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sick-sad-little-world · 2 years

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My Top 10 Grunge Music Videos

In response to this cliched thing I saw on another blog, here’s a top 10 list that doesn’t suck.

(And, I’m going to try not to make it 100% AIC and Soundgarden videos, lol.)

Honorable Mentions:

- Pixies, “Here Comes Your Man”

Technically not grunge, but Nirvana wouldn’t exist without ‘em, so they deserve a mention. Love the cutesy, yet very unsettling vibe of this video.

- Sonic Youth, “Dirty Boots”

Also not really grunge, but it’s hard to leave off a music video that such a perfect depiction of a grunge mosh pit, complete with kids dressed in flannel and Nirvana shirts. (Kim and Thurston were good friends with Kurt.)

- Nirvana, “Heart-Shaped Box”

I find Nirvana to be really overrated/overplayed/overexposed, but if there’s a music video of theirs that warrants remembering, it should be this one rather than the cliche that is “Teen Spirit.” In Utero was a far better album than Nevermind.

- Alice in Chains, “Rooster”

This video is VERY intense and not really that rewatchable, but it’s a work of art. Powerful depiction of the reality of war.

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10. Hole, “Miss World”

No, I don’t hate Courtney. She’s problematic and very messed-up in a lot of ways, but I’m not going to deny that Live Through This is an amazing album. And, this song/video best captures the “sad prom queen” theme of that album.

9. Mudhoney, “Suck You Dry”

This video just makes me smile. Love them making fun of the commercialization of grunge and the Seattle scene.

8. Alice in Chains, “Grind”

Always loved the dark/light contrast of this video, as well as seeing the “Tripod dog.” Tripod is a really underrated album.

7. Soundgarden, “Blow Up the Outside World”

Soundgarden’s final music video before breaking up and effectively the last one of the “grunge era.” Love what they did with the dark Clockwork Orange vibe, which perfectly matches the theme of the song.

6. Temple of the Dog, “Hunger Strike”

I feel like this was the video where Chris finally got to look like the talented musician he was and not just a screaming shirtless hunk.

5. Mad Season, “River of Deceit”

This video is as beautiful as the song. Layne looks like an angel.😇❤️

4. Alice in Chains, “Down in a Hole” and Soundgarden, “Burden in My Hand”

These videos belong together thematically, so I’m giving them the same spot. I like to see it as Chris’ way of letting Layne know he cares.❤️

3. Alice in Chains, “I Stay Away”

Very cool concept with the puppets. Gives the video an extra creepy vibe, while also complementing the somewhat whimsical feel of the song.

2. Pearl Jam, “Jeremy”

Pearl Jam didn’t do many music videos, but this one was... just powerful.😮 Just a brutal depiction of a lonely, desperate kid. MTV ended up banning this one for a reason.

1. Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun”

If there’s a truly “iconic” grunge music video, it’s this one. “Teen Spirit’s” reputation mostly comes from being the first grunge song Middle America heard. “Black Hole Sun,” on the other hand, was a genuine work of art. Full-blown Stepford Horror.

Beavis & Butthead loved it. Chris’ look in the video may have inspired Trent Lane. Its place in pop culture is secure.

#soundgarden #alice in chains #pearl jam #important #video

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jjmichie · 5 years

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The Day I Met Layne Staley

June 9th, 1991. So I’ll cut to the chase for people who don’t have time to read this whole saga: 1) nothing sexual happened, 2) I ended up with a wad of mashed potatoes down the front of my shirt, and 3) this is quite possibly the lamest backstage story in the history of rock. Despite that, if there was ever a day in my life I could re-live, it would be this one.

Forest Lake, Minnesota. My roommate and I decided to check out the ‘Clash of the Titans’ show, which was playing at this weird outdoor venue called “Trout Air,” where people literally go to fish. But anyway, my roommate looked like a supermodel, and had a knack for good fortune, and today was no exception. We get there, and literally within minutes of arriving, we’re standing to the side of the general seating area, and a golf cart pulls up alongside us, with a bunch of sort of scary looking dudes piled onto it. One of them, with lovely long brown hair and sunglasses, says, “Hey, get on” to us.

