I think it's time that I started checking out the other topics in the atenista.net forum. i've spent most of my time sa sports and athletics (well between work, home chores, and hoops, I don't get to surf around as much as I'd want to).

Anyway, I listen to all sorts of music ranging from rock (and all its sub genres) to jazz to even classical. Currently, the discs seeing heavy rotation on my player are:

Santana - Shaman
Ivy - Long Distance
I Am Sam OST
the Rolling Stones - Forty Licks
Audioslave (just got this today!!! It rules!!)
AC/DC - Back In Black
OTEP - Sevas Tra

But what I really want to find out if there are indie music fans who check out this forum.

My fave indie artists:

Versus, Ivy, Holiday Flyer, My Favorite, Birdie, Julie Plug, The California Oranges, the Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, June and the Exit Wounds, the Cherry Orchard, the Autocollants, and Poundsign.

There are a whole lot more good indie artists out there, but these are the ones I really dig. Hopefully, someone out there can help me with a few things.

Of the bands listed above, there are three that I'm a big fan of mainly because they're either Fil-Am bands or have a Fil-Am in there: Versus (from NYC), Julie Plug (from San Francisco), and My Favorite (out of Long Island, NY). There's this other band that I like, Basement 31.

Regarding Versus, I have The Stars Are Insane, Deep Red, Secret Swingers, Two cents Plus Tax, Afterglow, and Hurrah. I'm looking for Let's Electrify, Dead Leaves, Shangri-La and Drawn and Quartered.

My Favorite - I have their Love At Absolute Zero album and Joan of Arc Awaiting Trial EP. I'm looking for their other EP albums.

Julie Plug - I used to have Starmaker, their debut, but I lent this album to a friend who in turn lost it. I do have a CDR of this, hopefully, someone out there is willing to part with their copy of Starmaker.

I just wanted to get this out of the way. My next post will be more on indie music. Nagmamadali kasi, eh.

Thanks!

It's always nice to read posts from people who talk at length about things which excite them.

I'll have to admit though, that I'm not familiar with a single one of the artists you've mentioned! I guess it's really indie , and most of us are still sloshing around, happily?, in the mainstream.

Ivy's terrific. Bought Long Distance a few months ago and never regretted it. Also made a CD compilation with an older song, "Decay." That French accent is great ain't it.

hey Upper Box!

that is so way cool, dude! not only are we both hoops junkies but we both dig Ivy!

yup, i really love that band. were you able to get the soundtrack to me, myself and irene? they have a contribution to that - a remake of a steely dan song.

for all the pop sophistication of apartment life and long distance, i miss the shimmering jangly beauty of lately. "decay" was lovely, but "point of view" just mesmerizes me.

have you ever tried adam's other band, fountains of wayne? i have their excellent self-titled debut and their sophomore masterpiece, utopia parkway. you could see were ciudad got some of their pop. not that it's bad ha. i love ciudad too.

for those who are new to the indie music thing, i strongly urge you to check out indiepages.com you might just never want to leave.

anyone out there with any of the albums i'm looking for? drop me a line, friend.

indie music.

ah. so much has been said about it. how it's never in fashion yet never out of style. how it's the music for the snobbish who thumb their noses at the muzak out there. how it's a lifestyle and a culture unto itself. how it's even a state of mind. misconception-wise, people assume indie stuff as those not released by major labels or are commercial wonders.

well, to each their own. remember the time when alt-rock was a misnomer because it had become mainstream while the mainstream became the alternative? go figure.

indie. for me it's just the willingness to try something different. try out artists who aren't household names. you'd be surprised that there is a lot of great stuff out there from people most have never heard of!

what i do is i just surf the net for all these popular and obscure music sites. check out any reviews. if the reviews are pretty good (it should get the thumbs up from several sources), then i try to get a copy.
this way, i learn a lot about artists who are just begging to be heard.

i discovered U2 way back in the late 70s this way, believe it or not. i read in an old side clipping in rolling stone a long time ago how this upcoming irish band opened for ric ocasek's the cars in (their hometown nonetheless)boston. the cars never got to play as the crowd in that small dive really whooped it up for U2 who played encore after encore. said bono then, "if this is a taste of america, then i want more." i asked a friend to get my a british import of U2's debut "boy."

a perfect circle, mudvayne, otep, coal chamber, slipknot, ill niño, deicide are just some of the nu metal bands that i picked up before they were getting any serious press.

but make no mistake, i've picked up a lot of stuff that were bad investments. but those are the metal stuff. where was I?

ah. indie music.

its got the saccharine taste of poppy love. the ever changing upbeat moods of new wave. a taste of bacharach. the pet sounds of brian wilson. its even got satchmo and the angel of harlem in a time capsule.

plus they're fun to listen to. for those who loved prefab sprout (hey did anyone get their new album the gunman and other stories. vintage paddy mcaloon. galing!!! now if only the style council will re-unite).

if you love prefab sprout, check out ...
ivy, stars, the pearlfishers, fountains of wayne, june and the exit wounds,

if you like everything but the girl, check out ... holiday flyer (i just love this band!!! great melodies that will stay in your head for weeks), birdie

if you like new order(circa perfect kiss) or missing persons, check out ... my favorite, julie plug (great voice from des de leon), the secret goldfish

if you like the second wave ska bands like the specials and the english beat, check out ... the jazz flavored 50s light rock of the legendary jim ruiz group

if you like 60s music, check out ... the cherry orchard

if you like the pop silliness of the b-52s but rocks alittle more, check out ... unrest, true love always

if you want a cd to listen to while driving around sunset somewhere near the beach or while up in tagaytay, plop in club 8's nouvelle album.

if you're a fan of the brian setzer orchestra and big bad voodoo daddy, check out reel big fish, royal crown revue, the atomic fireballs

if there is one Christmas CD you purchase this holiday season, get john boswell's
FESTIVAL OF THE HEART. i swear you'll feel the snow falling around you.

