 |
|
Links to other sites |
|
 |
Here are a few links to some sites that you
might find useful or which I particularly like.
I deliberately listed only a small selection of individual band sites
since you should be able to find links to almost anywhere through the
general sites. If you have a site which you think we should list here,
then email me now.
The Ultimate Band List takes ages to download but there are links to almost
every band ever here. Not quite as all-encompassing but with more detail on the bands it does list, the
Sonic Net guide
includes downloads, chat, news and reviews. Also check out the reliably comprehensive
All Music Guide.
Drowned in Sound is an all-encompassing
indie webzine, information service and forum.
The House of the rising punk is the best selection of punk links I've ever seen;
it's worth downloading if just to read some of the bizarre band names.
The Trouser Press is an interesting and informative guide on alternative
rock from the late 70's to the present. Another excellent source of biographical information
and reviews is the NME website.
For more general historical indie information, the
Cherry Red Records
site indie hits page is a good bet.
Tweenet is the internet resource for all
indiepop underground/C86/cutie pop fans. Loads of information about
and links to hundreds of bands and labels. Join the indiepop mailing list here.
Struggling to track down classic mid-80's indie singles? What you need is
the indie-mp3 site - stuffed full of classic
C86 sounds ready for you to download.
The Twee Kitten is similarly superb at covering the
UK, American and Australian indiepop scene.
The Scottish underground bands site features the Delgados, Mogwai,
Idlewild, The Pastels, the late great Billy McKenzie, and many other
fine bands from north of the border.
Sheffield sounds,
and Listen To Sheffield Bands
are other excellent resources for local band info'; both have very active forums.
Sandman is
a new magazine covering the Sheffield music scene. Looks good and was much needed too...
More details at this site.
Eerie Powers is a superbly produced site
concentrating on the Doncaster music scene, with guides to local bands including
Offbeat faves Beachbuggy.
Here's a short selection of links to specific
bands who we regularly play at Offbeat:
The Aislers Set
Arcade Fire
Architecture in Helsinki
Art Brut
Ballboy
Bearsuit
Belle and Sebastian
Camera Obscura
Chris TT
The Decemberists
The Fall
The Field Mice
The Futureheads
Half Man Half Biscuit
Hefner
Idlewild
Interpol
The Long Blondes
The Magnetic Fields
Mclusky
MJ Hibbett and The Validators
Monkey Swallows The Universe
The Rakes
Rilo Kiley
The Shins
Smiths/Morrissey links site,
Shoplifters Union,
Morrissey-solo, and
Morrissey UK.
The White Stripes
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
...and now a short selection of links to local
bands whom we like.
The Balor Knights
Beachbuggy
Champion Kickboxer
Chuck
Fury of the Headteachers
The Repomen
Rotary 10
The Scarlet Tuesday
Smokers Die Younger
Velodrome 2000
Chemikal Underground, home of the Delgados, Mogwai, Arab Strap, etc.
Damaged Goods, legendary London Punk label, buy all their releases!
Detail Recordings, straight outta' Sheffield with the debut release from
Smokers Die Younger, and more to come
Domino, bringing the world the mighty Franz Ferdinand and Stephen Malkmus.
Fantastic Plastic, releasing records by Astrid, Angelica,
and many other fine bands not beginning with the letter 'a'.
Fierce Panda,
famous for their 6 band double 7"'s that have launched many an aspiring
pop-punk act to stardom.
Flying Nun, superb New Zealand label which releases lots of perfect
indiepop by bands such as The Chills and The Bats.
Fortuna Pop!, home
to Airport Girl and The Aislers Set.
Rough Trade, famous London indie label, still going strong.
Sarah, the greatest label ever, sadly now defunct but here's a tribute.
Seriously Groovy, small London imprint which has released early singles by Mclusky and Mohobishopi.
Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, Sheffield's premier label
with releases by Chuck, Beachbuggy, MSTU and The Long Blondes.
Shinkansen, son (or daughter?) of Sarah.
Subpop, most famous for bring the world Nirvana; now the home of The Shins and The Thermals.
Too Pure, small London indie label, home of Hefner, The French and Mclusky.
Wichita, who release records by Bright Eyes and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
If you know of any other fanzines we should be listing then let me know!
Artrocker -
essential guide to the Londion indie scene, now going national.
Do Something Pretty -
all encompassing indiepop/DIY webzine.
Drowned in Sound -
wonderous webzine / information service for the whole indie scene. Makes the NME
seem irrelevant.
Vanguard Online - a most-excellent Sheffield based webzine. Covers topics ranging from
political debate, sport and, um, 'serious' art through to articles on some of your
Offbeat favourites, such as Pavement, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Gene.
