What are your favourite aspects of indie culture?

[Trivun]

Right, as long as I've been on this site I've noticed a lot of people prefer things like metal to other styles of music. Grunge and punk are also preferences here for most people, it seems (judging by several polls and threads about music that I've seen and posted on in the past). There appears to be little love for indie stuff here. However, I consider myself an indie guy, so I guess I'm pretty much the odd one out here. But indie deserves it's time in the sun! Right now the UK is swamped in the music charts and film charts and everything with indie culture. Indie rock bands like Arctic Monkeys, Animal Collective and Florence and the Machine are at the top of the charts, and indie films like 500 Days Of Summer are getting plenty of attention in British Cinema.

So, this thread is to be a celebration of all things indie. Post your favourite indie bands here, and maybe a few of their songs from Youtube. Post pictures of your favourite indie fashion icons, or talk about indie films.

As for me, I've recently got into these two bands in a big way:

Spoiler: Mumford and Sons

Spoiler: The Big Pink

Plus, I really want to see 500 Days of Summer. Not to mention I live literally a few hundred metres from Leeds' 'Hyde Park Picture House', and old 20's style cinema that shows arthoue and indie films, as well as rescreenings of old classics such as The Godfather. And I also really like these two:

Spoiler: Zooey Deschanel

Spoiler: Florence Welch

So, what are your favourite icons of indie culture?

 

[Americow]

I wouldn't say I'm much of an Indie guy, the second band you posted sounds pretty cool though.

 

[Trivun]

I wouldn't say I'm much of an Indie guy, the second band you posted sounds pretty cool though.

Yeah, to be honest I frst heard them on the UK Xbox 360 adverts. Dominoes was used as the main song for the ads. Though I'd already heard about them through NME Magazine, according to the guys there pretty much "every substance in London has gone through [that band] at least twice" .

 

[FranzTyphid]

Im a huuuge indie fan
i feel youre pain man
most people here arent that keen on indie.
I personally am enjoying
.The xx
.These new puritans
.Crystal Castles(best new electro band)
I also like the whole indie folk movement with fleet foxes and Mumford &Sons

 

[Trivun]

Yeah, indie folk is pretty good too. Mumford and Sons are bringing it into the light, though I started listening to Iron & Wine first. Haven't heard Fleet Foxes yet, been meaning to look them up since I saw them in NME. Though I feel slightly ashamed to admit that I first heard Sam Beam's greatness on the Twilight soundtrack... (say what you like about the books and film, you can't deny the music is brilliant). On that note, I saw Garden State a while back, really good film and the soundtrack is just amazing .

 

[SmartIdiot]

My favourite aspect of indie is that within the last decade it has managed to disassociate itself from being the most boring and uncharismatic genre/culture in the world with some truly interesting and unique artists. It's a culture that is only going onwards and upwards. It took time but hey, remember the tortoise and the hare.

 

[Trivun]

My favourite aspect of indie is that within the last decade it has managed to disassociate itself from being the most boring and uncharismatic genre/culture in the world with some truly interesting and unique artists. It's a culture that is only going onwards and upwards. It took time but hey, remember the tortoise and the hare.

Agreed. I used to be more into rock and metal myself, but then I ended up turned after hearing the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Cobra Starship. Plus indie fashion is pretty much all the rage now. I'll admit I wear skinny leg jeans a lot and often go out wearing my trilby (though I guess that's not entirely 'indie'...). Most of the students I see on campus dress in indie fashions, though I guess that's more because of cost and saving money (money that could be used for buying booze ) than going for a particular style...

 

[Kuchinawa212]

I dunno really. Maybe because they don't wear suits. yeah, suits are stuffy.

 

[Spectrum_Prez]

Plus, I really want to see 500 Days of Summer.

You will not be disappointed. It's a brilliant movie, possibly my favourite from 2009. Do what you have to do to watch that movie, it's truly great. The male lead might be one of the most talented young stars in Hollywood. Have you seen some of his previous work (aside from 10 Things I Hate About You, lol)? Brick is a good indie film too.

I'm not much of an indie guy, not a fan of the sound, not a fan of the fashion, the look, or the ethos.

However, I enjoyed the Arctic Monkeys' first album (didn't like the second) and kind of like that Florence and the Machine single. I'm also a fan of electro-pop like the Sounds, Little Boots, and Lights. The soft-guitar based stuff, not so much.

