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In light of the recent London riots, I feel it might be
appropriate to cast somespotlight on the now ubiquitous Alternative
and Indie distinctions in modern musicculture. Especially because a
very important building in particular was burnt down during the
riots. That is, a building important to the UK music industry. This
was the Sony, PIAS distribution centre. The damages incurred by the
building are said to have particularly negative implications for
the independent music industry in the UK.
Let me kick this one off by proclaiming that any independent
label choosing to distribute its records through the Sony
corporation, is not an independent label. In fact, basic logic
would dictate that that is the exact opposite of independent. The
indie/alternative terminology that seems to fit just about anyone
who signs an iTunes endorsement these days was originally meant to
distinguish early eraPunk-rockers from their major label, sell-out
counterparts. Punk bands did thingsdifferently. They said and did
what they wanted, believing that the best vehicle to get their
message out was their own DIY ethos.In a wonderfully refreshing
album review from this past June by johnrobb on LouderThan War, a
shockingly accurate portrayal of what Indie/Alternative has come
tomean, since its full on immersion into the pop culture circle,
can be absorbed.
The review is of Atari Teenage Riots Is This Hyperreal?, and
John begins with:
How much blood will it take scream Atari Teenage Riot on the
anthemic The Only Slight Glimmer Of Hope, still not backing down
and still using the noise and confusion of the Arab spring, the end
of capitalism, riots and corporate greed to createa very different
kind of love song.These are the end times. Global [financial]
meltdown, riots on the streets, therich getting richer.The world
choking with pollution and poison. There is a big change going
on.And what does pop culture do about it?Nothing..We dont expect
anything from X Factor world. Thats about celebrity culture and
thebrand judges grabbing the loot whilst laughing at the groveling
karaoke props. We
do expect some kind of reaction from the indie bands, the so
called alternative groups who offer nothing but clever marketing to
create the illusion of alternative.Look at the festival headliners,
are they alternative? Alternative to what? So polished and sensible
it makes you sick. Pretend alternative to make everyone feel happy
and comfortable. Fake indie. Indie fakers. The right trousers. The
rightbranding. They offer nothing but a slight feeling of
hipness.30 page pull outs in Sunday mags on what the right wellies
to wear at a festivalare. Backstage festival pictures of soap stars
that no one cares about, non celebrities with nothing to celebrate.
Meanwhile the bankers are laughing.() with their picnic hampers and
their Champagne.Getting the festival experience.
Everyone is now alternative. Lovely.Oh, so youve heard this kind
of rant before? Unoriginal then? This is branching out into a
larger picture, far greater than that of music and pop culture.
Independent and alternative are supposed to represent independent
and alternate modesof thinkingways of knowing. The fact that they
have been absorbed into pop culture is simply a reflection of
society willing to accept the status quo as is. To accept that we
are deaf, dumb, and blind to just how far we have been dispossessed
of our very own basic human rights to knowledge. Knowledge our
ancestors had.You knowthe ones who knew how to grow their own food?
Alec Empire of Atari TeenageRiot had much to say on this, in a
featured blog todayagain brought to you by Louder Than War.
When Obama got elected, he convinced a whole generation just by
speaking to them
in a certain way, that democracy and capitalism will work out
for everybody. WeCAN change and improve things.Even though I come
from a very different political standpoint and I am very awar
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e of the power of the system, when it comes to the system
changing individuals who tried to change it, I heard an honesty in
this mans voice which was rare amongst politicians.But suddenly
what seemed to have changed mostly for me was his voice.It was the
voice of a man who failed badly but out of respect for his
listenerswas performing a duty. The job of being President.We live
in a society which has no place for optimism anymore.
Its gone. Nobody wants to take the risk and predict a future,
mainly because everybody feels powerless.Nobody even wants to take
the responsibility and take matters into their own hands.Its
stagnant. Establishments are regarded as fools.It is a constant
battle between the wisdom of the crowd and the mob mentality.So
while I was starting to feel like I was actually back in Berlin and
awake, Ilooked outside the window, down on the street in which
Atari Teenage Riot had played the peace demonstration on May 1st
1999.Thousands of people protested against Germanys first
involvement in an attack warsince World War II. I remembered when I
was on the microphone during a song andsaw how the police beat into
the, at that point, peaceful crowd.
Of course the situation escalated, its all on film.Even though
the images have become iconic and still give viewers the chills,
butin my opinion they also tell a story of failure
Read on. The youth are saying, and, quite frankly, have been
saying for a long time that this system does not work anymore. Of
course, they are just immature. What with their cigarette smoking
and rock music Now why is it that the youth generations continue to
smoke cigarettes though we put disgusting reminders of whattheyll
do to your body on every pack (and everyone knows they cause
cancer)? Theyre just young, dumb, and full ofyes, that must be
it.
