Originally Posted by JGuy Grungeman
(Post 1713269)
Here's the article. This is an old one. I wrote it last year, and I'm gonna edit a little bit of it. It's on a private list on RYM. The 3rd section is entirely new.
What Is Grunge?
I. Sound
Grunge is the child of a popular genre known as alternative rock. As an answer to heavy metal, this Seattle-born kid of alternative rock incorporated the fuzzy sound of Seattle's local hardcore punk scene while staying within both fast and slow tempos, and combining it with the heaviness of heavy metal, as influenced in part by sludge band The Melvins. However, grunge stayed within its alternative rock roots, having been influenced by early alt. bands like Dinosaur Jr, Pixies, and Sonic Youth. As far as the sound and the definition of grunge goes, these are some of the major aspects that most grunge bands tend to share.
1. Fuzzy, distorted guitars - Many grunge band sand albums keep what heavy metal and alternative rock albums have: fuzzy and distorted guitars than not only focus on raspiness and sludginess, but are all about riffing. A trait shared with punk and metal.
2. Deep base - A component of hardocre/post-hardcore, many grunge songs carry a deep base to keep a somewhat dark mood.
3. Punk influence - As grunge is often combined with punk and its many substyles, grunge itself take elements from punk. Like punk, grunge has a lack of sophistication, and is about a lack of emotional control.
4. Lazy vocal delivery - Grunge is also known for it lazy style of vocals. This lazy vocal sound was not apparent in all grunge albums, since many grunge albums have been combined with genres from all around the rock world, such as punk, garage rock, garage rock revival, heavy metal, sludge metal, riot grrrl, post-hardcore, noise rock, and even shoegaze and power pop. Grunge may not have any sub-styles (unless one counts grungegaze), but it is easily resonated with other genres.
5. Soft and heavy usage of cymbals - when standing on itself, many grunge songs carry a soft usage of symbols to contradict the dark atmosphere, thus giving more life to the chaotic atmosphere of grunge. Heavier grunge tunes call for more powerful cymbal playing. Either way, grunge uses alot of cymbals.
But what really sets this genre apart from any other genre is the one indescribable aspect that no other genre can copy: the angst. Angst is a feeling of dread or anxiety, both of which reside heavily in grunge. Grunge was a screwed-up rebellion against the the common ideals of mainstream culture, including fashioon, emotional control, politics, social fads, etc., residing to the music of grunge to break out there anger and let their teen spirit out. Grunge was about teenage angst that was built upon a simple combination of anger, sadness, confusion, and disappointment in the word (which is why the lazy vocal delivery helped emphasize that), whereas punk was for anyone angry and rebellious. And a grunge album is not a grunge album without the angst. Grunge is angsty, no matter what emotion is in the song.
II. Culture
Like many genres, grunge has a fanhood and a fad. Grunge's culture was defined by location and fashion, an ironic trait seeing as how grunge was emotionally distraught at mainstream fads. This is a trait shared with both alternative and metal. Grunge was about the teenage angst that resides in all of us, waiting to be unleashed like we wore The Mask.
Location - Where did grunge evolve? Seattle. Seattle was very isolated from common music scenes in the early 80's, and adopted their own hardcvore scene. Because of grunge's connections with Seattle labels like Sub Pop and Glitterhouse and C/Z Records, grunge became known as "Seattle Sound." Sadly, because of this, some grunge fans refuse to accept some grunge bands as grunge if they're not Seattle-based. An example is how some refuse to accept L7 as grunge.
Fashion - The majority of grunge fashion from the acts was mostly based upon unclean facial hair and refusal to keep it clean. This was only a small representation of rebellion of the laws of fashion in the world, the laws that keep men and women in tuxedos and Rolexes while grunge was about the will inside all of us to cool ourselves by venting our anger through music, whether the lyrics themselves were angry or not. The fanhood was into cheap clothing, usually plaid flannal.
III. Grunge in the past and present.
Grunge evolved during the mid 80's, influenced mostly by U-Men. Grunge's sound was adopted by Green River, who broke up quickly and later formed Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, and Pearl Jam. Other notable bands include Soundgarden (who took a lot of Zeppelin influence), Nirvana (who's frontman Kurt Con\bain was in a band with a member of the Melvins), Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Silverchair, and many riot grrrl acts such as L7 and Babes in Toyland. 1991 was the year grunge entered mainstream success with Nevermind, Badmotorfinger, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, Ten, Temple of the Dog, and more. After the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994 and the release on Soundgarden's last album before breaking up, the grunge scene was considered ended.
Today, grunge remains an underground genre with few bands making it into the mainstream because they have been around since the 90's or becausde they are new and talented. Bands like these include Local H, Zico Chain, and Superheaven (fpormerly known as Daylight). Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, and Soundgarden continue to make grunge albums today while Pearl Jam and many grunge acts have moved onto alternative rock and post-grunge.
There have been rumors of a grunge revival in recent years, possibly with a rise in grugnegaze. Grunge itslef has been slowly gaining more albums every year, although the media's involvement is limited. However, grunge itself hasd not taken many further steps into new fame as it is still overshowed by its parent alternative and its brother subgenre post-grunge. It may be a few years before grunge rises again.
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