Needles & Grooves

...Can anybody recommend a good overview book of the 1990s Indie/Alternative scene? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I don't have one for what you're asking, but if you haven't read David Byrne's How Music Works, it's pretty great.

I don't know that there is a good book on the 90s music scene that isn't just about grunge. Probably 'Everybody Loves Our Town' is good if that's what you're looking for. I really recommend 'Please Kill Me' which covers the formative years of punk in the 70s, too.

A Visit From the Goon Squad is fun. It's fiction but a good read about music.

Yeah, I tried to search for one and came up empty. In my dream scenario it would cover “grunge” but within the large indie/alternative music scene. I mean the 90s were in a lot of ways the last time a counter culture and popular culture crossed paths and both the books that I read/am reading discuss things as either building off of or leading up to the 90s scene. Seems like it would be a worthy topic.

I am also reading Our Band Could Be Your Life right now! It's very good but I can't get over how quickly they glossed over and ended the chapter on The Replacements right after "Let It Be". They didn't even mention Tim at all, nothing about it, a quick mention of Please to Meet Me and then that's it. I know it focused on underground music mostly, but still a massive blind spot.

semi related, but the Replacements book "Trouble Boys" that came out a few years ago is an amazing read if you're a fan of them in any way. It's long but worth it.

@wokeupnew I just started it. I am reading about Black Flag right now. I have already learned a lot.

Not read it, but apparently John Savage's England's Dreaming is very good about the UK punk explosion. +1 fr David Byrne's book, very good indeed.

Both books you mention are so good! I devoured Meet Me In The Bathroom so fast. I'll second @wokeupnew - Trouble Boys was fantastic and also kinda sad. Please Kill Me is debaucherous. Lol I don't know of any that cover the 90s indie scene. I'd be into reading it if you find one!

2nd-ing Everybody Loves Our Town by Mark Yarm. Also loved Your Band Sucks by Jon Fine. He was in Bitch Magnet (C grade indie band) in the late 80s and early 90s. I really enjoyed the book but I am a big BM fan, even though Jon Fine is an ass.

Also check out Jon Doe's Under the Big Black Sun for a good intro to the early LA punk scene