since we're on john boswell (he's married to Sister Act's Kathy Najimi), you might want to check out his COUNT ME IN Cd, he co-wrote a song with Robert Downey jr. "Do It As A Friend." The version that appears here is an instrumental, but there is a version this with Robert on vocals. don't know where to get one though. John's music is a cross between new age, jazz, and celtic. you'll love it.

and if you love celtic music, check out celtic twilight 1 & 2.

if you line d'sound, the brand new heavies, check out ... gazelle, count basic

if you're feeling senti and want to listen to some instrumental piano that won't bore you, check out this compilation album of various artists. it's titled ... SUMMER STORIES.

some of these stuff, i've had for years, like john boswell, celtic twilight, the indie albums. some of these cds are available here but you gotta look for them in tower or music one. the others i got when i have the chance to go to hmv or virgin.

but basically, take a chance on stuff that's different. once you give these indie artists a try then it'll open up a whole new world in listening pleasure for you.

anyone out there with their recos?

BK,

All I have of Ivy is Long Distance plus individual songs here and there, from compilations. Not much of a collector even when I like a band, and Ivy's just about the only act where our tastes intersect, altho I do have the 40 Licks album as well -- I grew up on the Stones during the Emotional Rescue/Start Me Up era. I had been on the lookout for years for digital remasters of the Stones, and now I can finally make my long-awaited compilation CD.

I'm probably a bit more mainstream and a bit more rock and country than you are - my recent CD purchases include Tanya Donnelly's old band Belly, Elliott Smith, the Vines, Wilco and Billy Bragg, the Breeders, the White Stripes, and two real oldies - Pete Seeger, the dude who originally sang "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)" which the Byrds made famous; and Neil Young's old band Crazy Horse, whose original version of "I Don't Want to Talk About It" is still the best. I know, I'm pretty old. I think my tastes just about froze when I started listening to the Clash. But enthusiasm for any pursuit is infectious, isn't it?

In a previous thread someone suspected I had read Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity" and they were right. You've read it, haven't you? It's got this funny list of Bands That Will Be Shot Come the Musical Revolution, and Simple Minds and Simply Red are on it. The punch line to this was, "Barry wanted to shoot the Beatles, but someone had already done it." Barry you'll remember is the Jack Black character in the movie, who brought the house down with his cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."

I suspect the flip side to any person's list of Bands I Love is a list of Bands That Should Never Have Played A Single Note. Do you have one? I still cringe when I hear Styx or REO Speedwagon and I spent most of the late 1980s sorting out the bands that weren't crap. I'm sure you can relate, tho you might have done your sorting at a much later date than I did.

Hey Upper Box,

back in grade 6, when everyone was still into KISS and Queen, me and a few classmates were moving onto the J. Geils Band, the B-52s, Springsteen, the Clash and the Ramones. A few of the other guys were starting to get into Earth Wind & Fire. kami yung mga rocker noon eschewing the mainstream for the undiscovered music. the following year, new wave hit the country.

obviously, it was difficult getting albums by the fixx, the lotus eaters, echo and the bunnymen, red rockers and such. my folks wondered aloud that my rock 'n roll wasn't their rock 'n roll. not that i didn't dig elvis, buddy holly or chuck berry. but man, i was too young to reall appreciate that.

but over time, one's tastes shift. what was once baduy maybe even palatable to one's ears. who would have thought that i'd listen to classical (for those who new me in school)? i even have my own sinatra albums!

MY FAVES AFTER ALL THESE YEARS:
Asia (both Wetton & Payne eras), Rage Against the Machine, the Style Council, Tears For Fears, U2, the Cure, the early R.E.M., Versus, Hooverphonic,Ivy, Rancid, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Puya, Tool, A Perfect Circle, Incubus, the Beatles, the Clash, Nirvana, Prefab Sprout, New Order, My Favorite, Big Mountain, Reel Big Fish, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Sting, Barbie's Cradle, Brownman Revival, FrancisM., cynthia alexander, sugar hiccup,

BANDS/ARTISTS I ABSOLUTELY DETEST:
all boy bands, Styx, Britney Spears, Blink 182 (and its ilk Sum 41 etc.), Spice Girls (and these girl bands kuno), Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson, Journey, REO Speedwagon, post Sammy Hagar -Van Halen, Hanson, Robbie Williams, George Michael, Elton John, Celine Dion, the Goo Goo Dolls, the Cranberries, Sinead o'Connor, j.lo, and a lot of mtv crap.

in fact, watching mtv is so darn frustrating! nakakasawa at parepareho na lang. altho channel v has a better selection of artists and videos, at times bwisit din.

what about you? who else in in your hate list?

Heard the one about the England fan watching David Beckham taking a free kick in the World Cup qualifiers? "David, if you make this one, I swear to God I'll buy all your wife's records!"

Which is just another way of saying I can't take anyone seriously if they like the Spice Girls. It's almost at the top of my list for when I screen women for long-term potential. (The ultimate deal breaker is if they gush about "The Bridges of Madison County.")

Boy bands I detest on principle, tho I'm glad the teen-pop craze is finally fading. Green Day I find quite tiresome but maybe it's a generational thing. Still not sure about Oasis. And I heard a terrific Corrs joke recently from the Cathay Pacific inflight audio program.: "Do you ever get the feeling when you watch the Corrs perform that somewhere in the world there's an Irish theme pub with no staff?"

The long-term favorites list, such as it is: The Clash, The Ramones, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Crazy Horse, Buffalo Springfield, early U2, post-techno U2, anything by the Police up to "Ghost in the Machine," the Rolling Stones, the B-52s, early REM, pre-electric guitar Bob Dylan, Crowded House, the Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac. I have a strange weakness for Counting Crows; can anyone explain this irrational preference? I think it's how Adam Duritz sings "I wanna be Bob Dylan" in "Mister Jones."

