OZ Beat traces its history back to 1977 when Dem Hopkins, OZ Beat's international music provacateur, established Chicago's notorious punk club, OZ. OZ was responsible for introducing and showcasing up-start bands from throughout the world, including Black Flag, D.O.A., Husker Du, The Fall and many others. OZ Beat also provided a home for bands that became known as "the OZ bands"--The Effigies, Naked Raygun, Strike Under, The Subverts and Silver Abuse. The "Busted at OZ" album is the now-legendary recording that chronicles this period.

As music evolved throughout the 1980s and 90s, so did OZ. Although club names changed, Dem continued to introduce and promote cutting-edge bands like Breaking Circus and Green. However, the late 80s and most the 90s will not go down in history as one of OZ Beat's favorite musical eras.

All that changed with the re-birth of DIY bands that challenged radio mediocrity and major label complacency, starting in the late-90s and continuing to this day. Bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives and The Libertines proved that people wanted to hear more than just formula nu-metal and urban music. The "the" bands kicked down the door, and the new DIY insurgency now includes many types of music and a diversity of musicians in a growing movement that has not been seen since the early days of punk.  

OZ Beat is now an international collective of reps who are committed to promoting quality music. Like the glory days of the 1970s, there is once again so much Music That Matters waiting to be heard. 

Thank you to everybody who has visited this site. All of us at OZ Beat still consider this project to be in its earliest infancy. Yet, in the past eighteen months we have had over 25,000 unique (non-duplicative) hits. 

Our goal was to be an independent and international site. There are plenty of regional or corporate-sponsored music sites. Here is how we have done so far with registrations:

United States (over 40 different States)

United Kingdom (US and UK are very close in membership numbers)

Canada

Denmark

France

Netherlands

Austria

Belgium

Germany

Norway

Australia

Sweden

Finland

Portugal

Spain

Mexico

Korea

Italy

Brazil

Japan

Argentina

Greece

(and the list goes on...)

We started with the premise that bands didn’t need OZ Beat—OZ Beat needed quality bands that believed in the integrity of this site and the DIY aesthetic. We will never forget the day that Scissor Sisters (Ana) took a look at the site and said “let’s do an interview now.” Ana told us in Toronto, “it so nice to work with people who fucking get it.” Same with Ikara Colt. Fantastic Plastic took a look at the site and agreed to be a part of it immediately. The enthusiastic response we have received from bands like The Barbs, Another Pretty Face, Maximo Park (and all of our featured or spot-lighted bands) matters to us and they make Music That Matters.

That isn’t to say that every OZ Beat rep is in love with every band at the site. That was the purpose of bringing a diverse group of reps together—we wanted variety. Music That Matters extends well beyond genres. But, all of us respect the bands we feature.

We are still the new bastard indie music site. Sure, some of the bands we feature have labels (and we have no problem with that). We have learned that sometimes great “indie” bands have labels. So what! We hope all the bands at this site thrive, and get the recognition and make the money they deserve.

We point out the fact that OZ Beat is not owned or affiliated with any music conglomerate or label simply to make clear that OZ Beat reps choose the bands we feature. We won’t take record label money. And, we are staying that way! The music that we feature is music that we believe in—Music That Matters!

Thank you so much for visiting OZ Beat, please tell your friends to check us out and register at Media for some great downloads and at the Forum for some exclusive interviews (not what you are used to reading in corporate zines). 

Your support and input is appreciated and valued. It keeps us going. And finally, please keep turning us on to bands and musicians that deserve to be heard.

Love from all of us at OZ Beat!