Zootlesque said:
Some bands transcend labels, movements, and fuzzy hunting shirts.
Okay, okay, I'll bite! My 'Grunge' introduction was through my cousin's copy of Pearl Jam's
Vs. I completely didn't get it at first. He had it on cassette, and would listen repeatedly as if it were some divine work of art. I thought he was crazy. At one point, he said, "Man, you have to hear this," as he passed his headphones to me. It was Leash. While I should have heard Eddie sing, "...Drop the leash, drop the leash..," I
actually heard "Drug police, drug police, get out of my fucking face!!..." In that moment, I thought they were a bunch of bad-assed criminals who somehow managed to release a recording of their corrupted lives. (The images of syringes and other 'shocking' things in the album booklet only added to this image.) U2 were looking pretty great at this point. Vanilla Ice, as well. Pearl Jam? Uggggh.
Fast-forward a few months, to the time when Kurt Cobain killed himself. Pearl Jam played Saturday Night Live the following weekend. (This was the era when SNL was routinely great.) They performed Not For You, Rearviewmirror, and Daughter, in that order.
Having never heard them live, I thought I would dislike them. Boy, was I was wrong. I was completely riveted by the guitars, the emotions drenched in utter sincerity, and the rawness of it all.
This is the exact sequence of my falling in love with them, along with a new musical form:
Not For You
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/pearl-jam-not-for-you-live-on-snl/2980360578
"...all that's sacred comes from youth dedication, naive and true with no power, nothing to do i still remember, why don't you...don't you..."
That part still gets me in the gut every time.
Rearviewmirror
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/pearl-jam-rearviewmirror-live-on-snl/2395630293
Holy guitar.
Daughter
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/pearl-jam-daughter-live-on-snl/1144901584
The Neil Young tag of Hey Hey, My My is a direct reference to Cobain's suicide note which distorted the lyrics "...It's Better to burn out, than to fade away.." When Eddie sings the other lyrics, it's a eulogy to Cobain, but equally important--a message to Neil Young, who was devastated by Cobain's use of the song. I remember thinking just how impressed I was that he would do that.
Before I turn this into a complete nod to Pearl Jam, and make others ill, I'll quickly mention my other Grunge thoughts:
* Dave Grohl has turned out to be a great artist in his own right.
* Soundgarden were truly amazing (especially the drummer).
* Stone Temple Pilots had some truly catchy songs (though, strangely, I don't wish to hear them right now).
*What the world needs right now is a Temple of the Dog reunion!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lln5i1N3J8g