Mitxoda Weekly #21: Love, in All Its Indie Forms

For the love of music, for the love of indie, for the love of... love.

Author

Mitxoda
February 14, 2025

Hello Dear Friend!

Welcome to Mitxoda Weekly #21! Love love love! Love is a strange, powerful force. It’s the muse behind countless songs, the fuel for late-night songwriting, and the bittersweet ache that lingers in the most memorable melodies. This Valentine’s edition is about love in all its forms: love for music, for creativity, for people, for moments, for that one song that changed everything.

So whether you’re spending today with someone special, deep-diving into your favorite records, or just vibing with a cup of coffee and your guitar, this Weekly is for you.

Let’s celebrate indie love! 💖

Happy reading (untill the End please!!), and as always, thank you for being part of this journey!

Mitxoda

Au menu, this week:

Mitxoda: What’s Up?

This week has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges, and right now, I’m in the middle of one.

First, a big cold knocked me down, and just as I was getting over that, I had to go through a necessary surgery. It hurts more than I expected, and now I’m stuck at home, unable to walk properly. It’s frustrating, but in all of this, there’s something beautiful: the love and support of my family.

Love is about romance and care, about people showing up when you need them the most. This week, I’ve felt that love in every gesture, every check-in, every small act of kindness. And isn’t that what music captures best? The depth of human connection, saying once again “You’re not alone!” - Because, yeah, sometimes, a keyboard, a screen and a chair are not that friendly as we imagine…

So even if I’m physically stuck, my mind is still moving, feeling, creating (you are not surprised anymore, are you?). The next Mitxoda projects are shaping up, and I’m embracing every good feeling that makes indie music so special.

📢 Also, a quick shout-out: Mitxoda Weekly’s community keeps growing, and that means more indie stories, more discoveries, and more music. But here’s the thing: you make this Weekly what it is.

You, as a fellow reader, you are the heart of this whole thing. You build this community. I can help structure it a bit, throw in some ideas, but in the end, this is all about you. And a little bit about Mitxoda. Or vice versa. 😉

So keep spreading the word, sharing the music, bringing in new voices. You can help this Weekly become even more than a sanctuary of serenity and hope. You can make it a place where indie thrives, where we lift each other up, where music keeps us connected no matter what life throws our way.

Thank you for being here. Let’s keep making this something special. 💖

Unofficial Cover Art Fun : A Visual Trip Through Indie Sounds!

Some songs just hit differently, they spark images, moods, entire worlds in my mind. So, instead of keeping those visions to myself, I decided to create totally unofficial, absolutely unsolicited, and 100% just-for-fun cover designs inspired by indie tracks I love. I named them cover the covers 🙂 

Did I ask the bands before doing this? Nope. But that’s part of the magic! Their music takes me somewhere unexpected, into unexplored sonic landscapes, and I let my imagination do the rest.

If you’re in one of these bands, you might love it, you might not, but either way, it’s just a fun tribute. Nothing forces you to like it, but there’s really no point in getting mad about it either.

I’m just here to share my passion for indie music, the sounds, the stories, and the visuals they inspire. Hope you enjoy the ride!

This week; Hello_? by Paranoia Church - you want to be the next one? email me now!

Long Read: Love, Inclusion & The Indie Spirit

Love is everywhere in music. It’s in the melodies that make our hearts race, in the lyrics that remind us of someone we lost, in the harmonies that wrap around us like a warm embrace. But for me, it is Passion, Connection, and the way music has this almost magical ability to hold us together.

This week in my bed, I’ve been thinking a lot about love as resilience. About how, even when life puts us on pause, whether through sickness, heartbreak, or just the sheer weight of the world, love keeps us moving forward. Love is what fuels (I love that word, you know me) musicians who spend years crafting the perfect album, what keeps fans waiting in the rain for their favorite band, what makes a song stay with us long after it has ended.

But what about love for the indie community?

We could translate Love as an action. And in indie music, love shows up in the most beautiful ways:

  • When artists lift each other up instead of competing.

  • When a small band gets their first 50 or 100 plays, and every single one feels like a victory.

  • When fans keep spreading the word about music they believe in, without needing big marketing budgets or algorithms to tell them what’s ‘trending.’

The indie scene is built on this kind of love. On people choosing to care, to share, to support. It’s what makes a playlist meaningful, what makes a newsletter like this matter.

And maybe that’s the real message of this special edition: love is what we build together.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Cornerstones of Love & Indie Music

Recently, Kathleen Turner Overdrive (KTO) made a powerful statement reaffirming their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), telling that these principles are not just buzzwords but the very foundation of what makes indie music and punk culture thrive.

Indie music, much like punk, has always been a refuge for the unheard. It has given a platform to those who felt excluded from the mainstream, a space where voices that don’t fit the mold can thrive. DEI is a responsibility. And it’s something we put into action, not just in our words, but in the way we build our communities.

