Our Band Could Be Your Life cover art

Our Band Could Be Your Life

Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991

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About this listen

 The definitive chronicle of underground music in the 1980s tells the stories of Black Flag, Sonic Youth, The Replacements, and other seminal bands whose DIY revolution changed American music forever. Our Band Could Be Your Life is the never-before-told 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 re-energized American rock with punk'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 is an indie rock classic in its own right. The bands profiled include:
  • Sonic Youth, read by Merrill Garbus (Tune-Yards)
  • Black Flag, read by David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors)
  • The Replacements, read by Jon Wurster (Superchunk, Mountain Goats)
  • Minutemen, read by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco)
  • Husker Du, read by Colin Meloy (the Decemberists)
  • Minor Threat, read by Laura Jane Grace (Against Me)
  • Mission of Burma, read by Jonathan Franzen (award-winning New York Times bestselling author)
  • Butthole Surfers, read by Fred Armisen (comedian/actor)
  • Big Black, read by Corey Taylor (Slipknot)
  • Fugazi, read by Michael Azerrad (author)
  • Mudhoney, read by Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie)
  • Beat Happening, read by Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields)
  • Dinosaur Jr., read by Sharon Van Etten (singer/songwriter)
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A must for anyone with an interest in American indie music from Minute Men to Nirvana.

An important history of American Indie music

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overall enjoyed it, especially chapters on Butthole Surfers, sonic youth, Fugazi.
It had me wishing i could turn clock back to see Buthole Surfers gig in their prime craziness.

good listen.

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very good idea to have separate narrators for each chapter, and a very interesting book

great

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Listen, the books great - it’s very entertaining, but I’m only a couple of chapters in and I’m sick of the bleeped out swear words.

I’m clearly a grown adult cos you took the money from my bank account. So if I’m listening to a fucking book about fucking punk rock - don’t bleep the words out you cunts!

I’m a @#*king grown adult

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I've read this book twice and decided to listen to the audiobook. I was incredibly disappointed to find it censored throughout. Annoying beeps cover some great narration, saving our precious minds from words out adult ears can't handle. Considering the abrasive nature of the subject matter, the decision to censor is ludicrous. In parts, even band names are censored. The flow of the narration is shattered.

Avoid this audiobook, read the paperback. It's a stellar book.

Annoyingly censored

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