OUR BAND COULD BE YOUR LIFE by Michael Azerrad

This is a very enjoyable look at American underground rock music in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. While the book tends to focus on hardcore punk and post-punk bands, there are still a wide range of styles represented: Black Flag, Sonic Youth, The Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr., The Replacements, Butthole Surfers, Mudhoney, and many more. The histories of thirteen bands are catalogued, and you get a great feel for the motivations that kept them on the road (and in some cases got them off the road). Despite their musical and philosophical differences, the groups all took full advantage of the freedom granted by recording with a small, independent record labels. Also included are plenty of rock-and-roll antics to make the book fun reading. Check out this book, then check out the music!

 --John