Sales figures suggest alternative rock is in a dismal place right now. Will it ever recover?
And should we care?
The changing face of indie rock … Noel Gallagher in 1995 and 2010. Photograph: Ilpo Musto/Yui Mok/Rex Features/PA
This year’s Brit awards will be a melancholy experience for indie fans. The genre’s big performers on the evening will be Blur and Noel Gallagher, a pairing that will evoke memories of the 1995 ceremony, when Britpop swept the old guard away, and thus highlight the contrast with the current state of play. The latest issue of Q magazine opens its review of the new Maccabees album with the rhetorical question: “Has there ever been a worse musical climate to be a guitar band in Britain?” The past is another country. The British public buys guitar music there.
Just before Christmas US music writer Eric Harvey compiled a list of sales figures for the top 50 albums in Pitchfork’s end-of-year poll, inspiring the Guardian to conduct a similar exercise (see below). Each list prompts much the same conclusion. Of the five albums in Pitchfork’s list that sold more than 100,000 copies in the US in 2011 only two (Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes) are indie artists. In the Guardian’s top 40 the only alternative acts to pass 100,000 (the benchmark for a gold record) are Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Noah and the Whale, PJ Harvey, Radiohead and Laura Marling.
For years, Americans never used the term ‘indie’, preferring to label the likes of Bush ‘alternative’. But things changed …
Why do so many Americans think they invented indie? SimianBaffin
There has never been an authoritative definition of indie in the United States. The term only came into popular usage in America in the 2000s. The indie nomenclature was initially co-opted and embraced by video gamers, then in cinema discourse, and finally by the American music community.
There are dramatic differences between the way indie evolved Stateside and its development in the UK. In the UK, indie was a formally recognised genre with its own chart and rules for inclusion and exclusion. The British rule, steeped in controversy, was independent distribution, not independent label. As independent labels primarily used independent distribution, this definition presented a convenient loophole for major labels to exploit.
In the US, however, the independent sector was nurtured and fostered by college radio. Initially, this less conventional music was called college rock. It had its own chart and magazine, College Music Journal (CMJ). It was a college music chart that would be included in Rolling Stone and the other media outlets as the alternative to Billboard’s comprehensive chart. College rock was a playlist-based classification, a radio format constituted by the varied and erratic tastes of a network of college radio music directors. College radio stations were free to choose their songs. They were just as likely to play Neneh Cherry, Camper Van Beethovenor the Gin Blossoms as the Replacements, Black Flag or Jane’s Addiction. The nature of label ownership had nothing to do with it. Many of the college music directors making these decisions became members of the American corporate music industry.
As college rock became more successful it started to be called alternative, modern rock or, occasionally, underground. Grunge was its most successful public face. Alternative was the category recognised by official industry bodies. In 1991, the Grammys added alternative as an award category. Its definition was: “Recordings of a non-traditional form that exist (at least initially) outside of the mainstream music consciousness.”
In the 80s and 90s indie was not a recognised category in the US outside of internationally touring musicians, industry professionals or the small segment of anglophiles who read imported copies of NME and Melody Maker. In the 90s, when I told people I was studying indie music culture, I was either asked if I was talking about music from India or told it didn’t exist. The people who refuted indie’s existence included American and Canadian music scholars, North American music journalists and radio DJs. In autumn 2000, when I asked if anyone on my course of 350 students aged 18-22 knew what indie music was, only one student raised his hand. This lack of official recognition continued at least through 2004 as American classifications in the Gracenote CDDB database still referred to bands as “alternative”, while in the UK the same music or ringtone would be classified as indie.
When I insisted indie existed, I would be told it was the same thing as alternative, just with a different name. So were alternative and indie coterminous? You might suggest a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but that forsakes the connotative power of language. It makes a difference that “punk” meant a worthless hoodlum, or that the names of punk bands and labels were meant to offend: Rough Trade, Epitaph, Stiff, and Slash. Hip-hop labels or imprints such as Def Jam and Ruthless, Death Row and Cash Money often use neologisms reflecting the phonetics and morphology of African-American vernacular English as well as names that suggest where the artists are coming from or where they are going.
