70's onwards is pretty well documented, but how was the independent scene during the 50's and 60's?
70's onwards is pretty well documented, but how was the independent scene during the 50's and 60's?
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60s Garage Rock was basically the beginning of independent music as to how you're thinking of it.
There was no independence in the 50's and 60's. There was no outlet for releasing music other than record companies and their promotion machinery. In fact it was essentially like that in the 70's, 80's, and 90's as well. The so-called "independent" scene of the 80's still involved financing and promotion. By the 90's bands had figured out that record companies offered value, even the grunge bands signed contracts. Now, of course, in the age of absolute shit garbage music, record companies and their knowledgeable agents have been set aside. Hmmmm.
but what about 50's and 60's records that didn't sell well?
Still issued by record companies. Not "independently" produced.
>no independent music in the sixties
what do we call this then
There was no great need for indie labels before the 1980s because many of the the major labels were largely run in at least some measure by musicians, producers, and people who were in some other way deeply involved with the music. I worked for one of the major labels (not as an exec but for one in a minor role) as this era was ending and investors and non-musician execs were taking over, but we still had a category called prestige artists, who were not expected to make any money but reviewed well or had cult followings. They brought honor to the company and helped define its reputation. So many of these artists were dropped as things changed, it was distressing to watch. You don't have artists like that anymore, they are dropped and forgotten.
Note this is not in reply or contradiction to
which is an excellent post.
>prestige artists
virgin signing royal trux comes to mind
Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Bruce Springsteen were considered such prestige artists who weren't necessarily expected to turn a profit but who brought their label prestige.
Nonsense. People paid to record their songs in studios and peddled them to DJs. It wasn't huge, but it happened. Some recording studios made their "bread and butter" by recording people's advertisements for radio, so recording people's music was no big deal.
listen to these guys and the fugs
utter crap
sorry that youre wrong
LOL okay dude - enjoy your obscurist garbage.
ok, but ill enjoy other stuff more
Based, though I'm more of a Michael Hurley guy as far as that scene goes.
love hurley, didnt think of him in this context maybe i shouldve
connie converse is also an interesting case
Even if not through "independent" companies, garage rock can be seen as the first stepping stone to the development of the underground and alternative rock scenes of the 70s to today onward
"Garage Rock" was still issued by record companies.
when i said "independent" i was refering more to that leftfield musical approach than labels
ESP-Disk and Zappa. pretty much it
Indie in the 50s meant you weren't signed to one of the ASCAP labels like Capitol and Columbia; there were various regional jazz, country, and R&B labels. So far as an alternative versus mainstream dichotomy existed back then, it was that and the early 60s was a particularly strong period for indie labels as they produced most of the chart hits while the ASCAP labels were rather irrelevant.
(I love this song btw)
For example Dot might have been called an independent label as it wasn't ASCAP and leaned more into country and R&B
Awful, and groupies are not Indie.
>groupies are not Indie.
?
tell us more?
>prestige
the science of administration put profit about anything else these days
zoomers don't know about the Pebbles comps anymore?
also interesting that everyone appears to assume "the independent scene" must refer to released albums or singles
The independent music scene during the 1950s and 1960s was a vibrant and diverse landscape of local and regional scenes, with a mix of established record labels and independent labels.
During this period, major labels such as RCA, Columbia, and Capitol dominated the music industry, but independent labels began to emerge as a viable alternative to the major label system. These independent labels were often started by passionate music enthusiasts who were looking to promote music that was not being represented by the major labels.
One of the earliest and most influential independent labels was Sun Records, which was founded in Memphis, Tennessee by Sam Phillips in 1952. Sun Records was known for its pioneering work in the early rock and roll scene, releasing recordings by artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Another important independent label of the time was Chess Records, which was founded in Chicago in 1950 by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess. Chess Records played a key role in the development of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and soul music, and released recordings by artists such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and Etta James.
In addition to these well-known independent labels, there were countless smaller regional labels that were an important part of the independent music scene during this time. These labels often focused on promoting local artists and styles of music, and were an important source of support for emerging musicians.
Overall, the independent music scene during the 1950s and 1960s was a dynamic and exciting time for music, with a wide variety of labels and artists pushing the boundaries of popular music and paving the way for the independent music scene that would flourish in the decades to come.
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