Also on the look out for writers and web-designers...
Tastyzine -
Nottingham/Leeds-based leftfield indie webzine and gig promotion.
Keep warm, Make trouble
- website of new 'zine; issue 1 has features on Richey Edwards, The Strokes; issue
2 is dedicated to Ian Curtis,and includes interviews with Mclusky, Miss Black America
and more.
The Organ
- infamous fanzine-come-record label.
Highly recommended if you want to know who the 'next big thing' are going to be.
No Ripcord -
indie webzine with loads of record reviews.
R*E*P*E*A*T, 7 Ferry Lane, Chesterton, Cambridge, CB4 1NT. Send £1.50 and an SAE (this is an order!!).
Subtitled 'a manic street preachers fanzine', but it's an awful lot more than that,
with a plethora of gig and record reviews, and loads of interviews too. Issue 11
had special features on the likes of Idlewild, Jesus and Mary Chain, Catatonia , Asian Dub Foundation and Velodrome 2000,
and some stuff on lower division football, in particular Swansea City - how cool can you get?!
Update - they now have a
website too!
Can't find that obscure indie classic that you heard at Offbeat last week in the shops?
You are almost certain to find it online...the following stores are
just a few recommendations in a rapidly expanding marketplace.
Pink Moon
- Very good for obscure or hard-to-find 80's and 90's indie and punk.
Norman Records
- Great range of popular and obscure indie, marvellously cheap prices too.
Action Records
- Good all round selection, reasonable prices and prompt delivery.
Forever Changes
- The best local indie shop, with it's catalogue now online.
Penny Black Music
- All inclusive catalogue, including C86 and other classic indie, as well as
the latest releases from small labels. But they're not the most reliable in my experience.
Opal Music
- Very good for current releases on small labels, and for collectables from popular indie bands. Excellent service.
Rhythm Records
- Old hands at the mail-order business now on the web.
If you can't find what you want at the above stores, then try the superb
Netsounds search index,
which searches for your wanted records across loads of shops' stock-lists all in one go!
If you're still stuck, then the
UK Record Shops Links Page
is also worth a look.
Miscellaneous 
Firstly some more general music-related links:
Indie Travel Guide
- Essential guide to the best indie clubs, venues, pubs shops and general hangouts.
IR London
- excellent listings guide for indie gigs, clubs and events in London.
John Peel's Website.
RIP. If the Offbeat playlist is ever half as good as an average show
(not that there WAS an 'average' Peel show!), then I'll retire happy.
Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens
The best places on BBC radio to hear interesting new indie bands; shows are archived and playable
for 6 days.
Offbeat indie night at Warwick University
Sheffield-related links:
Sheffield Forum - where local
people can come together and chat about life, news,
sports or whatever they fancy.
2XS
- Local alternative music show, now an internet radio station itself.
The Engine - guide to Sheffield with a difference! Superb features on old cinemas,
long-lost nightclubs plus a great pub guide.
Sheffield Scene - an excellent local listings guide.
Sheffield on the Internet - guide and
information source to Sheffield and district,
for tourists, visitors, business and expats.
Sheffield pub guide - self-explanatory! We recommend The Fat Cat.
Sheffield University Entertainment listings - exactly what it says!
'Shefon.com' is Sheffield's first dedicated WAP site including gig and
event listings..Updated every day!
Our Suppliers:
Miller's Modern
Music Hall - Duncan, a keen collector of ancient phonographic equipment supplied the phonograph for
our April 2005 photoshoot.
Carl Mendel took the superb
photos at the aforementioned shoot.
Cake Craft -
have baked and decorated the Offbeat birthday cakes since 2002.
Acorn Printing -
Warwickshire-based company who make our Offbeat T-Shirts. Fairly priced,
and they offer skinny-fit style and lots of colours of shirts.
Banners for all -
produced the venue decorations for Offbeat.
Big Ideas of Sheffield -
produced the Offbeat pens for Offbeat 100.
Abbeydale Brewery -
brewed the delicious Offbeat 100 beer!
Other eclectic non-music related links:
BSAD -
a Watford FC webzine, which is superbly written and contains much to enjoy for any
long-suffering fan of a small town football club.
Cultural Treachery -
customised badge-making.
International otter survival fund
Born Free Foundation
Christ Church, Fulwood
Warwick University Staff cricket club - another of my websites.
SAFE -
the campaign to return terracing to Premier League and First Division
football grounds.
Stop Esso now!
Friends of the earth
Transport 2000
Sheffield Bird Study Group
Click here to return to the
Offbeat homepage and index
Bands - general sites
