Indie: What was it, what is it, and what will it become?
 

Indie (a short form of independent) music has changed a lot throughout the years. In the 80's and 90's, it was just the 'other' cagtegory; the place were you placed music that wasn't 'this' but wasn't really 'that' either. You could say that for Alternitive music in that era, also, but Indie was more mellow than that. Now, Indie has evolved from the 'other' category to something more saddening; something more disheartening. In fact, I don't know of a single indie band that doesn't have some song about death, crying, depression, etc.

Although I extremely like Indie and it is about the only thing I listen to, I am afraid it will evolve, yet again, into something I don't like. Here is what I picutre indie to be like:

Bright Eyes
Built to Spill
Modest Mouse
Pavement
Death Cab for Cutie
Grandaddy
Cursive
Quasi
Belle and Sebastian
Badly Drawn Boy
Etc...

What do you think?

I'd say a lot of the stuff of Saddle Creek and Vargrant could be called indie..but idk..

At the Drive In?
The Mars Volta?
Sparta?
(i know those are basicaly the same 3 bands)

Well tons of bands have at least one song about sadder topics. I don't see that as a reasong to be alarmed about the future of indie music.

These "indie" bands have become too well known for me to feel like calling them indie. I know that might sound elitist, but when someone is well known and sells over 500,000 copies of their music with each release it doesn't seem all the independent... maybe just a smaller market than what you'd see with artists who frequent MTV.

Basically, I think these bands have emerged from the indie scene into the mainstream.

Beyond that, I still don't have a good example of what "indie" is... I think it might just be a dying term.

indie started in a lot of college radio stations. they were ahead of the mainstream in that they were playing nirvana before they got big. so "indie" music is always shifting; trying to be one step ahead of mainstream and away from it.

it seems like you're placing the broad "indie" category to more "emo" bands, which although is probably the most popular "indie" today, is not the only thing out there! bands like pretty girls make graves, rapture, murder city devils, blood brothers, sparta... are all good indie bands that aren't necessarily emo. you just have to look.

the bands you've mentioned are so popular among the indie culture that everyone just copies everyone else in music tastes to be hip enough. that's not indie to me, just a bunch of poseurs.

IMHO, Indie isn't a sound, but an ethos.

Same as Punk. It's a state of mind that can encompass all the things under an umbrella of DIY...

OR

its also just a type of loud, aggressive music.

It's all in the eye of the beholder. So, when someone sez "Indie" I think of my friend Dan and his band, playing shows, putting out their own CDs w/ their own cash, making their own t-shirts to sell, and still working the day-shift. If anyone wants more info on this type of "Indie" here's a book for you:

Our Band Could Be Your Life.

that's true too. the zine subculture is very indie.

Absolutely!
That's why, to me, Indie will forever be connected to DIY, not music directly.

I've really just thought of indie as bands who aren't on major labels and are doing the grass-roots thing without the big budgets, music videos and hype.

You too, sir, are correct. ...Like I'm the indie guru or something. ;)

I know of the college stations starting to play underground bands. I was just trying to point out bands that most of you have heard of, not trying to sound ignorant of "Indie"'s origin.

And I'd have to agree with all of you have Indie seems to be a state of mind more than music itself.

Also, a friend of mine thinks that it is not indie if more than 6 people have heard of the band.

Absurd.