Indie Update

Does it really matter that there are three chords used in a song, or four, or six (including a surprising A minor?)

Not really. Other musicians might appreciate this. Some listeners might actually notice, though this often happens during a quiet listen at home rather than at a concert. Rock critics who are often “want to be” musicians can sometimes irritate other fans by denigrating the ability of a guitarist in a popular group. For instance, a couple of years ago, one radio commentator said something to the effect that Edge, of the rock giant U2, was still playing the same two chords he learned in elementary school.

Of course, this mouth of the airwaves takes home a check every two weeks that probably covers rent and groceries, but not much more. Edge, on the other hand…..

So the question is put to us again – does it really matter how many chords we use or how complex music is? Not really. The message is all important.

One way that current bands might be able to satisfy the traditionalists among listeners is to add a keyboard. Somehow these displays of black and white keys seem to add something rare and delightful to a band’s output. But keyboard players are few and far between in the rock/alternative world.

It may be best to do what so many have done – hammer at those three chords and scream out the lyrics until someone starts paying attention. It worked in the 1950s!

Tags: Perspective 3, independent music, music, indie music, indie

Brian Kapler and Joseph Guccione are keeping the candle burning for this interesting band. The “former members” list is getting longer, as the band has employed and lost Adam Aviles, Chris Leonard and Dan McCabe on guitar (though with different band names). Gone too are bassists Artie Fleischmann, Justin Morrell and Jon Bulzomi. Drummer Mike Fleischmann completes the list for now.

Yet, there is something here that Kapler and Guccione seem to insist on featuring.

“Allison” from After The Room Clears (2007 Stolen) stands strongly on melody, for one thing. The slight changes in guitar attack help immensely with this east coast band (Baltimore, New York).

“Stay The Night” is billed as a demo. Permanent ME is demonstrating a bit of darkness with this tune, pleading for something that young boys aren’t supposed to think about. Yeah, right!!

“Until You Leave” also from After The Room Clears (2007 Stolen) continues the level of young-boy-becoming-man sound. Chunky guitar playing is featured. “Christine” from the same CD seems to be an angry song, a pleading song and an experimental song in that the structure is just slightly different.

Permanent ME has a string of shows scheduled for Pianos in Brooklyn, New York from May 1 through May 22.

Tags: music, indie music, independent music, indie, Permanent ME

In some sense, it’s all just been a loud, long F…You! Trying to isolate eras or seminal events and bands might be somewhat productive. But in the long run, it will be a study in frustration.

Maybe the rock historians can do us a service by patching together a “people’s history of rock and roll” that doesn’t just focus on the most popular or recognized names in music. Perhaps this work will actually show how indie/alternative music came to be in the place it is in 2008. One place to start would be by looking at the media used to promote music. There are still print magazines, of course, though the effect of these is quite limited. More to the point, there are online magazines, Web sites and band sites that are the new public relations/marketing tools. It took this explosive change in the way music is presented for this one fan to understand what Marshall McLuhan was trying to tell us decades ago – the medium is the message. He is also the author and social critic who helped many understand how Gutenberg’s printing press changed the world’s population centuries ago.

How we get our music, and how it is sold to us, should be one of the most important topics included in any rock and roll/alternative music history. Without that, it would be, as Counting Crows sings, “the clang of electric guitars” and not much more.

[tags]Perspective 2[tags]

Tags: indie, music, independent music, indie music

This San Jose, California band captured attention with its independently recorded tune "Like A Drug" (2006). There is some fine guitar work in this song, perfect sound for the glam/emo sticker that has been put on this group. Good ending to the song by a group of guys in their early 20s.

Originally unreleased and equally ear catching is "Faster Faster Hollywood," a 2007 effort that features the emotional vocals of Tyler Florence. This tune and some of the others show the desperation and frustration that drives some of the better young bands today. "Faster Faster Hollywood" is held together by good bass licks (Seth Cummings) and some fine stop and start drumming (tight with the rhythm guitars). Those who want to experience some My Former Self’s immediacy might want to try "Thunderstorm."

But now the energy and professionalism of My Former Self is on CD, with the debut effort All We Can Ask For Is Truth. According to some excellent reporting by David Sason at www.metroactive.com, the group has worked with Fall Out Boy and received some endorsement from such long-time music names as the Dean Markley company.

While still gathering most of their fans from California and the western states, it would seem to be just a matter of time before My Former Self becomes a nationwide draw for music promoters.

My Former Self on Myspace

Tags: indie, indie music, music, independent music, My Former Self

Let’s look at the current music scene and try to give it some perspective. It’s sort of like looking at a mountain range in the distance, while mentally comparing it to a small stone at your feet.

Rock and roll in the 1950s was red, was black, and was white. Actually, there were numerous other colors, bright and worn by musicians to attract attention. Yet through all this there was the same theme – not strong enough to be called revolt, but certainly a noticeable part of music’s evolution.

When the 1960s rolled across the world’s television screens there were those who screamed that it was the revolution, something in culture that would literally change the world. Now, from the distance of about 40 years, most observers would admit that this decade was amazing and, for many, life changing. But did the “hippie” culture, the music, the freedom, really alter our world?

Current rock/indie/alternative players, such as those in Rookie of the Year, Better Than Ezra, The Sleeping and many others would say that the past successes and struggles of rock musicians certainly changed their world. They might say, “Where would we be without this past?”

Yet there are many among the pounding players of today who don’t look at the past and don’t want to bring some of its glory back to life. For them it is about now and noise. That’s all right, as far as it goes. But does it go far enough?

Tags: music, Perspective_1, indie music, indie, independent music