45
by Get dog costumes_Archive
What are the criteria? I think a band has to be 1) musically singular, 2) poorly biographed, if at all, 3) of the 90s, and most of all 4) a compelling story.
Slint is not #3, but is definitely all the others.
If the tour diary is any indication, Don Caballero would be awesome.
Pavement is hilarious and Totally 90s, but Slow Century does the job.
Even though Polvo and Bedhead are among my favorite bands, they don't impress me as good stories.
GVSB, SKWM, SEAM, Tortoise, Shellac, Jesus Lizard, Gastr del Sol (!), U.S. Maple, and so many others meet most of the criteria, but half the book can't be about Chicago...unless the whole book is about Chicago.
A 90s book would be difficult. Azerrad's band choices are guided by the central storyline of a fledgling DIY/underground movement in America and the desire to represent different labels and cities. I'm not sure what arc ties a dozen 90s bands together. Not that I wouldn't love to read 12 short biographies of 90s bands, but a great thing about Azerrad's book is that someone who knows nothing about those 80s bands could enjoy it, because the stories of Black Flag, Butthole Surfers, Minor Threat, and others are original and compelling, even without audio. Even if the individual stories of a 90s book were universally readable, there would have to be a reason for an ignorant person to pick up the book in the first place (and a reason for someone to write the book).
And though I would love to be proven wrong, I don't believe that David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke ever beat each other up onstage and then spent the night in a squat after eating fast food they bummed off of scene chicks.