Things Indie Bands Like #2: Unnecessary Band Members

A lot of the times you'll go to an indie show and look on stage and wonder "why hasn't that guy/girl done anything for 20 minutes?" While this statement said aloud may get you stares--as indie music fans generally don't like talking, let alone movement, at their shows--you may have fully pointed out the largest, pinkest elephant in the indie music scene: the unnecessary band member.

The origin of the unnecessary band member can be traced to indie music's roots; that is, the fact that at one point or another, the band's roadie/manager/girlfriend got tired of watching from behind the off-stage and wished to join in on the fun or else they would quit/leave/break-up with the band. The tracing of the foundations of this phenomena strangely parallels the popularization of this instrument.

The epitome, and paradoxically the exception to the rule, of unnecessary indie band members is Joel Gion, who you may remember as the guy on the cover of the movie Dig, a documentary about The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Joel pretty much stood on stage and caught Anton Newcombe whenever he passed out in the middle of an angry diatribe or coked-out guitar solo, so, although the euphemism is often reserved for the drummer, one could say Joel was literally and metaphorically the backbone of the band. He also had cool shades and could dance really well, which elevated his status from unofficial band manager to full-time band member.

Other examples of this are: the cute girl that hits the xylophone for 3 whole-notes every fourth song; the extended family of backup singers in strange garb who are off-key and being paid in beer; the guy who runs around stage and throws out merch; hip-hop "posses"; the skanking guy from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones; DJ's there to add some crazy "scratch effects"; Cello players; anyone that has to physically be on stage to press the spacebar on their macbook; Sid Vicious.

Things Indie Bands Like: #1) Costumes

This new section of Distracted by Words is about Things Indie Bands like. No it is not a rip-off of Stuff White People like, you goof! Indie bands are filled with a variety of ideas and embrace a diverse tapestry of fashion and culture, and are very difficult to pigeonhole like white people are. Fortunately, there are a few universal truths to the Indie Aesthetic which are ripe for the pickin'. And thats why I'm here to judge. Let us begin:



If there was one thing that Indie Bands and the sexual subculture of Furries have in common, its that their love of symbolizing alienation via costumes.

An Indie Band hoping you are giving out king-sized Snickers this year

Although Indie Bands may not have sex with one another while dressed like Fox McCloud or an Easter Bunny, they certainly have no problem conveying emotional disconnect to their fans in this fashion. Glance at some of the popular (but not too popular) music videos on Youtube, and you are bound to find either a flaxen-haired chanteuse or bestubbled lothario of the Indie-ilk either singing to or dressing up as someone in a costume.

Most of this has to do with budgetary limitations, more than anything, as Indie Bands tend to blow all of their promotional advance on vintage synthesizers on eBay, leaving them little recourse other than to dress up their roadie in a banana-suit and have him walk down skid row. This type of video, known in the Indie Music video world as a "24 hour shoot-and-boot", is best for bands that have run out of ideas and need to send something to their labels before the higher-ups completely forget that they signed them. It is also a nice touch to anthropomorphize the costume so the viewers can relate to its googly-eyed emotions.

The Jelly Donut that made Lady Sovereign cry

Also, a fun thing to do as an Indie music enthusiast is go to concerts in costume. This has a doubly positive effect, as it one ups yourself over even the most ridiculously dressed hipster and it shows your allegiance to the group by opting to remain sweat-drenched for 2 hours in a virtual hell-suit instead of wearing sensible, breathable clothing. You most likely will receive accolades from your surrounding peers and, if you're lucky, be asked to appear in the next Animal Collective music video. And if your costume fails to work, maybe there's a Furry convention going on right now in the lobby of the downtown Ramada. Just remember to cut your own holes beforehand.