I can't say I'm a die-hard indie fan, but I do listen to a lot of stuff that strays (just a little bit) off the beaten path...
Here's what's currently on my cd changer:
1) Portishead (Dummy)
2) Prefab Sprout (Best of)
3) The Smiths (Louder than Bombs)
4) Style Council (Cafe Bleu)
I started listening to The Smiths, Prefab Sprout and the Style Council when they weren't household names; but then again, great melodies and smart lyrics will hook you if open your ears.

Upper Box,
the david/victoria beckham anecdote was hilarious.for me, if it's a real girl band i'm looking for, then i'll go for sleater-kinney. now that's some real riot grrl rock.

there's nothing wrong with counting crows. in fact, i failed to mention them too as one of my faves along with the dave matthews band. i picked up their busted stuff several months back and whew! i loved it better than everyday.

oasis is like. noel gallagher is a fookin genius. if one would strip away all the pretensions and mythology about the brothers gallagher, oasis is actually a good band. heathen chemistry is a terrific outing for oasis. ever hear noel's solo stuff in the tribute album to the jam and the x-files soundtrack? this lad's got fire and skill!

got U2's the best of 1990-2000 this afternoon. i reco that you get the limited edition before it disappears. aside from the b-sides on a second disc, it has a free DVD for P675. not bad. i was fortunate to get a copy of the double disc version of the 1st best of compilation. and if that was one treasure trove of U2 songs, then this one is another keeper. it features their new single, "electrical storm" and another new song, "the hands that built america."


Quick Hands,

It's nice to hear from another prefab sprout fan. If you liked their best of album, see if you can get a copy of their follow up best of album. the british version (which is the one i have) is titled 38 karat collection while the US copy is simply titled, the collection. this album features 38 of their best loved hit singles. the liner notes and pix are a must for any sprout fan. my all time fave sprout songs: "cars and girls" (paddy's tribute to springsteen), "bonny", "appetite", "when love breaks down", "jordan: the comeback", "all the world loves lovers," "searching for atlantis," "the golden calf", "electric guitars," "prisoner of the past," and "wild card in the pack."

have you ever tried getting any albums by electronic? electronic is a band featuring new order's peter hook and the smiths' johnny marr. well, you won't believe what these two guys have cooked up.

one song i can't get out of my mind is santana's new single "the game of love" featuring michelle branch on vocals. michelle sings much better here than anything on her debut album. great back-up vox by siedah garret, lead singer of the brand new heavies (another fave of mine). she doesn't steal any of michelle's thunder in this song which will surely be a staple of many a show band this side of the pacific.

AUDIOSLAVE ISN'T SOUNDGARDEN. AUDIOSLAVE ISN'T RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.

AUDIOSLAVE IS A GREAT NEW SUPERBAND IN THE VEIN OF A PERFECT CIRCLE.

Me! I listen to indie music. I guess it's because I need something different, especially now when all I hear is monotonous boyband music and what-not.

Bleachers King, I don't know any of the artists you listed on your thread-starter (except The Cherry Orchard), but I'm willing to take a chance and listen to them. I also do the same thing you do - surf around and read reviews about these bands, who they sound like, stuff like that. One of the reasons why I stay in front of the computer for a long long time

Heehee. Fountains of Wayne. I like.

I like the music from Apples in Stereo (they sang a song for the Powerpuff Girls soundtrack). Their sound is very 60's, with a little touch of Beatles. The kind of music I'd like to listen to when I cram for an exam since they keep me awake. Other favourites are Death Cab for Cutie, The Weakerthans (with lyrics almost like poetry), Sloan (who have become quite known in Canada I think), Actionslacks, Beulah, Sunset Valley, Rainer Maria, This Busy Monster, and John Vanderslice.

I'm too sleepy to type more. Later

TRAINSPOTTER,

cool choices for your fave indie bands. yes, i listen also to death cab for cutie. other bands in my collection: aislers set (dreamy), the autocollants, acid house kings, red sleeping beauty, barcelona, the weakerthans, pearlfishers, papas fritas (they sound like a modern version of fleetwood mac), belle and sebastian, eggstone, true love always, and three berry ice cream among others. some of the albums by the acts i listed are available here. for the best sampling of indie albums, try the new music one outlet in greenbelt 3. very good altho somewhat limited selection.

yup,indie music can be soothing and relaxing. a welcome change from the grind of what passes for music nowadays. but make no mistake about it. i love a lot of mainstream and alternative acts.

ah, music is a passion. when i go abroad, i purchase at least 20 cds (ouch!). i normally get titles that aren't available here. but occasionally, i'll pick up an album (like U2's all you can't leave behind and coldplay's parachutes) because i prefer the foreign pressing to the local production.

collecting cds can be maddening too. when the best of new order came out, there were two version, the british and the american releases. both had slightly different track lists with a different color scheme for the album cover. some of the mixes were different so i had to get both. the same with sheryl crow's tuesday night music club album. the american version had a free second disc. ditto with blind melon's debut.


checking out music on the internet can be fun. when i read about this new speed punk band, amen. i tracked down reviews about their album. the sex pistols' johnny rotten nee lydon said, "they're even angrier than we (the pistols) were." i picked up a copy in hmv and man, what blistering rock. raw, gritty, manic, angry garage punk metal.

you can also discover new music and new acts by checking them out on a whim. i discovered the legendary jim ruiz group by picking up their debut, brother where art thou (no this isn't the soundtrack) out of a rack. took a chance on it and i fell in love with it for its seamless meld of jazz, ska, 60s rock, bossa nova, and pop.