My roommate and I look at each other and shrug, and then get on the golf cart, which was already overloaded, so we literally had to sit in the laps of some of the guys in the back. The driver flashes his laminate to the security guard, and the cart drives between some trailers and picnic tables and dumps us all out in front of one particular trailer. The group all went into the trailer, so we followed. We learn the guy with the pretty hair is “Sean" but the rest of the entourage is actually a combination of road managers and some local guys who are only backstage because one of them works at a record store.

The whole group seems … different than the other characters on the lawn. They have facial hair. They aren’t wearing tight jeans. We feel out of place in our black miniskirts and heels, and also sort of freaked out at being in this strange band’s trailer. We strike up a conversation with the record store boys, who are the most approachable of everyone in the trailer, and turn out to be really nice. Feeling kind of dumb, I lean up to one of them and ask “Who IS this band?”

“Alice in Chains.”

Here’s the point in the blog post where I wish I could say that by 1991 I was already way into Alice in Chains and totally well-versed in bands like Green River and Mudhoney and the Melvins, etc etc, but the truth is … our apartment was decorated with a lifesize cardboard cut-out of Bon Jovi, along with posters of Skid Row, the Black Crowes, Slaughter, GNR. I had no idea who Alice in Chains were.

The record store boys went on to explain they are only THERE to see Alice in Chains, and don’t even care whether they see the other bands, not even Megadeth. Intriguing …

At this point there is some commotion by the door of the trailer, and an amazing burst of loudness and raw energy suddenly enters the trailer. Noise, motion, a total change of mood immediately encompasses the whole space. My roommate and I were still standing shyly by the door, gaping at the mass of dreadlocks and facial hair and shirtless tattooism that had suddenly appeared before us. In his hand, he held a large bowl of what looked like mashed potatoes, in the other, a spoon. Upon seeing my roommate and I, he took one look and then dug out an enormous scoop of the potatoes, and plopped it onto the front of my roommate’s low-cut heavy-metal-girl shirt. I was next in line, and also got a plop of mashed potatoes on my black baby-doll style top. Then he continued down the line of people, but the bowl was basically empty at that point, so no one else was subjected to potato-ing to the extent we were. Why did he have potatoes? It was weird. But anyway, then it was kind of awkward because it’s not like there was a towel or anything handy to clean it up with. In hindsight, I’m sure he was just being rowdy, but at the time I remember being really embarrassed and feeling like he must think we’re dorks. It was, of course, Layne. Sigh. He was followed by the BLONDE member of the band, but I pretty much missed out on being introduced to him because I was still trying to recover from the potato incident.

They were only in the trailer for a few minutes, and then had to leave to do their show.

They came back again after their set, but we didn’t interact with them any more. We did end up having an enjoyable rest-of-the-day. I met Dave Mustaine, which for me at the time was a highlight. We made good friends with the record store boys. I ended up dating one of them, and he later showed me a picture that someone had taken of me and him on that day. Layne Staley is literally SITTING ON A PICNIC TABLE IN THE BACKGROUND of the photo. And we were just hanging out with each other, ignoring him.

Anyway, sad to say, that’s basically it. That’s my story. I told you it was lame. If only I had known who they were. I want so badly to go back and have a do-over, and just watch them and be with them and soak in everything they said and did. Jerry Cantrell!!! Was right there! Within touching distance!! Mike Starr! Layne! WTF??? Who gets to experience that??? And I blew it.

Anyway, after that I continued to hang out with the record store boys, who would soon initiate me into the coolness that was Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Tad, and all the other amazing music that was happening right under my nose. I was excited at the time because I felt like we were onto something that no one else knew about. But no sooner had I thought that then all of those bands started getting rotated regularly into the MTV cycle that we had going 24/7 on TV, and of course, then they took over the world! :-D

So there you have it. That’s how I came to be a grunge fan!

