If I can allow myself an admittedly simplistic analogy, it seems to me, based on my limited experiential knowledge, that the countries of Scotland and New Zealand – known for so much, are like the college towns of countries – urbane, sophisticated, environmentally conscious, principled, idealistic (in a good way), and filled with youthful energies and tolerances for difference. Perhaps I am overidealizing both places, but it just seems to me that they have a lot of very positive things going on.
And that is certainly true in terms of their musical output or noted music scenes, particularly their indie rock scenes. When I think of Scotland, I can’t help but think of some really great bands, from Orange Juice and the Skids, through the Jesus and Mary Chain and the Proclaimers, to the Pastels, Teenage Fanclub and Belle and Sebastian. The amount of musical talent from Scotland is truly staggering.
And of course, when I think of New Zealand, along with having vivid cinematic images of the rugged terrains shown in Peter Jackson’s Ring trilogy, I can’t help but think of the extraordinary Christchurch label, Flying Nun, and its long history of wonderfully quirky and massively seminal bands, starting with bands like the Clean, the Chills, the Straightjacket Fits, and the Tall Dwarves. The very wit-filled names of these (and other such NZ) bands, not to mention the use of a 60s pop reference to an example of a kind of kitschy pop Christianity (in a city given a "godly" name by a group of (most likely very serious, sober 19th century) clerics, in a time much different than our own), expresses for me a kind of humorous sensibility that strikes me as perhaps uniquely New Zealandish. The wit of New Zealanders - delivered with a poker faced charm by its musicians (or especially by the fictional band on the HBO carried show, Flight of the Conchords) - is a thing of great beauty.
So, as a purely academic exercise, one with no real practical concerns, I would propose that these two countries be held to a kind of matchup as two centers of indie rock greatness – a sort of U-Cal Berkeley vs. University of Wisconsin-Madison (the latter of which was once my place of residence for a few years).
Here, then, is who I would pick as the heavy hitters for each respective country – call it an indie rock top 10.
Over in the tartan corner, we have (in no particular order): The Jesus and Mary Chain, Teenage Fanclub, Pastels, Cocteau Twins, Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian, Orange Juice, The Vaselines, the Wake, and APB. All are really terrific bands, whose music holds up remarkably well to this day. In particular, The Pastels, Teenage Fanclub, and most especially, Belle and Sebastian are, for me, examples of genius bands, among the very best in rock music history. I listen to their music on a very regular basis and it never gets old for me.
And, over there, in the kiwi corner, we have another top 10 (actually top 11) to consider (though again, in no particular order); a number of these groups are connected, in one way or another, to one or to both of the Kilgour brothers - New Zealand indie rockers come across as communally spirited and generally willing to play in one anothers' bands: The Clean, The Chills, Tall Dwarves/Chris Knox, the Bats, Split Enz, Verlaines, Bailter Space, The 3Ds, The Sneaky Feelings, The Able Tasmans, Jean-Paul Sartre Experience. These too are some truly amazing bands, some focused on noisy experimentalism, others on melody and subtle arrangements, and a few on all of these altogether.
But, having spent lots of times listening to both the Scots and the New Zealanders, I would have to say – if push comes to shove – that the world’s indie rock capitol is, for me, by a relatively close margin, none other than .... New Zealand. Not only are there so many amazing bands from there, but the DIY spirit of punk seems to inform so much of what New Zealand is all about. And this spirit, too, appears to inform the possibility of these bands having full lives, both as musicians and as human beings - getting together to record, to play shows, and then to go live their lives, and then to get back together to record a bit more, and to play some more shows, with all of these things being woven together as an apparently seamless whole. Again, perhaps I am overidealizing these bands, but that is how I see it, just as I see their personalities and their passions coming across very clearly in the sublime music that they manage to produce.
So, therefore, I conclude - having expressed a true love for Scotland's bands, though I could also easily talk about great independent music from various other countries, including my own - that, nevertheless, New Zealand wins my trophy for best indie rock country. In fact, in realizing this, I kind of want to fly there right now, climb a few lush green hills, listen to a some church bells chiming, eat some local seafood with some regional side dishes, drink a few local drinks, and hear some bands!
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