Dance and electronica labels and artists use terminology that suggests the future and science. The letter X is used extensively in electronica’s alternative spellings (XL, Triple XXX, Astralwerks, Future Groove, Wax Trax). X is used in product branding to suggest science and cutting-edge advancements. This all suggests we find meaning in our labels and nomenclature. Or, as Nabokov would assert, Dolores is not the same thing as Lolita. The alternative American scene and its labels were the subterranean descendants of punk proclivities: Sympathy for the Record Industry, Dischord, Alternative Tentacles, Sub Pop and Matador. Indie, on the other hand, was the modest scion of the post-punk landscape. Indie is the diminutive of independent and often has names that are self-conscious, small and innocent: Sarah, Heavenly, Postcard, Fierce Panda, Mute or How Does it Feel to Be Loved?
Yet it wasn’t just at the level of language that the two genres showed differences – bands that composed American alternative and British indie were radically different, too. The alternative underground is the land of Michael Azerrad and his eminently readable book, Our Band Could Be Your Life, the male-heavy account of the American post-punk landscape that features Big Black, Minor Threat, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Hüsker Dü, and Butthole Surfers. Underground alternative was aggressive and heartily masculinist. It ignored the British and Irish bands that were the heartland of indie. When women played alternative, they were grrrls having to conform to the aggressive rules of a guys’ playground.
While the British indie scene included these American bands under its umbrella, it also included British bands, many of which had a more harmonic aesthetic, were more comfortably feminine and sexually egalitarian. Bands including Pulp, Ride, Curve, Orange Juice, Blur, Suede, the Divine Comedy, the Beta Band, Stereolab, My Bloody Valentine, the Wedding Present and Primal Scream were simply ignored in the States outside of a small but loyal anglophile fanbase. In 1995, the only British band getting any play during the alternative revolution was Bush.
The sea change for indie in the US was the wave of turn-of-the-century bands that used British indie music as their inspiration, and the international democratisation of music discourse due to the internet. Now people did not have to wait for a monthly or a weekly paper to get music news. The British press, with its quicker nationalised weekly publishing rate, was usually the first to cover new bands, and now that information could be immediately consumed and synthesised by a worldwide audience. Online media outlets such as Pitchfork could publish even faster. Indie, in popular use in the UK from the late-80s, became the label of choice for Americans – and an even greater worldwide audience – to talk about modern rock and pop music. It appealed to a youthful demographic governed by sensibilities and ethical concerns similar to those that informed the British indie scene. Alternative as a genre was swept under the carpet, and many of the arguments about the definition of indie (label, genre, attitude, artistic control) that have existed in Britain and Europe for the better part of 25 years, Americans have credited to themselves. After all, if Sebadoh wrote Gimme Indie Rock, Americans must have invented it.
Recording an album is what they’ll do but their ‘Help A Brother Out’ campaign see’s them asking fans to contribute now & receive a deluxe package of the album once it’s finished. All information is at this high-tech website link.
Thinkindie.com the independent digital music alternative to the goliath, Itunes, has announced abruptly this month that it will be closing on Feb.15th. After contacting the site’s managers, it seems they can’t compete any longer with the Apple super store.
This is bad news to Ear X-tacy and Louisville Is For Lovers, both of whom use Thinkindie as their Digital Distributer. It’s bad news for you to, as Thinkindie is the largest digital distributer of indie bands, and indie stores in the US. Sites like Bandcamp.com can pick up some slack, though Thinkindie offered free downloads, promotional downloads, rare exclusives, and price setting by the client.
This weekend is your last chance to pick up downloads of all Louisville Is For Lovers valentine’s day comps (almost fitting that Valentine’s day will be the last day to pick up these albums), as well as FREE albums, EP’s, as well as Ear X-tacy only releases and compilations.
PUPPET one of the nation’s top arts and culture of Indonesia’s most prominent among the many works of other cultures. Culture puppets include acting, singing, music, speech arts, literary arts, painting, sculpture, and art is also symbolic. Culture of puppets, which continues to grow over time, also a lighting media, propaganda, education, entertainment, philosophical understanding, and entertainment.
