Any Grunge-Era Rockers about?

[AtomicHyperbole]

I've just been trippin' down memory lane thanks to, of all things, Little Nicky on the television. Starting off checking out (admittedly post-grunge) Filter's Take A Picture thanks to the film, for some reason I started chasing down some grunge-era stuff... OK, I'm talking the era here, no the actual music itself necessarily... recalling Pantera's cover of Planet Caravan (which I can't find on MP3) and then heading on over to remind myself of Blind Melon, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains et al... I'm digging what's coming out now, but its nice to delve back into that warm muddy fuzz of my teenagedom. Music was so more hardcore back then. Slipknot? FUCK OFF! Bring back Sepultura.

Anyone else definite grunge kids? Wish I could dig out my pic of me with long hair...

[Fried Gold]

I was but 12 during the main part of the grunge era, so not particularly.

But I do remember Blind Melon. And I hate all Pearl Jam songs bar one.

[AtomicHyperbole]

HATE ALL PEARL JAM SONGS?

LOL, I was well into Pearl Jam. Until Vitalogy, when they hit the skids and became ultra conservative MOR...

[Fried Gold]

I think Do The Evolution is oustanding. Few other bits of Yield were listenable, but otherwise - hate it.

Do Smashing Pumpkins count as grunge era? I was mad about them. Even had a ZERO shirt.

[AtomicHyperbole]

I count them as grunge... I wasn't so much into them until Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness though.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Anyone else definite grunge kids?

I never went for the "grunge look".

Sure, I had some flannel shirts, with that one being the "irony" flannel (seriously, it was like a flannel shirt had puked up the remnants of 6 other flannels), but grunge broke by the time I was a hip-hop junkie...so no greasy long hair / no no shower look for me, never owned Doc's or Converse.

But I was part of the collective concious that "broke" Pearl Jam. I've 'prolly written about this before, but caught them opening up for the Pumpkins and RHCP back in aught '91. Had never heard of them, and while my older self avoids most opening acts, my younger self was keen to hear any "new" band. One of my best concert experiences, evar. Little did I know that this band that seemed to embody Athena springing from Zeus's noggin', fully formed and ready to kick ass, had in a previous incarnation been Mother Love Bone...all I knew was that I had witnessed history in the making, a stunning performance from a band that knew how to rip it up live.

Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, the incomparable early years of Soundgarden (grunge = Seattle, 'cept for maybe Dinosaur Jr)...little did we know our burgeoning "alternative nation" could be so quickly co-opted by the majors. What was once an epiphany (and hardly that, but little did I know of rock history at the time (the Soncis rule!)), what was once a response to the "hair metal" the 80's had spawned, what was once "our" music became something else entirely. The death rattle that began with with the relatively innocuous Alice in Chains rip-offs STP led to Silverchair, which begat Bush, which...fuck, I mean, Candlebox?! Collective Soul ("Gel" nothwithstanding, but they were Christian, so fuck 'em!)...all of which led to Creed, derivative of a derivative of a derivative...

Kurt saw it all coming, fucker had a "Grunge is Dead" t before anyone.

Grunge, 1986 (or so) - 1994 (or so).

[AtomicHyperbole]

I wouldn't be so hard on STP... they eventually had a psychadelic sound all their own, they were muddy but hardly as outright black as AIC. I'd hardly blame them for the rise of Silverchair and Bush, who DEFINITELY made it their prerogative to collectively rip off Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I remember hearing Bush and thinking... wtf? Why not dig the mans corpse out while you're at it too? Silverchair? Well... less said about them the better.

[Iconoclastica]

I've just been trippin' down memory lane thanks to, of all things, Little Nicky on the television. Starting off checking out (admittedly post-grunge) Filter's Take A Picture thanks to the film, for some reason I started chasing down some grunge-era stuff... OK, I'm talking the era here, no the actual music itself necessarily... recalling Pantera's cover of Planet Caravan (which I can't find on MP3) and then heading on over to remind myself of Blind Melon, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains et al... I'm digging what's coming out now, but its nice to delve back into that warm muddy fuzz of my teenagedom. Music was so more hardcore back then. Slipknot? FUCK OFF! Bring back Sepultura.

