How did indie rock happen? How did independent record labels come to be? And Why? History, as they say, is written by the winners. In music, that means record sales, wealth, and fame. Roni Sarig suggested we consider a different history, one based on artists who were influential rather than financially successful. In this overview of my course, we entertain these questions and examine the unknown movers and shakers who paved the way for independent artists, record labels, and other brilliant outcasts.