Reliving Grunge
Today I experienced a definite trip down memory lane. I spent a good portion of the morning listening to Nirvana’s newly released box set “With The Lights Out” which caused a rush of memories of the early to mid 90’s and the Seattle Grunge scene. Then, this afternoon while watching television and flipping through the channels, I happened across VH1’s “Grunge” special.
I began thinking of how much of an impact the Grunge scene had on my teenage years. I can remember buying Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album when I was 10 or 11 years old. Soon after that parents started hearing about how this new music was starting to cause teenagers to think about suicide, drugs, and all that corruption that the conservative media related with the Seattle music scene, which was, by and large, very true. Many of the more popular Grunge bands were heavily involved in the drug scene (especially heroin) which was fuel for many of their lyrics (eg. Alice in Chains song “Junkhead”).By the time that Nirvana released “In Utero”, Grunge music was starting to become trendy. Around this time many of the other bands from Seattle’s Grunge scene starting appearing on the charts along with Nirvana. Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, and Mudhoney among others started to be names recognized by anyone that turned on MTV or Much Music. I think this is the point when Grunge began to die, not when Kurt Cobain passed away.
It seems that now, everyone involved in the music industry seems to want to forget that the Grunge scene ever existed. I believe I even heard a journalist on the VH1 show this afternoon comment that Grunge was merely an aberration in the music world. I wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. From my perspective, Grunge was/is a very important part of music history, especially to people around my age (mid to late 20’s). When I think of my top ten favorite bands of all time, at least five of those are from the Grunge era, and I still listen to their music on a regular basis.
I know that this entry seems somewhat out of the blue and thrown together. I just had a lot of thoughts come rushing back that I needed to get down before I lost them.
Comments
There are 26 comments on this post.
Michele on November 27, 2004 at 5:25p.m.
I was too young to be involved in it directly. But when I started listening to music, Nirvana were my favorite.
They hugely influenced my whole concept of music. They made me want to play guitar.
I think grunge is very important and even if they say it was an aberration, they know it influenced, in a positive way, music history.
Though I’ve evolved my music experience, I always love to listen to some bands from the grunge scene: Nirvana, Soundgarden, Melvins, Mudhoney, Alice in Chains, etc…
Jeff on November 27, 2004 at 6:25p.m.
You’re totally right Michele, I too wish that grunge was recognized for the huge effect it had on the music industry. Another point that came to mind that I didn’t mention in this entry is the fact that the death of grunge gave rise to a huge amount of new bands as well (Bush, Silverchair, Foo Fighters, etc.).
Those five bands you listed there are the five I was referring to in my post as well. Good taste!
Chris Vincent on November 27, 2004 at 9:05p.m.
Grunge was important. Some of the best bands of the 90s (both in influence and in talent) came from its earlier half. You know, when they still did guitar solos. Nowadays you’ll hear a song playing, and you think, “YES, AWESOME GUITAR SOLO WOULD GO PERFECT RIGHT HERE!”, but all they give you is repetition of the chord progression with maybe the drums dropping out to give it emphasis and make it sound slightly different.
There’s plenty more I’d like to say on it, but I’ll refrain. Just one last thing: Audioslave is alright, but I think we can all agree that we’d rather have Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine than Audioslave.
Jeff on November 27, 2004 at 10:34p.m.
I’m a huge fan of both Soundgarden and Rage, and I definitely prefer them separate, but you’re right, Audioslave is one of the best bands to surface in the last few years.
I also agree with your first point. New music doesn’t have the same depth that it did back then. The lyrics actually meant something, I mean of course a lot of the time it was about something like heroin or the like, but at least there was some substance to it. All of the Emo music that is on the go today seems to be about the same thing. It makes my ears bleed…
Jared Christensen on November 29, 2004 at 8:23a.m.
Nirvana, like it or not, was probably the most influential rock band of my generation. I remember very well watching MTV and seeing the world premiere of the video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It was like nothing I’d ever seen or heard, full of power and ferocity. It was awesome. And it changed the face of MTV and popular rock music. If I turn on the radio right now and listen for 2 hours, I will hear a band that is borrowing, in some part, the Nirvana sound.
I’m not a terribly nostalgic person, except when it comes to music. I miss the quality of music that hit the mainstream back then.
Shawn on November 29, 2004 at 9:28a.m.
I couldn’t agree with you more Jared. Nivana was an instrumental voice in my learning to play guitar. I was right there with everyone else the day “Smells Like Teen Spirit” made it’s way on to MTV and took over my impressions of music forever.
No matter what people may say, Nirvana was/is the most influential sound of our generation. If Curt was still alive I would proudly shake his hand and thank him for the music and inspiration he shared with me.
Michele on December 2, 2004 at 5:30p.m.
BTW, last day I forgot to mention Stone Temple Pilots: I think “Core” is an incredible album.
Michele's Freeminding » Blog Archive &raq on December 13, 2004 at 10:50p.m.
With The Lights Out
13 December 2004
This afternoon I finally managed – I know I’m a little late – to buy Nirvana’s boxset With the Lights Out. 61 so [...]
Dinis on December 18, 2004 at 7:02p.m.
Hi!I just want to say what i think 'bout grunge.Grunge is not a “thing” that you learn, it’s not a thing that you ear over and over and start to catch it! Grunge is thing that you, or allready have it or you’ll never have…Gunge is total new way to see the world, grunge is simplicity and hanger…Grunge is “hey, I’ll sit here ad wait for media to give me what they want me to like.” Grunge is total Nirvana. Grunge will never die.
rendy antisocial on January 18, 2005 at 2:34a.m.
i think silverchair i cool n also nirvana..anyway GRUUUUNNGGEE UNTTIIILL IIII DDDIIEEEE...!!!!!!!
steve jordan on January 20, 2005 at 1:15p.m.
