Freedom, Rebellion, Unity: Inside The ‘Real’ DIY Music Scene

“It’s in those spaces that aren’t subject to commercial pressure that you find the most interesting art” – Andy Abbott

The term ‘DIY’ gets chucked about music conversations like confetti these days. It’s used as a genre, a loose descriptor for any band with a vaguely sparse, lo-fi sound, low-budget production or scruffy, garage-punk feel. Or it’s a catch-all for anyone self-releasing a track straight from their bedroom to Spotify.

But the Do-It-Yourself scene is so much more. It is a movement, an ethos, a global, underground network of passionate, creative, dedicated visionaries. The DIY scene is a community that shuns the mainstream and writes its own rules – and, in doing so, finds absolute freedom.

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At the end of the 1990s, there was a burgeoning scene in Leeds doing exactly that – writing its own rules, forging its own path. Andy Abbott, musician, arts event organiser and DIY protagonist, witnessed its alluring force when he was drawn to the city at an early age.

“I moved there in 1999. I was told Leeds had this great DIY scene but I didn’t really know what that meant. Then, through the free DIY listings ‘zine Cops and Robbers, I found there were all these gigs happening outside of the known system, away from proper venues, in social clubs, function rooms, pubs, squats and temporary spaces. And these bands were decent and interesting. They sounded great, they could play. Sometimes they were from Chile, or America, or France. For me, as an 18 year old, it was amazing. It was an epiphany.”

Living in Matlock before the move to Leeds, Andy had been in bands himself and arranged some local gigs. But the options were limited. The next steps seemed clearly signposted: Approach established live music venues, tout round a demo tape, hassle the bookings managers for a support slot, then a headline slot, chase record labels, beg promoters, push agents – all the gatekeepers – and hope upon hope to move on up the commercial chain. It’s what everyone does, right? But to Andy, Leeds in 1999 was different. It offered an exciting alternative. Here were some seriously quirky, non-commercial spaces, being used by a group of not-for-profit promoters, to host some seriously talented, international musicians. But how?

“I soon got very heavily involved. I was playing in bands, organising gigs as a collective, and doing a record label with friends – Obscene Baby Auction. We were inspired by the whole ‘Fugazi-Ian Mackaye’ version of the DIY ethic. It was very much about taking control of the means of production and doing things in an ethical, transparent way. ”

Ian Mackaye fronted US hardcore band Minor Threat in the ‘80s and, later, post-punk outfit Fugazi. He also founded Discord Records and became a prominent and revered figure in DIY circles for his hardline ethics and staunch, unwavering commitment to cultural reform. As he once said: “To me, music is no joke and it’s not for sale.”

But Mackaye wasn’t the first to stand up and be counted. As Andy explains: “There are a number of disputed starting points to the DIY scene. One is the band The Desperate Bicycles from Dalston, who put out a record on their own label in the late ‘70s. Their releases had this insert telling you how to make your own record.”

“Then you have the Michael Azzerad book, Our band Could Be Your Life, which points to DIY having its roots in the American punk-garage scene. Essentially you’d attach it to Black Flag, from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, who set up this entire autonomous network of venues, promoters and record labels, literally from scratch, then shared those contacts. Then, in the UK at that time, you had Crass and bands like that. There was a UK and a US version. But equally, you can trace things back to the student riots of 1968 or activism or whatever.”

In time, the DIY movement became global. As it grew, it remained very much democratic, belittling the need for hierarchy. Andy found the mainland Europe scene to be a particularly “mutually beneficial, favour-giving network”. That’s where he had some of his most memorable experiences, travelling and gigging, playing in the unlikeliest of spots, such as squats, old farmhouses, old supermarkets, a former Yugoslavian army barracks in Slovenia – “all these unusual premises run by young people, often in the middle of nowhere. It was amazing. You’d get fed, paid a bit and have an attentive audience.”

Kill Yourself outside Metalkova squat, Ljubljana

On returning from his travels, Andy and his mates threw their energies into reciprocating the experience for international bands in the UK. It was tough, comparatively speaking, finding the right venues in this country. But if you search long and hard enough they can be found, carved out or built from scratch. Most recently, among other things, he has been putting those bands on at The Puzzle in Sowerby Bridge.

“The Puzzle is so unique and unusual. It’s a really rare case of a music pub that’s open minded enough to have non-commercial music. That’s a lot to do with the history of the place. Geoff Amos started putting on jazz gigs in the ’80s and ‘90s. That set the tone.”

Events at The Puzzle are ticketless, so there are beer-focused locals alongside the well-travelled niche music fans. This can throw an additional element of randomness into the evening, making its outcome all the more unpredictable.

“I put on a band called Omni Selassi for a matinee gig here at The Puzzle. They’re like Swiss-German, chaotic, with handmade instruments. I didn’t know how it was going to go down but people loved it. They were all losing their shit on a Sunday afternoon. That was a great feeling.”

“Alison Cotton was another one. She’s on Rocket Recordings now. She’s alt-folk, avant garde folk. I wanted to test both ends of the spectrum – the noisiest, most abhorrent thing you could get away with in this pub and the quietest most delicate thing. When Alison played, it was a busy Wednesday night, but as soon as she started, the whole pub went deadly silent.”

Andy has since hosted countless gigs at The Puzzle. Some pull in just a handful of people, others generate an intense fervour. But each one offers something intriguing and different. He’s booked Richard Bishop, the American guitarist from Sun City Girls. “That was a bit of a coup.” And Richard Dawson doing his Bulbils project. “I put Richard on in Bradford a few times as well, including once in a children’s library. These are all some of the best gigs I’ve ever been to.”

The likes of Richard Dawson come from a clear DIY lineage. The ‘political’ and cultural outlook reverberates through him as it did Black Flag, yet they sound nothing alike. The DIY scene transcends genre. Early rave was DIY, essentially. The defining characteristics are, therefore: transparency, liberalism, socialism, inclusivity.

A DIY artist can be fiercely non-commercial at heart and still, theoretically, accept lucrative financial offers. They can become very popular. But they will do so on their own uncompromising terms. Artistic sacrifice is not an option. You could say Nirvana was a decent example.

DIY principles not only pervade genres of music, they pervade many walks of life. There is DIY film, art, fashion and manufacturing. Andy can elucidate the DIY traits in natural wine production! You see the foundations of DIY in off-grid living and nomadic communities. Technology is awash with DIY-style democratisation. Look at blockchain. Cryptocurrency is as much about rebellion as it is technological advancement.

To turn your back on authority, rather than fight it, is the ultimate revolt. Rule-makers do not fear a vociferous anarchist. The confrontational punk is seen coming a mile off. No, the authorities fear those who do their own thing. They fear disengagement, because it renders that authority powerless, useless, irrelevant. As the Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, said: “No one can defeat me, because I have given up the idea of winning.”

If we consider such behaviours the epitome of DIY, then its starting point in music history goes way back, well before the punk era of Black Flag or Crass or The Desperate Bicycles. As Andy points out: “DIY is about a human need to want to connect with people through culture, without there being any commercial entertainment value. Culturally, people doing things for their own reasons, without profit, you just couldn’t pinpoint that. It’s pre-capitalist.”

Ultimately, DIY has always been and always will be. Everything else is layered on top. Everything else is just noise.