According to the research of historians of culture, culture is a culture of wayang native to Indonesia, particularly in Java. The existence of puppets was many centuries before the Hindus go to the island of Java. Although a popular puppet story in today’s society is an adaptation of the works of Indian literature, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Both the main story in the puppet undergone many changes and additions to adapt them to the original philosophy of Indonesia.
Adjustment of the concept of this philosophy is also about the philosophical position of the Javanese people against the gods in the puppet. The gods in the puppet is no longer something that is free from wrong, but like any other God’s creatures, sometimes acting wrong, and could be a blunder. The presence of puppet characters in panakawan deliberately created the culture of Indonesia (Javanese cultural exact) to reinforce the concept of philosophy that in this world there is no creature that is really good, and that is really bad. Each creature is always bearing the elements of good and evil.
In his dissertation titled Bijdrage tot de Kennis van het Javaansche Tooneel (1897), the Dutch cultural historian Dr. GA.J. Hazeau indicated his belief that the puppet is the original performance of Java. Understanding puppet in the dissertation Dr. Hazeau it is walulang inukir (a carved leather) and seen his shadow on the screen. Thus, the puppet in question certainly is a shadow play as we know it today.
Origin
Regarding the origins of this puppet, in the world there are two opinions. First, the notion that puppets originated and was first born on the island of Java, precisely in East Java. This opinion is in addition to adopted and raised by researchers and experts in the nation of Indonesia, also was the result of research of Western scholars. Among Western scholars belonging to this group, is Hazeau, Brandes, Kats, Rentse, and Kruyt.
The reason they are quite strong. Among other things, that the art of puppet is still very closely related to sociocultural and religious state of the Indonesian people, especially the Javanese. Panakawan, the most important figures in a puppet, that Semar, Gareng, Petruk, Bagong, there are only puppets in Indonesia, and not in other countries. In addition, names and technical terms puppet shows, it all comes from the Javanese (Kuna), and no other language.
Meanwhile, a second opinion suspected puppets from India, which brought together with the Hindu religion to Indonesia. They include Pischel, Hidding, Krom, Poensen, Goslings, and Rassers. Most of this second group is the British scholar, the European country which had colonized India.
However, since the 1950′s, puppet books as if he had agreed that the puppets are coming from Java Island, and in no way be imported from other countries.
Culture puppet was born in Indonesia is estimated at least during the reign of King Airlangga, king Kahuripan (976 -1012), when the kingdom in East Java that was prosperous, prosperity. Literary works the subject of puppet stories have been written by the poets of Indonesia, since the X century Among other things, the script-language literature Kakawin Book of Old Javanese Ramayana written during the reign of King Dyah Balitung (989-910), which is a spin-off from the Book of the Ramayana written by Indian poet, Valmiki. Furthermore, the poets of Java is no longer simply translating the Ramayana and the Mahabharata into Old Javanese language, but compose and retelling by entering into this philosophy of Java. For example, the professor’s work Kanwa Arjunawiwaha Kakawin, which is composed of berinduk on the Book of Mahabharata. Composed by other, more obvious difference between the original story derigan Indian version, is Baratayuda Kakawin work professor and professor Sedah Panuluh. This great work done in the reign of King Jayabaya, king of Kediri (1130-1160).
Puppet as a performance and spectacle had already started there since the reign of King Airlangga. Some inscriptions are made in those days, among others already mentioned the words “mawayang ‘and` aringgit’ which means that the puppet show.
About the birth culture of puppets, Ir. Sri Mulyono in his book The symbolism and mysticism in the Puppet (1979), estimate the puppet has existed since the time of neolithikum, ie about 1,500 years before Christ. His opinion was based on the writings Robert von Heine-Geldern Ph. D, Prehistoric Research in the Netherlands Indies (1945) and Prof. writing. K.A.H. Hidding in Indonesian Encyclopedia page 987.
