Local Identity and Independent Music Scenes, Online and Off

Abstract

Independent music scenes were prominent in the last two decades of the 20th century, but today indie music can be disseminated online, and internet tools allow people in distant locations to engage with each other easily online. With the popularity of the internet, some local spaces devoted to music are becoming less popular and less viable. Yet local spaces continue to provide the infrastructure for music scenes. On the basis of archival research and interviews with scene participants, this paper argues that the decentralization and globalization of music production and dissemination have not resulted in the disappearance of local identities, local scene histories, or the perception that there are local sounds.

Notes

^[2] Merritt, 19 Dec. 1991.

^[1] Geoff Merritt. Personal interview. 19 Dec. 1991.

^[3] Adam Schmitt. Personal interview. 17 June 1992.

^[4] Schmitt, 17 June 1992.

^[5] Merritt, 19 Dec. 1991.

^[6] Schmitt, 17 June 1992.

^[7] Don Gerard. Personal interview. 19 Dec. 1991.

^[8] Gerard, 19 Dec. 1991.

^[9] Thorsten Sideboard. Personal interview. 18 June 2007.

^[10] Christian Fuchs. Personal interview. 10 May 2007.

^[11] Joseph Mallon. Co-founder, 125 Records. Personal interview. 19 June 2007.

^[12] Fuchs, 10 May 2007.

^[13] Jenny Grover. Personal interview. 11 May 2007.

^[14] Bradley Skaught. Personal interview. 8 May 2007.

^[15] Gil Ray. Personal interview. 8 May 2007.

^[16] Mallon, 19 June 2007.

^[17] Mallon, 19 June 2007.

^[18] Mallon, 19 June 2007.

^[19] Jeffrey Norman. Personal interview. 11 May 2007.

^[20] Margie Borschke. Personal interview. 9 May 2007.

^[23] Mayo-Wells, 11 May 2007.

^[21] Grover, 11 May 2007.

^[22] Doug Mayo-Wells. Personal interview. 9 May 2007.