"In my book Culture Crash, I date the birth of indie [rock] at 1982, when the Smiths began recording and R.E.M. released its debut EP, Chronic Town. The US side of the story is forcefully told in Michael Azerrad’s book Our Band Could Be Your Life; Britain’s followed similar contours, with indie ideology locking in early and fiercely, as sales charts tracked what was selling at independent record stores."