Babes In Toyland -- better than Nirvana

[mystical crow]

To me, Babes In Toyland were/are the band that defined "grunge" music.
If Jann Wenner and MTV had any balls, they would have built BIT into the legendary slot that Nirvana now occupies. Truth be told, they felt music wasn't ready for an all-female band that kicked butt. Instead, they propped Nirvana up and killed Kurt Cobain by doing so.

Those wanting proof of the true power of Babes In Toyland need only listen to their best work "Fontanelle." Which kicks "Nevermind" into the dirt and leaves it crumpled in the dust.
"Bruise Violet" is meaner and uglier than anything on "Nevermind." Guitarist and vocalist Kat Bjelland has the voice and snarl that Kurt Cobain wished he had.

While Nirvana is long dead, Babes In Toyland are back after almost two decades. They played at the Roxy in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 12, meaner and grittier than ever. If BIT decides to tour, a new generation has the chance to rectify past injustices.
I was privileged enough to see BIT a couple of times in the 90's. Few bands of that era could match them in intensity. I saw them open for Dinosaur Jr. once and blow them off the stage and into a back alley.

[Indie Alternative Säger]

It just ain't doing it for me.

Nirvana >

[Black Francis]

Bold statement.



So this is the song that shames Nevermind?

It sounds like a Melvins or L7 track. it is good i'll give you that but imo is not better than Nirvana.

This is something Nirvana would've done in Bleach but outgrew in their way to In Utero.

[skimminstones]

never got into them personally, always just seemed an average band with no real depth to them other than "look girls can thrash a guitar too"

[Psy-Fi]

Originally Posted by skimminstones

never got into them personally, always just seemed an average band with no real depth to them other than "look girls can thrash a guitar too"

My thoughts exactly! I saw them in the early 90's and I also saw Nirvana a couple of times back then and I wouldn't rate Babes in Toyland better than a 3 out of 10. I thought they were rather awful to be honest.

[Chula Vista]

Originally Posted by mystical crow

If Jann Wenner and MTV had any balls, they would have built BIT into the legendary slot that Nirvana now occupies.

Huh? What propped Nirvana up so much that Rolling Stone and MTV had no choice but to jump on the band wagon were the great songs on Nevermind. Teen Spirit being the one that took the country by a storm.

[Neapolitan]

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Huh? What propped Nirvana up so much that Rolling Stone and MTV had no choice but to jump on the band wagon were the great songs on Nevermind. Teen Spirit being the one that took the country by a storm.

I don't know if Nirvana deserves it, but that is how history has it. I guess because Hair Metal ran it's course and became so trite no one could bear it any more it was possible any band could be the next new thing. There were a lot of good bands in the 80s, and early 90s. But for whatever reason Nirvana was prompt up as thē band. I don't mind Nirvana, but I don't think they were not the end all be all of Alternative-Rock. I never felt the necessity to buy a Nirvana CD, even now I'm not so compelled to listen to album online for free.

[Chula Vista]

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

I don't know if Nirvana deserves it, but that is how history has it.

What a lot of people don't remember is what was playing on the radio and topping the charts right before Nirvana broke. You had steady doses of MJ, Whitney Houston, Boys to Men, and lots of other artists that were far from being considered rock.

Nevermind broke big on the strength of those singles and ultimately knocked Michael Jackson out of the #1 spot on the Billboard album charts.

All of a sudden crunchy guitars and heavy drums were mainstream again once the grunge bandwagon gained full speed.

To me that is Nirvana's legacy. They were the ones that busted down the R&B, pop, and ballad dominance of the airwaves.

[Neapolitan]

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

What a lot of people don't remember is what was playing on the radio and topping the charts right before Nirvana broke. You had steady doses of MJ, Whitney Houston, Boys to Men, and lots of other artists that were far from being considered rock.

Nevermind broke big on the strength of those singles and ultimately knocked Michael Jackson out of the #1 spot on the Billboard album charts.

All of a sudden crunchy guitars and heavy drums were mainstream again once the grunge bandwagon gained full speed.

To me that is Nirvana's legacy. They were the ones that busted down the R&B, pop, and ballad dominance of the airwaves.

People talk about how "Nevermind" revolutionized the 90s. Electric Warrior had as much influence on 90s music and that was recorded two decades earlier. There were college radio bands like REM and U2 that were crossing over to household name fame, some felt they sold out by then but at least they were doing something other than what you mention (i.e. MJ, Whitney Houston, Boys to Men stuff). Whether you like them or not they were pushing what became known as Alternative Rock to the public's conscience well before Nevermind. And don't forget people like Bob Mould and Ian MacKaye with with their sweat and bare hands literally paved the way for bands like Nirvana. Smashing Pumpkins had Gish out on May 28, 1991 months ahead of Nevermind and Gish is 10 times better. Pennywise (album) and Girlfriend were also ten times better, and they only came out almost a month later.

I don't get it and I never will. I think the OP is right.

A list of a few albums release in 1991, regardless of genre, better than Nirvana's Nevermind:

• blur - Leisure
• Chapterhouse - Whirlpool
• Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
• Enya - Shepherd Moons <-
• Kitchens Of Distinction - Strange Free World
• LFO - Frequencies
• Mr. Big - Lean into It
• Pennywise - Pennywise
• Primus - Sailing the Sea of Cheese
• School Of Fish - School Of Fish
• Screaming Trees - Uncle Anesthesia
• Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
• Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
• Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
• SRV (and Double Trouble) The Sky is Crying

[Josef K]

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

What a lot of people don't remember is what was playing on the radio and topping the charts right before Nirvana broke. You had steady doses of MJ, Whitney Houston, Boys to Men, and lots of other artists that were far from being considered rock.

Nevermind broke big on the strength of those singles and ultimately knocked Michael Jackson out of the #1 spot on the Billboard album charts.

All of a sudden crunchy guitars and heavy drums were mainstream again once the grunge bandwagon gained full speed.

To me that is Nirvana's legacy. They were the ones that busted down the R&B, pop, and ballad dominance of the airwaves.

Is it just me or is this post basically "Nirvana made white people cool again"?

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

Oh, Nevermind.