And before they started turning into luxury "loft" apartments disused factories/warehouses were perfect environments to set up micro "practice spaces."

I don't know if it's so much a genre of music as a status designation.

"Garage band" to me says an outfit so far from being successful that they can't afford rehearsal space, transport to get to one, etc

No 'garage' is also a music genre. I'm not into music really (certainly not that kind) but I think it's in some way related to but to mark distinction from 'house'.

Of course funnily enough 'the house band' could also be a thing, but neither is related to the genre of that name.

Edit: oh, seems it's a UK thing, so perhaps you weren't to know - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_garage. Though also older 'garage rock' (60s) on the disambiguation page.

In the US “house” usually refers to the venue - house wine, house band, etc means that supplied by the hotel. You rent a ballroom, you want a band, the hotel can provide the house version, kind of generic.

Yes that's what I was referring to by:

> Of course funnily enough 'the house band' could also be a thing, but neither [that nor 'a garage band'] is related to the genre of that name.

Funny that the house band probably wouldn't play house music.