The Mr. T. Experience, Yo La Tengo, and The Knitting Factory?...Oh... :: Free Essays Online

The Mr. T. Experience, Yo La Tengo, and The Knitting Factory?...Oh... "Tonight at Tramps, Chisel, Fuzzy and Velocity Girl, seven dollar cover, all ages." Before I became indie rock literate I would not have been able to understand the above quote from a concert flier. Someone who is indie rock illiterate might read it as an add for a brothel, featuring the use of tools, and hairy fast women of all ages. On the other hand, someone who is indie rock literate would know to read it as "tonight at the concert venue called Tramps there will be a show featuring the bands Chisel, Fuzzy and Velocity Girl, it costs seven dollars to get in and you may be any age to attend." I used to watch my friends Mike and Zoe with awe and jealousy. They had found a way into the seemingly elite world of indie rock (independent rock music). They bought the records, wore the clothes, and most importantly they spoke the language. The language was one that sounded a lot like English, but it was filled with words and phrases like "Brownie's," "Bikini Kill," and "all ages show". It was clear that although these could be taken as normal English words they had other meanings, meanings with which I was not familiar. I wondered how these friends of mine had managed to obtain their passports into this land of mystery, wonder, and seven-inch singles. I now know that there is not a secret handshake that gets a person into the indie rock scene. Nor is there a panel of ultra-cool guardians hiding out in rock clubs deciding who's in and who's out. There is merely a certain type of literacy that one eventually picks up if one observes and listens and lets oneself become part of the scene. Just like any other kind of literacy, nobody is born with it, it needs to be learned. My transition from illiteracy to literacy in this area has become something of a blur for me. I'm not sure when or how I became indie rock literate, but I am now. One of the most important aspects of this form of literacy is that it enables me to talk to people about something that I am interested in. Being indie rock literate, it is easier to clearly convey thoughts and ideas that have to do with the world that particular subculture within American popular culture.