Anyone else definite grunge kids? Wish I could dig out my pic of me with long hair...

haha yeah I hear ya man. I'm one of those people who spent high school pissed off that I missed the grunge era (though I dressed the part, at least ^_^) . . . my favorite bands have always been Pearl Jam (pre-mediocrity), Bush, STP, Nirvana (obviously), Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, and just about any other bands of the like that you can name . . . too bad I was like 10 years old when they were all big/in existence . . .

At least some of their remnants are still around/of semi-quality . . . I can't say that Audioslave doesn't make me happy . . . if that doesn't make me sound like too much of a sell out :-p

[Lord Voldemoo]

Hello? Graduated from highschool in 1995 in Washington State, went to college in Seattle.

Yeah...I love me some grunge!

I count them as grunge... I wasn't so much into them until Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness though.

Go buy Siamese Dream...right now!

[sleepflower]

Pearl Jam playing Leeds and Reading festival this year. Shame they clash with soulwax.

I don't really feel bad about missing most of grunge (didn't get into nNirvana til way after the death).

This was mainly cos in the Uk at least we had britpop and indie. Do wish I had got to see smashing pumpkins, hope the reunion will be a good one.

Amazing band, for singles atleast (most of the albums were mediocre, mellon collie was obviously the greatest) for me it was also the videos that set them apart.

[Lord Voldemoo]

See, from top to bottom I greatly prefer Siamese Dream to Mellon Collie. I love Mellon Collie, but I prefer SD as a whole.

[Kilgore]

See, from top to bottom I greatly prefer Siamese Dream to Mellon Collie. I love Mellon Collie, but I prefer SD as a whole.

I completely agree with that Volde - but I totally disagree with the Pumpkins' inclusion in a 'grunge-rock' discussion. Just because they had a crunchier sound and were rising up at the same time doesn't put them in the same category as Green River/Temple of the Dog/ Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, Soundgarden and so on...not saying that 'Grunge' automatically connotates 'from the Pacific Northwest', but most of the primary leaders were from there. The Pumpkins were hard-edged alt-rock to be sure, but not grunge.

[Lord Voldemoo]

See, from top to bottom I greatly prefer Siamese Dream to Mellon Collie. I love Mellon Collie, but I prefer SD as a whole.

I completely agree with that Volde - but I totally disagree with the Pumpkins' inclusion in a 'grunge-rock' discussion. Just because they had a crunchier sound and were rising up at the same time doesn't put them in the same category as Green River/Temple of the Dog/ Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, Soundgarden and so on...not saying that 'Grunge' automatically connotates 'from the Pacific Northwest', but most of the primary leaders were from there. The Pumpkins were hard-edged alt-rock to be sure, but not grunge.

Can't disagree with you Kilgore (look, a love-fest!) I tend to discuss TSP along with the "grunge bands" of the time simply because of the chronology, but they aren't grunge per-se. Grunge was, for the most-part, raw. TSP is much more heavily layered, and they made the inevitable transition into almost pure electronica later in the band's life. When talking about this time in music history as a whole, it may be more accurate to refer to it as "alternative" as a catch-all phrase...though, of course, when Metal died you had to start asking yourself "alternative to WHAT?" lol.

[Kilgore]

...though, of course, when Metal died you had to start asking yourself "alternative to WHAT?" lol.

[Lord Voldemoo]

Do wish I had got to see smashing pumpkins, hope the reunion will be a good one.

I'm pretty curious about the reunion. Sounds like James and D'arcy wont be a part of it...Billy burned those bridges and then followed up with a nuclear strike. Still, Billy did most of the writing for TSP, so it could be good. I have NO idea what it'll sound like, earlier guitar heavy TSP or later electronica? I haven't listened much to Billy's solo album so I don't know where he is, muscially, now.

[Lord Voldemoo]

Who are they? I have never seen them before in my...hey, isn't that one guy in Band of Brothers?!

