Alan Cross comments on Rock music today

Originally posted by uzless
Then explain why there hasn't been anything close to widespread and big since the rise of the internet. If it has so much potential, where are the results? It's been 15 years and nothing.


(unless you want to pass the mantle to Hip-Hop)

Grunge artists have been outsold by country artists, hip-hop artists, pop artists, rock artists, metal artists, emo kids and the Wiggles. Baggy jeans, skinny jeans, white sneakers, cloggs and hoodies have all outsold flannel shirts. And what about that Spongebob Squarepants?

Have you been drinking?


I thought we agreed sales don't mean much since the people were making mixed tapes and High Speed Dubbing their friends cassettes rather than buying CD's. The people buying CD's were mostly older adults who weren't into the grunge thing. But this doesn't mean the movement wasn't widespread....it just wasn't reflected in the sales.


You seem to be arguing that the grunge movement wasn't widespread; An argument I don't see anyone who is under 35 and over 25 agreeing to.

Originally posted by darvlay
Hey! Garage bands aren't drivel, but you're right, grunge is not a musical style at all, it was a fashion trend more than anything.

I disagree, darv. I think that you can very accurately name which bands were part of the grunge movement. I could tell at the time without ever seeing what they looked like.

Originally posted by uzless
Pfft, the internet helps to spread "one hit wonders". That's all you are talking about.

15 years and nothing.


You sound like all the maple leaf fans talking about how one day, "Antropov will be a great player!!"....even though it's been 8 years and the guy is still worse than a bag of marbles.

Emo did. It's crap, but that's beside the point.

Originally posted by badmoon
I disagree, darv. I think that you can very accurately name which bands were part of the grunge movement. I could tell at the time without ever seeing what they looked like.

Nirvana had a few good songs, the rest all sucked piles.

Pearl Jam was God's judgment on a useless generation.

Originally posted by badmoon
I disagree, darv. I think that you can very accurately name which bands were part of the grunge movement. I could tell at the time without ever seeing what they looked like.

Yes but, soundwise, what set these artists apart from other "underground" rock artists of the same time?

What is it about Pearl Jam and Nirvana's sound that makes it distinctly grunge instead of just being punk or rock and roll?

Also, why are Pearl Jam and Nirvana even clumped together when they don't sound a thing alike?

Originally posted by darvlay


What is it about Pearl Jam and Nirvana's sound that makes it distinctly grunge instead of just being punk or rock and roll?

Also, why are Pearl Jam and Nirvana even clumped together when they don't sound a thing alike?

Good points.

Originally posted by darvlay
Yes but, soundwise, what set these artists apart from other "underground" rock artists of the same time?

What is it about Pearl Jam and Nirvana's sound that makes it distinctly grunge instead of just being punk or rock and roll?

Also, why are Pearl Jam and Nirvana even clumped together when they don't sound a thing alike?

As a generality the grunge bands had a slower pace, vocals that would go from subdued to a screaming wail, focus on vocals, lyrics dealing with alienation.

Originally posted by badmoon
As a generality the grunge bands had a slower pace, vocals that would go from subdued to a screaming wail, focus on vocals, lyrics dealing with alienation.

Grunge bands had a slower pace?

Is that the case for Mudhoney, The Melvins, Nirvana? NOPE.

Vocals that would go from subdued to a screaming wail?

The only "grunge" artist I know who ever wailed was Cobain. Do you have any other examples?

Focus on vocals?

A wee bit general, don't you think?

Lyrics dealing with alienation?

This is a stereotype. Most lyrics written by Pearl Jam, Nirvana and others are completely cryptic with very subtle subject matter.

Sorry, I don't buy what you're selling here.

Anyone else here want to take a stab?

Originally posted by darvlay
Grunge bands had a slower pace?

Is that the case for Mudhoney, The Melvins, Nirvana? NOPE.

Vocals that would go from subdued to a screaming wail?

The only "grunge" artist I know who ever wailed was Cobain. Do you have any other examples?

Focus on vocals?

A wee bit general, don't you think?

Lyrics dealing with alienation?

This is a ster ...[text shortened]... r.

Sorry, I don't buy what you're selling here.

Anyone else here want to take a stab?

Flannel shirts?

Originally posted by Palynka
Flannel shirts?

Now we're getting somewhere!

How about location?

Originally posted by darvlay
Now we're getting somewhere!

How about location?

That's a given, but after that...I'm stumped.

The main contribution of Seattle to rock and roll history was its murder of "mainstream" hair metal which had well overstayed its welcome and whose artists had become irrelevant and boring to a new generation of teenagers. The Seattle movement brought kids back to no-fringe rock and roll and, for me personally, introduced me to Sub Pop records whose bands changed my musical leanings forever.

Originally posted by darvlay
The main contribution of Seattle to rock and roll history was its murder of "mainstream" hair metal which had well overstayed its welcome and whose artists had become irrelevant and boring to a new generation of teenagers. The Seattle movement brought kids back to no-fringe rock and roll and, for me personally, introduced me to Sub Pop records whose bands changed my musical leanings forever.

I'll go along with that.

Originally posted by darvlay
Now we're getting somewhere!

How about location?

Smashing Pumpkins...Chicago
Stone Temple Pilots.....San Diego