Three of a Kind #111

Xfm are running a chart over the Bank Holiday weekend called The Indie 500, in which their listeners have voted for their favourite alternative songs of all time. That's the theory anyway. I caught a bit of it earlier on, and the kind of acts who've made the list are almost laughably not indie, even by modern-day definitions of the word: U2, Guns 'n' Roses, Blink 182, The Knack, Electric Six, Coldplay, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Damien Rice (for god's sake), to name but several. Apparently Oasis have about 14 songs in the 500 too, just when you thought it couldn't get any stodgier.

In fairness, though, there are some bona fide independent acts in the chart as well, such as The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, Tiffany and Bernard Cribbins. (Two of those may not be strictly true. The Smiths & Echo & The Bunnymen's catalogues are probably owned by Warner Music or Sony nowadays).

Anyway, yes, so bearing in mind that Xfm in 2011 is about as alternative as a royal wedding street party, I thought I'd redress the balance here a fraction by serving up a few actual, proper indie songs that would all be flying high in their "Indie 500" if it had even begun to deliver what it promised. Up yours, Geldof!

happydeadmen - Silent Sigh City mp3

I, Ludicrous - Preposterous Tales mp3

The Brilliant Corners - Delilah Sands mp3