The word `puppet ‘probably derived from the word` wewayangan’, which means shadow. This conjecture is consistent with the fact the Wayang Kulit performances are using a screen, a piece of cloth, as a barrier between the puppeteer who plays the puppet, and the audience behind the curtain. Viewers only saw movement through the shadow-puppet motion that falls on screen. At that time puppet performances accompanied only by a simple set of gamelan consist of saron, Todung (a type of flute), and kemanak. Other types of gamelan and singer at that time was allegedly not yet exist.
For more puppet culture schedule, since the early days of the Majapahit Kingdom introduced another puppet story that does not have an affiliate on the Book of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Since then Panji stories, the story of the ancestors of the kings of Majapahit, was introduced as one form of another puppet. Panji stories are then more widely used for Wayang Beber performances. Tradition java puppet story also forwarded by some Islamic clerics, among them by the Wali Sanga. They began puppeting story of the kings of Majapahit, among them the story Damarwulan.
The entry of Islam into Indonesia since the 15th century also gave a big influence on the culture of puppets, especially on the concept of philosophy of religion that puppet. At the beginning of the 15th century, namely the time of the Kingdom of Demak, began to use specially-shaped oil lamp called blencong on Wayang Kulit performance.
Since the days Kartasura, composing a story that connection puppet in Ramayana and Mahabharata increasingly distant from the original. Since the time that people know the genealogy enthusiasts puppet puppet characters, including gods figure, which originated from the Prophet Adam. Genealogy it continues to arrive at the kings of Java. And then, began to be known also a puppet stories grip. that follow the standard story, and story lines beyond puppet carangan standard. In addition, there was more drama called splinter, which was too far out of the story grip.
Indeed, because so strong puppet art is rooted in the culture of Indonesia, so there was some confusion between the wayang stories, legends, and history. If the Indians think that the story of Mahabharata and Ramayana actually happened in his country, regarded Javanese wayang story actually happened on the island of Java.
And in the Kulonprogo own puppet still very interested by all circles. Not just by parents only, but also teenagers and even young children have also been unusual to see puppet show. Besides, puppet also commonly in use in certain events in the area this Kulonprogo, both in urban areas or in areas remote Wates in Kulonprogo.
Here are some explanations about the profession that cinematography is the process of filmmaking:
Producer
Was the person most responsible for the birth of a film. A central figure is the figure producer who runs a film production. Not with money but with a vision. Because with vision capital he can decide whether the story could be developed into a film layer width, the ability to be possessed, namely: managing finances, finding funds, talking with potential investors, bringing together a number of people to the occurrence of a number of films. The producers are the people who work early until the end of the film production. This means that a producer must have an extremely complex ability of all the existing sections underneath to make him capable of managing a movie.
Production Manager
Working daily production manager basin coordinator who organizes the work and maximize the potential that exists in all departments. In the production of a film. Is in charge of production operations begin pre production stage until the production ended. Every day he made a checklist and list what has been undone, while anticipating problems that might arise and prepare alternative solutions.
Film director
Even this profession often become the ideals of many people. The sharpness of vision is necessary in order to turn the story to be enjoyed on the big screen. He who should control the dramatic and artistic aspects during the production process takes place. He also must lead the whole crew and artists to realize the film. The director is the story teller through the medium of film is far more important than of understanding about film itself. Ability to lead, communication, vision, attitude, and understanding about life is also required.
I Asisiten director
Ditahap pre-production, it takes one to help the director to translate the results into a treatment director script breakdown and shooting schedule. This person is given a predicate asissten director I, which discusses all these people need shooting and production manager.
Screenwriter
Penilis scenario must be able to say something obvious. Understanding the intent of the story. Understand the purpose of the story (played same as arsirek to build the story), wrote the scenario is the collaborative work done by the author who had the same vision, in this case the director and producer.
Executive producer
Being the executive producer is required managerial skills, ability to manage budgets. Leadership, and communication. His job is to motivate and vision for the film, working during the production process takes place. Its main task is to maximize production in the form of film.
