People often ask why we don't have comment boxes that let readers respond to stories on the web version of the Daily, and I always point out that when you offer that kind of service most people just use it to slag you off (or to mock you for describing punk legends The Stooges as "pink legends", yeah we spotted it too, two minutes too late).
Of course, the CMU Daily readership is probably far too lovely to do such things, but you do sometimes need a thick skin the minute you add reader feedback functionality to your website. The NME have just added it to NME.com, and here's how their readers responded to news about those previously reported 'Independent Thinking' covermount CDs showcasing artists off three UK independent labels, the first 1965 records run, of course, by former Rough Trade A&R James Endeacott ("the man who discovered The Stokes and The Libertines" in the NME's words) and featuring 1965 signings The View.
"Did he fuck find the Strokes" says one reader, "yet more tedious guitar bands, how dull - independent thinking is really quite an irony-laden title, all things considered" says another, and "The View are the musical equivalent of dishwater but oh look they wear Babyshambles t shirts in the videos! Bollocks" adds a third, though he does have the courtesy to add: "nice CD though!" And, it should be noted, there is some other positive stuff posted too, and kudos to the NME for giving their critics airtime.
Of course the online critics might actually be owners of some of the UK's other independent labels, several of whom got in touch with CMU yesterday to say that, while they welcome the NME profiling independent music, it's a shame all three of the indies being championed through the Independent Thinking series actually have major label funding of one kind or another and, depending on your definition of 'independent label', could be said to actually be major label imprints of a kind.
To be honest, I'm a bit hazy on the exact relationships between 1965, Modular and Transgressive and Universal and Warner Music - but none of the three are members of the Association Of Independent Music which may (or may not) be because they don't meet AIM's definition of an indie label, which is that at least 50% of the ownership must not be in hands of a major record company.
That's not to diss any of the participating labels, nor the concept of major/indie alliances, nor the NME CDs (after all, we're CMU, we never diss anyone...), though it's easy to see why those wholly independent record labels get a little pissed off when they have to start competing with artists with major label marketing support even in platforms designed to champion "independent music".