I was arguing discussing with Alison the other day when the topic came up about some retrospective of the legacy of Kurt Cobain. Apparently, it’s going to be done in some loving fashion, like he was some sort of ROCK GOD. That somehow the impression is that without Cobain’s personal influence, absolutely zero of the “Seattle Sound” would have ever made it to the world, and we somehow would have never seen musicians playing in thrift store castoffs.
Now, I’m not going to deny the financial and relatively brief musical success of the band Nirvana. They sold a butt load of albums and that did change everything. (Their initial success came by knocking Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album off the #1 position on the charts).
I’m no music critic, but praising Cobain just sounds like so much hero worship for a legacy that’s more imagined than real. One might argue that collectively, the grunge movement took hold of the rock music business, finally morphing punk rock into something radio friendly. I just won’t ever agree that Cobain single-handedly pulled that off, no matter how many albums Nirvana ended up selling before Kurt decided to make Courtney Love a widow.
One of the “legacies” of Nirvana is the former drummer Dave Grohl who’s the frontman for the Foo Fighters. When I heard the songs from the Foo Fighters’ latest album, I was struck with the musical memory of hearing “that sound” before. It was like I was listening to an uptempo version of songs I had heard before. From the band, Poco, which sounded quite a bit like its predecessor band, Buffalo Springfield. You can argue the point, but the entire sound is a throwback to bands of the 70s. Not the “grunge” legacy of Cobain at any measure.
Underscoring this is the music video of one of the songs from the Foo Fighter latest album, done in the flavor of a bad soap opera from … the 70s, complete with bad porn-style mustaches and cheesy soap opera setting. It’s hard to watch this video all the way through. 90% of you won’t, I’d wager.
Sound req’d.
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I’m not sure what kind of musical statement this song and the album is making here. Again, I’m not a music critic as much as I am a music listener, and this post is just a refection of my thoughts as to “What the 90s music has given us.”
If this is a representation of that 90s legacy, I want my money back.
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What a great post! I never really thought about the 90s in terms of musical legacy, but I would certainly agree that if I had to consider it, the Foo Fighters wouldn’t be high on my list as a fair representation. I will admit, though, that the whole grunge age was a good time for me; I was big into the Seattle sound, although l would have to say it wasn’t so much Nirvana or Kurt Cobain that caught my attention, as it was the change in musical atmosphere.
I remember around 1988, when the metal “hair bands” were going out of favor. The music had gotten so ridiculouly cheesy, I started going retro and listening to alternative music, college radio stuff like pre-famous Red Hot Chili Peppers, and early 80s new wave. The last metal album I bought was Danzig, because it had a harder sound that I liked. I remember listening to that album one morning while getting ready for school and thinking: Metal is bleeding out. It’s gonna die.
Between ‘88 and the emergence of grunge there was a musical void where my friends either listened to dance pop, or they passed around underground techno from Germany. I just couldn’t get into either. So when grunge came on the scene it was, for me, like someone came in and blew the doors off it. Music needed a kick in the pants, and the new bands coming on the scene delivered.
What was the first grunge video I saw/heard? Smells Like Teen Spirit, by Nirvana. It was one of those songs that unless you were living in a hole somewhere, you just couldn’t escape it. I loved it. Did I think it was revolutionary? At 17, absolutely. *lol*
But in retrospect, I think what really cemented Nirvana in the legendary band ranks, and catapulted Cobain to rock god status was his death. By the time the band’s sound matured, grunge was already on the outs. Music was evolving again. New punk was taking over grunge. Had Kurt lived, Nirvana would have gone the way of Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots - defunct, the members now performing in different bands. Or if I’m optimistic: like Pearl Jam. Still around, but greatly diminished.
However, I’m sure when the filmographies come out about life in the 90s, or about Cobain in particular, the fan banners will fly. Those that didn’t live through it will know it for Starbucks, Nirvana, and Seattle. The 90s music scene was much more than that, at least I feel it was. I look at that time period as an age of awakening for me, when I first started getting a grasp on social issues. Politics. But in the end, I’m afraid that won’t count for much. Marketability will win out. Popular opinion. Kurt Cobain, the rock god… all I can say is he had impeccable timing.
Cora: YES! I’m just an idle observer of the music scene, but Cobain’s death elevated him and unfortunately Courtney Love as well. The message is the music, not the way you died.
Social issues definitely lose out to marketability. I never have bothered to listen to the music Nirvana produced before they became famous, but according to some, it was a bit too hard core — meaning Nirvana had to tone down the entire thing in order to sell. Again, I can’t judge, I’m only repeating what I’ve read elsewhere.
Youth angst when applied to poetic license will always have some audience somewhere. But when you add commercial success to that youth angst, the message starts to ring hollow…
and the cycle starts anew.
You know, the Brava contest has made me quite the cuppacafe addict. What a great post.
As for what I listened to during the nineties, all I can say is long live Bob Marley!