The First Media Invisible but Popular Music Genre?

[Chip McDonald]

In another post it occured to me, there's a group of new bands that are all of the same ilk that I don't actually think has been pidgeonholed with a name. Godspeed You Black Emperor Mogwai Sigur Ros Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Mercury Project Japancakes Tortoise Sorta prog-ish, but not in a muso way. They're all drenched in reverb. About half instrumentals half "instrumentals featuring a vocal part". Usually they use arc-sequencing form. Mostly sound like _Echoes_ from Floyd's _meddle_ a good bit. Ha slight elements of electronica, slight elements of trip hop. What I think is interesting here is that this is something that has become somewhat of a phenomenon - *and it's totally off the radar of the mainstream media*. MTV has missed it. The industry has missed it (apparently Ticketbastards haven't based on Sigur Ros ticket prices). I think it's driven entirely by Net file sharing turning people on to this stuff. Likewise the industry has no idea how popular it is. Very curious.....

[Rog]

At least in the case of Godspeed ... they're quite anti-media and I don't think they'd be up for a MTV/VH1 special, also the duration of their stuff often rules out any kind of radio play - same with Tortoise. BRMC are more commercial though.

[rold]

[quote] What I think is interesting here is that this is something that has become somewhat of a phenomenon - *and it's totally off the radar of the mainstream media*. MTV has missed it. The industry has missed it (apparently Ticketbastards haven't based on Sigur Ros ticket prices). I think it's driven entirely by Net file sharing turning people on to this stuff. Likewise the industry has no idea how popular it is. Very curious..... [/quote]Man, I love the underground - particularly when the contents are pushed down there in the first place by fiscal interests ;)

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i think their obscurity is entirely driven by lack of radio, which also means lack of MTV. the only place you'll hear a song longer than four minutes is on classic rock radio when they play floyd. personally, i found out about sigur ros when they were nominated for the shortlist artistic prize. i picked up a disc and loved it, so i've been into them since. BRMC had a couple videos on mtvX when it was around and even MTV2. the rest just make it like any other indie band, by playing out and being a part of the scene. it is refreshing, though, to see a style of music that can breathe on its own before being inflated by the media hype respirator. this stuff is seriously popular with a lot of people, but you don't hear about these bands like you hear about other bands. they've gotten a lot of little blurbs in music and culture mags, though. robb.

[-_dup1]

[quote]Originally posted by Chip McDonald: [b]What I think is interesting here is that this is something that has become somewhat of a phenomenon - *and it's totally off the radar of the mainstream media*. MTV has missed it.[/b][/quote]Almost all of the bands you mentioned are critics' darlings, which is why none of them are [i]completely[/i] obscure... Critics [i]do[/i] function pretty well as cheerleaders for the quality stuff that the Big 5 don't push...

[GT40sc]

"Critic's darlings"... Maybe so, but good stuff nevertheless. Too smart for the mainstream? I would add "American Analog Set" to this list as well... I found most of these bands through CMJ New Music, a review magazine that includes a CD each month... I am working on a recording project with a local band that listed Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as an influence, so I picked it up the other day. Kinda sloppy, but very cool. We'll see how it goes...

[G. Ratte]

I've seen that stuff referenced as "post-rock" in the mags, maybe that's the name. [quote] Too smart for the mainstream? [/quote]Ha. Hardly. Adjectives I'd use would be "boring" and "navel-gazing". Arpeggiated chords and lots of effects... yes, sure signs of high IQs at work.

[KHAN]

Oh yeah. You mean : [b][i]"Prog-rev-inst-vox- arc-seq-Ech- Floyd-electrip hop"[/i][/b] :freak:

[GZsound]

I'll give you a genre of music that recieves no media attention, radio play, etc. and yet is extremely popular...bluegrass. Even with the unbelievable success of "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" there were no major media radio stations that played any tracks from the soundtrack. However, that soundtrack sold a ton of copies and supported the "Down from the mountain" tour for months. And bluegrass is an "established" genre.

