Grunge is an alternative rock genre and subculture which emerged during the mid-1980s in the U.S. state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of punk rock and heavy metal. The genre featured the distorted electric guitar sound used in both genres, although some bands performed with more emphasis on one or the other. Like these genres, grunge typically uses electric guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals. Grunge also incorporates influences from indie rock bands such as Sonic Youth. Lyrics are typically angst-filled and introspective, often addressing themes such as social alienation, self-doubt, abuse, neglect, betrayal, social and emotional isolation, addiction, psychological trauma and a desire for freedom.
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often credited with helping popularize grunge music. The label's roster includes Fleet Foxes, Beach House, The Postal Service, Sleater-Kinney, Flight of the Conchords, Foals, Blitzen Trapper, Father John Misty, clipping., Shabazz Palaces, Weyes Blood, Guerilla Toss, Bully, Low, METZ, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, TV Priest and The Shins. In 1995, the owners of Sub Pop sold a 49% stake of the label to the Warner Music Group.
Bleach is the debut studio album by American rock band Nirvana, released on June 15, 1989, by Sub Pop. After the release of their debut single "Love Buzz" on Sub Pop in November 1988, Nirvana rehearsed for two to three weeks in preparation for recording a full-length album. The main recording sessions for Bleach took place at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle, Washington between December 1988 and January 1989. It is the only Nirvana album released on the Sub Pop label and their only album to feature drummer Chad Channing.
Tad was an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1988 by Tad Doyle. They are often recognized as one of the first bands of the grunge era.
"Negative Creep" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the seventh song on their debut album Bleach, released in June 1989.
Screaming Life is the debut EP by American rock band Soundgarden, released in October 1987 by Sub Pop. Screaming Life was later combined with the band's next EP, Fopp (1988), and released as the Screaming Life/Fopp compilation album in 1990.
Jack Endino is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhoney, Soundgarden and Nirvana. He was also the guitarist for Seattle band Skin Yard, which was active between 1985 and 1992. Endino currently manages a studio in Seattle called Soundhouse Recording.
The Gits were an American punk rock band formed in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1986. As part of the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the early 1990s, they were known for their fiery live performances. Members included singer Mia Zapata, guitarist Joe Spleen, bassist Matt Dresdner and drummer Steve Moriarty, and, briefly, Bob Lee. They dissolved in 1993 after the murder of Zapata.
Blood Circus was a short-lived band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1988 that has been described as sludge metal or grunge. Rock journalist Ned Raggett writing in AllMusic describes the band's music as "rough and ready, sludgy guitar rock with a bad attitude".
Doug Pray is an American documentary film director, producer, editor, and cinematographer who often explores unique subcultures in his films.
Nirvana – A Classic Album Under Review – In Utero is a 2006 music documentary released exclusively to DVD dealing with grunge band Nirvana's third studio album, In Utero. The film purports to offer a "rare insight" into the influential music group, and consists of live and studio performances by Nirvana, interspersed with interviews with the band and with music industry notables and experts. It was released on November 21, 2006, and has a running time of 70 minutes.
Primal Rock Therapy is an EP by Seattle grunge band Blood Circus, released in 1989 by Sub Pop. It was reissued on CD in 1992 with seven additional 1989 tracks: the band's first non-album single and five unreleased tracks. It was produced by grunge producer and Skin Yard guitarist Jack Endino. Music photographer Charles Peterson shot the cover image.
Dekema Records is a record label that first achieved notice in the 1990s for releasing the EP "Stripped" by the seminal grunge rock group the Fire Ants. Dekema used music producer Jack Endino to record the band at Word of Mouth studios in 1992. Endino is best known for producing "Bleach" by Nirvana and his work with Sub Pop artists such as Mudhoney and Soundgarden.
Jack Endino is an influential audio engineer and musician particularly associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement.
Hit So Hard is a 2011 American documentary film directed by P. David Ebersole. The film details the life and near death story of Patty Schemel, drummer of the seminal '90s alternative rock band Hole, and charts her early life, music career, and spiral into crack cocaine addiction. The film weaves together Hi8 video footage Schemel recorded while on Hole's 1994-95 world tour with contemporary interviews with her, bandmates Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, and Melissa Auf der Maur, as well as her family members. The film also features interviews with other female drummers and musicians, including Nina Gordon, Kate Schellenbach, Gina Schock, Debbi Peterson, and Phranc.
"Spank Thru" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears on the compilation album Sub Pop 200, released in December 1988.
Thomas McKay Martin Jr., known professionally as T. J. Martin, is an American filmmaker. Martin's film Undefeated (2011), for which he was co-director, co-editor, and co-cinematographer, won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, making Martin the first film director of African-American descent to win an Academy Award for a feature-length film.
6 Songs for Bruce, also commonly known as the 4-Track Demo, is an early single-sided demo cassette tape by American rock band Soundgarden.
Teen Angels was an American grunge rock band. It was formed by singer Kelly Canary and another former member of the band Dickless, drummer Lisa Smith, along with Julie Ransweiler. Nalini Cheriel (Adickdid) was also a member at one point. They released two EPs on Scooch Pooch, and then a single and an album (Daddy) on Sub Pop.
Susan Jean Silver is an American music manager and businesswoman, best known for managing Seattle rock bands such as Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Screaming Trees. Silver also owns the company Susan Silver Management, and co-owns the club The Crocodile in Seattle. Silver was named "the most powerful figure in local rock management" by The Seattle Times in 1991.
