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Into the Mainstream

Episode 3 of 3

The last episode of a series exploring British indie music looks at dance music's influence, the Britpop era and the emergence of new labels in the late 90s.

The story of British indie over three musically diverse episodes. Much more than a genre of music, it is a spirit, an attitude and an ethos.

It's 1989 and a new grassroots music craze is sweeping across Britain. Despite the authorities railing against 'the zombification of a nation', acid house and its bed partner ecstasy are influencing a wave of indie bands. On the eve of a new decade while original independent labels struggle in the wake of acid, young indie labels Heavenly and Creation are thriving, signing both Manic Street Preachers and Primal Scream respectively.

By the mid 90s, in a bid to break the stranglehold of American grunge bands, the music press construct Britpop and push two bands, Oasis and Blur, to the top of the pile. The key thing that separates Britpop bands from the previous generation is the mindset. These bands, who grew up in the Thatcher era, want to sell (and make) a million. Bands with an old indie ethos, such as Suede, are still breaking through but will switch from independent labels to majors, thus guaranteeing international recognition.

Indie truly goes mainstream when Noel Gallagher shakes hands with Tony Blair and Oasis fill Knebworth. The spirit of the DIY boom had all but gone and indie becomes a genre rather than an alternative approach to making and releasing music. The late 90s are dark days for indie, but as Rough Trade rises from the ashes with two fresh signings - The Strokes and The Libertines - it feels like a new dawn.

More new completely independent labels emerge. They've learnt from the mistakes of old and are excellent at artist development - labels such Domino, who manage the Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. We hear why these two bands - who had the majors tripping over themselves to sign them - choose Domino instead.

These bands also heralded a new way in which music was being discovered. It's the fans at a grassroots level, sharing their favourite band via clips on social media, who would be the new A&R - alerting the record labels to new talent.

We finally come full circle to discover just what constitutes indie music now, if there still a need for independent labels and, finally, whether the spirit of rebellion that inspired the DIY movement of the 1970s still exists today.

The series is presented by BBC Radio 6 Music's Mark Radcliffe and this episode features exclusive interviews with performers including Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, Shaun Ryder of Happy Mondays, The Libertines' Carl Barat, Stuart Murdoch from Belle & Sebastian and Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne. It also includes interviews with a number of influential music industry figures such as James Endeacott, formerly of Rough Trade Records and founder of Sony BMG subsidiary record label 1965 Records, Heavenly Recordings' Jeff Barrett, Creation Records' Alan McGee and indie music author Richard King.

1 hour

Last on

Sat 31 Mar 2018 02:30
BBC Four

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Clips

See all clips from Into the Mainstream (2)

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Joy Division

    Disorder

  • Saint Etienne

    Only Love Can Break Your Heart

  • Flowered Up

    It's On

  • Manic Street Preachers

    Motown Junk

  • Manic Street Preachers

    Stay Beautiful

  • Manic Street Preachers

    You Love Us

  • Manic Street Preachers

    Love's Sweet Exile

  • Saint Etienne

    Nothing Can Stop Us

  • The Loft

    Up The Hill and Down The Slope

  • Primal Scream

    Velocity Girl

  • Primal Scream

    Ivy Ivy Ivy

  • Happy Mondays

    Wrote For Luck

  • Primal Scream

    Higher Than The Sun

  • Primal Scream

    I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have

  • Primal Scream

    Loaded

  • The Smiths

    Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

  • The Sundays

    Here's Where The Story Ends

  • Teenage Fanclub

    The Concept

  • Electronic

    Disappointed

  • Ride

    Twisterella

  • Suede

    Metal Mickey

  • Suede

    So Young

  • Suede

    Animal Nitrate

  • Sleeper

    Inbetweener

  • Supergrass

    Alright

  • Cast

    Alright

  • Elastica

    Connection

  • Elastica

    Waking Up

  • Pulp

    Disco 2000

  • Pulp

    Common People

  • Blur

    Girls & Boys

  • Blur

    Parklife

  • Oasis

    Rock 'N' Roll Star

  • Oasis

    Supersonic

  • Oasis

    Live Forever

  • Oasis

    Wonderwall

  • Oasis

    Roll With It

  • Blur

    Country House

  • Oasis

    Don't Look Back In Anger

  • Shed Seven

    Speakeasy

  • The Bluetones

    Slight Return

  • Menswear

    I'll Manage Somehow

  • Hurricane #1

    After Hours

  • The Strokes

    Last Nite

  • The Libertines

    Up The Bracket

  • The Libertines

    Can't Stand Me Now

  • The Libertines

    Don't Look Back Into The Sun

  • Franz Ferdinand

    Darts of Pleasure

  • Franz Ferdinand

    Do You Want To

  • Franz Ferdinand

    Take Me Out

  • Arctic Monkeys

    I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

  • Arctic Monkeys

    When The Sun Goes Down

  • Arctic Monkeys

    Fake Tales of San Francisco

  • Arctic Monkeys

    A Certain Romance

  • Wakes

    Headlights

  • Gwenno

    Fratolish Hiang Perpeshki

  • New Order

    Restless

  • 00:03

    Joy Division

    Disorder

  • 00:16

    Primal Scream

    Loaded

  • 00:17

    The Smiths

    Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

  • 00:28

    Supergrass

    Alright

  • 00:29

    Elastica

    Connection

  • 00:33

    Blur

    Girls & Boys

  • 00:33

    Blur

    Parklife

  • 00:34

    Oasis

    Supersonic

  • 00:34

    Oasis

    Live Forever

  • 00:36

    Blur

    Country House

  • 00:38

    Oasis

    Don't Look Back In Anger

  • 00:43

    The Libertines

    Don't Look Back Into the Sun

  • 00:47

    Franz Ferdinand

    Do You Want To

  • 00:50

    Franz Ferdinand

    Take Me Out

  • 00:53

    Arctic Monkeys

    When The Sun Goes Down

  • 00:59

    New Order

    Restless

  • 00:53

    Arctic Monkeys

    Fake Tales Of San Francisco

Credits

Director Ryan Minchin
Series Producer Siobhan Logue
Production Company Telesgop

Broadcasts

BBC Music playlist: The Story of Indie

BBC Music playlist: The Story of Indie

Find all the music from The Story of Indie with our playlist.