"I mean Iggy and The Stooges first couple of albums I think sold twenty five thousand between the two of them you know and so to talk in terms of an underground I mean you have to go really to the independent labels and things like that"

This quote by Lester Bangs is describing the success of Iggy and The Stooges' first 2 albums. He is stating that the 2 albums combined only offered 25,000 copies, which is a relatively low number. This is an indication that the band was not widely popular, and was thought about to be an "underground" band. Bangs is suggesting that to find other bands like Iggy and The Stooges, one need to aim to independent labels, as they are most likely to produce and promote lesser-known artists. This quote is a testament to the power of independent labels, and how they can assist to bring lesser-known artists to the general public's attention. It also demonstrates how hard it can be for an artist to break into the mainstream music market, and how essential it is to have the assistance of independent labels.