What is "Grunge"? Really.

What I remember is that the term Grunge wasn't quite so much about a certain sound per se, as much as an image that was supposed to be the antithesis of the 80's image. That is to say the early 90's musician guy was supposed to dress more like your next door neigbor's teenage son than the 80's musician guy who dressed like your next door neigbor's slutty aunt. A new image for a new generation.
I think the musical stereotypes have hardened since, and Grunge has come to signify also a style of music that was influenced by Punk and College rock and went on to influence Nu Modern hard rock or whatever it's called. But when it started it was fairly diverse. The harder edge of alternative rock but, encompassing several styles from Pearl Jam's radio hits to Tad Doyle's gritty rumbling.

SAHB Healer wrote:

What I remember is that the term Grunge wasn't quite so much about a certain sound per se, as much as an image that was supposed to be the antithesis of the 80's image. That is to say the early 90's musician guy was supposed to dress more like your next door neigbor's teenage son than the 80's musician guy who dressed like your next door neigbor's slutty aunt. A new image for a new generation.


I think the musical stereotypes have hardened since, and Grunge has come to signify also a style of music that was influenced by Punk and College rock and went on to influence Nu Modern hard rock or whatever it's called. But when it started it was fairly diverse. The harder edge of alternative rock but, encompassing several styles from Pearl Jam's radio hits to Tad Doyle's gritty rumbling.

Very well states, SAHB Healer. I was watching Heavy: The Story of Metal the other night and when they got to the part about Punk music in the first hour, I couldn't help but think that Grunge, like Punk was brought on by Metal and the lack of originality/ saturation that was happening in the end of the 70's and the end of the 80's. Peace.

the sentinel wrote:

SAHB Healer wrote:

What I remember is that the term Grunge wasn't quite so much about a certain sound per se, as much as an image that was supposed to be the antithesis of the 80's image. That is to say the early 90's musician guy was supposed to dress more like your next door neigbor's teenage son than the 80's musician guy who dressed like your next door neigbor's slutty aunt. A new image for a new generation.


I think the musical stereotypes have hardened since, and Grunge has come to signify also a style of music that was influenced by Punk and College rock and went on to influence Nu Modern hard rock or whatever it's called. But when it started it was fairly diverse. The harder edge of alternative rock but, encompassing several styles from Pearl Jam's radio hits to Tad Doyle's gritty rumbling.

Very well states, SAHB Healer. I was watching Heavy: The Story of Metal the other night and when they got to the part about Punk music in the first hour, I couldn't help but think that Grunge, like Punk was brought on by Metal and the lack of originality/ saturation that was happening in the end of the 70's and the end of the 80's. Peace.

Perfectly stated and 100% agree or as required fields would say:

I listened to Ultramega OK and Louder Than Love last night, these albums still sound GREAT...no matter what genre you lump them into.

I had forgotten how "doomy" some of the tracks like "Beyond The Wheel" and "Gun" are.

the sentinel wrote:

I was watching Heavy: The Story of Metal the other night and when they got to the part about Punk music in the first hour, I couldn't help but think that Grunge, like Punk was brought on by Metal and the lack of originality/ saturation that was happening in the end of the 70's and the end of the 80's. Peace.

I was going to mention the parallel between the relationship/reaction between Hair/Grunge and Keith Emerson type Prog-flash & Punk, but I didn't go that deep. It was a repeat of the same "back to basics" ethic in a way, although it was a different era too.

What is metal, really?

Grunge to me seems to be a mix of Sabbath fuzz and alternative rock.

candlemass wrote:

What is metal, really?

It's the stuff that makes me scream out, my nipples stiffen, sends shivers down my spine and puts a smile on my face. Oddly enough, a nice Italian dinner with some good wine gives me the same reaction. Weird. Which is partly the reason the wife and I don't go out to dinner much anymore.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

candlemass wrote:

What is metal, really?

It's the stuff that makes me scream out, my nipples stiffen, sends shivers down my spine and puts a smile on my face. Oddly enough, a nice Italian dinner with some good wine gives me the same reaction. Weird. Which is partly the reason the wife and I don't go out to dinner much anymore.

So i guess a night out at Pizza Hut with a heavy metal juke box is paradise.

Troublezone wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

candlemass wrote:

What is metal, really?

It's the stuff that makes me scream out, my nipples stiffen, sends shivers down my spine and puts a smile on my face. Oddly enough, a nice Italian dinner with some good wine gives me the same reaction. Weird. Which is partly the reason the wife and I don't go out to dinner much anymore.

So i guess a night out at Pizza Hut with a heavy metal juke box is paradise.

I said NICE Italian dinner. Pizza Hut's are banished from my town. The South Philly mob (which doesn't exist) made sure of that.

