And that this collective concept includes many different directions. One of these areas is grunge. The grunge style has become one of the most notable trends in alternative rock and has left a noticeable mark on the history of rock music. And although grunge reached its apogee in the early 1990s, it still finds its grateful listener today.
The grunge style began to take shape in the mid-1980s, and soon became recognizable due to the special sound that was formed under the influence of punk rock, hard rock, thrash and even heavy metal. Smart people There are two periods in the development of grunge. The first is from 1981, when Mark Arm, vocalist Green bands River, wrote to one of the local music magazines an article in which he first used the word grunge to define the sound of one of the teams. The second stage in the development of grunge came in the late 1980s, when a small American Seattle began its creative way four teams that would later become his epitome of grunge. The Big Four are Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. However, these bands were preceded by lesser known acts such as Green River, Skin Yard, Screaming Trees and L7. By the way, you should not think that there were only four groups in Seattle that played grunge, according to some sources, their number reached 25. All these teams experimented with sound and style, which was typical for the alternative scene of that time. Such experiments were not always successful - early representatives grunge played very heavy, non-melodic music, which was difficult for the average listener to perceive.
Then, in the late 1980s, the bands that played grunge, were doomed to an obscure existence, and the ultimate dream could be a concert in some local club. This was true until the breakthrough made by the so-called "Seattle wave" of grunge. Groups of the "big four" were more melodious, touched on topical social problems and were understandable to the listeners, despite the specific sound and characteristic vocals. So, in 1990, Alice In Chains released the album "Facelift", which received platinum status in the United States. The album sold two million copies across America, which was a real success for an alternative character team. The next breakthrough was made by Pearl Jam with the album "Ten", which was released in 1992. However, it is unlikely that any of them could compare in popularity with the Nirvana group, which released the Nevermind album in 1991. The musicians themselves hardly expected such success, which fell upon them after the release of the album. The deafening popularity of Nirvana opened grunge to the whole world.
What conquered the grunge of its listeners? IN musically the grunge style is quite simple - a simple rhythm section, rather monotonous guitar parts, guitar solos, if any, are also not distinguished by cunning. The vocals in grunge are emphatically emotional, the vocalist not only sings, but also screams, groans and whines plaintively, although there is no place for the extreme vocal techniques we are used to in grunge, the vocalist only conveys emotions and enhances the impression of the lyrics. Lyrics in grunge matter a lot. The main theme is social problems, aggression, loneliness, unhappy love, drugs, depression. This thematic focus determined the popularity of grunge among teenagers, for whom the semantic content of the songs was very close. Grunge found its expression not only in music, but also in clothes - torn jeans, sneakers, plaid shirts, jackets stretched on the elbows. This bum-style, obtained in second-hand stores, has become an alternative to everything neat, glamorous and fashionable. The underlined disregard for the norms of decency and morality, expressed by all appearance, also fell in love with teenagers.
By the mid-1990s, the grunge style was rapidly dying out. This was largely due to the death of Kurt Cobain, but it is not necessary to argue that grunge ended at this sad event. The albums Superunknown by Soundgarden and Vitalogy by Pearl Jam, released after Cobain's death, gained considerable success. These bands no longer had the previous success, but new releases did not go unnoticed. However, for grunge, everything has already been decided. By the end of the decade, other significant style teams ended their musical careers. Only Pearl Jam seems to exist today, although the latest audio novelties are already far from the terry grunge that the group performed ten years ago.
Grunge bands are no longer shown on MTV, they do not have a million-strong army of fans, but the topics raised by grunge performers in their time are still relevant not only for teenagers, but also for older people. Perhaps that is why sometimes you so want to get the dusty "Nevermind" from the shelf and quietly hum the songs you have heard to the holes.
