The Voice is Far From Strangled.
I’ve been silent for a while. Real life—the kind with clocks to punch, bills to pay, and the daily grind—has a habit of taking over. But while I’ve been away, I’ve been watching.
I’ve seen great artists, truly talented people who have given everything to their craft, finally chuck in the towel and walk away because the mountain just got too steep to climb. Meanwhile, the “indie landfill” gets higher and higher—sound-alike bands who think they’re famous before they’ve even broken a sweat on stage.
We are being tested right now. We’re being told to accept the “road men” of music or the latest flash-in-the-pan big label push, while the venues and the artists with actual soul are suffocated into submission. It’s a “who you know” world. If you don’t have the middle-class bank of mum and dad or a direct line to a label exec, the door is often slammed in your face. The “industry plant” is a real thing, and it’s hollowing out the scene.
The £150 Ticket vs. The £10 Struggle
It’s a bitter pill to swallow when people will drop £150 for a stadium seat to see a legacy act from a mile away, but grumble at paying a tenner for four bands at a local venue. If we don’t support the £10 gig today, there is no future. We are starving the next generation of heroes to pay for the past.
The Underclass Heroes: Still Standing
But the fire isn’t out. Despite the rising costs of vinyl and the struggle to get heard, the “underclass heroes” are still there, using platforms like Bandcamp to bypass the gatekeepers. These are the artists I promised to champion five years ago, and I still mean it today.
- The Shop Window: They are currently “Shaping the People.” Carl and Kat are showing incredible versatility, moving beyond the jangle to something deeper. Their second Shapes Like People album is about to hit, and it’s a masterclass in jangle cake mastery.
- The Heavy North: Over in Liverpool, the rumblings are getting louder. They’re preparing to blow minds again with a mix of Rock, Soul, and Blues that feels like a gut-punch in the best way.
- Andy Johnson: Currently releasing the best music of his career, Andy is keeping the fire burning bright until the inevitable Crimson Bloom comeback.
- Yon Mon: While The Shed Project might be on hiatus, frontman Roy Fletcher’s Yon Mon project proves you can’t keep a good songwriter down.
- Moonlight Parade: They’re taking a breather at the moment, but their space is waiting for them. They set the bar for what an independent band can achieve.
My posts might be less frequent than they were back in 2021, but my voice is far from strangled. I promised the Rebirth of Cool when I started this blog, and five years later, I’m still standing with the real ones.
Support the real. Buy the tracks. Go to the £10 gigs. Don’t let the landfill win.
PNL
Michael
Discover more from The Rebirth Of Cool
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
