Loading ..."Indie" Bands Whine About Gas Prices
By Evan ~ June 23rd, 2008. Filed under: indie.
Joke of the Day: What did one asexual hipster say to the other at last week’s Swervedriver reunion show in New York City? [Scroll to the very bottom -- below the MP3s -- for the answer]
Talk about making a story out of nothing…CNN is reporting that rising gas prices are severely affecting indie bands’ ability to tour this summer. Hmm…maybe if they spent less money on haircuts and sweaters — wait a minute: CNN used the word “indie” in one of their top story headlines? Does that mean it’s finally okay to say that “indie” as an underground culture is, anymore, nonexistent? Ponder that.
I Said PONDER IT.
Anyway, the article is filled with chuckles. The guy who operates Dirtnap Records laments, “after putting seven band members and their equipment into a van, they didn’t have room for a roadie!” Oh, the horror! The band had to load-in and load-out all by themselves! I hope no one pulled a muscle. Punk rock isn’t about pulling muscles while carrying amplifiers. Pollstar’s editor-in-chief discusses how larger touring bands have to cut back from twelve trucks to eight. I wonder…how many trucks “environmentally conscious” bands like Radiohead and the Flaming Lips use to bring their plush animal costumes and tents from city to city?
What makes this article most egregious and funny is that it’s absolutely not anything newsworthy. Do you think independent bands ever really made enough money outside of playing shows to support going on tour? The West Coast-based bands in this article complain that “there are very few cities to play in under seven-hour stretches, which can be costly”. Well, the Minutemen and Black Flag didn’t seem to have a problem touring frequently in spite of their small fan bases and lack of funds. They even recorded each other’s albums, released each other’s albums, organized their own gigs, and toured together (sometimes without roadies!) Modern “indie” bands should be thankful that their predecessors even made it possible for them to tour by exposing the mainstream to underground music. Instead, these kids are spoiled, stupid assholes who complain about gas prices or having to tech their own shows. What a bunch of fucking mongoloids.
Joke Of The Day Answer: “God, Matchless Amps are so bourgeois!”
