The underground scene in America

I figured I’d try my hand at contributing some actual thought, maybe a bit of creativity or experience, to help raise the collective awareness on this board, so I'm starting this thread. 😁
I mean, my take is that when the country is stuck in a mess of economic and political instability, people generally have much more pressing concerns than diving into alternative ways of thinking. Or maybe I'm wrong. What do you all think?
Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Once someone actually posts something smart or interesting, I’ll try to follow up with some real thoughts on whatever relevant topic deserves attention on a high-level forum with a structured agenda like this one.🙂
Basically, we should talk about what works, what doesn't, what needs changing, what actions we need to take, and where we're all headed...

Honestly, you’d be way better off practicing your drumming than wasting your time messing around here... ☕

[Native American] Phew! [/Native American]

Just plain pathetic, honestly...

p.s. heading to The Swamp tonight for: TRIBUTE TO ALTERNATIVE ROCK STARS, $5.00 entry is totally free! Let's go!

Brian Foster2 said:p.s. tonight at The Swamp: TRIBUTE TO ALTERNATIVE ROCK STARS, $5.00 free entry! cheers! [/B]

"If you happened to be naughty, don't worry about it—we were too. We actually swiped a few surprises and gifts from Santa Claus for the Christmas and New Year holidays just for you. Come on over and unwrap them!"

they're getting funnier by the day... ☕

Nicholas King62 said:"If you happened to be naughty this year, don't sweat it—we were too. We swiped some surprises and gifts from Santa Claus for the holidays just for you. Come grab them and open them up!"

They’re getting funnier by the second... ☕

You forgot to include the best part!!!

...Come grab them and open them up! There's something for everyone. Your Santa Claus and Grandma Courtney love you!!!

otO said:You’d be better off practicing your drumming than messing around here.. ☕

😕
Look, maybe take your issues and complexes somewhere else where they actually belong. Don't go cluttering up a decent thread with trashy comments like you did last time. If you don't like what you see, feel free to just walk away; I don't think anyone's going to cry about it. Got it?
Anyway, if you're actually interested in having a civil discussion, you're more than welcome.
I just picked up the new Lunar album, by the way, and it's actually pretty solid. It's post-rock that doesn't put you to sleep. 🙂

Thomas Myers6 said:I feel like when the country is facing a rough economic and political climate, people have much more pressing concerns than focusing on alternative subcultures. What are your thoughts?

It feels to me like you might just be struggling to find something meaningful to say, so you're posting for the sake of it.

Back in Miami, the so-called alternative scene actually hit its absolute peak between 1993 and 1996... which was right during the war and that tragic "economic-political" mess... back when widespread poverty was significantly worse than anything we see today, and most things we take for granted now were completely unimaginable.

That's all I have to say.

Thomas Myers6 said:I actually just picked up the new Lunara album, and I have to say, it’s pretty great. It’s post-rock that doesn't feel boring at all! 🙂

It isn't bad, but I think I prefer their last album... and honestly, their previous Lunara stuff was a bit more my style.
In any case, I’m really glad to see Sub Pop starting to get active again. I’m hopeful that things might start moving in a positive direction...

Nicholas Perez33 said:It’s alright, but I’m actually digging the new analog version more... just like the last Lunar release.
Anyway, glad to see Sub Pop is finally getting things moving. Hopefully, we’ll see some actual progress here...

But look, the second thing is that the new Lunar record is freaking killer. That "pizza song" is 😵.
And I don't just mean locally—it holds up against anything else out there. The whole album just flows perfectly. It's solid. Man, I really wish I could catch them live somewhere...

coastalpanther11 said:Totally agree. It would be even better if we could actually catch them playing live somewhere...

I suppose the promo should kick off soon, though I really hope the Sub Pop team puts a bit more effort into this one compared to how they handled Analena's release. I honestly can't figure out why everything lately has felt so low-key. They really should have plastered the city with posters, flooded the local scene, done some actual advertising... you know? I was actually looking to pick up the vinyl, but there wasn't even an option to buy it during the promotion.😕

So I was chatting with the Muezzin earlier, and he’s pretty convinced that Lunar isn't gonna play a show in NYC anytime soon... he's totally convinced nobody would even show up...😁

There is certainly an alternative scene out there—though whether there is actually any room for it to grow is a massive question mark... To avoid getting boggedED in a debate about how financially shaky the market is right now, perhaps it is enough just to comment on the accessibility of alternative music here in America. Regarding availability, things might be slightly better than they were five years ago. Sub Pop is a fantastic outfit, but let's face it—people usually start a label just so they can release their own stuff. Even if they had the desire to work with other bands, they have probably poured every cent of their life savings into those specific releases. Information flow is also incredibly limited. Everything boils down to a few threads on a forum or some random word you hear from people everywhere. There isn't much of a connection, really, and enthusiasm isn't exactly overflowing. There's no money, no space—not in terms of venues, and certainly not in terms of media—unless, of course, you consider The Swamp a legitimate concert venue and a relevant media outlet... In my view, the only real link is the Knitting Mill, at least as far as Washington, D.C. is concerned. You will always find good people there who are willing to lend a hand. For instance, in other cities, I honestly have no idea what is happening. I haven't the slightest clue if there are any bands or clubs in Miami, Indianapolis, or San Francisco... the only ones I know of operating outside of Washington, D.C. are [mandelbrot set]. I don't know, maybe I am just uneducated or not straining my ears hard enough. But if there truly are genuinely, deeply good bands on the scene—and one must train the ear for maximum concentration to find them, I suppose... whatever that is supposed to mean...😁

Thanks for this post, Vatroslav.🙂
Everything you said is spot on. The truth is, there are plenty of quality bands out there, but without any kind of foundational space to actually operate in, all that initial enthusiasm just goes down the drain. It’s a pretty tragic situation, I guess...
I have no clue what specifically can be done to flip the script, but waiting for some savior from the outside definitely isn't the answer. If anything, I think if bands on our "dying alternative scene" want to survive, they should at least try to connect with each other—work together and support one another. That might create some kind of critical mass that could achieve a more significant impact, or at the very least, get them some actual public visibility.
It really feels like the bands are there, the audience exists, and you can still find venues somehow, but there's a lack of something that acts as a window to the public—a central hub for all these bands. Maybe a record label? Or even something simpler, like a dedicated website?

