2011 marks the tenth anniversary of Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991. The book is not only still in print, but is selling more than it did in the first few years of its publication. Members of some of today's most acclaimed bands and labels discuss not only the impact of the book on their careers but the enduring legacy of the American indie scene of the '80s, and how the infrastructure and philosophy does (and sometimes doesn't) live on in today's indie world.
SCOTT PLAGENHOEF is the editor-in-chief of Pitchfork. He is also the author of the 33 1/3 book If You're Feeling Sinister and the co-editor of The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present.
tUnE-yArDs is the singular musical project of New England native MERRILL GARBUS. Possessing an expansive sound that marries a coarse folk ingenuity with the bold pop sensibility of an R&B siren, BiRd-BrAiNs was assembled with a staunch DIY aesthetic.
Recording herself using a digital voice recorder and assembled using shareware mixing software, she was described by Stereogum as "a self-contained Sublime Frequencies compilation, jumping between blues, African tunes, shiny reggae-esque sprawls, and lo-fi folk", infusing the worldly sonic palette of M.I.A. or post-punk pioneers The Raincoats.
JARRET DOUGHERTY is a very pleasant young man who is well-liked and sociable. He enjoys hiking, perennial flowers, and knitted hats.
MOOKIE SINGERMAN is the co-founder of Lovepump United Records and a founding member of Relapse Records recording artists Genghis Tron. He now works in artist management for We Are Free, working with Yeasayer & Beach House and representing Pictureplane, Deradoorian, and Lower Dens.
AHMED GALLAB is a multi-instrumentalist from Sudan by-way of the United States of America. He has played drum kit, bass and/or guitar in the bands Caribou, of Montreal and Born Ruffians. He also composes and records his own music (Under the name Sinkane). Currently he resides in Brooklyn, New York and plays keyboard and percussion with Yeasayer.