you can discover new artists by reading music mags. i have to admit that i purchased a perfect circle's mesmerizing and masterful debut album mer de noms, after buying this british mag, rock sound, that had a perfect circle on the cover. honestly, i was drawn by the effortless beauty of the band's bassist, paz lenchantin. but with tool's lead singer, maynard keenan and former smashing pumpkins tech billy howerdel on board, it was equally intriguing. rock sound, like metal hammer magazine, gives away free CD samplers in each issue, and the live version of "breña" made me leave my hotel instantly pick up the album in hmv. and its an awesome debut CD! i also discovered legendary los angeles punk band x this way a long long time ago back when CREEM magazine was giving rollingstone a run for its money. X, featuring the rough baritone of bassist and vocalist john doe, their exotic punk doll vocalist exene (who an early madonna louise ciccone idolised and dressed like), rockabilly rebel billy zoom on guitars and drummer DJ bonebrake is punk rock's answer to the Doors. They're what the Doors would sound like had they first come out in the punk and new wave years. I'm sure that it helped that Doors keysman Ray Manzarek was the band's producer. If you want to check this band out, look for their Anthology double disc. Its real fun - the mix of punk, poetry and rockabilly.

it also helps when you make friends with people who work in CD specialty stores. make friends with the people who're real music lovers not those who work there for a living. the music buffs can and will point you out to great new releases.

in record stores, more often than not, you will find albums that the store highly recommends. try them out as well. i remember seeing on a rack in virgin megastore, a tag, that said "if you like tears for fears and china crisis, you'll want to get this." for the life of me, i can't remember the name of the band, but it isn't starsailor. i didn't purchase it cause i ran out of money. what i mean is that, the stores will often reco artists that aren't mainstream. and more often than not, they're real gems.

if you happen to go abroad and pass by some musicians peddling their home made CDs in the streets, try getting them cause there are a lot of great stuff out there. they normally have a Cd player with them that you could listen to them right there and furthermore, their priced real cheap!!! i once got a demo of an early Blink 182 recording this way. I also got my first B-52's single this way back when they were unsigned by Island Records.

lastly, if you get to correspond or talk to diego of sandwich, ask him about his indie recos. he's another indie freak. if you've heard of versus, that indie rock legendary group out of new york city, you'll find a lot of versus in sandwich's music.

let's face it, dudes. there's a lot of great music out there. never mind the bollocks, here's to indie and the unheard music.

Upper Box,

don't you just dig Ivy's "One More Last Kiss" from Long Distance. Very Pet Shop Boys. Dominique Durand's voice just warms its way into your heart. I agree, her French accent is simply delicious.

do you have the japanese pressing of this? its got some nice liner notes in addition to the bonus tracks.
:cool:

Got my U2 album spanking new on Friday as well. Haven't opened it yet - delayed gratification, heh heh. Was busy putting together an originals vs covers CD compilation over the weekend. But I think my U2 also has the bonus stuff. I have a minor quibble because it has only a remix of "If God Will Send His Angels" and not the original. Remixes are a pet peeve of mine -- it's all about DJs trying to put themselves on the same level as the artists. I have no problem tho if the artists themselves do their own remix -- Ben Watt of EBTG does it all the time.

mistake.
it's new order's vocalist peter hook who is one half of electronic (the other being the smiths' johnny marr who was least heard on oasis' heathen chemistry).

upper box,
i agree with you. i don't find including new mixes of songs on best of collections. remixes are best left to bonus discs or altogether some new release like linkin parks reanimator.

it's a good thing U2 had some sense bludgeoned into their heads. the techno experiments were okay for a bit, but ...
anyway, all you can't leave behind is so much better.

what do you think of nirvana's newly released old song "you know you're right?" sa akin, it's nothing fantastic.

the new fleetwood mac double CD, a greatest hits package, is a must for music fans. the remastered recordings breathe new life into them.

upper box, dude, do you like tears for fears?
i'm a fan after all these years and have both members solo albums: roland orzabal's tomcats screaming outside and curt smiths' soul on board. mahirap hanapin yung album ng isang band ni curt smith named mayfield. have been looking for it for years.

ah, music. tower records got it right, no music, no life.

I do a lot of searching at Tower Records in Glorietta. That's where I found copies of The Weakerthan's two albums, and Actionslacks. Surprisingly Belle and Sebastian albums are available in most record stores. I got my copies at the record bar at Shoemart.

I have a couple of songs of Acid House Kings on tape. Pretty good. I always see their album on display at the indie section of Tower Records, but I haven't had the chance to buy it.

I also do a lot of CD shopping abroad. Last summer I spent a lot of money inside Virgin Megastore in London... got a lot of stuff I can't find here.

Do you know the site Epitonic.com? That's where I look for new music to listen to, since I'm always in front of my computer. Anyway. They provide a list of artists a band sounds like/is similar to. Pretty helpful. And the best part is, they let you download mp3's for free.

It's nice to meet people who appreciate the same music as I do

I have the Fleetwood Mac too. Picked up "Landslide" for a compilation recently. I love digital remasters - they just redid the Pulp Fiction soundtrack and it's miles better than the original. (Sometimes I play the "Honeybunny" dialogue to myself, but what I really love is the part about Foot Massages, heh heh, tho that's not in the album). I'm just waiting for the new Pretenders CD and the Ramones tribute album to come out, and with those two my musical year will just about be done. Did your U2 album come with the free poster, by the way? Mine did, only I don't know where to put it. I once did a compilation of 90s songs with a U2 song at the start -- "One" -- and another U2 song at the end -- "Beautiful Day." I sort of meant it to mean the 90s were a lost decade for the band, and that everything that they did in between doesn't amount to much, but my friends didn't get the symbolism. Ah, misunderstood artists :-)

Had another look at my copy of "Long Distance" and it turns out to be a US edition. I like Undertow and One More Last Kiss. After a quick look at the lyrics tho I'm beginning to suspect that Dominique wouldn't get away with singing any of that stuff if she were English-speaking! The French accent covers up for a lot of shortcomings, I think, but I also think we listen to Ivy for atmospherics anyway, not for some profound message of world peace, so it doesn't matter. :-)

Re Rage Against The Machine: The band is involved in My Favorite Bad Review of a Record Ever --

"As it turns out, the machine in question was a jammed office copier."