I have a feeling the domestic indie scene isn't going to be as tightly knit as the punks, hardcore fans, or metalheads for two main reasons:

1. There just aren't that many of us out there.
2. On the surface, everyone seems so friendly—lots of mutual respect and saying how "cool" everyone is—but if you look closer, I suspect there's actually a fair amount of friction. It feels like people would much rather avoid working with an overrated band that’s "so ten years ago" and getting way more press than they are.
Don't you think? 🙂

Nicholas Perez33 said:. Everyone acts so incredibly friendly and respectful toward one another, don't they? They all pretend everything is just wonderful and cool, but isn't it true that deep down, they can't stand each other? Wouldn't they much rather tear their own hands apart than collaborate with some overrated band that feels "so ten years ago" yet somehow manages to snatch up more publicity than anyone else?

:klap: :klap: :klap:

EXACTLY!

Nicholas Perez33 said:Unfortunately, the American indie scene isn't going to form a tight-knit community like the punks, hardcore kids, or metalheads do, and I think there are two main reasons for that:

1. There just aren't enough of us.
2. Everyone acts all friendly and respectful—you know, the whole "we're all cool with each other" vibe—but deep down, they can't stand one another. Most would honestly rather break their own hands than collaborate with some overrated band that’s "so ten years ago" but somehow manages to get more press coverage than anyone else.
Don't you think? 🙂

Come on Orange, which of the bands you're trying to book for that "God Bless" concert-festival at The Swamp actually has any real publicity? Or even a released album? Or anything, really? What is there to be envious of? Better guitars? 😁
I mean, it's true that there are people out there who, for whatever reason (probably just innate dysfunction), hate everything new that comes along. I've definitely experienced that myself...

Thomas Myers6 said:Come on Orange, which of the bands you're trying to book for that "God Bless" concert-festival at The Swamp actually has any kind of following?

Honestly, none of them really do, but I guess that's just because we're focusing on newer bands. If anyone truly crosses a line, they'll end up with a reputation to match—kind of like how people view Analogue today. Some folks just won't get why people gravitate toward certain bands over others. That's just how things work, I suppose. 🙂

Thomas Myers6 said:But it's true that there are certain people who, for whatever reason (likely just inherent flaws), absolutely hate anything new that comes along. I've certainly experienced that myself... [/B]

I think you might be exaggerating a little bit; you can't really expect everyone to love your band...

I will always remain on good terms with those who are dear to me—especially those whose music I truly respect. I tend to take these things quite personally... though, of course, there will always be certain jerks out there who can't see past the tip of their own noses, but that has absolutely nothing to do with me. Just recently, I offered some hosting space for an individual's MP3 files—someone I don't even know, and whose musical style isn't even remotely similar to my own—simply because, in some small way, I cared. And you know that, after all, we have discussed this before. But what kind of publicity are you actually referring to, Nicholas Perez33? We find ourselves in a situation where there is no standard, foundational platform for bands—you know, a label—nor is there a traditional, reliable gateway to a potential audience, such as a relevant media outlet. There are plenty of talented bands out there, but I find it quite difficult to believe that someone in Indianapolis has ever even heard of Death disco or Marshmallows in San Francisco. Perhaps they have, but people very rarely view themselves as active participants in a scene; most often, they just position themselves as consumers, and that is where the conversation ends—with just two or three people. What we are attempting to organize might mean something for the scene, though knowing our dear, lethargic compatriots, it probably won't mean much at all. But we shall do our best, won't we, N.?

p.s. and please, leave out the personal names 😁

boldscout72 said:What kind of publicity are you even talking about, Nicholas Perez33? I mean, look at the situation we're in—there isn't really a standard, established relationship between bands and labels here, nor is there a reliable media outlet to act as our audience base. We have some great bands, but I find it hard to believe anyone in Indianapolis has actually heard of Death Row Records or Marshmello in San Francisco. Maybe they have, but people rarely see themselves as active participants in the scene; they usually just act like consumers, and once you've satisfied a handful of people, the conversation just stops. What we're trying to organize might mean something for the local scene, but knowing how lethargic our fellow Americans can be, it probably won't matter much to them. But we'll give it our best shot, right, N.?

We’re definitely going to try, don't you worry... I mean, take Ghetto, for example—they sound so sweet, and I'd certainly help them out if I could. Though, I suppose someone else might not bother.
As for the publicity part, I guess I misspoke. What I meant was... hmm... "popularity." 🙂
You know, when you mention Peach, most music lovers in Rhode Island would probably already know who they are or have their tracks saved on a hard drive. They’re just that good; people recognize them without us having to drown them in advertisements. It's as easy as pie. 🙂

On the other hand, I really do wish there were a magazine out there that could practically command people to listen to Marshmello, because I truly think they should. 🙂