The Chart Time Tunnel: Guided By Voices

09/11/09 3:57pm

by Chris Burland (CHARTattack)

The debate between signing to a major label versus remaining on an independent label will soon become a moot point, but historically it still holds much relevance.

All the original punk bands eventually signed to one of the big boys in their prime. But later, during the '80s, to sign to a major label was met with the response of "sell-out" by any band's original fans. Husker Du, The Replacements, Meat Puppets and Mudhoney all faced this hurdle. It eventually killed off the first three and probably temporarily short-circuited the last.

In 1999, the last of the indie giants, Guided By Voices — except for Superchunk, who never gave up their independent status — finally joined a major label with their 11th studio album, Do The Collapse.

The album, a glossy affair produced by The Cars' Ric Ocasek, garnered them some more anti-indie fans who seemed to love the album's louder rawk sounds and higher production qualities. Unfortunately, the majority of actual GBV fans turned away from the album in droves. Most would rather listen to the poorly recorded first four albums (compiled together on Sandbox) than Do The Collapse.

During the week of Sept. 2 to 9, 1999, Do The Collapse hit the #1 spot on the campus charts, becoming the second of three GBV albums to capture the top spot on the campus chart. The band's previous album, Mag Earwig hit #1 July 17 to 24, 1997 and two years later, Isolation Drills grabbed #1 during the week of May 10 to 17, 2001.

Two of the band's other albums made it into the top five, as 2002's Universal Truths and Cycles peaked at #3 on July 12 to 19, 2002. Earlier, Under Bushes And Under The Stars hit the #4 position during the week of May 11 to 18, 1996.

But back to the week of Sept. 2 to 9, 1999. Cibo Matto’s Stereotype*A rose three places to sit at #2. The Wooden Stars' The Moon jumped four places to capture #3, followed by Tricky Woo's Sometimes I Cry, which fell a place to #4 and The Chemical Brothers' Surrender, which rose from #9 to #5.

The highest debut of this week was The Supersuckers' The Evil Powers of Rock 'N' Roll, which entered the campus chart at #25. The Pietasters' Awesome Mixed Tape #6 entered at #30 and the Wish You Were Queer compilation, a tribute to Ministry, debuted at #35.

A number of major label acts with some surprising campus radio support were also charting this week. Mr. Bungle’s California sat at #8, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication was at #25, Jamiroquai's Synkronized was at #29 and Limp Bizkit's Significant Other dropped 25 places to #36.