Grunge is a stylistic trend in rock music (a variant of "new wave grunge metal"), which has become one of the most notable phenomena of alternative rock in the late 1980s - mid-1990s. Motherland… Read all Grunge is a stylistic trend in rock music (a variant of "new wave grunge metal"), which has become one of the most notable phenomena of alternative rock in the late 1980s - mid-1990s. The birthplace of grunge was the city of Seattle (USA, Washington state), the most prominent representatives- Four Seattle bands: Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. History Some of the forerunners of grunge include iconic bands such as the Stooges, and even King Crimson in 1974, who endowed grunge with a dirty, dark, heavy guitar sound. Independent musical culture punk and hardcore added grunge its eccentric aesthetic, ideological principles and, most importantly, the reckless emotional coloring of the performances. Dirty, furious guitar chords, a sharp and at the same time viscous sound, stubbornly antediluvian riffs, hysterical vocals (with a very specific, slightly “nasal” coloring), sharp changes in the dynamics of songs; some kind of unwelcome, restlessness, depressiveness in music and in texts - that's what happened distinctive features classic grungers. At the same time, grunge was piercingly, heartbreakingly lyrical and surprisingly melodic. Grunge is characterized by its own harmonic system, chant-type turns in the vocal part, in the guitar part, groaning second intonations, dissonant harmonies are not uncommon. The prototype of grunge can also be seen in early work by U2: the song "Twilight" with debut album"Boy" is written in this vein. In the mid-1980s, grunge began as a purely local trend (its homeland is the American city of Seattle), but very soon it gained a truly global scope and mass popularity. The pioneers of this direction were Green River, The Melvins (Aberdeen - Seattle), Mudhoney, Soundgarden, L7 (Los Angeles), Babes in Toyland. They were heavier and more indigestible than the second wave that started with Nirvana's breakthrough. It was the second wave that marked the real triumph of grunge, when the Seattle Nirvana became one of the last truly cult groups in the history of rock. Nirvana was more melodic than its predecessors, and added song dynamics to the characteristics of the start-stop genre. Among the associates and followers of Nirvana, one should first of all name those who have absolutely independent creative manners Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. Grunge ideas turned out to be close to Smashing Pumpkins and other bands. The “watershed” role in the history of grunge (and all alternative music) was played by the disc Nirvana bands titled Nevermind (1991), which was a commercial success. In the same year, Pearl Jam's debut disc, also considered one of the greatest grunge albums, soared to the top of the charts. In fact, Nirvana, and with it classic grunge, ceased to exist even before the leader's suicide. Nirvana Kurta Cobain in 1994. However, the ideas of grunge were not forgotten. IN in a certain sense the genre continues to exist thanks to a wave of bands dubbed post-grunge. It differs from classic grunge in a more melodic, "radio-friendly" sound, close to alternative rock. Most famous representatives this style includes Audioslave, Creed, Nickelback, Three Days Grace and the 12 Stones as well as Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl's band, the Foo Fighters. Subculture Grunge, like many other musical movements, has spawned its own youth subculture. As a rule, the musical preferences of grungers are not limited to grunge alone. These can be attributed classic rock, punk and others musical directions. How the subculture emerged from the hippies, more precisely, it was formed somewhere at the junction of the hippies and the currents that oppose them. Clothing style and appearance - ripped jeans, loose shirts (often checkered or striped), denim and leather jackets, sneakers, second-hand clothes. Sloppiness, negligence, mischievousness - business card grungers. All clothes had to look washed and worn, but at the same time, clean. Especially popular jackets, jackets, which were later chosen by punks. Often there are symbols of anarchism and / or pacifism in the jewelry. This great style who gave life youth subculture that emerged in the 1990s. Its appearance is associated primarily with psycho-emotional changes. younger generation during adolescence, which causes some kind of aggression or protests against society. Grunge ridiculed the love of luxury, pathos, bourgeoisness and sang the culture of street teenagers. Collapse
grunge(English Grunge) - a stylistic direction in rock music (a variant of "new wave grunge metal"), which became one of the most notable phenomena of alternative rock in the late 1980s - mid-1990s. The city of Seattle (USA, Washington state) became the birthplace of grunge, the most prominent representatives are four Seattle bands: Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. These groups are known as the "Seattle Four".
Story
Among the forerunners of grunge are such cult bands as Black Sabbath, Stooges, and even King Crimson of 1974 - they endowed grunge with a dirty, dark, heavy guitar sound. The independent musical culture of punk and hardcore added their eccentric aesthetics, ideological principles and, most importantly, crazy emotional coloring of performances to grunge. Dirty, furious guitar chords, sharp and at the same time viscous sound, stubbornly antediluvian riffs, hysterical vocals (with a very specific, slightly 'nasal'
Coloring), sharp changes in the dynamics of songs; some kind of uncomfortability, restlessness, depressiveness in music and in texts - that's what became the hallmarks of classic grungers. At the same time, grunge was piercingly, heartbreakingly lyrical and surprisingly melodic. Grunge is characterized by its own harmonic system, chant-type turns in the vocal part, in the guitar part, groaning second intonations, dissonant harmonies are not uncommon.
In the mid-1980s, grunge began as a purely local trend (its homeland is the American city of Seattle), but very soon it gained a truly global scope and mass popularity. The pioneers of this direction were Green River, The Melvins (Aberdeen - Seattle), Mudhoney, Soundgarden, L7 (Los Angeles), Babes in Toyland. They were heavier and more indigestible than the second wave that started with Nirvana's breakthrough. It was the second wave that marked the real triumph of grunge, when the Seattle Nirvana became one of the last truly cult groups in the history of rock. Nirvana was more melodic than its predecessors, and added song dynamics to the characteristics of the start-stop genre. Among the associates and followers of Nirvana, one should first of all name Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, who have absolutely independent creative manners. Grunge ideas turned out to be close to Smashing Pumpkins and other bands.
