Grunge

[binnie]

It is almost 20 years since Kurt Cobain committed suicide, and nigh-on 25 since 'Grunge' arguably changed the nature of rock music. At least, that's if you buy into the line sold by music journalists at the time (and since). Everyone loves a narrative, and the 'punk killed prog because it was a purer form of rock' line was essentially repeated 15 years later by substituting 'Grunge' for 'punk' and 'Hair Metal' for 'Prog'.

Was that a fair assessment, and what are your memories of grunge at the time? Does the label even stand up in the way that punk did in 1976-78? Was there a recogniseable 'sound' to those bands? Or were simply defined by not being from LA and not dressing in a certain way?

I love so many records from that period, but I don't the bands in question as someone distinct or aside from other forms of heavy music.

[DLR Bridge]

I remember being surprised by how fast grunge dissolved into just another layer of alternative music, especially after Kobain checked out. My favorite band of the movement was and is Alice In Chains. I see them as a more truthful starting point than Nirvana.

[Zing!]

Yep - AIC was and still is the only band I could stomach from that crappy period, although I never really considered them grunge OR metal. They had a sound unlike anything else at the time and couldn't be so easily categorized.

[ELVIS]

Grunge is ghey...

[Satan]

"Grunge" is a meaningless corporate label that some fucking record company suit made up.

What does it mean, exactly?

Well, in the broad sense it was applied to "any band that came from the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s". But let's look at that.....

Were Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Mudhoney, etc. all playing the same kind of music? Were those pathetic posers Candlebox anything remotely like any of the above. Is it even fair to call Soundgarden a 1990s band when their first album came out in 1985 (and was compared to Led Zeppelin at the time)

What about Clone Pimple Toilets, who sounded like Pearl Jam, but came from San Diego? Where do they fit in? Or Smashing Pumpkins, who got a song on the "Singles" soundtrack, despite being from Chicago.

Another meaningless record company label, because they needed a word to call music that was NOT cheese ballads played by transvestites (see "hair metal", another useless corporate term)

[Satan]

Yep - AIC was and still is the only band I could stomach from that crappy period, although I never really considered them grunge OR metal. They had a sound unlike anything else at the time and couldn't be so easily categorized.

Hell, they even had a country song...... sort of......

[ELVIS]

I just call it all rock, hard rock or cheese...

[VAiN]

I was a senior in high school in 91/92 when grunge was breaking. I remember by December 91 'Smells like Teen Spirit' was everywhere as was 'Man in the Box'. I even got to catch AIC in 91 when they opened for van hagar and only knew them from MITB. They quickly became a favorite. For my money AIC was the most powerful & creative band to come out of the movement. I also love Nirvana, but it's a very different thing musically. I got to see Nirvana in November 93. I'm grateful that I got to see them before the wheels fell off. I also got hip to Pearl Jam and have seen them at least once on every tour since 93. Amazing how quickly it all goes by.

[ODShowtime]

What about Clone Pimple Toilets, who sounded like Pearl Jam, but came from San Diego?

Pearl Jam wishes they sounded like STP! Purple alone STOMPS anything Pearl Jam has ever put out! What an obnoxious Seattle elitist you are satan!

To address the overall thread,

In my opinion there are a few bands from the grunge era that transcend anything some shithead journalist could write. Alice in Chains, STP, Nirvana, Soundgarden... all of these bands transcend any labels. There are others of course but these guys were the major artists. It's too bad that some of them had to die so young.

[Nitro Express]

Grunge is quite forgettable. It was the death of real rock and roll because flaunting it became a bad thing. Oh and you couldn't have fun either. The white whiners blew it and the rappers became the grab ass, throw money at ya, bling bling bling rock stars.

[DLR Bridge]

I will admit OD, the first time I heard Plush, I too thought they were just a band riding the coat tails of Pearl Jam's vibe. Then I got Core and realized, nah, fuck that. These guys are good. I could only take Vedder in small doses and their better tunes were behind them by their 2nd album. The DeLeo Bros. and Weiland had way more of a clue how to craft a good song and Scott's just a better singer.

[fraroc]

Grunge is quite forgettable. It was the death of real rock and roll because flaunting it became a bad thing. Oh and you couldn't have fun either. The white whiners blew it and the rappers became the grab ass, throw money at ya, bling bling bling rock stars.

If you listen to newer rock bands today like for example, Black Veil Brides, you'd realize that rock music to them is about depression and helping people get through tough times in their lives and even though their songs are VERY good, they don't have the same hedonistic feel that their idols, KISS and Crue have.

[Zing!]

I even got to catch AIC in 91 when they opened for van hagar and only knew them from MITB. They quickly became a favorite. For my money AIC was the most powerful & creative band to come out of the movement.

Saw AIC's last show ever with Layne - opened for KISS in Kansas City.

[Diamondjimi]

When I heard Teen Spirit for the first time I thought it was a Twisted Sister/Dee Snider solo tune. Lol
Nirvana wasn't bad but everything that came with it sucked ,especially shit like the Smashing Blumpkins and Pearl Shite....
Trendy horseshit, imo.

[chefcraig]

To address the overall thread,

In my opinion there are a few bands from the grunge era that transcend anything some shithead journalist could write. Alice in Chains, STP, Nirvana, Soundgarden... all of these bands transcend any labels. There are others of course but these guys were the major artists. It's too bad that some of them had to die so young.

I agree with the sentiment to an extent, but only so far. Yeah, it's a pity those guys died so young, but let's face it, Andrew Wood, Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley CHOSE to end their lives, one way or another. And for that, it's relatively hard to garner much sympathy.

Sorry if that sounds callous, but the truth is, life sucks a fat one and most people get over that at some point and go on about living. If you are so damned self-obsessed that you feel like removing yourself from it, despite public outpourings of love and respect, then you are an asshat and didn't deserve the adulation you apparently craved in the first place.

I mean, think about it: "Ooh, I'm going to create music and show my voice to the world! Uhhh...wait, the world is harsh? I had no idea. See ya".

Golly, what an admirable notion.