How do you define an Independent Artist?

While it is not difficult to envision how the unsigned artists of today are blazing a new and bold path for the music industry of tomorrow, it takes time for this path to be recognized and filter up to the major players in the industry.How best can we define and independent artist or group? Independent labels blur the definition, as they require distribution nodes to release their client's work. They require affiliations with larger labels and major networks. Are they, and the artists they represent, then still classified as truly "Independent"?After writing freelance reviews for the major rags for nearly 20 years, my attention has now been drawn to the independent music arena. Starting a new "job slash business" entitled Independent Artist Review, came with some difficulties attached. To define and capture the essence of the true "Independent Artist" would be job number one.The search for an artist or group that has truly embodied this culture of independents began in earnest over a year ago, following all the independent music charts and sites and recording the daily indexes. The index showed me trends, artists hitting number one then fading off the page, artists struggling to achieve top ranks, disappearing, re-appearing like the proverbial yo-yo. Then one artist hit my radar screen and stayed earlier last year, site after site this emergence appeared, remaining consistent and sustained in the top artist ranks.This prompted further investigation. My research revealed this artist to be totally multi-skilled, self-taught, self-written, self recorded, self published and self promoted. A virtual label enclosed in one package. Further to this was the noted quality of his work, very original and "catchy". Qualifying this by contact with friends and fans, it was discovered the broad genre and age groups his work is reaching out to and capturing. A single question was asked and the description of his work in similarity, by a growing fan base, ranged everywhere from AC/DC to ZZ Top. A Pink Floyd for the new millennium.The search for the artist or group that could truly be tagged as the top candidate for my first full feature independent artist review has concluded and Dennis Paul has been approached with my offer. Again, my full respect to all unsigned artists as you forge a new path in this new age for the music industry. MOG seems like the ideal place to publish independent artist reviews as they become available, with your consent and ideas of course. Thank you.Rex DeWind B.A.(Hons.), M.A. in Journalism