Seriously?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mainstream%20music

DEPRAVOS DE LA MOUR said:

can somebub please explain "MAINSTREAM"? we don't know what that means.

Thanks John,

It was a somewhat rhetorical question and glad to hear there are others who have roughly the same definition as I.

Where I may diverge from most is that to me, the "garage" sound started earlier than the early 60s, pre-Beatles with some of the best underground American "garage" rock like Hasil Adkins.

John White said:

To me, garage is raw rock and roll based on the blues. That said, there are styles that are considered garage, like surf, punk and even pop. You can't totally define it but you know when you hear it. The Stones and The Beatles both have garage rock songs but they expanded on their sound and some of the songs go in another direction. I wish I could be clearer but like I said, you know it when you hear it.

Frank N. Stroud said:

What is Garage and what is not garage?

Since the early 2000's the term 'Garage' has basically been affixed to virtually any band where the guitar is the focus. Sometimes this is by accident (young music journalists or gig promoters who haven't got much of a grasp of Rock'n'Roll history) and sometimes by design (unworthy groups hoping to ride the coat-tails of a large and loyal movement - just think: throw the word 'Garage' into your bio description and you've potentially got the attention of a large demographic). The term 'Garage' as a descriptive reference for a style of music has been in use since the early 70's, and said music has been around since the early to mid-60's. ALL music changes over time. So it's kind of inevitable that the original meaning may get lost to the layman or the 'mainstream'. Much like the term 'Jazz' or 'Rock'n'Roll' itself, the actual definition is currently in danger of being lost. The only way to combat this is to champion the real stuff.

John , You reminded me of a funny story. In my 20's , I'd already been into Garage and Rockabilly for a few years , but , that was in the 80's , when we had to find and buy our own shit .  I had a small income for records , not much. Now  people can obtain really rare stuff for free , but , regardless of age , they tend to glom on to three or four bands and leave it at that. Anyway , I used to know a woman about my age , she was into this stuff that was already dead , The Cure , The Smiths and so forth . I was'nt very enlightened back then . If I did'nt like something ,I would'nt shut the Hell up about it . But , she asked me "OK , If The Cramps became a big group tomorrow , and were all over MTV , would you no longer LIKE them?". I said , "That's a good question. I really don't see how they could become big , unless they turned themselves around completely , and started to sound like U2....which I don't think is possible. But , if that happened , I think I'd still like their old records , just not whatever could have made them big."

There are people in Micronesia  who know The Cramps were Garage before the GARAGE TREND of a few years ago 
, but , that was because they took all their favorite , yet unpopular, trash culture sounds , and added "The junkiest element of them all: Themselves". The thing was , this young lady got tired of my criticisms (She had a right to. Did'nt mean she had very good taste in music.) , and told me to play something I like , for HER to evaluate. So , I put on a tape that I had with me . She said "This just sounds like what everybody else is doing!" . I told her "This album is (was) about 20 years old!". It was The 13th Floor Elevators' "Easter Everywhere". 
John Carlucci said:

I totally agree with this part of your post. I've always hated labels. I feel that having preconceived notions and rules in any specific genre stifles creativity. Think about it, if the 13th Floor Elevators were a new band starting out today, how many people would say, "You can't have a jug player in a Garage Band!" lol!

Old School Hero said:.

On a side note: I do think it could go big in a real and honest way. I think this because there are a ton of people who can't stand rap or techno..and that's all you have a choice to dance to these days. I find that pure Rock 'n Roll is quite dancable and could make a huge comeback if done by the right bands, with the right DJ's, and the right people starting it.

To me, garage is raw rock and roll based on the blues. That said, there are styles that are considered garage, like surf, punk and even pop. You can't totally define it but you know when you hear it. The Stones and The Beatles both have garage rock songs but they expanded on their sound and some of the songs go in another direction. I wish I could be clearer but like I said, you know it when you hear it.

Frank N. Stroud said:

What is Garage and what is not garage?

This is rarly a COOL CLUB, I can't see bitch threads on the big bands, where everyone whines about how shit the WHITE STRIPES are - sure you'll always find someone hating but there's better things to do here.

Like others said, I'm here for the music and the weirdness and richness of the sound presented here. Richness also meaning that I discover new shit EVERY DAY. NEW includes me NOT KNOWING a goddamn thing about the band I just heard off. I'm glad that this is overflowing with sounds. It's not elite, it's just goddamn small. On top of this discussion on what is actually a trend that's going on for quite some time, there's actually a lot happening:

Would you think that a community getting out the HIDEOUT COMPs for NILL and some easy money on the stores as ignorant of the world?

