Music Appreciation: Grunge

[FlókiXHarley Quinn™]

Genre Name: Grunge

Where did it originate from?: Seattle Washingotn 1987, Inspiration taken from the Portland Punk scene.

Main Bands / Musicians: Green River (First Grunge band), Hammerbox (The forgotten Seattle grunge band), Silverchair, Hole, Nirvana. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Chirs Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Smashing Pumpkins, Tad, Bush, L7, Dinosaur Jr, Stone Temple Piolets, Melvins, Mudhoney, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Mad Season, Temple Of The Dog, Sonic Youth + thousands more.

Related Genres: Indie Grunge, Alternative Rock, Post-Grunge, Hardcore Punk, Noise Rock, Heavy Metal.

Small History / Overview.

People say to be grunge you must of had to come out of Seattle in the 90's, well the critics are wrong, Grunge is actually a Portland genre of music, many of it's influences came from the punk band The Wipers and the DIY Seattle punk scene. in 1986 Green River released there first album, there vocal input is not as hardcore as hardcore punk and there electric guitar was different it was Grunge.

At the same time a small record label known as Sub pop signed Green River plus a whole bunch of bands like Sonic Youth, U-Men, Shonen Knife and many others most of there songs would be added to comp's Sub Pop made heaps of various Grunge comps from 1986 - 2000's

Another popular Grunge record was C/Z Records and released a lot of Hammerbox and Coffin Break records amongst many others they would close in 2001 due to the decline in grunge.

By the 90's bands like Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Screaming Trees amongst many others were having great success in Seattle they hit the mainstream not long after Pearl Jam and Soundgarden would form up in 1991.

By 1995 each state like the punk scene had there own Grunge scene so New York had Sonic Youth, California had Stone Temple Piolets, Texas had Paw, Toads and Tripping Daisy, Chicago had Vercue Salt and New Brunswick had Eric's Trip (The First Canadian Grunge band) along with Nickleback.

Australia well we had Newcastle Grunge scene which was fronted by Silverchair, Ammonia from perth and many other bands.

The UK had Bush and Fudge Tunnel

After grunge declined due to the main bands lead singers either passing away or the bands disbanded Grunge was gone well that was until 2018, now we are in the new Grunge Revival scene which has a lot more different influnces and is more underground / unknown.

These new bands are Electric Zebra (Brisbane Aus), Uniquent Dead (UK) plus heaps others bandcamp is a great way to find these talented grunge bands.

Lets see what you think share your favourite song / known bands or any local scenes.

[AcidDragon]

I was actually into Alice in Chains and being a Canadian, somewhat into Nickelback, but didn't really get into the other groups you have listed here!

[FlókiXHarley Quinn™]

You should try Eric's Trip they were the first Canadian band to sign with Sub Pop

There early cassetts are Lo-Fi as they were recorded in there bungalo in the woods, they also done a whole bunch of Indie / Alt rock and Grunge

Erics Trip Smoother

[FlókiXHarley Quinn™]

Erics Trip First cassette Demo



Extremly rare nowadays but you can hear they were a great grunge band even know it was a poor recording, it's sad that Erics Trip did not get the reconition that Nirvana or Alice In Chains did as Erics Trip would of fitted in well in the mainstream.

[FlókiXHarley Quinn™]

Just found another new Grunge Revival band from Nanuet New York Dumpcake.

They can only be found on Bandcamp at the moment

https://dumpcakeofficial.bandcamp.com/album/hello-2

great debut album by the lads.

Also another band is Polluted from Oak View California they sound amazing both there albums are loud, clunky guitars like Green River and Nirvana early stuff were.
https://apollutedband.bandcamp.com/album/downhill

[Doctor Fate]

I'm from Seattle and I'm not that familiar with this music but pretty much all my girlfriends were and I had a hard time enjoying it and wasn't my cup of tea. I'm familiar with Pearl Jam ... just vaguely at the beginning of their existence and after 2-3 years ... I gave up.


Most of my ex-girlfriends were Kurt Cobain fans and I don't have any favorites and I was constantly bombarded with his music for most of the 8 years with them and thankfully not until 2001 ... I stopped listening to it and I just had a hard time enjoying it. I rather listen to Pearl Jam than Kurt.


None of my older brothers liked it. I had three of them.

[AcidDragon]

Haha, in the 90s, what girl wasn't obsessed with Kurt Cobain?

[Doctor Fate]

Haha, in the 90s, what girl wasn't obsessed with Kurt Cobain?

I had a hard time dealing with it and I always turned down my hearing aids to avoid listening to him and refrain from being critical about it.

[AcidDragon]

Probably the smartest and most diplomatic way to deal with it, Doc!

[FlókiXHarley Quinn™]

Haha, in the 90s, what girl wasn't obsessed with Kurt Cobain?

So true almost everyone was obssed with Kurt, though i prefer the demo cassettes and rare songs over the mainstream reruns.

When i say Mainstream i'm talking about songs like "I'm On A Plane" "Come As You Are" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" they are the three songs that are played almost all the time on radio where people forget that Nirvana played way better songs such as "Pay To Play" "Negative Creep" "Return Of The Rat" and "Spank Thru" (From the demo days Spank Thru is much better then studio recorded).