Alternative Rock Music of the 1990s

Alternative Rock Music of the 1990s

April Vela

Ms. Langston

Ms. Gowen

January 6, 2014

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Introduction

The alternative rock scene emerged in the early 1990s with various rock bands that sought to destroy the glam rock bands that poisoned American society during the 1980s. These glam rock bands were interested in only three commodities: sex, drugs, and money. Bands like Poison, Motley Crue, and Cinderella became famous during the 1980s, but not because of their music. Their wild and teased hair, heavy make up, and tight leather outfits made them the poster children of a new era of post-KISS music and glamour. However, when bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots emerged in the early 1990s, America’s youth turned their eyes from the bright, bizarre, and ridiculous music of the 1980s towards a sound familiar to the 1970s generation of music lovers who adored Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Cheap Trick, Queen, and The Beatles. The melancholy, dark, and disturbing lyrics, guitar riffs, and vocals demonstrated by the alternative music scene attracted a generation of children disconnected from society, authority, and even themselves. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots conveyed the idea that it was okay to hurt and cry during an era when self-esteem appeared to be at the forefront of American education. Much like the 1970s, the 1990s required musicians to represent the rights and voice of those who remained silent for so long: the youth.

Nirvana

Nirvana entered the music scene in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington. Spearheaded by Kurt Cobain, Nirvana included members David Grohl and Krist Novoselic. Nirvana’s first album, Bleach, was released in 1989. Nirvana became popular when they released

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their first single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” from the album Nevermind. Cobain was referred to as the man who spoke on behalf of “Generation X.” Although Cobain hated to think of himself as a spokesman or representative, he was bestowed the title after his immediate rise to stardom. Nirvana’s next album, In Utero, did not sell as many records as their previous album, but was still a success among various music charts. Nirvana’s success came to a sudden end when Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home in 1994.

It was speculated that Cobain committed suicide with a shotgun. However, some speculate that a hit man who may have been hired by Courtney Love, Cobain’s wife at the time, killed Cobain. Despite the various theories for how Cobain died, America’s youth found itself lost and disoriented, frustrated by the loss of an American musical hero. Cobain died at the age of twenty-seven, the same age as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. Some people believed that it was Cobain’s fate: to die a musical martyr, never to see the destruction of music that soon arrived in the late 1990s by various boy bands and pop singers who mouthed meaningless dribble of unimportant ideas. Thank God for David Grohl, who continued his musical success with his band, the Foo Fighters.

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam was formed in 1990 out of the ashes of Mother Love Bone, a band started by Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Andrew Wood. After the passing of Andrew Wood due to a drug overdose, Ament, Gossard, and McCready were uncertain about the fate of their musical direction, if one even existed. After meeting Eddie Vedder (Edward Louis Severson III) and listening to his deep vocals, Ament,

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Gossard, and McCready invited Vedder to join their band and begin the musical process of constructing powerful lyrics coupled with loud guitar riffs. Thus, Mookie Blaylock was formed, named after the basketball player, Mookie Blaylock, whose number was ten. After being threatened with a possible lawsuit, Mookie Blaylock had to change their name. The name selected was Pearl Jam.

Pearl Jam’s best-known album and most popular album according to various musical charts was Ten, named after Mookie Blaylock’s basketball number. Songs like “Even Flow,” “Jeremy,” and “Alive,” caused Pearl Jam’s immediate success. Similar to rock music of the 1970s, Pearl Jam’s sound varied from loud, powerful rhythms, to soft and sardonic melodies, speaking to a generation of misfits and socially awkward teens. Vedder’s lyrics imposed political frustration grouped with his own personal history of an abnormal and depressing childhood. Pearl Jam is a band that continues to make music today. Their discography includes Ten (1991), Vs. (1993), Vitalogy (1994), No Code (1996), Yield (1998), Binaural (2000), Riot Act (2002), Pearl Jam (2006), and Backspacer (2009).

Soundgarden

Soundgarden emerged out of the Seattle “grunge” scene, much like Pearl Jam. Soundgarden began in 1984 with Chris Cornell, Hiro Yamamoto, and Kim Thayil. Eventually, Matt Cameron joined the band. Cornell’s loud and powerful vocals mimicked that of Freddy Mercury of Queen and thus became one of the most influential

rockers and vocalists of the 1990s. The band produced such albums as Ultramega OK,
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Louder Than Love, Badmotorfinger, Superunknown, Down on the Upside, and King Animal. King Animal was recently released after sixteen years. Soundgarden broke up in 1997 after creative differences emerged between Cornell and Thayil. Cameron, then, joined Pearl Jam. However, Soundgarden reunited in 2010 and recently put out an album.

After Soundgarden’s split in 1997, Chris Cornell pursued a solo career. In 1999, Cornell put out an album entitled Euphoria Morning. Cornell, then, formed a group with the members of Rage Against the Machine, excluding Zack De La Rocha. Audioslave was born and released three albums: Audioslave, Out of Exile, and Revelations. Cornell left the band in 2007, which resulted in the break-up of Audioslave. Cornell continued to pursue a solo career and worked with various musicians, such as Timbaland and Slash. The reunion of Soundgarden in 2010 and their recent album was promoted and supported by Pearl Jam. Soundgarden is ranked at #14 of VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Alice in Chains

Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley formed Alice in Chains in 1987 in Seattle, Washington. Alice in Chains combined heavy metal with acoustic tones. Much like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, Alice in Chains rose to fame as part of the alternative rock scene and Seattle grunge scene. Their most notable songs include “Man in a Box,” “Rooster,” and “Angry Chair.” In 1996, Alice in Chains performed for MTV’s MTV Unplugged, which they admitted was one of their best performances. Alice in Chains produced four albums in the fifteen years they were a band: Facelift, Dirt, Jar of Flies, Alice in Chains, Black Gives Way to Blue.

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In 2002, Layne Staley died in 2002 from a mixture of heroin and cocaine. Police discovered his body in his Seattle condominium, after decomposing for two weeks. Jerry Cantrell dedicated a 2002 solo album to Staley and Pearl Jam composed a song entitled “Save You” about drug addiction. Mike Starr, drummer of Alice in Chains, was found dead in 2011 after combining methadone and anxiety medication. It was clear the Starr began to spiral out of control as seen on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Starr was the last person to see Staley alive and regretted not calling 911 after visiting Staley and witnessing how sick Staley appeared. He blamed himself for Staley’s death.

Conclusion

Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots became a vital necessity to music and American society during the 1990s. Their music explored topics ranging from suicide, drug addiction, isolation, war, politics, and personal hell. Their music allowed teenagers and young adults to identify and connect with one another in a long journey through irony and sarcasm about reality and what it meant to be young during an era of great social and political resistance. The alternative rock bands of the 1990s reminded American and the world of what it meant to be human, both pain and pleasure. Although drugs appeared to be a dominant cause to the downfall of many bands, the music influenced later rock bands such as Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, and System of a Down, all of whom have maintained the hard rock tradition of telling it like it is and remaining true to the pure essence of beauty and music.

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Works Cited

Doe, John. Man in a Box. New York: Penguin Company, 1999.
Henley, Patricia. Five Against One: The Pearl Jam Story. Denver: MacMurray Publishers, 2003.
“The Pearl Jam Story.” 5 May 2000


“Stone Temple Pilots.” 19 Apr. 2009


Yeahman, Sarah. “Alternative Rock.” 11 Nov. 2010

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Nirvana Alice in Chains

Pearl Jam

Soundgarden