Ever listened to a podcast? I never heard anything but enthusiastic presentation of bands, often with their cooperation.

Blaine said:

Most of these posts read like elite assholes.  Annoyed because people don't know as much about music as you do?  That's childish.  I hope, out of spite, garage becomes more mainstream and ruins your little cool club.

Yep, just right.

For me it's that some playstyle get's picked up by bands that are either looking for a starting sound OR a good image to pick and trend with it. So they pick up what of Garagepunk is on right now and that is the bands that make it big.

I had the lost comment thing to, .... so here goes again: I get the old blank stare story too when I mention bands other then those appearing on the pop/iTunes Storefront radar. Mention the White Stripes (don't get angry folks, it's merely an example for widespread success for a band that most Nickelback/mainstream rockfans still feel is "crap and too badly mixed") and people light up. Mention the FUZZZZTONES + antics and history and no one knows a damn thing. PLUS you get the weirdo face.

Good with me :) but a band like the FUZZTONES who hardly compromise, WOULD deserve all the big crowd consumer cash (NOT corporation cash, mind you) they can get thrown at with. Same goes for mayor WS inspirations FLAT DUO JETS and Royal Trux. Off the radar, but I would love to see DEX and Family get all the right attention they deserve.

That would not take away from the White Stripes success, but help teach the dull noggins consumer out there some RNR history.

The thing is that bands like WS / BL get all the cred from the public for rewiving a genre, when "all" they did is make it popular with great records and even better marketing. + They are young and good looking.

If anyone, the old bands that served as their inspiration, deserve the attention just like the young bands do. I'm not saying this because "I'm pissed at the music industry" or something, but because some few people get stuff mixed up here and anger post their asses off - its good to make the differnce between sell out yells and close looks at the trend that Garage sounds and bands now are. It makes some of the wrong people money, while the good folks slaving out for years get back to their dayjobs to rack up the money to cut LPs once every five years - that is all.

Again, to those who make this a hate fest: I guess it's important to make the diversion between low-fi (considering production not tone) Garagepunk bands and ones that made it big with their sound (fill in name), not out of snob reasons, but fairness. This community alone is "JUST" a couple of thousand people - compare that to record sales of a LARGE band, that is nothing. In small press that is EVERYTHING. It's obvious why it's good to support seemingly small bands for years, that serve as "inspiration" for the HOT bands out there to start their engines with big money.

Look at the A-bones or Eric Davidson, they shed light on so many great bands again and again.

They mostly only have their raw love for RNR to keep them going, not the Diva-esque sound curator derpession of people-gone-stars, that anxiously need to dig for new sounds to give their slick albums the paint of some REAL DIRT.

Michelle Magnero said:

Just spent 15 minutes writing my post and it got deleted, so I don't know how this one will turn out but I will try...Ok, so first of all I think a couple of the bands are slightly popular/ trendy, but not the genre. Most of the people I know either do not like it or don't know who the bands are. When I think about why it is that a couple/handful of the bands have managed to cross over into the mainstream my two favorite examples to use are White Stripes and Black Lips, both of whom have been discussed elsewhere on this board. If you think about each of these bands and how/why they got popular (and also take into consideration that we are talking about two different time periods here- WS in 2000/ early 2000's and BL in the later part of the decade) one thing that becomes obvious to me is that they both became successful because of some kind of branding or selling of a concept, none of which, if you really think about it, has anything to do with the music they are playing. (Some of you on here may be able to think of things such as the equipment they use or build, etc., that connects the image to the sound,  but remember that you already have a background knowledge about this that the general public does not, thus they probably won't consider it.) So with BL, think about how back before they were on Vice the garage community seemed a little stand-offish against them (even when they were on ITR). Well partly I think the reason for this may have been because they were so young and looked a little hipster-ish. (And also the fact that they have admitted in their interviews that in the old days they didn't even really know how to play and just relied on shock value at their shows.)So once they landed on Vice the kids went, oh, they look edgy or whatever, let's listen to this. With WS, ten years ago: WS was a buzz band, people thought it was cute. They thought all those bands from Sweden were cute. THEY WERE NOT. (Sorry Swedish GRH members.) Someone brought up the example of Oblivians and I think it is a great one, so I will use it again: These kids that like BL are not going to look at old Oblivians LPs and go, they look cool, I think I will listen to this- because they don't know the TIME PERIOD or the GENRE. And they don't care about it. Two more quick things then I will shut up- 1. The Mummies: for whatever reason for quite a long time it has seemed to me that if someone only knew one garage band, it was the Mummies. Usually these people were hipsters. If I think about another band a lot of people know, you have Man or Astroman. They are so big that people who like this band and do not like primarily garage refuse to acknowledge that they are a garage rock band. My suspicion is that it is because they don't know enough about the genre to know that MoA plays a sub-genre of garage. 2. Blaine: No we are not cool, for me what liking garage means is that people think you are weird and that your music sucks/ all sounds the same :)

oops, sorry!

