Our Band Could Be Your Life Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991

Finally in paperback, the story of the musical revolution that happened right under the nose of the Reagan Eighties when a small but sprawling network of bands, labels, fanzines, radio stations, and other subversives reenergized American rock with punk rocks do-it-yourself credo and created music that was deeply personal, often brilliant, always challenging, and immensely influential. Our Band Could Be Your Life is a sweeping chronicle of music, politics, drugs, fear, loathing, and faith that is already being recognized as an indie rock classic in its own right. Among the legendary bands Azerrad writes about: Black Flag, the Minutemen, Mission of Burma, Minor Threat, Hsker D, the Replacements, Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, Big Black, Dinosaur Jr. Fugazi, Mudhoney, and Beat Happening. The story of the American indie underground has never been told in depthuntil now.

Michael Azerrad is the author of the books Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991, and Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. His writings on music and musicians have appeared in numerous magazines, including Rolling Stone, the New Yorker, Spin, and the New York Times. He lives in New York City.