well, if you're looking for the true spirit on indpendence over many years, then i'd go with fugazi also (debatable whether they still exist though)... but if we go by the current use of the word "indie", then it has to be the decemberists

Tapes N Tapes Be Your Own Pet Giant Drag The Bleedin Bleedins Coheed And Cambria

Butthole Surfers Minor Threat

The Wrens unsurprisingly. Actually I'd go so far to say that they're the best band ever to come out of North America and the second best of all time, they're even pushing Radiohead close for the top slot at the minute. I downloaded an amazing version of "Everyone Choose Sides" that was recorded acoustically in a fan's living room last night.

I'd say Pavement, but that could easily be usurped by Bright Eyes

Of all time? Husker Du/Sugar/Bob Mould (All one and the same, more or less) Currently? Sun Kil Moon

Sun Kill Moon really are class. For Me its Nada Surf

Sebadoh Sebadoh Sebadoh

Drive-By Truckers

The National

ooh, add The National and Sun Kil Moon to my list too please Ben Kweller as well.

All Girl Summer Fun Band

Mercury Rev Pretty Girls Make Graves Rilo Kiley Shins There's a few others as well I'm sure. Can Canada be included, this does not mean that the recent wave of cool canadians must be added!

Ben Kweller is pretty darn good...but im holding a grudge against him for only visitng the country twice in the past 5 years or so..both of the visits being support slots... The national are just fannnnnntttassstic.

The Pixies Interpol The Rapture Yeah Yeah Yeahs Beck Eels The Flaming Lips The National The White Stripes The Lemonheads King of Leon The Shins The Postal Service TV On The Radio The Spinto Band

ok, Stroller wins

While we are at it-we must not forget Wilco then

I think I am going to have to take it lo-fi and include Iron and Wine and the Silver Jews-my two favourite artists to relax too

Honourable mentions to: Death Cab For Cutie The Mountain Goats The Black Keys The Greenhornes The Jayhawks The Posies Calexico Page France Shearwater Okkervil River My Morning Jacket Joy Zipper Tilly And The Wall Pedro The Lion

My Morning Jacket-great call Gar........

in fairness, what's the point in listing all the bands you like?... it doesn't really get us anywhere, does it? i'll list you 100 good bands if you want... do you want? no? thank f**k for that!

What is indie ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_%28music%29

the beginning of the downfall of the true meaning of 'indie' was perhaps when they had to start including stock, aitken and waterman songs into the indie charts and realised that it didn't quite sit right having ride at no.1, my bloody valentine at no. 2 and kylie minogue's 'i should feel so lucky' at no.3... ...after that, it was when majors started buying up indies and no one knew what was going on... rampant commercialism... round about the same time sky sports ruined football

Very hard to say Mully-and something I debated as I was writing. I think given some of the bands mentioned, record label can be discounted. It must be a personal thing based on your ear I reckon.I hear some things and I think 'indie', others I think oherwise-probably based on whether I think it would be in charts or not. But I dont think that indie is a genre like rock or pop though.I think a song can be pop and indie and rock and indie at the same time, but not rock and pop at the same time.suitably confused?

I was at the Phantom Survey last night. Similar debate gropped up at the end. Its setting itself out as an Alternative/Indie Station, but its unsure what to do with Electronica. It still sees College Rock as the alternative, but college rock is fairly mainstream these days. Surely whatever 2/98/104/Today aren't playing is the Alternative.

this is starting to remind me of the 'what's a goblin' conversation from the office ;)

Ha ha-one of my favourite moments in the office-how true.I would include Royksopp and Sigur ros for example as electronica and alternative.But Paul Van Dyke would also be classified as electronia and I heard him on Phantom I would not be impressed.

yo Mully - I was at that survey too. I felt like I never wanted to listen to music again by the end of all those clips. Sheesh! It's an interesting approach their taking to get to reknow their audience. Maybe they should just hire DJs who know how to play awesome music.

mwoahahaha. No, I've done the radio thang. Print is my bitch now.

what interesting approach, una? hope they don't think the more guitars, the more alternative

Any idea when are they going on air?

"hope they don't think the more guitars, the more alternative" - isn't that Phantom's way? No, I meant the marketing research approach. Surely they know their audience enough and are one of the more 'in touch' stations? I just thought it was odd. It's predictable I guess, the Pixies / Jeff Buckley formula worked in the past... I just am not convince it will work now. Are they aiming the station at the people who listened to it previously and still want to hear that, or are they trying to tap into the minds of younger people? I don't know. All I think is, if they are playing Debaser more than Silent Shout, I will sigh.

