Where Does Grunge Come From?
Grunge was born of the local Punk scene of the Pacific Northwest, most notably Seattle, Washington, in the late 1980s. It became popular following the success of the band Nirvana in 1991. At a time when Glam Rock and Hair Metal were popular nationally, a group of young Punk bands in Seattle began to experiment with an aesthetic that was less flamboyant. These musicians were influenced by a local band, The Melvins that played Heavy Metal with slower and heavier riffs. A local scene sprung up with this sound, as did the first Grunge record label, Sub Pop Records.
Who Played Grunge?
Originally, “Sub Pop” began to promote bands that shared a certain anti-glam aesthetic, often categorized by casual dress, ripped jeans, flannel jackets and an overall unkempt appearance and that played this new style of Punk/Metal. Early Grunge bands included the lesser-known Green River (whose lead-singer is credited with first using the term "Grunge"), Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone and the break-through acts Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam.
What Does Grunge Sound Like? :
The first generation of Grunge bands merged the heavy sonic intensity of Black Sabbath with the aggresive emotional swagger of Black Flag. Because of this mix of Punk and Metal roots, Grunge had a guitar-drenched sound; ample use of distortion, strong power chords and basic, melodic guitar solos were usually laid under simple, but tuneful, vocals. Always forceful in execution, always emotive in content, Grunge is often classified as a genre of Hard Rock.