A 'watershed' role in the history of grunge (and all alternative music) was played by Nirvana's Nevermind (1991), which was a wild commercial success. In the same year, Pearl Jam's debut disc, also considered one of the greatest grunge albums, soared to the top of the charts. In fact, Nirvana, and with it classic grunge, ceased to exist even before the suicide of Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain in 1994. However, the ideas of grunge were not forgotten, developing from the mid-1990s in line with the 'radio-friendly' post-grunge. Some of the giants of style in this situation considered it an honor to cease to exist (Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins), while others continue to act, trying to find new ways of self-expression (Pearl Jam, Mudhoney).
In Europe, grunge is represented by Gelousy, Bush, etc. Among the Russian-speaking groups, it is worth mentioning Mad Dog.
Today, the fashionable grunge style in clothes has come to us from the desperate 90s of the last century. A powerful musical breakthrough of all colors of the rainbow filled all the tape recorders and the first players of music fans. Many genres stood at the crossroads, but one of the most memorable was the style of grunge music. Next, we will dwell on it in more detail.
Grunge music style: description and history of the "conception" of the direction
In the late 80s, the audience was taken aback by the completely new, mind-blowing sound of the original and unique rock scene in this style. The first appearance was noted in the American city of Seattle, which was carried out, most likely, due to the punk audience familiar in those places.
Grunge is a style of music that initially did not have wide publicity, and the names of the performers remained in the deep "underground" for a long time.
The press and television point-blank did not notice (or did not want to notice?) What was around musical groups this direction was going to quite a large audience. The problem was that, although there were quite a lot of groups and they had to roam from one place to another, they were not taken seriously and considered a “big semi-basement party”, in other words - the fun of useless teenagers.
As always happens in musical environment, some groups brought something new to the style, and some only copied ideas already created by someone. One way or another, but grunge music gradually began to win its recognition. The 1986 Deep Six compilation can be considered the first official recording in this style. Such famous as Soundgarden, Green River, Melvins took part in the creation this work.
Characteristics of grunge music
As music connoisseurs define it, grunge is a unique blend of heavy metal, sludge, hardcore punk and more. The formation of the genre is mainly due to the activities of such bands as: Sonic Youth, Melvins, Pixies.
Such world giants as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath played big role in the formation of style: their work became a springboard for musicians who later showed themselves as well-known representatives of the grunge trend in modern understanding.
Grunge style - look and sound
This musical genre combines an overdriven and dirty guitar sound. It symbolizes garage rock and explosive energy of punk rock with sharp transitions to slow and slow sludge in compositions. An interesting fact is that the "riff" techniques of heavy metal and elements of melodic solos were also borrowed for the electric guitar in this style. But over time, they have acquired a tendency towards a mournful psychedelic sound.
Thus, big picture grunge style could be described as follows: "fast-slow", "fun-sad". The fact is that the musical mood of the genre changed more often than gloves - energetic and positive punk could easily be replaced by depressive psychedelic, which again gave way to a peppy and groovy tempo with a couple of sonorous electric guitar chords, as if symbolizing victory over despondency.
Most bands with grunge music used the bare minimum of instruments. The standard "kit" included: and drum kit. The main emphasis in the sound was given to the underlined rhythm section. And the guitar accompaniment, with a clear emphasis on the use of the “distortion” effect, changed from background to overloaded with dense rhythmic patterns.
The vocalist performed lyrics about hopelessness and complete alienation from the world in a hoarse, loud voice with a characteristic strain. Mildly expressed aggression against social foundations was sometimes noted. According to psychologists, such music negatively affects the psyche and can lead to the development of suicidal tendencies.
Grunge Ideas
The main idea was expressed as follows: fatigue and an unsuccessful struggle with the moral foundations of a callous and indifferent society, which left the younger generation face to face with survival in the modern world.
Grungers (musicians who played grunge music) didn't care much about their appearance. Without bothering with a selection of stage images, they preferred to wear simple and shabby clothes, coupled with casual hairstyles.
On early stage the musicians of this genre were treated as depressive punk-losers.
Groups in grunge style
Now Nirvana is considered the progenitor of the genre. It happened for a reason: it was this creative team popularized this musical style. The Nirvana team managed to achieve the first commercial success in this direction.
The leader of the group, the talented and charismatic Kurt Cobain, personified the youth rock movement of that generation. However popular artist did not feel joy from his fame - his lot was a deep depression and severe drug addiction. April 5, 1994 famous musician committed suicide while at his peak musical career.
Separately, we can mention such bands as Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains. On the Russian grunge scene, the teams "Heaven is Here", Mad Dog, etc. have been noted.
In the late 90s. grunge music went into a significant decline. However, its post-grunge and grunge-core derivatives continue to appear quite successfully on contemporary scene(for example, the post-grunge Seether team).