In Esquire, I think. I forget which record.

[ November 11, 2002: Message edited by: Upper Box ]

And speaking of Prefab Sprout -- I once used "Desire As" in a CD compilation, just after breaking up with a girl. Nice song for a breakup, I think, especially the part about her no longer being among the six things on my mind. Was pretty good therapy, which is strictly a bonus when you're listening to good music in the first place.

And speaking of songs for therapeutic purposes -- no, I haven't listened to Tears For Fears regularly since Songs From The Big Chair, nor have i followed the individual albums. But memories of the band are all good.

Re Nirvana - Courtney Love's nuts, ain't she? I blame her for not allowing me to enjoy upgraded sound quality on Nirvana albums since Cobain died. But maybe I'm missing the point -- grunge was probably never meant to be listened to in sparkling CD sound in the first place. Oh well.

[ November 11, 2002: Message edited by: Upper Box ]

ito mga trip ko (4AD artists):

-cocteau twins
-pixies
-lush
-tanya donelly

the other day, while checking out the indie rack at M1 in Gbelt 3, this couple approached me and asked me what exactly was indie music. this couple, in their early 20s listened daw to mainstream stuff, so i tried my darn best to explain what indie was all about.

after a short intro, they purchased two discs that i recommended. the following day, i received a text message (i gave my cell) from them saying that enjoed both discs immensely that they went back the following day to try other stuff.

syempre, i felt happy. a day after they texted back, asking how they enjoed their new purchases.

okay naman daw, galing nga in fact, except for one thing. some dimwit misplaced a CD on the indie rack and they thought it was one of those indie rock titles so they bought it. the culprit ... a local rap group!!!

bwa ha ha

Hm, I used to listen to a lot of indie bands. Here's a short list of those that I remember to have once loved.

20 Dead Flower Children -- I really don't know what happened to them.

db9d9 -- Dunno what happened to them either.

Livid -- They broke up long ago.

Strangers with Candy/Lifer/and some other name at one point -- Dunno... probably signed then canned.

dEFDUMp -- I solicited for a couple of their CDs a long time ago so I could write about it, and it turned out they were pretty good.

too many gods -- Dunno...

LeFT -- Dunno...

Otep -- I know I stopped listening to them before they were picked to play Ozzfest.

Slaves on Dope -- They got signed and their music began to suck. I think they noticed after Ozzfest...

Endo -- Signed within months after I first heard of 'em, yet they maintained the great quality of their music... but they began touring arenas and stadiums -- not for me. Endo is one of the few hip-hop influenced hardcore bands that I used to listen to (and still do, actually).

MSI -- I didn't like their name, avoided them for quite some time, but heard 'em once and loved 'em. I'm sure they got signed ages ago.

Professional Murder Music -- I think they got signed before or during the Tatoo the Earth tour. Slow!

Hot Tortoise -- They had already broken up when I first heard 'em. I asked the singer to give me a CD so I could write about "great underground bands." Hehe. Fnord.

Anti-Flag -- Good ol' philly street punk. They signed themselves.

Papa Roach -- It was horrible having to accidentally see this band on MTv. Really horrible! Although I don't often listen to hard rock that's so heavily influenced by rap, I was impressed by their energy on stage -- mostly Coby's.

Insolence -- I went through a phase...

POD -- ditto

Downset. -- the other rapcore band that I really liked. Well, they're legends...

System of a Down -- I remember seeing them at a free show, held outdoors, attended by about 30 people. Heh, time sure flies!

Stitch -- Really great aggro; very much a-la-Soulfly.


Yeah, I am somewhat anti-pop. I still listen to Anti-Flag, Endo, and some others every now and then. But in general, I mostly listen to jazz and symphonic music. Yup.

rijen,
thanks for coming on board to share your eclectic tastes, dude.
i do listen to some of the artists you mentioned.
i love slaves on dope. nasty mothers they are.
check out chimaira and ill niño. some of the best nu metal bands out there. however, nu metal is beginning to go down. old wave rock is making a huge comeback and how!
i love the vines, the hives, white stripes, the strokes, and wide awake. wide awake is a band whose album i picked up by the band selling their stuff on the street. they started out as an r.e.m. tribute band but they morphed into r.e.m. with elvis on vocals. they've got this rockabilly vibe that makes their music fun to listen to.

any sonnet 58 fans out there? fans of dream pop or such?

Hey Bleach-,

Neh. I'm not into Chimaira or Ill Nino. And I only like SoD's _Klepto_ recording. They aren't nasty mothers (??), are they? Most of 'em are good people, as I understand. Rob (drummer), however, I've heard nasty groupie stories about. Just about all hard rock musicians are nasty in some sense. I stepped away from the "scene" because of all those groupie stories; plus, many of the artists are *******s. Furthermore, a lot of the fans are idiots. I don't understand how so many of them think they're "cool" for being noncomformists when they're all so similar -- they dress the same, talk the same, listen to the same music, and they all "hate" Limp Biskit... blah. They're really weird too. Once, at a Slipknot show (I really don't like them, just FYI), and the guy next to me had scarred the band's name on his forearm. They were quarter-inch scars! Loco! Bleh to Slipknot. D'ya like Mushroomhead?

Ah, The Hives!!! They're amusing. They have this one single that's, apparently, made it... and I used to watch the video for it on Punk-O-Rama on weekend mornings! That was definitely strange to see that band, one I thought was completely unknown, on Conan. Heh.

This reminds me, do you/did you like Refused? Oh, those were good times, I tell ya. I actually bought they're CD, _The Shape of Punk to Come_, during the above mentioned SOAD show.
How about the Intl' Noise Conspiracy?

The Strokes. Yeah, their music is mesmerizing, but, to me, is easy to get tired of. Nonetheless, their music is "catchy," which isn't really too good of a thing =p

And speaking of nu metal, my all-time favorite is Machine Head! They're kinda mainstream, but they are the epitomy of nu metal.