Stylist camera / photography (DOP)
Mastering the story, familiar tools, know how to tell you something, can determine the depiction of the story. Master the lighting techniques. Mastering the ability to make managerial and communication networks and have a good relationship with the director.
Cameraman
A man was menoprasikan camera. A camera person must know the ins and outs of the camera so that it can pour the desired visual director.
Production design
Required as asissten director sets the tone and warana that appear in the film. Production design will translate creative director and designed it. It required extensive knowledge, creative and technical production for someone desian capable director wishes poured into the design that is easy to understand each head of department.
Costumes and makeup stylist
Can be occupied by a male or female. Associated with the camera, so it should discuss all of the stylist a picture. Understanding the character of the figures. Assists the director turn on character, not just the players dress. Working in teams, have a working system, kemempuankomunikasi, work hard and do not easily panic.
Lighting
Someone in charge of the lighting has a significant role, because the picture quality of a shot will get better if the light used well ordered.
Image editor / editor
Conditions became editor is patience. Having the ability to tell stories, music, neat and diligent record. This is far more important than the ability to use computers. Able to communicate with directors. Decisions on the editing room is based on the needs of the story and the audience needs consideration.
Sound and music stylist stylist
In Indonesia, the audio element is not a priority. Though the film not only takes pictures, which is why his name se3bagai movie audio visual media. Inin profession is a work of art but it requires engineering skills. This profession in accordance with those who love the technology. In working on the film in accordance with the script. In the insert or remove noise can use the music library, you can also browse, with the requirement to include in the title credits.
Talent
They are the figures that there is a need in the scenario and filming. Kebituhan adalha them on the festival organizers that they can see the quality of their performance when on the screen and be able to compare them with other film quality. In addition, as a means of learning them to know the various characters in the film. And the opportunity to meet with other film workers to develop the network.
Publicist
Publication requires communication strategies, while promoting more on activities to advertise in the media as much as possible. Publication allows the prospective audience for the film to be informed about him watching. In a sense he would know more than what the movie title. With a good stratergi publication can also be a savior who may be a bad movie.
Festival organizers
The festival was born because the audience needs a forum discussion, appreciation, offer a distinct point of view and also show an alternative. Actually the offer is what makes the festival becomes important. Mastering the master strategy of the audience. Many other festivals are no place to interact and learn. Number of this event as well as a place to expand the network to other film actors.
Several kinds of actors in the movie does not mean just a few that are there. But can be very diverse and many. It depends on the level of need and difficulty making of the film.
The term indie is derived from the independent or free. Is one of the alternative youth movement, especially in the field of music. The young are trying to get out of the benchmark standard of the music industry in general that tends to uniform.
Revolution is always color the indie world, make indie music will still survive. Although to be great is not something easy, but the indie world will still survive in a way that creative and independent way.
Not much different from the indie world in the field of music, the indie bloggers the same way. As I wrote in previous posts, there are no specific rules in writing a blog. Here we are really able to explore creativity freely independent.
Until now the media giant media in Indonesia is still used as a benchmark of success of a writer. A new writer can be considered a great and recognized the writer owner status if his work was able to penetrate one or more of these big media. This is a differentiator.
Some of the benefits of writing on the blog by writing in the media big media:
1. Writing on the blog is definitely loaded, because we own that became the determining.
2. Freedom of opinion, because it is not required to write something as objective as possible. We could write something in accordance with our own perspective. With a record as long as it does not harm others.
3. The blogger does not know the media center, media, newly constructed by the government to monitor the news worthiness.
4. No prisoner of time, because bloggers are not familiar with the term deadline. There is only how to govern themselves to discipline, consistent, willing to learn, etc..
Therefore I’m sure the indie bloggers will always be there. Because indie bloggers always be creative with your heart, independent and creative step. Indie blogger will always try to open another door when there is a closed door. While not denying it, the choice is in our hands. We are free to choose and decide for themselves, will become a blogger who like what we are.