Rob Wright said:

Hey Dave, you'd have to ask Rob Wright from NoMeansNo, I'm not him!  Cheers, Rob

dave machine said:

Garage sure isn't trendy in northern British Columbia, which is why bands can't be dangerous up here. It's hard enough getting gigs at the northern folk festivals (and we do like playing them, it's all we have, plus it's a good way to get in free to a three day party). Bands are thrown out for being too rock and roll, sad but true. So no swearing at the audience or spitting whiskey on them - just ask a band called the Turncoats about their Kispiox experience.

I'm curious to know how NoMeansNo did at Atlin or Dawson City a couple years back? (sorry I didn't make it, it's still two days driving north of here) I used to love seeing NoMeansNo and never felt in danger near the stage. Moshing used to be a lot less violent than it is now, and it was fun. Rock and roll should be fun. I totally agree that passion and energy are often lacking, and are a requirement. But after our first gig a few years ago where we almost got into fights with local rednecks at the local pub, we decided that isn't the way to go for rockers in their 30s and 40s. Passion and energy can just mean a good fucking time is had by all.

The term "Garage" is trendy, but I don't think true garage rock bands are trendy. The NFL used garage rock "type" bands for all their ads last year, that helps get the sound out there in the mainstream. I don't think hipsters really know the roots, they just dig the sound and style.

Hell yeah, it's trendy as fuck right now. And it's really annoying. I keep hearing or reading of "garage" sounds or influences in bands that sound NOTHING like garage rock (or "garage punk," for that matter). I think it's just the state of the music scene right now. Bands like the Hives, White Stripes, and Black Lips (amongst others) really put "garage rock" in the mainstream, and then you had labels like Vice Records jump on the bandwagon with lots of money to promote it with the help of corporations like Scion, and BOOM. It's the "next big thing." Problem is, too many of these bands are just plain BORING, and I bet most of 'em wouldn't know a Sonics or Oblivians tune if it hit 'em on their heads.

Oh, and by the way, I never could stand the Strokes. As far as I'm concerned they were the "Pearl Jam of Garage Rock," a fabricated band, totally fake, with crappy music that might be OK when compared with the rest of mainstream "rock music," but pales in comparison to most of the real garage rock/punk out there.

Dave,

I sympathize with your plight to an extent. Here in MN we may be spoiled, but we have our share of rednecks and naysayers on the periphery. Really though: Bands can't be dangerous up there? Being dangerous and being a dick are two different things. Honestly, I wouldn't want some jackass in a band spitting on me either. To me that's not dangerous, that's poseur shit like Green Day and Manson. If somebody spit on me I'd probably want to beat his ass too or at least spit back on him. There are better ways to be dangerous with some good healthy subversive lyrics or an aggressive stance. Trust me, my band Murder Lane played a redneck joint once where everyone HATED us. This was a podunk, honky tonk dive and we were in full face paint singing about "Drinking Redneck Blood": Ya think that went over well? Needless to say, thought we were destined to get linched. We finished our set anyway and hung around for free beer. Did anyone pick a fight? Nope. But I'll tell you what, we were ready to throw down in a heartbeat. Why? Because I'll be damned if I'm gonna let some redneck spoil my fun. Besides, maybe some tough guy rednecks will think twice after they get the crap kicked out of them by a 40 year old punk in Frankenstein makeup.

"Rock 'n Roll is based on revolutions going way beyond 33 and 1/3."

-Jon Trudell- 

dave machine said:

Garage sure isn't trendy in northern British Columbia, which is why bands can't be dangerous up here. It's hard enough getting gigs at the northern folk festivals (and we do like playing them, it's all we have, plus it's a good way to get in free to a three day party). Bands are thrown out for being too rock and roll, sad but true. So no swearing at the audience or spitting whiskey on them - just ask a band called the Turncoats about their Kispiox experience.

