years from now? If not, will some term replace it as a way to describe music that isn't played on the radio and television or sold by major labels (like the word indie replaced the word "alternative")? What would that term be? Or have we reached a point where we've moved past ridiculous genre names and can just appreciate music without labeling it?
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blanko blanco

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #63 on: 07 Apr 2006, 13:06 »

I agree. The term indie has gotten to bug me. At times it can help lend to the description of music, but more often than not it's just useless. In its good and most understandable context, I guess indie is basically supposed to mean that the music has more depth and is more artistic and, somehow, somewhat more original than most "mainstream" music. This is the definition I tend to think of when I hear "indie". In its bad context, it seems to mean it's barely listenable elitist garbage that you have to be cool to like. But now any band that's virtually unknown (which, last I checked, was how just about every band has started) can be classified as Indie purely for that reason.
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Rubby

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #64 on: 07 Apr 2006, 13:46 »

I think indie is this generation's "alternative". Before the big alternative rock scene in the early and mid 90's, the word was used in proper context. That is; an alternative to the accepted norms, something "other-than". The word was used as a sort of generalization as opposed to being a specification. Once a certain style of music ("alternative rock") became popularized, a specification was needed for purely marketing purposes. You can’t sell a product without a description for said product. "Alternative Rock" was born out of a desire to regain the credibility of mainstream music within the youth culture because an honest to god alternative did exist. This subculture was a huge mass of people not giving money to big name music distributors providing - in essence - the very same service. Of course this was frustrating to those people who were making music for music's sake. The result was a group of like minded people doing their thing independently of the marketers who commodified their previous attempts. The same cycle repeats itself with a new moniker. I honestly believe this elitism is born of a fear of this process of commodification.
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Rubby

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #65 on: 07 Apr 2006, 13:58 »

Quote from: tommydski
it's funny how often time makes you completely disagree with yourself after a while.

It's like how I used to think McDonalds tasted good!?
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Jedit

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #66 on: 07 Apr 2006, 15:20 »

Quote from: nescience
I got confused for a sec and thought the Makeout Hobo was admitting to a small dick.


He's the Littlest Hobo.  <evil>
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Rubby

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #67 on: 08 Apr 2006, 00:11 »

Quote from: tommydski
with me it was pot noodles.

i used to eat pot noodles.

I don’t know what pot noodles are, but if they're anything like pot stickers...or just pot for that matter, sign me up.
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Trollstormur

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #68 on: 08 Apr 2006, 00:23 »

Indie Elitism is still better than Metal Elitism because it doesn't go hand in hand with vehement racism.


... or does it?


DUN DUN DUUUUNNN
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beat mouse

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« Reply #69 on: 08 Apr 2006, 00:26 »

You mean worse than metal elitism because of vehement racism.

Dun duh DUNNNNNNNNN!!!!!
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NosLycn

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #70 on: 08 Apr 2006, 00:47 »

Hey!  Amiku0ot!  I know something you don't know!  I know something you don't know!  I know something you don't know!

That's all you really need to do for a paper on indie elitism.  All in all, it would make a much better underground play involving 3 socially inept 4 year olds, talking about tigers or something.  Then, one of them can say, "I know something you don't know," and then they can all squirm until he finishes.  "Cory and the Wades just broke up so that Cory could go to College and become a Stock Broker."

(If any of you know Cory and the Wades, you are a rotten liar or you know me personally.  If you are a rotten liar and say you know "Cory and the Wades", you are an awesome indie elitist.)
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missscenester

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Indie Elitism
« Reply #71 on: 10 Apr 2006, 12:35 »

A paper on indie elitism?

Alot of seems all about style. And that's lame. I dunno..I feel alot of people are posers and just follow the style. I feel like I know people who don't look as scene all the time, but who are just way chiller and into the music than the fashionistas. To me these people are the true indie kids. What ever that means lol.
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