That’s exactly why inclusivity is essential in the arts, because music is for everyone. KTO made this clear when they shared how they actively ensure that gender and identity are never barriers to participation. When they organize shows, they do so intentionally, curating lineups that reflect the diversity of the scene and ensuring that every artist, regardless of background, has a chance to be heard. Because belonging and community are everything.

Love in music is more than just lyrical poetry. It is certainly the choices we make. It’s how we shape our spaces, how we uplift those who are often overlooked, how we refuse to let exclusion define the indie scene. If love is about connection, then inclusion is its natural extension, because what is love if not the act of making space for others?

And that’s where we all come in. We are the ones who shape indie music.

Love & Indie Music: A Call to Action

For indie musicians, creators, and fans, it should be seen as the main challenge. How do we love better? How do we support better?

  • By creating inclusive lineups that reflect the true diversity of the indie scene.

  • By collaborating equitably, making sure every artist has a fair shot.

  • By lifting up underrepresented voices, ensuring that music remains a space where all stories can be told. In every single language we can.

This is love in action. It’s what makes indie music real.

KTO’s words remind us that indie culture thrives on authenticity, community, and inclusivity. The same things that make love real.

So here are my 2 cents: be the love indie music needs. Keep sharing, keep supporting, keep believing in the artists, the stories, and the voices that deserve to be heard.

Because at the end of the day, indie music isn’t about algorithms or marketing budgets. It’s about us.

And that? That’s love. 💖

Historical Fact: The Birth of ASCAP

On February 13, 1914, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) was founded to ensure that music creators could earn a living from their work. It became a crucial force in protecting composers' rights, advocating for fair compensation when their music was publicly performed.

A landmark moment came in 1917, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Herbert v. Shanley Co. that businesses benefiting from music, even indirectly, must pay royalties. This decision led to ASCAP’s blanket license system, still in use today, allowing businesses to legally play ASCAP-licensed music for a fixed fee.

Despite industry resistance, including the creation of Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) as a competitor, ASCAP has remained a dominant force in music rights, representing a vast catalog of over 8.5 million songs.

Here it is! A little slice of history shared just for you!

Playlist of the Week:

Nadine's Indie Treasures: Darkwave Elegance

Mia’Nell blends 80s rock, synth-pop, and goth into a dark, melancholic, and captivating sound. Nadine highlights tracks like Valhalla, I'm Still Invisible, and The Cold as must-listens, praising their depth and atmosphere. She also recommends checking out their stunning visuals on YouTube.

💬 Introducing Nadine’s Indie Treasures a new chapter where Nadine de Macedo handpicks and spotlights exceptional artists. Subscribe to her Bandcamp to support her work, enjoy exclusive singles, and be part of her evolving story!

Poll of the Week: Love or Heartbreak?

I asked, you answered. Love in music isn’t simple, it’s messy, real, and full of both joy and heartbreak.

🎭 66% of you chose songs that mix both; the real, raw kind of love.
❤️ 21% went for dreamy love songs.
💔 13% stood by pure heartbreak anthems.

Because love, just like music, is never just one thing. It’s everything. 💖

Quick Indie News

Never miss Whiskey Club and Whiskers reviews. Every time, they uncover new musical treasures, even before you press play. John & Denise, love on you for the magic!

Kinda heavy this week 🙂 

  • Requin Marteau by Torture Colombe - Québec (Canada) - 03 February 2025. A raw blend of rock, punk, grunge, and garage, straight from Québec’s underground scene. Discover the energy! 

  • Reborn by Suppressed Intentions - Metal (United States) - 07 February 2025. A fiery anthem of transformation, fusing soaring clean vocals, gut-wrenching screams, and searing solos. Will you rise?

  • Power Blinds by Lost Soul Caravans - Rock (United States) - 05 February 2025. A gripping take on the corruption of money and power, wrapped in immersive rock melodies. Feel the intensity! 

  • Never Count Me Out by Corners Of Sanctuary - Metal (United States) - 09 February 2025. A heavy metal knockout packed with energy, proving that true metal never dies. Turn it up loud!

  • Reign In Spite by Glitch Kill - Metal (United States) - 11 February 2025. A monstrous sonic assault blending industrial grit and relentless aggression. Ready for destruction? 

If you'd like to introduce your latest release, just click here to submit all the details. I’d love to hear about it! 😇 Submit your track here.

Until Next Week: Love in all its forms

Love fuels us, lifts us, keeps us going. This week has been a reminder that love isn’t just found in grand gestures or poetic lyrics; it’s in the quiet support of friends, in the melody that refuses to fade, in the indie community showing up for each other.

As I recover, I think of that creativity that doesn’t stop, and neither does this Weekly. Every week, we come together to celebrate indie music, its stories, its struggles, its triumphs. And you, yes, you, are part of that love.

So let’s keep building, keep sharing, keep making this space one where indie music thrives. Until next time, take care, stay inspired, and keep the music playing.

See you next week, and until then, love and indie forever. 💖

Mitxoda

END 😆 

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