At an indiepop festival, a friend asked me,
'Is that the theme? Do all indiepop bands have to have females in them?'
My answer?
'No, you don't have to have females for a band to be indiepop; it often just seems to happen like that.'
Getting to basics, indiepop has three core elements:
Being male or female has nothing to do with these; it's just that indiepop doesn't set itself up as a boy's club. Women and girls may feel more willing to have a go within this genre, feeling that their ideas are welcomed. I guess that the child-like joy and wonder thing often correlates with middle-class decency and romanticism, which is why so many indiepop bands look like a bunch of lovely young primary school teachers. It's also probably why so many Japanese people like it.
But the actual sound of indiepop is a wide spectrum; it can be grungy and garage-y; there is sexiness and politics and mad humour at times and sometimes it's wistful and sparse. In these modern times, there's less self-deprecation on stage, but it's still there on a good/bad day. There seem to be lots of bands with couples in - and having a band together with your mate is a sweet and fun thing to do.
Last year, I loved it when my band PO! played Indietracks festival and there were so many bands with female musicians playing; often as front people but also many drummers, bassists and so on. Having a gender balance makes music more civilised whilst also being super exciting. So yes, indiepop is a world of girls, but only because so many other genres are weirdly macho.
What's also great for me is the generosity and loveliness of audiences. Those floppy-haired boys who collected and followed indiepop seem just as sensitive and spirited twenty years later when they're balding and bespectacled.
'Is that the theme? Do all indiepop bands have to have females in them?'
My answer?
'No, you don't have to have females for a band to be indiepop; it often just seems to happen like that.'
Getting to basics, indiepop has three core elements:
- The punk ethic that anyone can form a band and be listened to.
- A joy and wonder in the world reflected in tuneful, often simple songs.
- Small-scale media publicity via word of mouth, fanzines, blogs, podcasts and mixtapes.
 |
| The toy industry's idea of an 'indie-girl' |
Being male or female has nothing to do with these; it's just that indiepop doesn't set itself up as a boy's club. Women and girls may feel more willing to have a go within this genre, feeling that their ideas are welcomed. I guess that the child-like joy and wonder thing often correlates with middle-class decency and romanticism, which is why so many indiepop bands look like a bunch of lovely young primary school teachers. It's also probably why so many Japanese people like it.
But the actual sound of indiepop is a wide spectrum; it can be grungy and garage-y; there is sexiness and politics and mad humour at times and sometimes it's wistful and sparse. In these modern times, there's less self-deprecation on stage, but it's still there on a good/bad day. There seem to be lots of bands with couples in - and having a band together with your mate is a sweet and fun thing to do.
Last year, I loved it when my band PO! played Indietracks festival and there were so many bands with female musicians playing; often as front people but also many drummers, bassists and so on. Having a gender balance makes music more civilised whilst also being super exciting. So yes, indiepop is a world of girls, but only because so many other genres are weirdly macho.
What's also great for me is the generosity and loveliness of audiences. Those floppy-haired boys who collected and followed indiepop seem just as sensitive and spirited twenty years later when they're balding and bespectacled.
Reading this blog on a train somewhere between Moscow and St Petersburg, has caused much bemusement to my fellow passengers as I collapse in fits of laughter!!
ReplyDeleteThe last paragraph is genius and hysterical. I must confess as I approach my fiftieth year (still sporting a full head of hair) that, something resembling a Pete Astor quiff has replaced the Bobby Gillespie clone fringe I was so awfully proud off.
So yes, no longer floppy but definitely still as sensitive and spirited !!!
Brilliant blog Ruth.
Thanks Jim; I'm getting a lot of correspondence from males claiming not to be balding, so I'm sorry if I have misrepresented you lot!
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