MySpace, Edgy Secretary Fashion, and the Arctic Monkeys: In Conversation with the Curator of Indie Sleaze
When I was around 16 or 17, in 2007, I started to slowly replace the punk rock shows that I used to attend every Sunday evening for indie rock clubs and gigs on Wednesday nights. I noticed that these events had a strong aesthetic and a more stylish vibe with prominent female energy. Hand in hand with the internet boom, this was an incredible phase; a big moment; a scene that we now call “Indie Sleaze”.
Surprisingly, the internet was a big part of this new scene development. Instead of Fotolog or Orkut, the go-to social media for Indie Sleaze enthusiasts became MySpace — where cool strangers from all over the world shared music and stylish images with no pressure to sound good or look pretty. The Indie Sleaze scene was all about authenticity, embracing your weirdness, and speaking out through photos, style, or songs. Copy and pasting content was not a thing at all, it was definitely not cool or a technique to tap into an algorithm which unfortunately happens a lot these days where more views makes creators more ‘famous’ and gives them the possibility to go viral — the dream of being an “influencer”. I can see a lot of Indie Sleaze “comeback” videos going on and I’ve been wondering how the most important part of the IS scene will be implemented for a 2022 revival, keeping the soul of it alive.
Recently a question popped into my mind: is artificial entertainment really killing authentic evolution? Luckily for us, with technology, things change very quickly. This “underground internet syndrome” that we have known from the beginning of the social media era loves to be nostalgic and talk about how things aren’t the same anymore, but nothing ever is. There’s no right or wrong and as Heraclitus said “change is the only constant in life”. The fact that art, music, and fashion are developing the way they deliver content and creating new options so fast is a positive thing. The multidisciplinary artists now have more space and freedom to create, show, and sell their art on a different level. For example, NFTs include a whole performance, music, design and visuals into one single piece. It’s possible for a band to record a whole album at home and design all the art covers for their singles and also distribute their songs online by themselves. It seems like things are moving forward with different types of art and technology.
Another interesting thing to consider from that era is that there were no smartphones then, so normally we had to wait to use a PC or an iconic white Mac after school if we wanted to get online. A whole internet style and music came from every part of the world. People living in Brazil like me at that time could easily consume the same bands and aesthetics that people in Canada could. Tumblr, MySpace, blogs —all of this culture built a whole style and became part of a generation.
TikTok started a new buzz around Indie Sleaze a few months ago, and I noticed my happiness while thinking “oh well at least now I have a second chance to experience this music and style again.” So, when I bumped into the INDIE SLEAZE Instagram page, full of the best photos and music content about this period of time with the educative captions, it was like “home sweet home! Something that was very niche is gaining more and more attention from Gen Z.”
I ended up emailing the profile and had a very cool talk with Olivia, the creator of the amazing INDIE SLEAZE account.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why did you start @indiesleaze? Did you imagine that it would be so successful?
I started the account in January of 2021. I noticed that [the Indie Sleaze] time period hadn't been revisited or neatly defined yet, and I predicted that the aesthetic, fashion, and music would be making a comeback soon. I didn’t expect the name Indie Sleaze to be widely adopted and accepted as much as it has, and I didn’t expect my account to be this big or important in regards to the revival.
When you were growing up in Toronto, did you attend Indie Sleaze parties around there? If so, which ones? Were there any other cool spots that you were able to hang out and listen to music at? Are they still open?
There were a lot of great places in Toronto where I’d go to party —Double Double Land, 159 Manning, 8/11, Lee’s Palace. Unfortunately a lot of venues, big and small, have closed in Toronto over the years. Rent is out of control, and rapid gentrification has pushed out a lot of the great DIY venues.
Are you still in touch with people you met at that time, and is indie music still a part of your relationship?
Yes, I’ve kept in touch with most people from that time. I still listen to all the same music.
Regarding the fashion aspect of the movement, what was your style at the time? Are you still wearing pieces from that time?
I would say I mostly stuck to comfort. Tights were a huge staple in all sorts of patterns and shades of black. I leaned into the “edgy secretary” look, which was a thing at the time, as well as the Glastonbury rock and roll chic. I had a pair of black skinny jeans that I got in 2008 for 70% off — they were my favourite and I wore them all the time. I loved wearing band tees and cardigans. Flats were huge — I had one plain black pair and one studded pair. I had a studded shoulder pouch bag from Topshop. I loved throwing on a flowery dress, with layered long necklaces à la Effy Stonem, tights, a long cardigan, and flats or converse. I didn’t really have a lot of money, but I still felt like I could easily feel at least a bit interesting in the way I dressed.
Do you think style these days is still connected to music?
Oh yes, I think the two often go hand in hand. I think trends in music play a huge role in how style unfolds in popular culture. You hear something and you can dress it up.
Some people relate the Indie Sleaze scene to drugs…a "heroin chic" style à la Kate Moss. Was this part of the party for you or do you think it was just a look
I know drugs were part of the party scene for many, but for a lot of us it was just an aesthetic of looking like a hot mess. I didn’t use drugs while partying.
What do you think really deserves a comeback from that time?
All the amazing musicians and bands that made the parties, DIY venues, and festivals what they were is what made the era exciting.
In a certain way, the whole music fashion and photography scene in the blog era was walking together, which was very cool. Can you think of something these days that brings this community feeling to young people?
I think Discord probably has a bit of that vibe, as far as online spaces go. I think Substack and Patreon can have that community vibe. I think Tumblr does have a bit of that going for it as well.
🔥RAPID FIRE INDIE SLEAZE Q&A WITH OLIVIA🔥
Your Indie Sleaze Anthem:
O: “Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT REMIX)
THE It Girl:
O: Sook-Yin Lee
A look:
O: Black tights, black ballet flats or boots, with a high waisted secretary skirt or black tennis skirt, with a band tee or white blouse, chipped purple nail polish, lots and lots of silver jewelry, and Comme des Garçons “Avignon” perfume with long wild untamed curly hair.
The line-up of your dreams:
O: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metric, M.I.A., Santigold, The Strokes, Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem, Kid Cudi, Santana, Oasis, The Rolling Stones, Nine Inch Nails, The White Stripes, The Breeders, Peaches, Bjork, Sonic Youth, Fiona Apple, Grateful Dead, Kate Bush, Pixies, and Janet Jackson
Your Indie Sleaze Crush
O: Clive Owen
An overrated Indie/Blog House band:
O: I don’t really know of one, but an overrated song would be “I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor” just because there are so many better and more interesting songs by the Arctic Monkeys and that’s the de facto song people add to an “indie sleaze” playlist.
An Underrated Indie/Blog House Band:
O: Chicks on Speed or Austra
A band t-shirt to wear forever:
O: I lost it — but my Oasis concert tee from their 2005 show with the Arctic Monkeys at the ACC in Toronto (RIP).
A misconception about the scene:
O: That there were no popular female-fronted acts or photographers and it was only dudes.
Share with us a Phrase or paragraph from an indie band/bloghouse lyric that you think is the shit and people should know:
O: “There isn't much that I feel I need
A solid soul and the blood I bleed
With a little girl, and by my spouse
I only want a proper house”
“My Girls” by Animal Collective