[Kilgore]

I haven't listened much to Billy's solo album so I don't know where he is, muscially, now.

See:

[sleepflower]

Do wish I had got to see smashing pumpkins, hope the reunion will be a good one.

I'm pretty curious about the reunion. Sounds like James and D'arcy wont be a part of it...Billy burned those bridges and then followed up with a nuclear strike. Still, Billy did most of the writing for TSP, so it could be good. I have NO idea what it'll sound like, earlier guitar heavy TSP or later electronica? I haven't listened much to Billy's solo album so I don't know where he is, muscially, now.

I think his solo stuff was more stripped back. When he was in Zwan, they sounded like the very last stuff pumpkins did.

If we are going more towards alternative, and not just grunge, do Nine Inch Nails get a mention?

[Kilgore]

Do wish I had got to see smashing pumpkins, hope the reunion will be a good one.

I'm pretty curious about the reunion. Sounds like James and D'arcy wont be a part of it...Billy burned those bridges and then followed up with a nuclear strike. Still, Billy did most of the writing for TSP, so it could be good. I have NO idea what it'll sound like, earlier guitar heavy TSP or later electronica? I haven't listened much to Billy's solo album so I don't know where he is, muscially, now.

I think his solo stuff was more stripped back. When he was in Zwan, they sounded like the very last stuff pumpkins did.

If we are going more towards alternative, and not just grunge, do Nine Inch Nails get a mention?

Certainly...if you also mention The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du, The Lemonheads...etc.

'Head Like a Hole' still kicks ass btw.

[sleepflower]

Saw the pixies and NIN last year.

NIN were simply breathtaking, so much so, I saw them again a week later.

Pixies on the other hand were mediocre at best. Glad I saw them, but meant I missed Kasdabian.

Was really hoping for something good, had heard they were good live as well.

[Lord Voldemoo]

I haven't listened much to Billy's solo album so I don't know where he is, muscially, now.

See:

DAMMIT!

'Head Like a Hole' still kicks ass btw.

God yes!

[AtomicHyperbole]

The grunge sound encompasses many styles, that's why I cound TSP in there. But yeah, this is "era" we're talking about, they reacted against "big hair metal" as much as anyone else did at the time. Heavy Metal turned much more serious too with Pantera, MachineHead, Biohazard, Sepultura all becoming major league players.... plus Henry Rollins solidified his status as an art metaller. Even people like Metallica started to jump onto the alt. bandwagon (although Load was a little late to the party).

A bit later bands like Fear Factory and Clawfinger turned up. Hell, anyone remember Dog Eat Dog and Shootyz Groove? I remember Nu Metal rising up through the ranks in the form of Korn's initial album... nothing had really been heard like it before. I saw them nearly 8/9 years ago or so with Limp Bizkit in support! Shame it all went a bit wrong after that. We didn't know then that Limp Bizkit were the purveyors of evil.

[Seppuku]

Colour me contrarian, but SP's best album was Adore. I guess I say that because it's Billy Corgan doing his best New Order impression (and it's got one of the best opening lines of an album I've ever heard, "Twilight fades through blistered avalon").

I would have had a grunge phase if I weren't such a sucker for cleanliness (is godliness and god is empty, just like me ). I'm gonna let you all in on a little secret here that'll probably forever change the way you read my posts: I've got hair down almost to my ass. Not the greasy kind though. And I guess when I started growing it, I was listening to Bush (Razorblade Suitcase), Placebo and Screaming Trees and the like, as well as a whole lot of other stuff.

I'm not sure how I look back at that music; it's got the tunes and everything, but did it really take off? It seems to me like punk music and heavy metal combined, which to me reads: bad punk music. Some of the bands still hold up though, and I still give In Utero, Without You I'm Nothing and Sweet Oblivion the occasional spin. It's just that for every Nirvana you had ten Tads.

