Genre Abuse

[elgecko]

You know, its easier than ever to look things up on this thing they call the web, perhaps youve heard of it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoegazing

What fun is that?

 

[tbirdsp]

I'm old - never heard of shoegaze until I read this thread.

 

[JamesGoodall]

You know, its easier than ever to look things up on this thing they call the web, perhaps youve heard of it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoegazing

But why would I look it up when I could just have you do it for me

I kinda figured that much. Sounds like every worship guitarist I see now days. Standing still, right foot on the board, never moving, always looking down.

 

[dminer]

Well, if you do look up Death Cab for Cutie, you'll find out that they took their name from a song in a Beatles movie. "These curves can kill."

 

[nutso42]

Wait...I'm young and have never even heard of "Shoegaze." One of you who seems to know what you're talking about here clue us clueless in!

Listen to My Bloody Valentine and Lush. Listen for the common factor. That is shoegaze.

Or, ya know, look at the link Matticus posted.

 

[Simo98]

So, what does an "indie" band sound like?

The Smiths, surely.

I think that by far, the most abused "genre" is indie.

I'd have to agree with this. As far as over-used buzzword genre terms go, indie pretty much takes the cake, at least these days.

I think Indie counts as much as a genre as "Rock" or "Pop" or even "Metal". The term applies a lot more the band themselves than the music, and is more representative of their attitude, ethos and approach to music than it is to the music they actually make. There are specific sounds that are generally found within the genre, but not always. It's one of those "general" genres.

Maybe its my age, (47) but what exactly is shoegaze, how does it manifest in music , and is there a pill for it, so if i catch it , can it be cured?

Hmmm ... I'm w-a-y old ... shoegaze? Geez, just when I was getting used to open mics with young people and their incessant naval gazing, I learn that they also gaze at their shoes!

Shoegaze was in it's prime 20+ years ago, being old is no excuse!

Living is the US is probably a better one.

 

[jungleheat]

You guys could just dress up in pink/rainbow outfits, and wear high heels, and say you're a "shoe/gays" band and that that's what the drummer meant. Although wearing heels all night might be kind of abusive if you're not used to it.

Indie these days seems to imply some sort of "too cool for school" ethos/aesthetic among bands where any display of actual musical ability or adventurousness is damn near forbidden. Unless of course you do it "ironically" (while ironically not knowing what ironically means).

 

[elgecko]

The Smiths, surely...

Except we didn't call them indie 25+ years ago. We called them "new wave", the precursor to "alternative rock".

 

[Kmonk]

I guess I am getting old because I have never heard of shoegaze.

 

[Unrepresented]

I can see both sides. Different people hear different aspects of music i.e. this forum probably has a lot of people who focus more on what the bassist is doing than the rest of the population. Someone may hear a guitar tone or a drum fill and make connections we don't. Which instrument defines a genre? How many does it take? Majority? Unanimous?

I have difficulties defining my own band as anything beyond "rock" because of the variety of influences my bandmates bring in. We're frequently "heavy" but heavier than what?

 

[Simo98]

Except we didn't call them indie 25+ years ago. We called them "new wave", the precursor to "alternative rock".

True that, indie is a relatively recent term I believe that has been applied to band in a "backwards conmpatible" fashion, tracking back the early, independent, alternative rock bands.

And here-in lies the problem with genres

 

[MatticusMania]

Except we didn't call them indie 25+ years ago. We called them "new wave", the precursor to "alternative rock".

The Smiths were "new wave"? Id just call them whiny, like those emo kids.

 

[Unrepresented]

The Smiths were "new wave"? Id just call them whiny, like those emo kids.

I thought they were considered "modern rock" which was the rebranding between new wave and alternative.

 

[Luke19Boarder]

Except we didn't call them indie 25+ years ago. We called them "new wave", the precursor to "alternative rock".

and I would say, analogously, that alternative rock was the precursor to indie rock.

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

I know I'm old because no only have I never heard of shoegaze, I'll go one better, I have no idea what ANY of the OP was about. Hopeless.

 

[JakeF]

If you wanna get a rise out of someone who is dedicated to a "genre" just do what I do.

"We are a indie(shoegaze/post modern whatever)"

"Oh, your a pop band."

They will describe genre and influence.

Then say that they are like the band they described, thus they will begin describing how they are not like that band.

Then they try and define the genre/whatever just keep adding the word "pop" to it.

"No wave/shoegaze whatever band."

"Ahhhh, I think I understand, your a "pop no wave/shoegaze whatever band."

If they push further you can get real evil and add the word "insecure to the front."

"insecure pop shoegaze etc."

When they are really mad just say that to a stranger nearby describing them.

If you can really push it then describe the band to the bouncer in front of them and watch them act irate in front of the bouncer who will then tell them to cool it.

Yeah, I can be a bit of a d**k sometimes.


I also agree, "indie" is just a term for pop bands who don't want to admit their pop.

 

[Tituscrow]

Except we didn't call them indie 25+ years ago. We called them "new wave", the precursor to "alternative rock".

Hmmm. I certainly remember The Smiths being labelled 'Indie' when they broke over here. 'New Wave' was more synth heavy, a la Flock Of Seagulls.

I'd always thought bands like Loop and Swervedriver were 'shoegazers'.

 

[SnowCal]

Haha, sounds like fun. 'Pop' by itself is such a great slam these days.

And people have gotta stop calling themselves old because they don't know what shoegaze is. This stuff was in its heyday about the same time that they learned what grunge was. They missed it. Which wasn't hard to do.

 

[elgecko]

The Smiths were "new wave"? Id just call them whiny, like those emo kids.

I thought they were considered "modern rock" which was the rebranding between new wave and alternative.

Back when they were breaking on KROQ, KROQ was a "new wave" station. The "alternative rock" term came later and was retroactively applied to "new wave", which I could get on board with since "new wave" was kind of a stupid name.

"Modern rock" seems like an even newer term but kind of lumps "new wave" together with "hair metal" etc.

 

[elgecko]

Hmmm. I certainly remember The Smiths being labelled 'Indie' when they broke over here. 'New Wave' was more synth heavy, a la Flock Of Seagulls.
...

There's truth to that which is why "alternative rock" was a better term. It was more encompassing of rock which wasn't "hair metal", etc.

On this side of the pond, the use of "indie" was a relatively new development.