Michael Azerrad
Michael Azerrad | |
---|---|
Education | Columbia University (BA) |
Occupation(s) | Author, music journalist, editor, and musician |
Notable work | Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana Our Band Could Be Your Life |
Michael Azerrad is an American author, music journalist, editor, and musician. A graduate of
Early life
Azerrad grew up in the New York City area and received his BA degree from
Music journalism
After college, Azerrad played drums in various small bands while pursuing a career in
.In 1993, Doubleday Books published Azerrad's definitive, best-selling biography of Nirvana, Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana,[3] which appeared six months before bandleader Kurt Cobain died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Azerrad spent many months interviewing the band members and their friends, relatives and associates, and Cobain and the other members of the band shared a wide variety of archival materials with him, many of which are reproduced in the book. In 2000, Q magazine named it one of the 50 greatest rock books ever written.[citation needed]
His subsequent book, Our Band Could Be Your Life[4] (Little, Brown and Company, 2001) was a collection of profiles of thirteen prominent indie rock bands of the 1980s and early 1990s, including Sonic Youth, Black Flag, Minutemen and The Replacements. In 2006 The Guardian rated the book as one of the 50 best music books ever written. In 2009, Paste magazine named it one of the 12 best music books of the decade;[5] the Los Angeles Times listed it as one of "46 Essential Rock Reads"[6] and in 2011 Pitchfork listed the book in "Words and Music: Our 60 Favorite Music Books."[7]
Azerrad wrote liner notes for various albums and DVDs by artists including:
In 2006, Azerrad co-produced an award-winning documentary about
During 2008/2009 Kingston, UK band
Music career
Azerrad was a member of now-defunct indie band the King of France, whose self-titled debut album was released in 2004. In 2005, he became an original member of Reprise Records recording artists the LeeVees. In summer 2009, he became a founding member of children's music band the Macaroons, whose debut album Let's Go Coconuts was released by JDub Records in spring 2010.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Michael Azerrad". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
- ^ a b New York Times, Julia Just and Michael Azerrad Marry, Julia Just and Michael Azerrad Marry, 1988-05-22. Accessed online 2016-07-03.
- ISBN 0-385-47199-8.
- ISBN 0-316-78753-1.
- ^ Paste magazine The 12 Best Music Books of the Decade (2000–2009), Paste, 2009-11-13. Accessed online 2009-11-16.
- ^ Carolyn Kellogg, The 46 essential rock reads, The Los Angeles Times, Jacket Copy, 2009-09-01. Accessed online 2009-11-16.
- ^ Pitchfork, Words and Music: Our 60 Favorite Music Books, Words and Music: Our 60 Favorite Music Books, 2011-07-11. Accessed online 2011-07-11.
- ^ Michael Azerrad, Lyrical Assassin, Spin, 2008-10-27. Accessed online 2009-04-28.