Hm, here are some other bands I like(d). Perhaps you like some of these too. These are the mainstream ones: Slayer, Pantera, KMFDM, Lords of Acid, Ministry, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, etc

Here are some other, less know, bands: True to Form (their original bassist joined Primer 55, so they've probably broken up), Drist (I don't know if I actually like them -- they're kinda "soft"), Tirade (I'm probably one of the few people who've ever heard of 'em hehe), SkinBag (I don't think I ever liked 'em, but regardless), Apartment 26, and Occupational Hazard. Those last two produce very similar music and, if I'm not mistaken, are both from Britain; they're kinda well-known.

Yap.

...like the Cardiacs?

By the way, if you like indie euro bands (in and around England), then check out organart.com They give out free compilation disks every month or so. Free shipping, free organ art magazine, doesn't result in junk mail afterward, and they ship to just about any point on earth. You just have to email 'em with answers to some really basic music-related question(s) posted on the site.

Hm. Weird how I was listening to Haydn's Surprise symphony while writing that last post...

Rijen,
yes i do like mushroomhead. they're the bomb!
as much as like metal music, i've stayed away a bit after mushroomhead. believe it or not, am listening to maria callas now. masydong diverse ang tastes ko kasi.
audioslave has been on my player along with royal crown revue, maria callas, dave matthews band, and master blaster.
thaks for the website tip. will check it out. have you received the free CD samplers from that site?

Mushroomhead is metal? No comment. Heh.

And yeah, Organ is really reliable when it comes to sending out those CDs. I don't ask for them anymore, but they do comes in good time. If you don't get it within a month, then ask them what's up. Sometimes they loose the email list, which happened to me once. That wasn't my first request, though, so they already knew me and just asked if I had gotten it. Yap, they're cool about it.

i love indie music. proud ako sa local indie artists natin, sobra.

here are my fave indie artists:

LOCAL

rayyn
daydream cycle
color contest
all the artists sa mutual admiration society
girl in park
joey ayala
cynthia alexander
sheila and the insects
sugarfree

and countless others...

FOREIGN

juliana hathfield
veruca salt (nung buo pa sila)
k's choice
ani di franco
amanda ghost
killing heidi
alana davis
imogen heap
ian brown
lamb
godhead
poe
josh rouse
jack johnson
nina gordon

i love u2's "electrical storm". that's their current single diba?

yup. you can lump mushroomhead into the metal category. after all, their ministry/nine inch nails/hardcore rap/goth-industrial and God-knows-what-else-they-mix-into-their-music makes them so.

taproot. if you like incubus, you'll like taproot.

any sevendust fans out there?

Nyeh. I wouldn't call Mushroomhead metal just as I wouldn't Slipknot, Coal Chamber, Korn... But that's just because I'm specific and prefer little to no confusion. They are all hardcore, though -- or were at one point.

So anyway, I had a bad experience with Taproot. We were in this tiny little venue -- I mean really tiny -- and the band had some equipment problems. You know, feedback! Ack, it was deafening.
Honestly, I was never a Taproot fan, but the friend I was with liked them -- and he does like Incubus, as well.

Note: I say that I don't like these bands, but it doesn't mean I dislike their music; I just wouldn't buy their CDs or voluntarily go to their shows.
In the end, all music is all good =)

Back to indie! Anyone ever heard of <151>? I don't know if I should say their music is great; it's hip-hoppy (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), the guitar work is really basic, and even more so with the basslines. But, I dunno, they have a positive aura. Hah. An acquired taste, maybe.
(This reminds me, <151> was the opening band for a Sevendust/Kittie show several years ago. I have an interesting story about that too!)

Anyway... Order by Chaos. They're from Florida; a lot of good acts tend to come from Florida. They're LB-ish, but with good attitude.

Ignite. Good ol' Orange County (CA) hardcore!

Zebrahead. How about Zebrahead?!?!

Dog Fashion Disco. They're great! (This band, at one time, was on one of those Organ comps I mentioned).

Oh, would anybody, by some infinitely immeasurable chance, know of Sinder?! I went to a My Ruin show, and Sinder opened for them... and I recognized the singer as a guy I had a music class with! Ugh, that was so upsetting! and I liked the music too, which was even worse!
By the way... anyone like My Ruin? or Tura Satana?

buti ka pa, you got to see some of those bands that i dig. my ruin i like.
how was the sevendust/kittie show? do they give great live performances?

haven't been abroad in two years. the last band i saw was the dave matthews band, definitely a great live act anywhere on God's green earth.

right now, i've got deathcab for cutie, taproot, audioslave and sugar hiccup on my CD player (one after another).

I have PJam, Debussy, and Dirge in my stereo. It's really dusty... I rarely use it. In my PC, however, is Lunatic Calm's _Metropol_; I've been listening to that every now and then.

And oh yes, My Ruin is great. But have you heard Tura Satana?! Classic =) I saw them at that My Ruin show; it was a "secret" reunion (but everybody knew, of course). Heh. Good stuff.

And regarding the Sevendust/Kittie show... Well, I was there to see Kittie. More specifically, I was there to see Talena! Yup. I always hung around the right side of the stage when they performed (because that was Talena's position). Except for one time, at a Machine Head/Kittie show, I got there late, and was forced to be on the left side. (It really wasn't too bad because I was really close to Robb during MH's set). But hey, I met Talena once... after that Sevendust gig =) I met people from every band that night, except for Sevendust. To be honest with you, I didn't want to. I'm not a Sevendust fan, but that wasn't the issue...
See, for that show, Kittie played last, and Sevendust performed before them. And before Sevendust was <151> and Shuvel. They were pretty good, so I was worn out -- very much so because I was in front, ya know. So anyway, Sevendust is up, and I feel sleepy. Not just me, though. I was with a friend and he was getting sleepy too, and he liked Sevendust. Anyway, I yawned and my friend yawned and Lajon saw. What followed was something really messed up. He pointed at us and made a big fuss about it; the rest of the pit started rushing us, ya know, and really mashing us against the fence. That wasn't cool. I mean, we weren't hurt, but that just wasn't cool. I distincly remember this happening during that "Denial" song. I still don't know the words to it...

