In a world where the term "indie" can mean "having a haircut like him from the Kooks", you can sometimes forget the importance of truly independent music. That's why the Association of Independent Music (AIM) is planning a series of "independence day" events on July 4, celebrating 50 years of musicians doing it for themselves.
The purpose is to remind people how influential indie labels have been in the realm of pop music, hence a CD of cover songs featuring bands such as the Specials, New Order and Public Image Ltd. The compilation will be available for one weekend only, but it will be on offer all over the world so punters everywhere can enjoy "a once-in-a-lifetime chance to grab a piece of musical history".
Also up for discussion are the names of the world's all-time favourite independent albums and, even though it's just a bit of fun, the nominations will no doubt be eagerly thrashed out in a chain of events across the USA, Japan, Mexico and beyond.
Recent goodies such as the Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Domino) and the White Stripes' Elephant (XL) will be competing against seminal classics such as the Talking Heads' Fear of Music (Sire) and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On (Tamla/Motown).
Which all-time indie greats would make it onto your best of list?