Indie is part of good art activity are realized in the form of music, painting, photography, to sport. Unfortunately, until now Indie is still marginalized. No exception, Indie music yan
Through a long journey that can not be separated from the globalization of information not to mention the internet, indie music is now starting to get a place in the hearts of the community. Currently, more than 20,000 recorded less indie band homeland. A potential wealth of Indonesia’s music that can not be underestimated.
Indie music seemed to be the answer for those who are getting bored with the trend of Indonesian music industry which is currently almost “dead” creativity. Inevitably, the biggest potential possessed Indie music is very natural creativity. Through a natural process that is born of new ideas that often become a trend setter.
Musical creativity of the nation can not doubt his greatness, and even our neighboring countries openly expressed concern on the ability of Indonesian musicians. Being scared is to be realized in the form of regulations for Indonesia’s music is not rampant in their country. It’s become evident there is no excuse for the government to close his eyes to go take a large role in the development of Indonesian music, especially indie music.
Necessary role of government
The need for the government’s role even though just offering a place for indie music as part of the nation’s children who need guidance and direction. Currently, they need the space for expression and indicating its existence. However, this nation needs the creativity of music that can lift the image of this country through the work that is loaded with the value of honesty is not just emotional moment for the sake of dollars.
Indie music has survived in the presence of a number of indie labels and indie communities scattered all over the country. It takes the role of government to be able to unite their strength in one container so they can grow and provide color to the development of country music. Stage or routine event at the regional and national level to be very meaningful to them. Creative ideas from their respective local governments to develop indie music was no less important.
The role of the private party was no less importance is needed. Although there are a number of parties that will begin to look through the organization of the potential of music Indie music scene, but the amount has not been able to exploit the existence of indie music to the max. Ancol Dream Park through the arena Urbanfest must acknowledge the difficulty of carrying the Indie to get sponsors. It took three years for the Ancol Dream Park until finally able to convince the private parties involved in the administration of Indie music.
The mass media gatekeeper
The existence of indie music will grow faster if the mass media play a part raised him. Whether through the preaching and the opportunity for them to show their work. Ironic, if the indie music should be sunk in the middle of “booming” live music television show today. In addition to mere entertainment, this nation also needs a sense of honest without “conditions” that could handcuff the children’s creativity.
This opportunity is more wide open with the advanced technology today that provides fresh air for the development of Indie music. Just look at the local indie bands in Bandung, which can survive with only their creativity armed with cyberspace. Not a few indie bands that managed to distribute the album in Asian countries to Europe. There are also bands that can penetrate the compilation of records abroad.
The most important thing that can be drawn from the existence of indie music is not mere idealism or self-reliance. A work produced naturally teaches us how the quality work is honest work without engineering. This value must be maintained by this nation to maintain its culture, that a quality of work can not be equated with dollars. This is the basis for Urbanfest Ancol to re-organize, not only providing the action stage, indie music but also other indie creativity. Indie as part of a culture of creativity and appreciation need suppor from all sides.
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The HorrorsStill Life new | 1 week in chart [Xl Recordings]4 clips available
Laidback Luke & Steve AokiTurbulencenon-mover | 5 weeks in chart [New State]
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DJ FreshGold Dust up 4 | 50 weeks in chart [Data]6 clips available
Friendly FiresHawaiian Air up 7 | 4 weeks in chart [Xl Recordings]12 clips available
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Caro EmeraldThat Man up 1 | 9 weeks in chart [Dramatico/Grand Mono]1 clip available
Ed SheeranLittle Bird up 3 | 9 weeks in chart [Sheeran Lock]8 clips available
Mr SaxobeatMr Saxobeatnon-mover | 8 weeks in chart [Ma Chiato]
Biggest BandIt’s Alright (feat. Alexa Goddard)new | 1 week in chart [Mother Events Idleidol]
AdeleTurning Tables up 1 | 25 weeks in chart [Xl Recordings]11 clips available
AdeleChasing Pavements non-mover | 111 weeks in chart [Xl Recordings]11 clips available
Wolfgang GartnerIllmerica down 7 | 2 weeks in chart [Ministry Of Sound]
Ed SheeranLet It Out new | 8 weeks in chart [Sheeran Lock]8 clips available
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