Comments on: Culture Warrior: Independent Music/Independent Film

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:03:23 +0000

I wish they would stop making movies about music references and make movies about ideas instead.

By: Landon_Palmer

Landon_Palmer — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:45:12 +0000

I can't speak for all people my age, but I am a twentysomething who really loves Joy Division and The Smiths. Current indie bands often cite these two as big influences to the point of cliche (David Bowie is usually listed among them), which probably explains their surge in popularity in recent years. So yes, I would argue that these bands represent the cult of the indie just as much as newer indie music, as they have retrospectively been deemed the grandfathers of the current sounds (compare JD to Interpol, for instance). But what's odd about this is that there may be many other bands that were just as popular and influential in their day and age as these two, yet these two for some reason (beyond the fact that they are excellent) are worshipped to no end. It's the way new music selectively remembers old music, and with the 80s it seems our current culture has a very powerful selective memory.

By: djjeffhall

djjeffhall — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:15:14 +0000

Landon,
Having spent 20 years in the music industry this article speaks pretty close to my heart. You article speaks to so many points oh so accurately and I commend you on it.

What I found ironically funny about 500 Days Of Summer's use of music (All of which I loved by the way.) was that it relied on hip bands from the 70's and 80's. Joy Division and The Smiths are classic bands, but let us be honest, I'm old! lol (At 44, I'm a Hell of a lot older than the characters played inthe movie.)

As Dr. Abaius points out above, there are a slew of more recent bands that would have been more "age appropriate" for the film. (Since the characters are in the early to mid 20's, would they realy be listening to Joy Division? Wouldn't Franz Ferdinand, The White Stripes or Artic Monkeys be more their speed?) Again, not that I'm knocking the bands used, or the bands I suggested as they all occupy a lot of shelf space on my CD and LP racks. (Yes, I'm a hard good guy. No MP3's for me.)

Then again, just as 500 Days Of Summer isn't really treading new ground, would any of the bands mentioned be universal enough to speak to the "indie" crowd? I don't think so.

(My saying 500 Days doesn't tread new ground is NOT a complaint. I paid to see the movie on two separate occasions and I'll be grabbing the DVD on release week. Put away the pitch forks!)

By: Landon_Palmer

Landon_Palmer — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:45:12 +0000

By: djjeffhall

djjeffhall — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:15:14 +0000

By: Landon_Palmer

Landon_Palmer — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:21:48 +0000

Definitely two points that need to be considered. It is just as active of a marketing ploy as movies that use top 40 hits (as my friend would say, 'when you say you like Garden State, what you really mean is that you like the soundtrack'), and it's certainly cheaper to put The Shins over your end credits than U2. High Fidelity is the exception to the rule I feel, as it is a music snob's wet dream but also there is no doubt that all the music chosen is also the best and most appropriate for their place in the film, and are fully integrated into the plot without being reduced to a “musical moment” (which I think is rare).

By: silent_jay

silent_jay — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:45:12 +0000

great post! and utterly correct

By: Cole_Abaius

Cole_Abaius — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:06:01 +0000

Great points as usual. I'd add two elements to that although they both seem fairly obvious:

1) The targeting of the fairly large group of people who have "heard of but not actually heard" bands is just as formulaic as targeting Top 40 fans, but you can't use popular music in an indie film (unless you do so ironically). Instead of check out Billboard, just read Paste. Rinse and repeat.

2) Cost per usage.

The second point is so obvious I probably look stupid for saying it.

If you really want music snobbery, don't turn to modern indies. Using The Raveonettes or The New Pornographers in a movie is easy. The entire soundtrack for High Fidelity on the other hand - that's a true music snob's wet dream.

By: Dr. Cole Abaius

Dr. Cole Abaius — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:01:08 +0000

Great points as usual. I’d add two dimensions to the use of indie bands within indie film:

1) The appeal to a large group of people who have “heard of but not actually heard” a band is as targeted as using Top 40 to hit the slightly larger group of Simon and Garfunkel fans. (Plus, you wouldn’t be able to use popular music for an indie audience (unless you did so ironically)).

2) Cost per use.

That second one is a fairly obvious point – so obvious that I probably look stupid for making it.

If you really want a snobbish film – don’t turn to the newer indies. Using The New Pornographers or The Raveonettes in a movie is pretty simple. But the entire High Fidelity soundtrack? There’s a music snob’s paradise.