Most of us have experienced the annoying neighbor at some point in our urban dwelling existence. But rarely has anyone encountered the disturbance endured by Mitchell D and Eddie Lee when these two happy-go-lucky Midwesterners embarked on life in San Francisco.

Shortly after moving into their flat, the two young men met (or at least heard) their neighbors—the ultimate odd couple; Peter and Raymond. These two middle-aged men, one gay and one a homophobe, would spend their evenings getting tanked up on liquor and letting the bile flow — a demented Bert and Ernie of the lower Haight. Fearing for their lives and unable to quell the psychotic bickering, Mitchell and Eddie decided to do the next best thing: record it.

What began as domestic annoyance turned into a cottage industry of underground pop culture—guests were invited over for listening parties, audiotapes were made and distributed, and underground comics and zines about the two men flourished. Predating the Internet, these tapes became one of the first “viral” sensations, attracting the likes of Dan Clowes (Ghost World), the art/rock band DEVO, the radio program This American Life, and other devotees of the “strange.” At one point three separate parties were in a bidding war for the film rights. Shut Up Little Man! is a fascinating, not-to-be-missed account of relationships, privacy, exploitation, voyeurism, and what is considered art in our culture.