It was easy, it was cheap, so what?

Reconsidering the DIY principle of punk and indie music

Authors

  • Pete Dale Music Department, Thomas Hepburn Community School, Gateshead Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.v3i2.171

Keywords:

anarcho-punk, C86, DIY, independence, indie, Marxism, punk

Abstract

Today, the words ‘indie’ and ‘independence’ are commonly taken only to be connotative of a musical style, yet during an earlier punk/post-punk period they were used to denote a specific economic separateness from the major labels. This article examines the development of the indie sector in this earlier period, challenging a tendency to reify certain proponents of punk’s DIY principle (Buzzcocks’ Spiral Scratch EP, Desperate Bicycles) by noting some significant antecedents and continuations of the indie ‘Do It Yourself’ impetus. Contrasting the Rough Trade label against anarcho-punks Crass, the article also highlights the ‘cutie’ or ‘C86’ period in which indie is sometimes said to have become more about music and less about politics. The significance of MySpace and other recent technological developments are also considered. In conclusion, the article interrogates the political efficacy of the ‘anyone can do it’ principle associated with punk/indie’s DIY ethic.

Author Biography

  • Pete Dale, Music Department, Thomas Hepburn Community School, Gateshead

    Pete Dale is studying for a PhD in Music at Newcastle University under the supervision of Professor Richard Middleton. His research asks whether punk can be considered as a folk music. Prior to his academic studies, he ran an internationally respected DIY independent label and performed in several punk underground bands.

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Published

2009-07-17

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Dale, P. (2009). It was easy, it was cheap, so what? Reconsidering the DIY principle of punk and indie music. Popular Music History, 3(2), 171-193. https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.v3i2.171