 

[TheLazyKnight]

Best thing about indie culture: My friend Shelby.

 

[reg42]

What do I love about it? The fact that everyone is a complete individual.

Actually no, I just love non-mainstream music, I don't consider myself "indie".

 

[Trivun]

Plus, I really want to see 500 Days of Summer.

You will not be disappointed. It's a brilliant movie, possibly my favourite from 2009. Do what you have to do to watch that movie, it's truly great. The male lead might be one of the most talented young stars in Hollywood. Have you seen some of his previous work (aside from 10 Things I Hate About You, lol)? Brick is a good indie film too.

I'm not much of an indie guy, not a fan of the sound, not a fan of the fashion, the look, or the ethos.

However, I enjoyed the Arctic Monkeys' first album (didn't like the second) and kind of like that Florence and the Machine single. I'm also a fan of electro-pop like the Sounds, Little Boots, and Lights. The soft-guitar based stuff, not so much.

Yeah, I've seen 10 Things I Hate About You (one of my favourite films - should I really be saying that as a guy?), but none of his other work. Would like to though. And I loved Zooey Deschanel in the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Also, Little Boots is really good. I reckon a lot of the best music of the pastfew years has come from New York and Northern England (mainly the Leeds and Sheffield areas), and it's great for me because I'm studying in Leeds which is a great place for a lot of young UK talent (Hadouken started at the university, as did Little Boots, and I live literally around the corner from the Brudenell Social Club which is a great place for hearing new talent).

 

[AdmiralWolverineLightningbolt]

well arctic monkeys are insane (bar their mediocre 3rd album, but they're EPs and b-sides were all cool to make for it) and that one song by florence and the machine is cool (plus my dad knows florence)

but do bands like brand new count as indie? cause if they do then i love indie, otherwise it's pretty meh and way too pretentious for its own good (yes i know that makes no sense)

 

[Pocotron]

I like that indie (anything) is usually better in quality than half of the mainstream crap.

[small] Stupid Kesha [/small]

 

[the Dept of Science]

Its one of the few fashions I can think of where being well read is seen as highly desirable, and where pretty much every genre is given (fairly) equal respect, from 60s pop to doom metal bands like SunnO))).

Spoiler: Also... twee pop is the most punk rock thing ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I83wBgIxT1g

 

[Souplex]

My hatred for indie is greater than the heat of a thousand suns.

 

[soapyshooter]

i like the clothes and the music. I love wearing skinny jeans, high tops and listening to MGMT. other than that everything about it pisses me off. No need to be rude, arrogant, egotistical, etc etc.

 

[AdmiralWolverineLightningbolt]

My hatred for indie is greater than the heat of a thousand suns.

...that makes absolutely no sense, unless heat is a measurement of hate now?

 

[Spectrum_Prez]

Yeah, I've seen 10 Things I Hate About You (one of my favourite films - should I really be saying that as a guy?), but none of his other work. Would like to though. And I loved Zooey Deschanel in the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Also, Little Boots is really good. I reckon a lot of the best music of the pastfew years has come from New York and Northern England (mainly the Leeds and Sheffield areas), and it's great for me because I'm studying in Leeds which is a great place for a lot of young UK talent (Hadouken started at the university, as did Little Boots, and I live literally around the corner from the Brudenell Social Club which is a great place for hearing new talent).

Haha, its perfectly fine to be a dude and to say you liked 10 Things I Hate About You. Haters gonna hate, you know? And anyways, which other 90s teen flick launched the careers of two, not just one, of Hollywood's most talented young gentlemen even if one of them is recently deceased?

But yeah, get around to watching 'Brick', its a very interesting indie noir film, if that description makes any sense to you. I haven't seen the other one he did 'Mysterious Skin' but I've heard good things. It's a darker flick though, supposedly.

Enjoy your uni. I'm graduating in 5 months from uni in London and our live music society blows big time. I went to their open mics for two years and enjoyed it for being fun, but nothing good ever came out of that pit.

 

[vede]

I don't understand the distinction between "indie" and genres.

In the OP, it is implied that "metal" (the genre) and "indie" are exclusive to each other.

"Indie" is not a genre. Something can be independent and metal (or anything, really) at the same time.