[G. Ratte]

I should stop being such a jerk on the forums. But oh, it's so much fun. Man... what to do, what to do. Actually I kinda like Sigur Ros. I especially like their idea of lyrics that don't have real words in 'em, that's a good move I think. I'd be much happier if say, your typical inane love song #237437907234 had nonsense syllables instead. Why not? But they should be sung really expressively. "la fa oo me ah" "tree mee flea see?" "LA!! BLAH FLAH MAH!" "trah gidah ching achting" . There's a whole human drama right there. And I didn't have to hear about the beach and wind and angels, thank-yew.

[aeon]

[quote][i]Chip McDonald said:[/i] [b]...there's a group of new bands that are all of the same ilk that I don't actually think has been pidgeonholed with a name.[/b][/quote]I have generally seen those bands referred to as “indie post-rock,” Chip...so kinda what gratte said. If you read I Love Music, you know all of them are old-hat in a sense anyway. ;) [quote][i]GZsound@hotmail.com said:[/i] [b]I'll give you a genre of music that recieves no media attention, radio play, etc. and yet is extremely popular...bluegrass.[/b][/quote]So multi-page articles in major-market magazines do not count as “media attention?” :rolleyes:

[gtrmac]

It sure seems like a good sign that some bands can become successful without the interference of "the machine". I'll try to check some of them out but even if I don't like the music I still think it's a good thing.

[flyscots]

Some mags call them "Art-house Rock" I've most commonly seen them labelled "Post Rock" especially Mogwai & Godspeed YBE. Personally I prefer to NOT label or pidgeonhole them at all. To me, its music, it doesnt need another name. John Scotsman

[Mark Borland]

Where abouts in SW Scotland are you???? John Scotsman?

[flyscots]

Hey Mark, welcome to the forums fellow Scotsman! I'm in Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway. Not for long though, I'll be back to the States soon. "John Scotsman" was what I got called when I was in America. Seeing as its an easy way for people to remember me, I use it here too! Where are you Mark?

[Mark Borland]

Just outside Irvine is North Ayrshire. Just bought on old farm house and an going to convert some of it into a studio so I can indulge my muso fantasies all day long and not annoy the missus!

[flyscots]

[quote]Originally posted by Rog: [b]At least in the case of Godspeed ... they're quite anti-media[/b][/quote]Godspeed never (used to) let anyone take any pictures of them. I went to see them in Glasgow 3 years ago and people were having cameras taken off them on the way in. In a nice twist the opening act, Fly Pan Am, actually consisted of members from Gospeed YBE, but hardly anyone in the crowd knew who they were. After the gig some of the band were sitting at the front of the stage talking to fans. They also stood at the merchandise stall and sold CDs and T-shirts personally. They definately seem to be a band who are in it for the music and are having a lot of fun in the process. With a cult following and word of mouth, who needs media hype!?

[flyscots]

[quote]Originally posted by Mark Borland: [b]Just outside Irvine is North Ayrshire. Just bought on old farm house and an going to convert some of it into a studio so I can indulge my muso fantasies all day long and not annoy the missus![/b][/quote]Cool! I used to live in Irvine, too young to remember much about it, I've been back a few times though. Good idea with the farm house studio - good luck. Gotta go to work now :(

[The Bear Jew]

Quick GYBE story... My old music mag did a feature on the band. They refused to do pictures or a traditional phone interview. We finally convinced them to do it via Instant Messenger. Turned out pretty cool in spite of everything. The only reason they even did the interview at all was because we got one of their friends to do it. We're just lucky that this friend also happens to be a friend of mine. He says they're sort of a collection of anarchists with no real structure. Band members come and go depending on individual availability. No wonder they don't get more press, etc. They don't really want it. Same thing goes with the other bands Chip mentioned. They don't want or seek press.

[Jonathan Hughes]

"If you read I Love Music, you know all of them are old-hat in a sense anyway" Is this aa website? If so, what's the address? (a search of google gave me too many similar hits). thanks Jonathan

[Chip McDonald]

[quote]Originally posted by aeon: [b]I have generally seen those bands referred to as “indie post-rock,” Chip...so kinda what gratte said.[/b][/quote]Welll... I wouldn't say any of those bands [i]rock[/i] exactly. "indie post-rock" sounds like any garden variety Husker Du/Replacements clone band, which they're definitely not...