Overview
The genre of alternative rock emerged during the 1980s in the wake of punk rock, new wave, and music released on independent labels. In this lesson, we will consider the origins of alternative rock and two of the most successful early alternative rock bands. We will then survey several major subsets of the alternative rock movement that were popular in the early 1990s, including grunge rock, the riotgrrrl movement, and jam bands. The music of alternative rock is bound not by a specific sound or musical style but rather by a rejection of corporate or commercial values.
Objectives
- Recall the primary values and ideas of alternative rock
- Identify the main stylistic and aesthetic elements of grunge rock
- Identify the main stylistic and aesthetic elements of the riotgrrrl movement
- Identify the main stylistic and aesthetic elements of jam bands
Grunge Rock continued
The most popular single from Nevermind was "Smells Like Teen Spirit ♫," and MTV's heavy play of the video helped promote the single, the album, and the band. The single features Cobain's angst-ridden lyrics delivered, at various points, in screams, grows, snarls, and a near-whisper. Sections of the song alternate between distortion, clarity, and straightforward melodies. The music video combined images of teenage cheerleaders with symbols of anarchy, and both the song and video spoke to millions of fans in their articulations of isolation, rage, and anxiety.
Cobain and the other members of Nirvana had a troubled relationship with success and fame. They viewed major labels and commercial success as forces of evil, yet they and their music were embraced by these forces and thrust into stardom nearly overnight. In a 1989 press release for Sub Pop records, the group wrote, "Nirvana sees the underground scene as becoming stagnant and more accessible to big league capitalist pig major record labels. But does Nirvana feel a moral duty to fight this cancerous evil? No way! We want to cash in and suck up to the bigwigs in hopes that we too can get high and fuck. Soon, we will need groupie repellant." To Nirvana, mainstream success and major record labels conflicted with the values of artistry and independence that the group cherished.
In 1993, Nirvana released their third and final studio album, In Utero. This album returned to the abrasive, unpolished sounds of Bleach and the group's early days in Seattle. Further, Cobain's lyrics on the songs of In Utero directly addressed his troubled personal life and the band's battle with fame and celebrity. Songs such as "Rape Me ♫" and "Heart-Shaped Box ♫" reflect Cobain's struggles, complete with heavily distorted guitars, strong drumming, and richly melodic hooks.
All the while, Cobain was struggling with depression and drug addiction. He married Courtney Love, the lead singer of grunge band Hole, and the two reportedly used heroin together frequently. Early in 1994, Cobain attempted suicide with an overdose of drugs and alcohol. In April of 1994, he successfully took his own life. Cobain's death devastated a generation of listeners, some of whom saw him as a martyr for artistic vision in the face of the capitalist music industry, and others of whom saw him as a victim of success and the inherent pressures success could bring to a musician. Cobain's suicide and the dissolution of Nirvana left a gaping hole in the world of grunge and alternative rock. Dave Grohl started the band the Foo Fighters, and Krist Novoselic has played with several different bands, including the Foo Fighters.
In the wake of Nirvana's demise, another Seattle band, Pearl Jam, rose to prominence. Their complex textures and guitar riffs show the influences of 1960s musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead. Their lyrics addressed dark grunge rock topics such as depression and loneliness. Pearl Jam's first album, Ten (1991), was a tremendous commercial and critical success, but it also drew sharp criticism. Kurt Cobain accused them of selling out, a sentiment that was echoed by a number of critics. In the face of this criticism, Pearl Jam continued to tour and promote their own particular brand of anti-commercial values. Pearl Jam was also vehemently opposed to commercialism, refusing to allow Ticketmaster to control the cost of tickets to live shows. In fact, they unsuccessfully sued Ticketmaster for unfair business practices; for years, they boycotted and refused to play in Ticketmaster venues. Starting with their second album, Vs. (1993), Pearl Jam also refused to release music videos for their singles. They claimed that they wanted people to hear their music without having any specific visual images attached to the sounds. By the release of 1994's Vitalogy, most of Pearl Jam's songs were about the pressures of fame and commercialism.
“Grunge was so self-consciously lowbrow and nonaspirational that it seemed, at first, impervious to the hype and glamour normally applied swiftly to any emerging trend. But sure enough, grunge anthems found their way onto the soundtracks of television commercials, and Dodge Neons were hawked by kids in flannel shirts saying, 'Whatever.' “
