All of the cool indie bands you hear today, all of the tattered flannel shirts you see at concerts, the scrapbook-style flyers and zines… You can trace that back to grunge. The genre’s legacy is felt today, from music to fashion and everywhere in between. While it’s not the go-to or the mainstream sound of the moment, it is still an essential part of music history.
On October 13, Seattle journalist Gillian G. Gaar will trace the evolution of grunge in GRUNGE! The Story of the Music That Redefined Rock. Gaar covered the scene in real time, and she is widely known as one of the most authoritative chroniclers and journalists of the Seattle music scene. Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, NME, Mojo, and in numerous books that sift through rock history.
GRUNGE! The Story of the Music That Redefined Rock offers an insider’s view of the grunge revolution, charting the rise of a sound that blended a punk attitude with genuine authenticity. Gaar traces its roots from the Pacific Northwest’s garage-rock and punk scenes before following its explosion in the early-to-mid ‘90s, giving a comprehensive look at this movement. Of course, she also touches on grunge’s “Big Four,” aka Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. At least one of these bands comes to mind when music lovers think of grunge, so a dive into the history and impact of these groups is expected.
Gaar also gets into the foundational players that helped spread the movement, such as labels like Sub Pop and Kill Rock Stars, venues like Vogue and Off Ramp, and various photographers and journalists that were at the forefront of the scene. There’s also discussion about essential artists and trailblazers like Mother Love Bone, Mudhoney, Melvins, Screaming Trees, Gits, 7 Year Bitch, TAD, Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Foo Fighters, painting a solid portrait of the grunge community. Quotes from Gaar’s interviews with Steve Albini, Jerry Cantrell, Cameron Crowe, Dave Grohl, and Courtney Love are also featured, along with rare photography, concert flyers, and memorabilia that bring this movement to life.
GRUNGE! The Story of the Music That Redefined Rock by Gillian Gaar will be released on October 13 via Motorbooks, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group. You can pre-order a copy here.
