ninehertz

1. • pull-my-plonker
   • Was just watching my Nirvana DVD-documentary-live-music thing and wondered what people on here think of the whole grunge movement?
     
     I used to be well into Nirvana, but have always thought Nevermind was the weakest record they did. It's pretty interesting how a band like that can reach worldwide fame, despite their image, expertise and low career aspirations. It would be like Fu Manchu headlining Glastonbury now.. maybe!
     
     Most people (I imagine!) will agree that Soundgarden were pretty awesome, despite Cornell being a cockend. But there were tons of other decent bands that cae with that scene - Melvins, Tad, Mudhoney, Alice in Chains, etc.
     
     Anyways, who are the lovers and the haters?
   • [21:49 on 15/01/11]
2. • sabbathfan
   • Interesting that this thread should be made as I bought a Kurt Cobain biography today and am reading it now.
     
     Once one gets past the media hysteria, Nirvana were a very good band. Not the greatest musicians, but they sure did have a knack for a good song. Nevermind is perhaps overplayed but an undeniably strong and catchy record. I think my favourite of theirs might still be the MTV Unplugged record though.
     
     As for the other bands.... Soundgarden I am liking more and more; Superunknown is that very rare thing - a long record with no filler tracks. That is a VERY hard feat to pull off and I'm always amazed by it when I play it.
     
     AIC are brilliant and Dirt is a classic. The sheer bleakness of the material does get quite wearing but the songwriting is just superb. The recent album was I thought one of the finest records of the last decade as well; amazing how the band has been resurrected in such an unbelievable way.
     
     Pearl Jam I like but I've never been that engaged by them tbh.
     
     One final point - I never understand why some people refer to 'grunge' music with disdain, or why there is supposed to be this big rivalry between metal and grunge. Fact is all 'grunge' music is just late 80s/early 90s hard rock, with some punk and metal influences but mostly a TON of 70s inspired stuff as well. So I don't get why it's hived off under 'grunge'.
   • [22:51 on 15/01/11]
3. • Hopkins
   • grunge was a fashion, not a musical genre
   • [09:57 on 16/01/11]
4. • Biledriver
   • Plonker - you might want to consider watching Hype! as it focuses on the lesser-known grunge acts of the time and the effect the whole media scrum had on Seattle. Worth a watch.
     [Edited by Biledriver at 22:44 on 16/01/11]
   • [22:42 on 16/01/11]
5. • mike
   • Don't like Nirvana, never understood the hype.
     
     Same with Soundgarden.
     
     Like a little Alice In Chains, love The Melvins (but wouldn't insult them by lumping them with the 'grunge' tag)
     
     Sonic Youth are the best thing to have come out of that particular area of music to me.
   • [00:04 on 17/01/11]
6. • bad admiral
   • i like alice in chains and mudhoney. that is all. all other grunge can leche mes balons.
   • [00:11 on 17/01/11]
7. • FDFC
   • Nirvana were huge influence on me in my early playing days. The shadow of Cobain's influence hangs over me to this day. I've never been a virtuoso guitarist because he was such a sloppy player. What I lack in actual talent I try to make up for in rockin' out/feedback solos.
     
     Obviously, not being 13 any more, I appreciate Nirvana with a depth beyond "zomg dey r amazing and der singerr is dead lol".
     
   • [09:46 on 17/01/11]
8. • pull-my-plonker
   • Biledriver says:

     Plonker - you might want to consider watching Hype! as it focuses on the lesser-known grunge acts of the time and the effect the whole media scrum had on Seattle. Worth a watch.
     
     
     Cheers Biler!! I shall try to look that up...
     
     What Sabbathfan posted up absolutely hits the nail on the head for me - well said, my Iommian friend.
     
     I'd never really thought of Sonic Youth as being anywhere near grunge, but perhaps you do have a point Mike - it's like prog to me, but proper depressing - 'Dirty' and 'Daydream Nation' are great albums. I see a lot of Sonic Youth in Radiohead to be honest.
   • [21:48 on 17/01/11]
9. • Gareth
   • FDFC says:

     Nirvana were huge influence on me in my early playing days. The shadow of Cobain's influence hangs over me to this day. I've never been a virtuoso guitarist because he was such a sloppy player. What I lack in actual talent I try to make up for in rockin' out/feedback solos.
     
     
     
     I learned to play via Stone Temple Pilots and AIC tab books. 'Creep' and 'Plush' were the 1st 2 songs I ever played all the way through and I think STP is where my love of random jazz chords in rock songs comes from.
   • [21:51 on 17/01/11]
10. • mike
    • pull-my-plonker says:

      
      
      I'd never really thought of Sonic Youth as being anywhere near grunge, but perhaps you do have a point Mike - it's like prog to me, but proper depressing - 'Dirty' and 'Daydream Nation' are great albums. I see a lot of Sonic Youth in Radiohead to be honest.
      
