However, what if Scott Stapp and Chad Nickelback Uglyface and the rest of them had never heard Eddie Vedder do his Vedder vocal thing? I think Vedder pulls it off, somehow, but he inaugurated a style of rock singing which has been a blight on our culture. If millions people hadn't come to appreciate Vedder, would they have accepted Stapp and Uglyface and the sludgy dirges over which they brayed?

I propose that despite the good music Vedder and company have made, we might be living in a better world if they'd gotten real jobs instead.

Is Vedder's vocal style really all that different from whats-his-dead-name from Alice in Chains or Cobain or whomever from the grunge era?

Is Vedder's vocal style really all that different from whats-his-dead-name from Alice in Chains or Cobain or whomever from the grunge era?

I just learned that zonk is not between the ages of 33-40. I'm guessing older.

I just learned that zonk is not between the ages of 33-40. I'm guessing older.

Stone Temple Pilots, Bush, and Creed were the first bands I remember with singers who exactly aped Vedder

I also have vague memories of something called Silverchair & something else called Candlebox, but I have no idea where they fit on the spectrum; luckily, they're really vague memories.

If memory serves, Bush was seen as more of a Nirvana ripoff;

Or he's an indie music guy.

The guy from Candlebox sounds exactly like Vedder.

Or he's an indie music guy.

This.

The NW sound/grunge just never caught on with me (...)

and you can hear so many of the offenses against sound committed in the last two decades lurking even in Pearl Jam's best singles, and that simply isn't true at all of Nirvana.)

I actually was at a Pearl Jam concert once, though I'm not sure I ever remembered them playing. I was at the 1992 Lollapalooza at Alpine Valley to see Ministry.

Yeah, not a Bush fan at all, but Gavin Rossdale's vocals were probably the least offensive part of their sound.

Offhand, I can think of 2 songs of theirs I like -- "Glycerine" & "The Chemicals Between Us." Of course, that's 2 more than about 50,000 other bands have come up with.

Only thing of consequence they did was a cover of "Sonic Reducer"

and you can hear so many of the offenses against sound committed in the last two decades lurking even in Pearl Jam's best singles, and that simply isn't true at all of Nirvana.

Ehhh, I think this is just a fancy way of saying that you prefer Nirvana and music that is less mainstream.

This is the best song from the last hairband before Nirvana made Grunge cooler than hair:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IfiLehLFJw

Speaking of songs that might remind you of something you've heard before, I give you this.

I am two years older than zonk and from an indie background. When I started getting into indie music at 15 or 16 grunge was very much an indie form. Pretty much everyone my age with my background has a Mudhoney EP or two stashed away somewhere, next to the My Dad is Dead and Bastro LPs. It's interesting what a vast difference a couple of years can make.

Offhand, I can think of 2 songs of theirs I like -- "Glycerine" & "The Chemicals Between Us." Of course, that's 2 more than about 50,000 other bands have come up with.

Thirty Ought Six.

#45, "by far" is stretching it, but they are underrated.

I don't listen to much grunge at all, but I do still listen to the radio, and that means that all of those 90s bands pop up, on the alternative station and now on the classic rock station. And my opinion, formed in the last few years, is that STP is a band that really doesn't stand up.

Am I really the only one that things STP was BY FAR the best of those well known early grunge bands?

Am I really the only one that things STP was BY FAR the best of those well known early grunge bands?

they were OK - Interstate Love Song is a fine driving tune.

Which uses a Jim Croce riff! From "I've Got a Name". I hated STP from the start, but that's one of the better riff thefts you'll find.

I like "Machine Head". It's a good driving song.

Could you same the same thing about Led Zeppelin? Do they bear some responsibility for the fact that we had to suffer through a decade of Poison, Warrant, and many other hair metal bands?

Could you same the same thing about Led Zeppelin? Do they bear some responsibility for the fact that we had to suffer through a decade of Poison, Warrant, and many other hair metal bands?

Considering they were the "Standard Bearers" of Grunge I didn't think either Pearl Jam or Nirvana were all that "Grungy". Pearl Jam always sounded to me like a straight up hard rock band from the 70's would if you crossed them with Black Sabbath, while Nirvana always seemed more "punk" than "rock". For me the prototypical Grunge band would be someone like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains or Screaming Trees.

if Ten came out today, would I think it's one of the ten best albums of all time? Not likely.

Its ironic that Nirvana became the standard bearer for grunge, since I never thought they had much to do with those other bands other than hailing from the PNW.

The stuff I still listen to from that time period is Pavement, Fugazi, New Order, the Pixies, Cracker, The Beastie Boys and the Spent Poets. (Just off the top of my head).

Foo Fighters prove that Dave Grohl>>>>>>>>Kurt Cobain.

My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth were said to be related to grunge. Spacemen 3, Galaxie 500.

I always figured those hair bands owed more to the glam rock of Slade and Gary "Pedo" Glitter

Foo Fighters prove that Dave Grohl>>>>>>>>Kurt Cobain.

This is wrong

This is wrong.

I always figured those hair bands owed more to the glam rock of Slade and Gary "Pedo" Glitter

Like I said above, I can appreciate Cobain's talents even if I didn't care for his music all that much, but for pure craftsmanship, I think I'll still take Grohl.

[...]

It weirdly works out to a peak vs. career thing and I honestly think that would have been true even if not for the untimely demises.

One reason I think Foo Fighters>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nirvana is because I don't care to listen to someone whine about how miserable life is.

Lyrics are way down on the list of what attracts me to music.

Cake! There's another band with fun lyrics, that don't make you want to kill someone.