The Rally Cry of the Indie!

You know, when I talk to many of my friends from all over the music spectrum, I find that we all have more in common than just making music. Sure, we almost “have” to classify our music, though putting labels on things that we create is something that we ALL hate doing. But just for the sake of this conversation, I think that we have to realize something: if we are looking to be “trailblazers” and “controllers of our destinies” then we are all indie artists, musicians, managers, producers and industry professionals.

Now, what do you mean that we are all Indies? Since I “cut my teeth” on creating and writing Soul and R&B music, I was finding it hard to narrow my search early on in my career when I looked for resources to help me. I, too, thought that Rock bands made indie music. I immediately began to think of the 3-5 piece garage band that loaded up their vans and traveled to “dive bars” to make a little money doing original music. If this is your view, then you are still correct. You see, Indie music is a genre and a description. It’s a noun and an adjective.

So with all of that said (and to completely wrap up the “classroom” section of our conversation!) Indie music is defined as Rock music that takes its name from "independent," which describes both the do-it-yourself attitudes of its bands and the small, lower-budget nature of the labels that release the music. The key words here are “attitudes”, “lower-budget” and “do-it-yourself.” Do you release music on your own? Do you believe that the “old ways” of releasing music: cut a demo, send your demo to an A&R, get signed to a lucrative record deal, release a hit, sell CDs, get on radio, etc., needs a major kick in the backside? Do you KNOW that you are the one that can supply the kick? Well, guess what, YOU are an indie! You may not make music that sounds like Beck, but you are someone that is among the growing number of “movers and shakers” who are going to make it on their own terms. YOU are an indie! You create INDIE music!

So what’s next? Now that you are hearing the “Rally Cry of the Indie,” what are you going to do about it? Are you going to dust off your library card and go find the resources you need? Are you going to take a look at the fact that Macklemore was not an overnight sensation that made a song about shopping at the thrift song and got famous out-of-the-blue, or are you going to take a look at the fact that he and his partner Ryan Lewis have taught us all some lessons about what it means to staying true to who you are? Are you going to let the fact that many in the Hip-hop community have dismissed him as a member of a genre that can get played no matter what they put out stop you from learning that he was able to keep all of his royalties because he and Lewis created an album with NO SAMPLES or GUEST APPEARANCES (two things that always kill a budget)? Am I going to keep asking you questions, or am I going to give you some resources? Just making sure that you were paying attention.

Hungry Artiz, the goal this conversation with you is to tell you that we are all one in this Indie Revolution. Limiting yourself, if only to stop and define what you are NOT for extended periods of time, is limiting to your career. It’s ok to say, “Hey, I am not a Country singer.” That’s fine, as you still have to define your audience. What is not ok is missing out on some valuable resources or lessons that could mean the difference between dreaming about making a living doing what you love and continuing to listen to your music on your iPod and making no effort to share your gifts with the world.