Indie Beginnings

Perhaps one of the more underrated indie rock bands of their era, Modest Mouse was formed in 1992 by teen Isaac Brock when he met bassist Eric Judy at his local video store and drummer Jeremiah Green at a heavy metal show, deciding that they would form a band together. Modest Mouse released their first recordings in 1994 on their debut EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect? Under K Records. Performing mostly at DIY punk venues across Washington, Modest Mouse gained larger recognition in 2000 with the release of their third studio album, The Moon & Antarctica, which was critically acclaimed with NME referring to it as “one of the greatest records ever made.” They became a major commercial success in 2004 with the release of their fourth studio album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, which sold over 1.5 million copies in the US and was certified platinum by the end of the year. Referred to as “the best Modest Mouse album yet” by The New York Times, the album was critically acclaimed upon its release and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2005. Modest Mouse continued to define the indie rock genre throughout the 2000s and 2010s and continue to explore their limits within the genre, releasing their newest album in June 2021, The Golden Casket. Let's dig into Modest Mouse, this time, on Indie Beginnings.

An American rock band from New York City Formed in 1998

We've decided to begin this new adventure by covering an artist that you hear a lot on the radio and one that is true to the sound and history of indie music, going way back 25 years. The Strokes are from New York City. Formed in 1998, The band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. They were a leading group of the early-2000s indie rock revival. A truly star-studded crew of talent. The release of their EP The Modern Age in early 2001 sparked a bidding war among major labels, with the band eventually signing to RCA Records. That summer, they released their debut album, Is This It, to critical acclaim and strong sales. It has since appeared on numerous "best album" lists. It was followed by Room on Fire in 2003, and First Impressions of Earth in 2005. Following a five-year hiatus, they released Angles in 2011 and Comedown Machine in 2013. Following the end of their initial contract with RCA, they released the Future Present Past EP in 2016 through Casablancas' label Cult. Join us as we cover the history of The Strokes, on Indie Beginnings.

An American rock band from Chicago Formed in 1998

This time on Indie Beginnings we're starting out in Chicago. Chicago is the birthplace of many rock bands. Wilco, Alkaline Trio, The Academy Is, and Smashing Pumpkins, but today we're talking about the band OK GO. OK Go is an American rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, now based in Los Angeles, California. The band is composed of Damian Kulash (lead vocals, guitar), Tim Nordwind (bass guitar and vocals), Dan Konopka (drums and percussion), and Andy Ross (guitar, keyboards and vocals), who joined them in 2005, replacing Andy Duncan. The band is known for its quirky and elaborate music videos which are often filmed in one take. Join us as we cover the history of OK GO, on Indie Beginnings.

Perhaps one of the earliest indie rock bands, Sonic Youth emerged from the New York City no-wave art and music scene, becoming one of the most influential noise-rock bands that truly experimented with classic rock guitar. Vocalist Kim Gordon and guitarist Thurston Moore formed Sonic Youth together after performing in separate bands in the late 1970s, the Coachmen and CKM, respectively. The band recorded their eponymous debut EP under Neutral Records which was relatively unsuccessful, though it received positive reviews from music journalists. The band’s earlier work throughout the early to mid-1980s drew inspiration from post-punk and helped develop the iconic no-wave sound and became synonymous with the noise rock scene made popular by bands like the Butthole Surfers and Big Black. The band’s breakthrough came later in their career with the release of their sixth studio album in 1990, Goo, released under Geffen Records. The album largely explored pop culture and female empowerment while maintaining its signature layered sound and alternating guitar arrangements. It was the band’s most successful to date and has since been regarded as one of the more important indie and alternative rock albums of all time, appearing on Rolling Stone’s most recent 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time List at number 358. Let's dig into Sonic Youth, this time, on Indie Beginnings.