I just wanted to tell the story of a bunch of musicians who had never had their story told before. There's no preaching or theorizing.
Michael AzerradThe American indie underground made music for like-minded people who thought for themselves. Thinking for yourself is intrinsically subversive.
Michael AzerradI'm always very careful to make the distinction between music criticism and music journalism. A lot of people don't. But criticism doesn't require reporting. You can write criticism at home in your underwear. On the other hand, journalism takes legwork - you have to get out there and see things and talk to people.
Michael AzerradThe most surprising and rewarding chapter to write was the Butthole Surfers chapter. I'd always thought of them as a bunch of drug-addled reprobates - which maybe they were - but it turned out to be more complicated than that.
Michael Azerrad