Troublezone wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

candlemass wrote:

What is metal, really?

It's the stuff that makes me scream out, my nipples stiffen, sends shivers down my spine and puts a smile on my face. Oddly enough, a nice Italian dinner with some good wine gives me the same reaction. Weird. Which is partly the reason the wife and I don't go out to dinner much anymore.

So i guess a night out at Pizza Hut with a heavy metal juke box is paradise.

MetalRob331 wrote:

Grunge to me is a style that is basically not heavy enough to be metal and not soft enough to be alternative.

well said dude!

Addy wrote:

I said MOST not ALL

Im a big fan of Grunge music, It was something I could relate to when I was younger, it was nice to hear songs about angst and stuff instead of women and sex. I think the biggest thing I liked about Grunge was it let me express my creativity (am an aspiring writer) When Nirvana and STP and Pearl Jam first came out I couldnt stand them. I still cant stand Pearl Jam but Nirvana I got hooked when their unplugged performance first aired. Now I got most of the nirvana catalog and alot of Imports. STP it took their 2nd album for me to get hooked and I have their entire catalog. I love STP i can listen to STP alot more now than I can with Nirvana but I still loves it

me too. i love NIRVANA

grunge for me is an sub-genre of ALTERNATIVE ROCK !! that makes may head-bang if i hear NIRVANA songs

Pimp wrote:

grunge for me is an sub-genre of ALTERNATIVE ROCK !! that makes may head-bang if i hear NIRVANA songs

I like you already.

detuned wrote:

I listened to Ultramega OK and Louder Than Love last night, these albums still sound GREAT...no matter what genre you lump them into.

I had forgotten how "doomy" some of the tracks like "Beyond The Wheel" and "Gun" are.

Two of my favorite albums, I LOVED early Soundgarden.

Schbopo wrote:

Pimp wrote:

grunge for me is an sub-genre of ALTERNATIVE ROCK !! that makes may head-bang if i hear NIRVANA songs

I like you already.

tnx for that .. i like you too!!

SAHB Healer wrote:

What I remember is that the term Grunge wasn't quite so much about a certain sound per se, as much as an image that was supposed to be the antithesis of the 80's image. That is to say the early 90's musician guy was supposed to dress more like your next door neigbor's teenage son than the 80's musician guy who dressed like your next door neigbor's slutty aunt. A new image for a new generation.
I think the musical stereotypes have hardened since, and Grunge has come to signify also a style of music that was influenced by Punk and College rock and went on to influence Nu Modern hard rock or whatever it's called. But when it started it was fairly diverse. The harder edge of alternative rock but, encompassing several styles from Pearl Jam's radio hits to Tad Doyle's gritty rumbling.

That sounds about right. It did seem like a total revolt against 80's hair metal.

hen8 wrote:

grunge for me is an sub-genre of ALTERNATIVE ROCK !! that makes may head-bang if i hear NIRVANA songs

I like grunge beyond Nirvana, they're a good band but there's other good grunge out there.

They should have termed it garbage.

Lurideath wrote:

They should have termed it garbage.

Yes.

I like a lot of grunge.

Screaming Trees, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, early Pearl Jam...

I'm not sure what classifies those bands as "grunge" beyond the fact that they all originated in the Northwest but since I'm not a genre nazi, I don't care how you classify that sound, I just know I like it.

EDIT: Not a big Nirvana fan though; I think they're the first "emo" band.

tohostudios wrote:

I like a lot of grunge.

Screaming Trees, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, early Pearl Jam...

I'm not sure what classifies those bands as "grunge" beyond the fact that they all originated in the Northwest but since I'm not a genre nazi, I don't care how you classify that sound, I just know I like it.

EDIT: Not a big Nirvana fan though; I think they're the first "emo" band.

I'd still say Alice In Chains and Soundgarden were metal. They wrote some heavy stuff.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...sub-genre "labels" are superfluous...record company suits trying to find a catchy phrase they can use for promotion purposes.

"Grunge" is the stuff in that pan underneath your refrigerator...it's not a musical term and means nothing.

I just finished reading a book called Nirvana a Biography by Everett True, the author was/is a writer for British magazine NME and was friends with both Courtney and Kurt. It was a long read but it did delve into the whole "Grunge" scene funny thing with Nirvana is that they were among the first to be successful, Kurt Cobain always considered Nirvana a Punk Rock band, Grunge is a corporate term. Even the Olympia bands whom Kurt had tried to associated himself with alienated Nirvana because in their eyes Nirvana sold out and were too commercial. One of the reasons why they did In Utero was to not be so commercial IMO Grunge was very corporate, from the label to the actions of bands like Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Hole, etc....I think if Nirvana didnt do that last tour I think Kurt would still be alive but thats a whole differant discussion I think