Our Band Could Be Your Life

Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991

By: Michael Azerrad

Narrated by: Jon Wurster, Merrill Garbus, Fred Armisen, Sharon Van Etten, Stephin Merritt, Jeff Tweedy, Corey Taylor, Phil Elverum, Michael Azerrad, Dave Longstreth, Jonathan Franzen, Laura Jane Grace, Colin Meloy

This is the never-before-told story of the musical revolution that happened right under the nose of the Reagan '80s - when a small but sprawling network of bands, labels, fanzines, radio stations, and other subversives reenergized American rock with punk rock's do-it-yourself credo and created music that was deeply personal, often brilliant, always challenging, and immensely influential. This sweeping chronicle of music, politics, drugs, fear, loathing, and faith has been recognized as an indie rock classic in its own right.

Among the bands profiled: Mission of Burma, Butthole Surfers, The Minutemen, Sonic Youth, Black Flag, Big Black, Hüsker Dü, Fugazi, Minor Threat, Mudhoney, The Replacements, Beat Happening, and Dinosaur, Jr.

©2012 Michael Azerrad (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Interesting, Well Researched Production

This book chronicled the csreers of several American punk bands. There were 13 bands and different musical artists narrated for each band. This kept the story interesting. I only have two complaints: the chapter on Fugazi was 10% too long and it ignored all women punk bands during the era. This could have easily rectified by including a chapter on Babes in Toyland. Otherwise, this was an excellent audiobook. The production was great and the narration was captivating.

Love this Book

Ok if you are into music,especially college radio, this is a great book.
If you grew up with punk post punk power pop from the late 70’s early 80’s this book will make you stop listening so you can catch up bye listening to the bands on a streaming service (or brake out your vinyl).
So much fun and inspirational for Just Grind it out for the love of it.
Thank you to all the folks that make this book possible.

Essential

This book blasted open a door I had only ducked my head through. The audiobook adds a layer of accessibility that makes it all that much more powerful. I can't to relisten. The chapters on The Butthole Surfers, Big Black, The Minutemen, and The Replacements are life-changing.

Narrators

I actually haven't finished the book, yet.
While listening, I wanted to know who was narrating each chapter, but it doesn't tell you in the title details.
So, here is the list:
Black Flag- Dave Longstreth of Dirty Projectors
The Minutemen- Jeff Tweedy of Wilco
Mission of Burma- Jonathan Franzen (author)
Minor Threat- Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!
Hüsker Dü- Colin Meloy of The Decemberists
The Replacements- Jon Wurster of Superchunk & The Mountain Goats
Sonic Youth- Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards
Butthole Surfers- Fred Armisen (actor)
Big Black- Corey Taylor of Slipknot
Dinosaur Jr- Sharon Van Etton (singer)
Fugazi- Michael Azzerad
Mudhoney- Phil Elverum of Mount Eerie
Beat Happening- Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields

For those who love music. Period.

More of my friends were into punk, well, early punk, than I was. It’s a shame because seeing The Minutemen open for REM at Jacksonville’s Swisher Gymnasium should’ve been a bigger deal. Not being a fan of play fast, and frankly not being exposed to many ideas outside of white middle class, I gravitated towards more accessible mischief via whatever Rush, Iron Maiden, or the party life of some hair metal band. Sure there were moments of 7 Seconds and Minor Threat (thank you Tom) but I generally failed to enjoy the musical style which meant I missed the message.

The truth is that Nirvana’s “Nevermind” was my gateway back into the “punk” scene. Once there, I rediscovered Husker Du, The Replacements, and Fugazi, all groups MTV and local alternative radio had given me.

Apart from some bleeping of words during the Black Flag chapter, Azerrad’s book is a beautiful walk through a complicated ethos, that ends with questions similar to what feminism encountered in its many waves. The question of who is the subject and what is the medium is dutifully told as you hear the stories is those who adhere to the original ethics of non corporate, and those who wanted a career that needed corporate.

The greater appreciation of community, and the lamenting of that loss in the closing chapter, calls the listener to ask whether the DIY ethos that allows for everything to be done on a computer is a positive or a negative. Still, I can’t help but appreciate the virtue or vice (your call) of commercial success that allows for access to the music by those who would have never heard it otherwise. I’m not sure it’s Michaels job to answer that and thankfully he doesn’t try.

I walk away from this book grateful for the courage of early punk rock and even more excited to see Jawbox in two weeks (very happy they are mentioned in the book). You don’t have to love or even like punk rock to enjoy this book. Hell, you may find a band you hook into that you’d never considered (I’m looking at you Big Black).