I'm curious to know how NoMeansNo did at Atlin or Dawson City a couple years back? (sorry I didn't make it, it's still two days driving north of here) I used to love seeing NoMeansNo and never felt in danger near the stage. Moshing used to be a lot less violent than it is now, and it was fun. Rock and roll should be fun. I totally agree that passion and energy are often lacking, and are a requirement. But after our first gig a few years ago where we almost got into fights with local rednecks at the local pub, we decided that isn't the way to go for rockers in their 30s and 40s. Passion and energy can just mean a good fucking time is had by all.
Rob Wright said:

The thing I can't down with in regards to the new crop of 'garage' bands is they are all so fucking wimpy!  Where's the danger, the excitement, the punk rock?  I like psych, and I like some stoner-y kinda stuff too, but I need some energy and passion and spite and hate in my rocknroll to really get me going.  I rarely feel an element of danger bands live shows these days, it's either straight up 'bug' music (see: The Flintstones) or it's just so wimpy that I can't get behind it.  I don't need a GG Allin show, but c'mon, make me feel like I might get hurt if I get a little too close to the stage, y'know?!  GIMME DANGER LITTLE STRANGER

Garage sure isn't trendy in northern British Columbia, which is why bands can't be dangerous up here. It's hard enough getting gigs at the northern folk festivals (and we do like playing them, it's all we have, plus it's a good way to get in free to a three day party). Bands are thrown out for being too rock and roll, sad but true. So no swearing at the audience or spitting whiskey on them - just ask a band called the Turncoats about their Kispiox experience.

I'm curious to know how NoMeansNo did at Atlin or Dawson City a couple years back? (sorry I didn't make it, it's still two days driving north of here) I used to love seeing NoMeansNo and never felt in danger near the stage. Moshing used to be a lot less violent than it is now, and it was fun. Rock and roll should be fun. I totally agree that passion and energy are often lacking, and are a requirement. But after our first gig a few years ago where we almost got into fights with local rednecks at the local pub, we decided that isn't the way to go for rockers in their 30s and 40s. Passion and energy can just mean a good fucking time is had by all.

Garage sure isn't trendy in northern British Columbia, which is why bands can't be dangerous up here. It's hard enough getting gigs at the northern folk festivals (and we do like playing them, it's all we have, plus it's a good way to get in free to a three day party). Bands are thrown out for being too rock and roll, sad but true. So no swearing at the audience or spitting whiskey on them - just ask a band called the Turncoats about their Kispiox experience.

I'm curious to know how NoMeansNo did at Atlin or Dawson City a couple years back? (sorry I didn't make it, it's still two days driving north of here) I used to love seeing NoMeansNo and never felt in danger near the stage. Moshing used to be a lot less violent than it is now, and it was fun. Rock and roll should be fun. I totally agree that passion and energy are often lacking, and are a requirement. But after our first gig a few years ago where we almost got into fights with local rednecks at the local pub, we decided that isn't the way to go for rockers in their 30s and 40s. Passion and energy can just mean a good fucking time is had by all.
Rob Wright said:

The thing I can't down with in regards to the new crop of 'garage' bands is they are all so fucking wimpy!  Where's the danger, the excitement, the punk rock?  I like psych, and I like some stoner-y kinda stuff too, but I need some energy and passion and spite and hate in my rocknroll to really get me going.  I rarely feel an element of danger bands live shows these days, it's either straight up 'bug' music (see: The Flintstones) or it's just so wimpy that I can't get behind it.  I don't need a GG Allin show, but c'mon, make me feel like I might get hurt if I get a little too close to the stage, y'know?!  GIMME DANGER LITTLE STRANGER

The mainstream music media have been heralding a ‘garage rock revival’ every other year for about the last 30 odd years. If it encourages a few people to explore the genre and get listening to good music then I’m all for it (it certainly worked on me…), but it’s almost always a pretty spurious link. It takes more than owning a Vox Phantom and a pair of winkle-pickers to make a garage band.

The "garage" label is trendy these days. It's sad but that's way the way media work when something sound cool and new. Like punk was kind of cool until you see it hitting the fashion runway.

Bands and musicians can say whatever they want about their music, how garage it is, in the end it is the listener to decide if it is good or not.

Any tag put to music will change the way I feel about music, I like trashy, dirty and crazy, that 's all, if something can fit in it, that's good to me.

Cheers!

The thing I can't down with in regards to the new crop of 'garage' bands is they are all so fucking wimpy!  Where's the danger, the excitement, the punk rock?  I like psych, and I like some stoner-y kinda stuff too, but I need some energy and passion and spite and hate in my rocknroll to really get me going.  I rarely feel an element of danger bands live shows these days, it's either straight up 'bug' music (see: The Flintstones) or it's just so wimpy that I can't get behind it.  I don't need a GG Allin show, but c'mon, make me feel like I might get hurt if I get a little too close to the stage, y'know?!  GIMME DANGER LITTLE STRANGER