Preview 'Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records'

The publishers of Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records launched a very cool, interactive website today at ournoisethebook.com. Let's just say, after checking out the site, I can't wait for this book's release on Sept. 15.

Be sure to check out the timeline, complete with photos and videos, and the "A Look Inside" tab that gives you a sneak peak at the book's content — including its introduction by Ryan Adams.

Here's just a snippet from Adams...

EVERYBODY had their crushes on Laura. I mean, guys did. And ALL THOSE GIRLS they loved Mac. And you know, they were these sophisticated weirdos living in Chapel Hill, that “pretty” college town. I eventually left home (long story) and I lived in Raleigh and, well, we were supposed to be “working class” musicians or something—we were supposed to have issues with the Chapel Hill scene. It was totally unspoken but it was all right there—written on the faces of all our local musicians and I think I saw a lot of envy by the time I got to Raleigh. I mean, I came late. I crawled from the wreckage of the crystal coast—the graveyard of the Atlantic, all water-logged and salt heavy—tears in my eyes. I just wanted to SEE all this music get made. I ended up making just a little myself. Most of it as a way to understand this music I loved and just how much went into making it. The rest happened the way the night comes, the way a reed bends in the humidity and how dust gathers where you can’t reach it.

Merge singles never worked like that. I mean, I still look at them and think, “what exactly is this” or I think, “God—what if everyone could have the experience of living in a place so isolated from everywhere and KNOW this came from only a few hours away.” I mean, it was a dream. A hot dream.