“Major Label” and “credibility” are two terms that have always had an uncomfortable relationship. It’s rare that an up-and-coming artist signs with a major label and retains the type of buzz and underground support that earned them label attention in the first place.

With the release of their self-titled debut record in 2011, New York duo Cults became one of those bands. In a recent Spin interview, they gave their label Columbia a glowing review. The band credited Columbia for being smart and professional while allowing them spend months in the studio perfecting their sound.

The band then went on to throw independent record labels under the bus. Cults member Brian Oblivion summed up his feelings on indie labels by saying “I feel like a lot of smaller indie labels are giving bands really bad deals and robbing them.” Oblivion didn’t mention any specific examples in the interview, but he did say that he knew independent artists who are “really successful who can barely afford more than three weeks in a studio.”

We here at Allston Pudding felt it was important to take a look at the other side of the story. That’s why we conducted a very scientific study of independent local artists to get a better understanding of just how much they were being robbed.

Ok, so we actually talked to just one band, that being Chicago trio Geronimo! While they might not be a local band, they are on the roster of independent label Exploding In Sound Records. The label has generated quite a bit of buzz over the last few years thanks to a very solid lineup that includes Speed Ortiz, Kal Marks, and Pile.

Geronimo! Frontman Kelly Johnson called the band’s experience with Exploding In Sound “fantastic”, saying the label has helped them build contacts and relationships and extend their presence in the Northeast.

Johson also touched on the all-important topics of money and credibility, and what that means for Geronimo! Said Johnson “I’ve never been in a band that has relied on a label for money or promotion… so I can’t speak to that, but nowadays I believe (independent labels) function more as a credibility stamp. People see we are on the label and are more prone to write about us or take us seriously because we are associated with other, better bands”.

I’m not a music-industry insider, but I do have to say I found Oblivion’s anti-indie comments a bit absurd.

They also seem like they could be the perfect candidates to become the type of one-album wonders major labels are known for spitting out. Sure, everyone is happy after the band’s debut album sold well and generated a lot of good press, but they are now under considerable pressure to at least replicate that success with their sophomore effort. If they don’t, they might not be singing Columbia’s praises for too much longer.