[Made a minor edit. My roommate insists it was Sean, not Mike, who invited us onto the golf cart. She has a better memory than me so I made the update]

#layne staley #alice in chains #missed opportunities #grunge #jerry cantrell #dave mustaine #megadeth #clash of the titans #90s music #mike starr

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zso1chelmno · 7 years

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BACK TO THE 90’!

Are you one of these persons who are tired of newdays music, newschool style and 2010’ clear sounds? Of course you are! How about building a time machine to go back to the year 1990. To be a witnesses of dirty grungy style rising. So, wear a huge flannel shirt, old jeans and worn sneakers and prepare yourselves to the time trip.

The first person who used the term “grunge” is Mark Arm. He characterized the music he played in Green River. It was the band formed in Seattle (which is also the origin city of grunge) in the half of 80’. It was the beginning.

It’s impossible to write about everything grunge is connected. The most important things about the Seattle Sound: it characterized by a dirty sound, overdriven heavy guitars, squealing bass, strong drum beat and powerful vocals. You all know Nirvana with their ‘Smells like teen spirit’, right? They don’t even compare to other less-know grunge band you probably don’t (but you should!) know.

Alice in Chains, for example. These guys play for today despite death of Layne Staley, the frontman of this group. Let’s focus of their 90’s activity. They has got their unique style. Harmonized vocals of Staley and Jerry Cantrell (guitarist) were hypnotizing people attending on Alice in Chains’ concerts. This band had a huge influence on the grunge style. They popularized frayed jeans and dr. Martens’ boots (with Pearl Jam of course).

Also there were full-of-energy Pearl Jam, Soundgarden with Chris Cornell on vocals and characteristic variables meter and Mother Love Bone offering the glam style and Led Zeppelin references. And of course punky dirty sounding Mudhoney! You may not know that all these bands despite the various music style has a lot in common. After narcotic-caused death of Andrew Wood there were made a tribute band called Temple of a Dog that recalled all these bands musicans.

It’s impassible to describe a grunge in short text. To understand it it’s a necessary to hear The Music. So, let the oldschool be with you. Stay grunge! ~Groszov

#pearl jam #alice in chains #mother love bone

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nehistripesseattle · 6 years

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RECORDINGS VIEW; No 'Just Say No' Sloganeering For Alice in Chains by JON PARELES nytimes.com Oct. 25, 1992 As a matter of careerbuilding, most up-and-coming rock bands probably wouldn't choose to devote their second album to unremittingly bleak, unmistakably direct songs about heroin addiction and death. But that's exactly what Alice in Chains has done on "Dirt" (Columbia 52475; CD and cassette), an album that zoomed into the Top 10 upon release. With titles like "God Smack," the band's songwriters, Jerry Cantrell (guitar) and Layne Staley (vocals), don't hide behind euphemisms; in "God Smack," they tell an addicted friend, "Can't get high, or you will die." Alice in Chains emerged from Seattle at the end of the 1980's, alongside Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Mudhoney. Like its fellow grunge-rockers, the band is steeped in late-1960's, early-1970's hard rock from the era before heavy metal's conventions hardened. Guitars, buzzing and wailing and chomping through wah-wah pedals, are the core of the music; with slow-grinding riffs and long-suffering lyrics, Alice in Chains is closest to Pearl Jam among its local compatriots. As Seattle has become famous for its flannel-shirted guitar-wringers, its rockers have also become notorious for heroin abuse. Andrew Wood, lead singer of Mother Love Bone (the band whose members went on to form Pearl Jam), died of an overdose in 1990 (rest in comment below) #nytimes1992 #aliceinchains #laynestaley #mikestarr #jerrycantrell #seankinney #dirtalbum #columbiarecords #1992grunge #seattleicons #jonpareles #chriscuffaro #chriscuffarophotography #nehistripesmusiczine (at Seattle, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpcdMU_FWNN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=f8vc02m26sp3

#nytimes1992 #aliceinchains #laynestaley #mikestarr #jerrycantrell #seankinney #dirtalbum #columbiarecords #1992grunge #seattleicons #jonpareles #chriscuffaro #chriscuffarophotography #nehistripesmusiczine

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