I'm more of a Brit-Popper really, I was more into The Verve, Teenage Fanclub, Blur and Pulp (all of whose albums I dig out far more regularly than their grungey older brothers). Despite the fey indie-boy whiner reputation, they seemed much less earnest and far more mercurial, which was more my style. Blur's Modern Life is Rubbish is one of the best British albums of the 90's; it is what living in England was/is like. And Fanclub's Grand Prix is straight-up perfection personified. None of these feedback fests or guitar breaking, just a few Scotsman making great melodies.

So, in conclusion, feel free to take the piss out of my long hair.

EDIT: Sorry if this post reads like me being an elitist schwein, but don't give a dude front just because he's got better taste than you

[TonyWilson]

I'm much more of a Madchester/Brit Pop/Dance fan than a grunge one. Nirvana were juuuuust before my time, I was 12 when Definitely Maybe came out and that was the catalyst that got me into music properly. After that it was all about the Stone Roses and then from that New Order, Joy Division (although listening to JD at 13-14 was bizarre, I just didn't have the emotional complexity to "get" them.)
95 saw The Bends released and Phil Selway citing DJ Shadow as an influence so my Hip-Hop side was born along with a Talking Heads love affair which is still going on to this day.
Overall the one early 90's American band that did anything for me at the time was The Pixies.

[HollywoodBabylon]

Don't forget Sonic Youth, one of the great purveyor's of grunge and US alternative-indie music (ditto Black Flag). Their Daydream Nation album from the 80's predates Nirvana, Pearl Jam etc and is one of the great albums of that era that I've heard, anyway.
Along with the mighty Pixies, they're the best guitar band to come out of the US since the mid-80's and a refreshing alternative to the truely dreadful MOR slush of REM and the like.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

SONIC YOUTH is the greatest band ever. EVER.

Allow me to flex my oldeness, but I was coming of age in the mid to late
80s, so I was a huge fan of all the bands who made grunge possible, but
never really reaped the benefits -- SONIC YOUTH, BIG BLACK, BUTTHOLE
SURFERS, BOREDOMS, DEAD KENNEDYS, et al (not even close to a
complete list, I know, just a sample here) -- so when GRUNGE hit, I have
to admit I was a little pissed off. I completely worte NIRVANA off as
being a bullshit johnny come lately sell-out of all the stuff I loved as a
youngin' but never got props for...

Of course, after getting over the condescending scenester rock snobbery
of "being better than anyone else" (hey, I was young... when did
NIRVANA hit? Like '91? I was 19 at the time) I gave NIRVANA a chance
and found that I actaully really liked them; I mean, yeah, they're
nowhere near as groundbreaking as the bands of the 80s who were
blowing minds to rooms of 20 people because they loved to do it not
for rockstardom, but they still wrote good songs; they were still a good
band, and he clearly meant it; he clearly felt the pain he articulated so
well in his songs... so, after I got over my snobbery, I started to really
like them alot while also bemoaning the fact that the men and women
that made them possible never really got the props they deserved...

[HollywoodBabylon]

SONIC YOUTH is the greatest band ever. EVER.

Allow me to flex my oldeness, but I was coming of age in the mid to late
80s, so I was a huge fan of all the bands who made grunge possible, but
never really reaped the benefits -- SONIC YOUTH, BIG BLACK, BUTTHOLE
SURFERS, BOREDOMS, DEAD KENNEDYS, et al (not even close to a
complete list, I know, just a sample here) -- so when GRUNGE hit, I have
to admit I was a little pissed off. I completely worte NIRVANA off as
being a bullshit johnny come lately sell-out of all the stuff I loved as a
youngin' but never got props for...

Of course, after getting over the condescending scenester rock snobbery
of "being better than anyone else" (hey, I was young... when did
NIRVANA hit? Like '91? I was 20 at the time) I gave NIRVANA a chance
and found that I actaully really liked them; I mean, yeah, they're
nowhere near as groundbreaking as the bands of the 80s who were
blowing minds to rooms of 20 people because they loved to do it not
for rockstardom, but they still wrote good songs; they were still a good
band, and he clearly meant it; he clearly felt the pain he articulated so
well in his songs... so, after I got over my snobbery, I started to really
like them alot while also bemoaning the fact that the men and women
that made them possible never really got the props they deserved...

