First proof of cred: "Banned in DC" is an awesome Bad Brains song, and Ian Mckie is amazing in his transcendance of time and music genres. He took a lot of slack shifting from Minor threat to Fugazi, but I love both so I appreciate his ballsiness. Brenden Canty was way before his time and majorly hot. I know a fair amount about today's Indie scene but probably not a side you're interested. I like it all. If the lyrics are well written and they know how to play chances are I am going to appreciate it. The DIY or DIE spirit is still very much alive. In Americs you have Filter Magazine, the leading Indie music mag in the country and thanks to the internet we have many bands booking their own shows, making their own music videos, doing their own promotion. The Uk never had the DIY stuff like we do. They didn't have an Ian Mckie leading the way so it's a new phenomenon over there and it's sweeping the nation. They started their own micro festivals: The Great Escape, and Tales of the Jackalope. Both were three day festivals put on by the bands. Impressive huh? We should try that here. The bands finally started booking their own show - imagine that! Clubs started hosting nights for anyone to play....and a new sound was born...kind of. The new movement there is called New Goth staring The Horrors, Betty Curse, and Russel Brand. I Recommend all three, but especially The Horrors which for goth remind me far more of punk at a rave and on downers. Check out: "Sheena is a Parasite" The Flipside of this coin or the reactionary music to new goth is Gypsy Pop. Traditional gypsy folk music amplified or traditions from that music popularized. My favorite is Gogol Bordello, check out "Bulla Bulla" and he reminds me of the guy Morat was trying to immitate because this guy really is from a family line of gypsies. Some of the other bands associated with the movement such as larrikin love and Mystery Jets just sound like crappy American country music mixed with British influences. WAnt to hear the worst song EVER created? Check out "Happy as Annie" It is a mix of red neck country with ...gulp..ska. Oh dear god - this band has managed to mix the two worst genres of music to form the most...ummm...interesting of songs. Just make sure you don't pay for the download, last hing you need is to want your $.99 ontop of your 3 minutes of your life back. Back in the good ole US of A. I unfortunately know very litle about the underground punk movements. I have been keeping myself preoccupied with the New Weird America Movement and the Freak Folk Movement. Both share a couple of artists. Devendra Banhart and Cat Powers are the most familiar names of the Freak Folk Movement while Animal Collective and Iron and Wine. I recommend Devendra banhart's "Little Yello Spider" It's very psychodelic folkie with kind of funny and derranged lyrics. Freak folk and New Weird American are not everyone's cup fo tea. As you can tell from their titles the music iis for the weird and the freaks, but not necessarily the hardcore freaks. I hope this sheds some light. Phew! --Sue