The American indie underground made music for like-minded people who thought for themselves. Thinking for yourself is intrinsically subversive.

A lot of music fans are still interested in insightful perspectives on music - maybe even more interested than ever, since everyone needs help making sense of the incredible variety of sounds that have sprung up in the wake of the Internet revolution. There's a lot of room for unique, qualified voices who can provide good reads.

The 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.

Critics and fans use the music of their youth as reference points. For years, people seriously wondered who "the next Beatles" were going to be, and classic rock bands were the de facto yardstick for rock quality.

I have this theory, bands with enigmatic lyrics attract crazies.

I really believe in the power of music - and I mean literally the power of musical tones - to rearrange the way you can think.

As a journalist, I'm not supposed to be the subject, but as an author, I'm fair game - another ingredient in the media soup.