This week, I published an interview with Lina Abascal (linalovesit on instagram) author of “NEVER BE ALONE AGAIN: How Bloghouse United the Internet and the Dancefloor”.

This interview is a continuation / response to the Indie Sleaze post. Lina’s book is a seminal text on the topic and it was great to hear her perspective as both a participant and a journalist.

Her book details the story of Bloghouse, the given name for a musical genre and movement from the mid-2000s, defined not so much by its style but characterized by its unique mode of distribution. It was fueled by independent music blogs, a network of DIY creators advocating for music outside the mainstream. It thrived from 2006 to 2011 before platforms like Spotify and Apple Music existed, making it a fascinating precursor to today’s music-sharing ecosystem.

Bloghouse connected the internet and the dance floor in a way that felt revolutionary at the time: songs shared freely on blogs, supported by unmonetized communities. Beyond music; it was a novel way of creating and consuming culture before algorithms took over. The rise of bloghouse was powered by independent music blogs, like Gorilla versus Bear, Hipster Runoff, and LinaLovesIt, that acted as tastemakers and distribution channels for emerging artists. These blogs weren’t driven by monetary incentives but by passion—a DIY network of people offering free downloads and sharing underground music globally.

What we call “Indie Sleaze” these days is analogous to bloghouse. Think The Misshapes parties, the Cobra Snake photos, American Apparel, etc. Indie Sleaze as currently represented does have a strong influence from the indie rock scene as well which was detailed in the book “Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001-2011”.

The interview also includes a brief “Jameson Interlude”, a moment of reflection of the work of the great American philosopher and literary critic who left us this year. Jameson’s definition of postmodernism, historicity and pastiche are prominent ideas in the essay on Indie Sleaze.

Hope you enjoy the interview.