      
      Think its that waster air about them and the muddy guitar tone, Mudhoney too! Maybe more garage rock?
    • [01:33 on 18/01/11]
11. • Eggy
    • I got into rock and metal when I was about 16, some of the first bands I listened to were grunge, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and STP. It took me ages to appreciate AIC, I only ever really listened to Dirt and never really the whole album. As for Nirvana, I liked some of their stuff, but wasn't keen on the heavier tracks, I mostly listened to Nevermind. I still only have that and ...the muddy banks... on CD, got the other albums on tape but not fussed enough to buy the CDs.
      
      One of the main reasons I didn't get into Nirvana as much as the other grunge bands was cos I couldn't decipher the lyrics (I did buy a very nice blue tie dye long sleeved t-shirt, though). Then I got sick to death of hearing them everywhere so that was reason number two.
      
      Bush's 'sixteen stone' album was one of my favourites too, even though the majority of people saw them as rip off artists.
    • [10:05 on 18/01/11]
12. • basstard
    • Nirvana wrote some decent songs but were masively overrated. Saw them with Tad in 1989 and they were shit; whiny spoilt-kid moaning antics from KC; the audience were laughing at him by the end. Tad were ace though.
      
      The term never really made any sense to me because the difference in sound between the various bands who got tagged as grunge was huge. Any band with guitars and a checked shirt was suddenly grunge. The first reviews I remember seeing of Unsane and Monster Magnet even referrred to them as grunge....duh..
      Of the Seattle/ NW USA bands who carried the label/ curse I only rated Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Tad and the Melvins.
      I never could stand Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots. Hated them with a passion.
    • [13:11 on 18/01/11]
13. • Tino Insana
    • basstard says:

      
      Of the Seattle/ NW USA bands who carried the label/ curse I only rated Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Tad and the Melvins.
      
      
      
      This.
      
      Also, I remember reading somewhere that on the Nirvana/TAD tour you mentioned, both bands were sharing a small van and Tad Doyle had chronic diarrhea the whole trip. Imagine.
    • [18:28 on 18/01/11]
14. • pull-my-plonker
    • Tino Insana says:

      basstard says:

      
      Of the Seattle/ NW USA bands who carried the label/ curse I only rated Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Tad and the Melvins.
      

      
      
      This.
      
      Also, I remember reading somewhere that on the Nirvana/TAD tour you mentioned, both bands were sharing a small van and Tad Doyle had chronic diarrhea the whole trip. Imagine.
      
      
      Yeah I've read that somewhere too. Terrifying.
      
      STP always pissed me off. I nearly died laughing when I heard that Scott Weiland's wife literally threw him out of his own house then destroyed all of his clothes!!
    • [23:05 on 18/01/11]
15. • tftr_si
    • haha. That TAD tour must have been...tough.
      
      Is the biog "heavier than heaven". I have that. It's a VERY good read.
      
      Personally, Nirvana inspired me to pick up a guitar. I can't listen to Nevermind anymore. Just..overplayed. In Utero is my fave album I think.
      Other Grunge-era bands I listened to are Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, Pavement, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains.
      As for STP, I love their riffs and chords but there's something that bugged me about them...I can't put my finger on it!
      
    • [15:03 on 01/03/11]
16. • Mazz
    • I'm listening to In Utero at the moment. Just thought I would say that.
    • [15:08 on 01/03/11]
17. • tftr_si
    • Mazz says:

      I'm listening to In Utero at the moment. Just thought I would say that.
      
      
      Such a cool album. I LOVE the drum sound on it.
      
    • [15:09 on 01/03/11]
18. • Mazz
    • tftr_si says:

      Mazz says:

      I'm listening to In Utero at the moment. Just thought I would say that.

      
      
      Such a cool album. I LOVE the drum sound on it.
      
      
      
      I was thinking that..it's a very BIG drum sound. Kurt is begining to piss me off though.
    • [15:10 on 01/03/11]
19. • Hopkins
    • tftr_si says:

      Mazz says:

      I'm listening to In Utero at the moment. Just thought I would say that.

      
      
      Such a cool album. I LOVE the drum sound on it.
      
      
      
      the sound of live drums in a big room, being pounded by a beast of a drummer that's been well recorded. pure bonham worship
      i love it
    • [15:12 on 01/03/11]
20. • tftr_si
    • aparently our drummer's kit belonged to bonham. it's an old Rogers kit.
      A true story though? who knows...
    • [15:23 on 01/03/11]

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