I first heard Sonic Youth in the mid-90's (a bit late, I know, but they were a little before my muso-listening time). I've been a fan ever since and along with The Pixies they're the only US bands of that era who I make a point of listening to on a fairly regular basis - albeit with the amount of music I consume it's not a s regular as perhaps it should be.

[so sorry]

I turned down a ticket to the 1992 Lalapalooza tour becuase i was a fucking lazy college bum who didn't feel like taking a long car ride. I missed the following in all their grungy goodness: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Pearl Jam, Lush, Temple of the Dog, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine
i know, rage isn't grunge, but what a rediculously awesome lineup at the infancy of a mini-musical revolution, and i passed 'cuase i was too tired!

[AtomicHyperbole]

Oh man. Why haven't you killed yourself in despair yet?

[so sorry]

too lazy.

[John-Locke]

When I was 12 I had long hair, wore a long leather jacket, wore a Rage Against the Machine FUCT (in style of Ford Badge) Long Sleeve T-shirt and listened to Pearl Jam, Nirvana, STP, Alice in Chains, Sound Garden, Blind Melon, Temple of the Dog etc.

Yes I was into Grunge (until I hit 14 or so)

[DrillerKiller]

Are The Melvins considered grunge? I've fucking loved that band ever since I heard Houdini, their sound just slays me, and Buzz Osbourne is one of my most respected musicians, not for his technical ability but for his passion.

Otherwise I mostly sat around listening to STP (Core is to this day in my top 5 albums), AIC, Blind Melon, Temple of the Dog and a little bit of Pearl Jam, yet for reasons unknown to me I have always hated Nirvana and probably always will. Bleach had a few cool tunes alright, but I just went so off them after Nevermind that I actually went on the offensive against anyone who said they're the best band going.

I can't figure me out sometimes.

[Vegeta]

I graduated High School in 1992, so I was definetly a grunge kid. Loved all of the bands, except for the knock offs. Saw almost all of them live at one point or another (except Pearl Jam, still haven't caught them yet, probably won't).
1992 was about the time I stopped listening to speed metal (Metallica, Anthrax, Sepultura, Death, Testament...ect), and tried other stuff. Grunge, alt, indie, never liked punk... still don't, never will.
I've never had long greasy hair... well, in 1997 I grew my hair shoulder length all the way around, but then Hanson broke and one of the kids had the same hair, so I had to cut it.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

SONIC YOUTH is the greatest band ever. EVER.

Rather Ripped, is, well, like the title says.

Nice to see them changing pace and keeping us on our toes all these years in.

Are The Melvins considered grunge? I've fucking loved that band ever since I heard Houdini, their sound just slays me, and Buzz Osbourne is one of my most respected musicians, not for his technical ability but for his passion.

heh, well after your "meh" attitude towards Nirvana, I hesitate to say that Kirk listed them as a HUGE influence.

I wouldn't say they're "grunge", but rather a strong influence upon.

[DrillerKiller]

Yeah I always thought they were sludge/doom, but I've been told otherwise by many people since.

I honestly can't validate my opinion on Nirvana. I like alot of similar music, but for some reason they always rubbed me the wrong way. Go fig!

[Brocktune]

there is no such thing as "grunge" outside of the industry manufactured "grunge" bands like candlebox. all of those bands from seattle were just punk rock bands. as soon as nirvana went huge, the record companies smelled cash, and their entire local scene was exploited, and the marketing term grunge was created. i loathe that term, and find that most of the bands that are considered grunge are not.

and as a huge (no pun intended) fan of the melvins, ive got to say, not only were they not grunge, but they were the fucking greatest band to come out of the area. and indeed, without the melvins, there owuld have been no nirvana. fuck, if you listen to bleach, it sounds like cobain was trying pretty hard to sound like the melvins. im sure it doesnt help that dale crover played on two tracks on that record.