This is probably for another string but hey will throw it our there...I just moved back to Ireland recently after a good while away and from what I have heard so far, radio music is shocking.Who is good to listen to in the evening? I used to listen to Dave Fanning but he isn't in evenings any more? Looking forward to Phantom Radio anyway-seems they might be the saviour....

Hey Dera, All Girl Summer Fun Band should be over in early '07 with a bit of luck. I was talking to Kim a few weeks ago and they're planning on it anyway. Fingers crossed!

Well if you want a clearer indication of what Phantom will be playing you could always check out their playlist here; http://www.phantomfm.com/thisweek/playlist.htm While you're at it you might want to check out the playlist of London indie station XFM; http://www.xfm.co.uk/playlist.asp?page=1 And here's the closest I can find to a playlist for MTV2; http://www.xfm.co.uk/playlist.asp?page=1 I see that the latest releaes from The Artic Monkeys, CSS, Editors, Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip, Joan as Police Woman, Kasabian, The Killers, The Kooks, Metric, Peter Bjorn and John, Phoenix, The Rapture, Sigur Ros, Spinto Band, Wolfmother, The Young Knives and The Zutons are all playlisted by either MTV2 or XFM or both, but none of them have found their way on to the Phantom FM Playlist. I'm a bit suprised by that.

Does this mean that people who would not normally listen to the radio actually go out of their way to listen to Phantom, or will it just be that we'll listen to it in the car as opposed to suffering the abysmal existing stations? IMO I'm not too sure about how the station will be greeted; I'm finding more new music through Pitchfork, other people's recommendations on this site and others, plus word of mouth. But Phantom have the oppurtunity to expose the niche market and actually corner the irish music scene, and not just the quote: _____________________________________ standard meat and two veg indie-rock' _____________________________________ which is what is widely expected from a cynic such as myself, but something with a different flavour. MTV2 are playing the Gogol Bordello a band from Serbia (not sure though) and if they're playing music from Eastern Europe, why shouldn't we? As mentioned with the Cluas gig in September, why not bring an international band in? With regards to Una, _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Surely they know their audience enough and are one of the more 'in touch' stations? I just thought it was odd. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A lot has changed since they've last been on air (has it been 2 years or longer?). Mp3 players are way more commercial, they are a valuable accessory almost. Who here ever leaves their homes without taking theirs with them? People who did not find music on the radio satisfactory turned around and gave them the finger, embraced their shiney new ipod/creative/iriver and went on their merry way downloading to their heart's content on broadband (which is also widely available, more so than 2 years ago). I also hope that Phantom hit it on the nail, they have been given an oppurtunity and their old fanbase are expecting them to fulfill their needs whilst new listeners will be expecting them to cater to their needs (please no Fallout Boy, Panic! At the Disco, Lost Prophets, My CHemical Romance). I have picked up a lot more on the dancier edges to the left field more recently, and I hope that Phantom pick up on this as well as quote: __________________________________________________________________________________ a good dollop of electronic music, free-folk, psych-rock, americana and indiepop __________________________________________________________________________________ I agree with Palace; if they don't throw in a good mix, which should be seen as vital for a station's progress, then I will be sorely disappointed. Rant ends here

My fave American bands from past/present that could aguably be called indie, well sort of, if you squint and concentrate a bit Adult. LCD Soundsystem Luscious Jackson Galaxie 500 Sonic Youth Television The Breeders Talking Heads Blondie The Velvet Underground Smashing Pumpkins Others that probably wouldn't be classed as Indie: Felix da Housecat Gillian Welch Laura Cantrell

Actually that's another front I didn't consider thanks for pointing that out: I was actually one of those who they turned on to more bands! I must think I don't them anymore or something. I actually remember the separation anxiety I went through when they were taken off air, once bitten twice shy I suppose.

ok thank u guys. i might have to call Condoleeza to sort this one out. I wonder does she know MacKaye give him a ring ?????

For me tis... Red House Painters aka Sun Kil Moon Buffalo Tom Sebadoh REM Lambchop Sea and Cake/Sam Prekop Smashing Pumpkins Pavement Pixies

Alive: Of Montreal Defunct: Beulah

spinto band