On The Record

A local music industry legend sounds off about Chapel Hill’s indie rock scene.

IT’S HARD TO OVERSTATE Mac McCaughan’s importance to North Carolina’s renowned independent music scene—and beyond. His band Superchunk was a lynchpin of the early ’90s indie-rock boom, and his record label, Merge, has become an international force, releasing music from bands like chart-toppers Arcade Fire. Who better to bring us up to speed on more than two decades of North Carolina’s mercurial indie-rock culture?

“When I was in junior high and high school in the early ’80s, we would listen to college radio stations to hear what was new. But at the same time, there could be a DJ playing (local bands) Corrosion of Conformity, Let’s Active and The dB’s. Having those bands was great; they made an impact nationally. It gave people around here some kind of pride. Small cities have the ability to produce a lot of great music.”

“I think it resulted in a lot of people starting bands. It was just a normal thing to do. You could be a hardcore band and play to a really packed room at an all-ages matinee, like at The Brewery in Raleigh.”

“There was a point when Chapel Hill rock almost seemed like a genre unto itself. Years later, Cursive would sing, ‘Chapel Hill around the early ’90s’ in a song about their influences.”

“When you walk into Cat’s Cradle, it really feels like a rock club. Bands look forward to playing there and just being in Chapel Hill. Local 506 has been there for a long time; it’s a more intimate space. And in Durham, there’s Pinhook. And Kings Barcade in Raleigh reopened in a new space, which is really exciting because it was a great spot before. Steve from Polvo is one of the owners.”

“I think Chapel Hill is a hotbed for indie music as a result of great radio stations, great venues, multiple universities and record stores like Schoolkids Records. All those things existing in one place naturally creates an environment where people can be inspired by music, make music and find an audience.”

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THE BREWERY 3009 Hillsbor- ough St, Raleigh; 919-838- 6788; www.brewerync.com

CAT’S CRADLE 300 E Main St, Carrboro; 919-967-9053; www.catscradle.com

LOCAL 506 506 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill; 919-942-5506; www.local506.com

THE PINHOOK 117 W Main St, Durham; 919-667-1100; www.thepinhook.com

KINGS BARCADE 14 W Martin St, Raleigh; 919-833-1075; www.kingsbarcade.com

SCHOOLKIDS RECORDS 2114 Hillsborough St, Raleigh; 919-821-7766; www.myspace.com/schoolkidsrecords

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MAC’S PICKS: LOCAL BANDS TO WATCH

Love Language • The Rosebuds • Mount Moriah • Hammer No More the Fingers • Lost in the Trees