But then Kittie came on, and everything was better. Talena and I made eye contact. Yup. She's really cool, I think. I mean, she's kinda shy, ya know, but she's really hardcore. And plus, she's a bassist. I'm a bassist! It's all about the bass, man.
Aw, good times those were.

Oh hey, a little piece of trivia. Two nights before that show, instead of <151>, Slaves on Dope opened. Hm... back in November of 1999.

That feels so long ago. I used to talk really funny back then.

Hey, isn't it great that SoD broke away from Divine?! Geez, Osbourne's recording company really made 'em screwy. Have you ever heard the original versions of the songs on their first album? They were so much better.

Well, I'm reminded of some other bands such as the Deadlights and Full Devil Jacket. I actually never saw the former. I was supposed to, but I arrived at the venue late. The latter is pretty good, actually. They're from New Jersey, as evident from the name. Heh.

Hm, I never saw Dave Matthews Band. They make good music, obviously, but I missed the opportunity to see them while they still played small venues. That's the key to a good concert experience, I think; you gotta feel it in a room with a ceiling less than twenty feet high and with no more than two bathrooms.

Upper Box,

thanks for the Six Things On My Mind and I Ain't Saying You Treated Me Unkind.

hopefully, i can send you some compilations i put together. i have some indie stuff (from Club 8 to the Pale Saints to Hooverphonic) and an acid jazz/chill out one to bring you down a notch or two after a long day at work.

just PM on how i can send it to you if you're interested.

if you like the church, you'll love the railway children. i'm sure you remember them. reunion wilderness here we come!!!

BK, great. Let's catch up and exchange CDs next time I'm in town late January.

got everything but the girl's Like The Deserts Miss The Rain and pearl jam's Riot Act.

there's nothing indie about this, just good music.

for world music fans, have you tried out the releases from putumayo music? i have their reggae and celtic titles and they're worth what you pay for.
but if its real world music you want, then get the essential santana. for Php 550, you get two discs of great r&b, latin, funk, blues, and psychedelic music. a great buy.

for beatles fans, try out apples in stereo.
for beach boys fans, try out the pearlfishers.
great and fun music to listen to.

Bleachers King,

You like Brownman Revival? I've heard a lot about how good they are. Only saw them once live though (during an Erap protest concert in UP, I think). Anyway, just want to ask you if they already released their EP.

Some bands I listen to:
Yeska, The Skatallites, Diana Krall, WDOUJI, SONIA, Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Selecter, the Specials, The Cardigans (circa Life), early Rage Against the Machine, Tropical Depression, Put3ska, Brownbeat All-stars, Badburn, Skychurch, Sick of it All, P.O.T., Eraserhards (circa Carbon Stereoxide), etc.

Sporting_chance,

yup, i'm a huge fan of brownman revival. bar none, they're the best reggae band we have right now. those guys seriously know how to party. i've got nothing but good vibes about this outfit. i used to watch them a lot at 70s bistro and malate but haven't seen them as of late. definitely one of the best bands to come out of the ateneo. last i heard from dennis (da band's drumma) they were signed to emi phils. but someone told me that they were now working on an indie release. no word since. maybe, the 14 beers guys and gals can hold the next get2gether during one of their 70s bistro gigs.

local bands i like: sugar hiccup (melody and zandro are awesome!), barbie's cradle, rivermaya, brownman revival, the pin-up girls, sonnet 58, soft pillow kisses, dicta license.

Royal Crown Revue rule!! I caught their show here in brisbane last year, they were phuking amazing! My bud pete and I got our stuff signed by eddie after the show, it was awesome!!

Reel big fish were in big day out when I first came to australia, but I missed it. Would've been cool. Owell.

I used to be part of their (Brownman Revival) mailing list before I changed my email address. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to subscribe again because I forgot what their e-list address is. They did say in their last announcement that they were working on their EP. I hope their deal with EMI pushes through, and that other local ska/reggae bands out there will be getting signed. But if they don't, they can always go indie. This seems to be the way to go for a lot of bands now, since, according to NU 107 DJ Francis "Brew" Reyes, recording companies are hesitant to sign up bands these days. What do you think of this?

Is Sugar Hiccup still together? Haven't seen them play live for quite a while.

like you, i changed my email address so i no longer get updates through Brownman Revival's mailing list.

i can understand a recording company's fear of signing up a reggae band. limited lang ang sales nun, eh. sort of like put3ska. they would play to packed audiences but their debut album limped all the way to 20,000 sales. hindi pa yata umabot if i'm not mistaken. a full house doesn't guarantee sales. for those who used to go to Club Dredd, you will remember na ang daming tambay sa labas. if they can't pay a hundred bucks to get in, what more a CD priced anywhere from P250 to P450? in fact, survey shows that among the young, a lot of their money goes to cell cards and gaming, so buying CDs or even cassettes, mga may kaya na lang o kaya mga die-hard fans.

but back to Brownman Revival. yes, i think that they should go indie.

Sugar Hiccup. I know the band is still around. I haven't seen them in some time (the last being last year at 70s Bistro). Reports say they have a new indie release in the offing, yet at the same time, others say na wala pa nangyayari.

Speaking of Put3ska, that’s another talented band that’s sadly not that active anymore. I wouldn’t have discovered second wave ska bands like The Specials and Selecter if it weren’t for them. I used to watch them live even at packed house performaces at Mayric’s whenever I had the time. Too bad interal problems prompted Myra Ruaro to sing in her new band, The Brownbeat Allstars. This isn’t to say that I don’t like the refreshing music of the Brownbeat Allstars, but the Myra Ruaro led Put3ska was something else really.

