h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Miller's Tale is an acoustic pop band from Sydney. And I am interviewing them for print tomorrow. Unlike radio interviewing, which involves getting an answer to a question in a reasonable amount of time, especially is the interview is live, then the print interview, especially one that is being recorded on tape, allows the one being interviewed to waffle on until you get tired or run out of tape. It may end up gems in the muck stuff, but you tend to find out a lot more interesting things this way, and have the added editorial ability to pick and choose what you put into the article.

The Milllar's band is that most wonderful of things, an Australian Independant band. Ok, I am biased because of where I live, and I do like music from all over, but supporting independant music a good thing. This isn't an anti-major label stance either. Most of the bands I like on the majors have had to work hard early in their career to build up a profile before a major will touch them. This involves loads of touring, and releasing indie singles and EP, maybe an album or two. It also involves gathering up a listener base that has come out of constant touring. Being this accessable to the public does have it's privaleges. But it also allows the band or artist to perfect their own voice, experiment and have a certain amount of freedom. This creativity can be very popular wih the gig-goers. And once the band gtes popular, the majors come in, and if they have any sense, LEAVE THEM ALONE. The studios that the band record with might improve, and money might be spent on a top notch producer, but the band still has to be itself. Just because you have the most wizbang filters and things doesn't mean you have to use them.

Take David Sylvian (not Australian, but hey.) Recently I read an article whereby the writer was amazed that Virgin had given him heaps of freedom during his recording career during the mass produced pop of the eighties (they had better pop back then...) Sylvian's sound had a certain amount of success, but a listen to his albums reveals that he kept his freedom. It wasn't written to be a product. The writer admitted that that sort of partonage was rare, and even rarer these days. Virgin are good in this respect. The latest King Crimson output is a case in point.

But the rawness of an indie release cannot be matched on anything by a major at the moment. That's not to necessarily say that the output of the major labels are bad, I quite like the new Dave Matthews Band CD, for instance. But the indie scene everywhere needs supporting.

The Miller's Tale are at the start of their indie career as far as recordings go. But, being indie, their horizon's can be endless.