Music Book Review: Lived Through That: 90s Musicians Today by Mike Hipple

Lived Through That: 90s Musicians Today
by Mike Hipple (Music 781.66 Hip)

 

If you’re a Gen-X person or just a 90s music lover, Lived Through That is a fantastic stroll down memory lane. More importantly, it serves as a kind of “where are they now” update for many artists whose only hits happened during the heyday of grunge, the swing revival, and riot grrls. The emphasis here is on photography — author Mike Hipple has produced beautiful photo essays showing us how these former stars have gracefully landed in middle age — but each featured artist also receives a page of updated biographical information.

 

Some of these updates are quite surprising, too. Did you know that the frontman of The Presidents of the United States of America became a children’s musician, and has recorded 16 albums as Caspar Babypants? Did you know that John S. Hall of King Missile went on to become an attorney? That Eric Judy of Modest Mouse left the band and opened a neighborhood bookstore with his wife?

 

For the most part, though, the musicians featured here have continued to work in music, even if they’re somewhat removed from the spotlight afforded them earlier in their careers. In that sense, there’s a certain comfort and humility to these profiles, seeing how so many artists that might be written off as “one hit wonders” can find their own stride and keep creating. Some, like Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto, have continued to explore a wide and ever-expanding variety of musical directions, while some bands like Letters to Cleo or Belly took breaks and have subsequently reformed. A few like the Dandy Warhols have continued playing since the 90s. But together, they all show how life continues to unfold in unexpected ways, and we can all relate to these journeys.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Now is the Time to Invent! Reports From the Indie-Rock Revolution, 1986-2000 by Steve Connell, Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution by Sara Marcus or Untypical Girls: Styles and Sounds of the Transatlantic Indie Revolution by Sam Knee.)

 

( official Mike Hipple web site )

 

Recommended by Scott S.
Polley Music Library

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

 

Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!