Yeah, I guess going indie can be the better option for Brownman Revival, as well as other ska / reggae bands struggling in the underground scene. What do you think, by the way of a lot of local bands opting to go indie? Do you think it’s true that recording companies are wary now of giving recording contracts to new bands?

after the eraserheads made it big, every record company and their brother tried to sign every band in sight. even those with no right no pick up a fender stratocaster soon found themselves recording an album with kilometric thank you notes in the sleeves thanking everyone from Michael Jordan to Voltes V.

of course, what followed was an implosion of sorts. sales floundered. some bands became one-hit wonders reminiscent of the 80s new wave explosion. some went nowhere fast.

you see, for a local album to make some money, it has to sell within the vicinity of 20,000 units. now you tell me, are pinoys willing to fork over P375 to 450 for death metal or ska bands? heck, they can't even pay the entrance to Club Dredd what more an album? furthermore, pinoys would prefer to purchase albums by foreign artists than try out local bands na yung iba mga wanna bes. as one wag would put it, "korn or slapshock? you gotta be kidding me. porn, er korn it is!"

most companies feel that the way to promote an album is to put out posters, get some radio airplay via payola, and a noontime guest spot over Eat Bulaga. Hmm. While that can help, it doesn't neccessarily translate into sales.

as much as recording companies would like to release albums by all these bands (for the sake of art/music), at the end of the day, it's still a business that has to earn money. unfortunately, only those with commercial music styles receive airplay.

even local indie record companies lie NA records (home to shiela and the insects and cynthia alexander) can only sell so much. and DIY albums don't guarantee even a modicum of success either.

it's incredible that when bon jovi's crossroads album was released, we placed an initial order of 30,000 cds (much to my surprise)! i thought that it was a tad too much but it sold out. what gives? ha, the jologs crowd snapped them up en masse? but rizal underground's masterful debut barely made 20,000 copies. if it wasn't for their "sabado nights" single which came out months after their self-titled debut was released (it wasn't included in the early pressings), then the album would have not merited a second look and listen among music fans.

so what would make an album successful? it's a combination of lots: good songs, solid market base, innovative and solid promotions, perseverance (the dave matthews band's relentless touring has made them the most successful bar band in american music history), being in the public eye (remember the maxim: out of sight, out of mind), and a little luck. and the emergence of street team marketing concept in america has changed the face of direct marketing and promotions. so aggressive and innovative yet painstaking promotions are perhaps the most obvious ways of selling a band. but of ocurse, the bottom line is, are you willing to shell out all that moolah? well, for most, it's no way.

but maybe, one can take inspiration from the DIY attitude of diverse artists such as Jim Chappell, John Mayer, and the Fil-Am indie rock outfit from NYC, Versus. That's selling their CDs out of the trunks of their cars. Hurm. But if you do that here, cops might think you're enroaching on their drug territory. Boo!

do you guys buy any pinoy artist's albums? are you willing to buy pinoy recordings? what was the last opm album you bought?

have been listening to rivermaya's LIVE AND ACOUSTIC for the past couple of days. galing! the acoustic setting allows us to see the band's superb musicianship. and it just confirmed what i've always held about the band -- that they're really one of the best local bands around and have been consistent at that for the better part of a decade now. though i have to admit that i became a serious fan of the band when rico blanco took over.

LIVE AND ACOUSTIC shows the depth of the band's talent. the new members have added a new dimesnion to the band's sound and chops. in fact, i liken them to oasis' new rhythm section (after the departure of guigsy and bonehead). mas solid and tugtugan ng parehong banda.

and the videos for "umaaraw, umuulan" and "'wag na init ng ulo mo baby" are funny and real cool. some of the best local videos done.

the influences of this current incarnation of rivermaya lie with the current wave of Britrock - Ash, Oasis, Radiohead, and Blur among others. and it makes for great music considering that rico blanco is an excellent songwriter.

a great buy.

I agree, through the success of Ultraelectromagneticpop, the Eraserheads opened doors for a lot of bands to be signed for albums. While this had good effects since good bands like Rizal Underground, Yano, Color it Red and even Tropical Depression finally and rightfully got recording deals, even 3 chord hacks like Grin Department and Dead Nails released their albums, capitalizing their so-called hits played in DWLA 105.9. While LA 105.9 helped a lot of bands by giving their demos some airtime, even alloting a whole Sunday to play just local music, I observed that as time went by, there wasn’t any sort of quality control anymore on the part of the station as the likes of Grin Dept. got playing time. I don’t know what happened next, and before I knew it, LA 105.9 reformatted back into playing top 40 and even world music.

Good thing the guys behind In the Raw took their cue from LA 105.9 and set out to play demos of local bands, with some constructive criticism to boot. There are a lot of good local bands out there waiting to be discovered.

My recent local purchase is this indie jazz band, WDOUJI or Witch Doctors of Underground Jazz Instrumentalists and Bound by Blood by Badburn.

I think for what you said about bands selling their own stuff, I think that’s the trend of bands today. I think Twisted Halo, Neighbors and Boldstar sell their own stuff, don’t think they’re available in record bars.

i've seen boldstar's album in M1 Greenbelt 3. what's their music like?

Managed to get boldstar's indie CD release (which i understand is only available at Music One Greenbelt). I think some of the members of the group are from Ciudad and Itchyworms. Their music is a confluence of indie styles from a little twee music to the indie rock style popularized by Versus and carried on locally by Sandwich.

And it's not bad for 200 bucks and there are 19 songs.

Of equal interest would be the news that Brownman Revival is releasing their indie EP debut (i guess things didn't work out between them and OctoArts EMI).

cool.

[ January 02, 2003: Message edited by: Bleachers King ]

any one buy any new CD from the indie corner at Music One greenbelt 3?
Was it good? Would you recommend it?