Nirvana made some good music. Their unplugged album is superb. Soundgarden and Pearl Jam were my faves from that era. Pearl Jam are still around and still making great music. STP were very good but I wasn’t into Alice in Chains. I have a comment though about talking about Kurt Cobain as if he were a deity or something. Yes, Nirvana made good music and were the most recognizable grunge band at the time. They were the frontrunners in that musical genre. BUT, back when Kurt Cobain and the band were in diapers, the “GODFATHER OF GRUNGE” was making music when it wasn’t “cool”. He was an outsider. He is the living legend, Neil Young. I think Young should be credited with being more of a pioneer for grunge than Kurt Cobain. This isn’t a knock on Nirvana,just an observation.
Jeff on January 20, 2005 at 1:50p.m.
I really wouldn’t classify Neil Young as Grunge. I would say he falls more into the folk rock/rock category. I don’t really see the line of comparison that you’re drawing between the Seattle Grunge scene and Young, they’re very different sounds.
steve jordan on January 22, 2005 at 11:56a.m.
Would you classify Pearl Jam as “grunge” in the early nineties scene?
Jeff on January 22, 2005 at 12:32p.m.
Definitely. Vs. and Ten were both grunge albums. Now, as Pearl Jam progressed, I’d say that they’re sound diversified a bit, and a lot of their stuff wouldn’t be classed as grunge.
steve jordan on January 23, 2005 at 9:07p.m.
Would you agree that Neil Young has had a huge influence on Pearl Jam and their sound?
Jeff on January 23, 2005 at 9:36p.m.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that he had a huge influence. I’d say he might have had a bit on Merkinball when PJ and Neil did the Merkinball/Mirrorball release, but other than that they have a sound that is pretty much all their own.
art snob on May 10, 2005 at 5:26p.m.
i wouldnt even consider it grunge at all..
thats kind of an insult. look up the word in the dictionary!?
but to the rest of the world its a scene or a fad!?
the music that came out of seattle and still is.. is music. plain and simple.
grunge is a well thought out gimmick/marketing scheme designed out of tattered jeans, long johns, plaid flannel button ups, you know the thrift store type stuff..
the reason why those bands dress the way they do is because it’s all they could afford, and alot due to the climate of washington…
-but just like every other way of life. it all comes with a label and a price tag.
questions comments e-mail me
probably because i’ll never come across this website again.. doubtfull.
zymez_one@yahoo.com
Justin on May 25, 2005 at 9:42p.m.
The Grunge music scene was a huge part of my teenage years growing up, and it still is to this day. The character of the music was ingenious, the lyrics had meaning and were deep, not like the bubble gum rock of today. What still boggles my mind is how all these bands basically came out around the same time, from the same geographic area, and stil retained their own style and sound from each other. It’s a shame because most kids of today have no idea what real music with real talent and real meaning is. I love Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Mother Love Bone, and Stone Temple Pilots, even though I wouldn`t consider STP grunge, they were still a big part of the overall scene. My personal favorite being Alice In Chains. Rock on to all the people who were there for the ride and still speak proudly of it, one of the best time in modern music history.
Gavin on June 22, 2005 at 4:49p.m.
Grunge was also a huge part of my teenange years. In my opinion the genre has more depth to it than most other genres in music. Bands like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains deserve just as much credit for creating the movement as Nirvana. People who suggest bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden exploited the popularity that Nirvana gained should look into the history of grunge and where these bands came from. Pearl Jam also deserve to be recognised for their efforts to keep the scene alive even if their later albums branched of from traditional grunge.
Hardy on August 19, 2005 at 4:33p.m.
Grunge music did tthee great things.
1.It rid the world of hair bands.
2. It gave a reprive from bubble gum pop.
3. It allowed for hip hop and rap to explode. Grunge opened the door ofr other music genres to come in. Kurt Cobain was a big fan of Rap, and saw himself in the music, and the message. Too bad hip hop has now turned into mainstream bubble gum music, but credit Grunge for opening the door, as people looked to other other forms of music.
For the evidence, just look at when hip hop exploded, almost the same time grunge music died, around 1994.
I miss grunge, there will never be music like it again, or a time like it again.
The world changed when grunge came, and it changed for the better.
Shawn on September 4, 2005 at 9:45a.m.
Im tired of the mighty KC fans calling Nirvana music grunge. If they were any kinda fan you would know he hated that term. I belive the word grunge only applies to the style of the time.The word alternative was just a label. Dont you miss the style the labels.For a short time thats what we looked like @ thats what we are .(Generationx)
justin on September 5, 2005 at 2:25p.m.
I must disagree with you hardy, I don’t think grunge opened the door for rap and hip hop. Music changes every seven years or so, thats all. It just happened to change for the worse. I can’t think of a more horrible time for music then these past few years. And if you think about it grunge didn’t die in 1994. Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were still releasing albums late into 1995 and their videos were all over MTV in 1996, as well as Alice doing their amazing unplugged session in April 1996. If you really think about it the whole seen went away in late 1997, and gave way to this garbage we have to here today.
carlos on September 23, 2005 at 10:39a.m.
grunge is a influntial part of rock history
i have a grunge band and i hope to bring back grung do you think its possble
justin on September 28, 2005 at 4:42p.m.
hey Carlos. If you guys sound then it’s worth a try. Where are you guys from?
carlos on October 3, 2005 at 10:08a.m.
i was born in seattle
but moved to L.A
thats were i met some cool guys who liked grunge so we started a band the sound is like
nirvana+mudhoney+some-punk
caro on February 2, 2006 at 8:39p.m.
i love kurt cobain..
grunge 4ever