As a child of the 80’s, I appreciate the reflections on what this genre meant to music and culture. I plan on using it for my work to teach philosophy in prisons.

In closing I’ll highlight the bestie of the book: the varying voices who chronicle these bands. It’s nice to have someone influenced by the music get a chance to tell the stories.

Serious as a heart attack!

This is one of my favorite books, so it's a real treat to finally have it in my Audible library. As we move closer to total global corporate domination, it's never felt more relevant or refreshing to delve into the worlds of these creative misfits following their passion, doing it all on their own, and making shit up as they go along. The bands covered (Black Flag, The Minutemen, Mission of Burma, Minor Threat, Husker Du, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, Big Black, Dinosaur Jr, Fugazi, Mudhoney, and Beat Happening each get a chapter) range from capital-G *Great* (Fugazi, 'Mats) to capital I *Influential* (Surfers, Mudhoney), and many are deserving of full-length chronicles in their own right. Until then, Azerrad's book remains an indispensable inside look at some of the best bands that most people have never heard of. (It would have been super cool if snippets of each band's music could have been included in their respective chapters, but I suppose that would have been a copyright nightmare.) You'll fall in love with D. Boon and Mike Watt, become enamored of Ian MacKaye's uncompromising attitude, and have a hard time deciding whether you hate J. Mascis or Lou Barlow more. Mostly, though, you'll be inspired to rediscover some tremendous music and appreciate it all over again with a better understanding of the lives and circumstances from which it emerged.

An absolute classic

I’ve read this book several times. Love being able to listen to it while doing chores or working out.

I thought I knew all this stuff!

This invaluable resource wil shed light on the aspects of indie that you never even cvonsidered - or at least I didn't. Some of the history is rather ugly, some is good enough to be justification for the behaviors I always was like "WTF?" I Listened rabidly and am going to now read other histories by Mr Azerrad. Highly recommended.

Loved it

I loved this book when it came out, and found that love hasn't faded over the years.

If you grew up with, are a fan of, or have any interest in the American underground/indie music scene of the 70's/80's/90's, definitely check this out.

One chapter per band, stopping when the bands broke up, or signed to a major - which as a fan of nerd-level details, I initially thought wouldn't be enough. However, I feel these abbreviated bios really capture the spirit of these bands that I'd gotten from their music over the decades, which many of the bloated bios don't do.

Comprehenisve History of Some 1980s Indie Bands

When I found out about Azerrad's book Our Band Could Be Your Life I knew I would find interesting and I thought I would enjoy it, and it exceeded my expectations! This long book (21 hours on Audible) devotes almost two hours each to a deep dive in to the history of thirteen punk / indie rock bands. The author did his homework. This book is full of great quotes and interviews, and by the time each chapter is over you feel like you know each band member. I have very different opinions (better and worse) about quite a few musicians after listening to this.

I knew a lot of these bands through college radio (Radio K - University of Minnesota) and Twin Cities alternative radio stations in the mid to late 1980s and really haven't listened to them much since, with the exception of Sonic Youth, The Replacements, and Hüsker Dü. The Hüskers were one of my favorite bands and Bob Mould remains my favorite musician to this day (Azerrad also co-wrote Bob's autobiography See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody). I've seen Bob live countless times in Minneapolis and twice in Chicago, and met him a few times at events. But some of these bands I wasn't a huge fan of back in the day, and haven't heard at all since the 80s or 90s. It was fun going back and listening to their albums again.

Each chapter is narrated by a musician or author who was inspired by that particular band. The bands an narrators are:

Black Flag - Corey Taylor (singer, Slipknot)
The Minutemen - Jeff Tweedy (singer, Wilco)
Mission of Burma - Jonathan Franzen (author, The Corrections)
Minor Threat - Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!)
Hüsker Dü - Colin Meloy (singer, The Decemberists)
The Replacements - Jon Wurster (drummer; Superchunk, The Mountain Goats, Bob Mould)
Sonic Youth - Merrill Garbus (singer, Tune-Yards)
Butthole Surfers - Fred Armisen (drummer, comedian)
Big Black - Dave Longstreth (singer, The Dirty Projectors)
Dinosaur Jr. - Sharon Van Etten (singer/songwriter)
Fugazi - Michael Azerrad (author)
Mudhoney - Phil Elverum (singer, Mount Eerie)
Beat Happening - Stephin Merritt (singer, Magnetic Fields)

If you were / are a fan of any of the aforementioned bands or are interested in the punk / indie rock scene of the 1980s I would highly recommend this book to you. Rock on!