I mean, come on, wiredfalcon2, would you even have a clue about bands like that if Nirvana hadn't absolutely blown the doors off the place? Would you even know the Pixies exist?
And honestly, would RATM have ever gotten that kind of push from MTV or become those icons for an entire generation if Smells Like Teen Spirit hadn't basically kicked the doors wide open first?
Nicholas Perez33, man, which band actually defined the nineties? Let's get into it, I'm down. wiredfalcon2 decided to drop a few names just to try and prove how much influence they really had.
a) If it weren't for Nirvana, would he even know those bands existed? Think about it. b) You're telling me Nirvana didn't influence Radiohead? The Bends doesn't sound "grunge" to you? Please, it’s practically a blatant tribute to Nirvana's biggest hit.
wiredfalcon2 said:The only thing that matters is how the media turned that band into a total joke, and they were stupid enough to just roll over and take it. (...) Just another junkie and nothing more... I mean, look at how many kids survive shitty divorces or domestic abuse only to end up as pathetic addicts who whine about their problems every single day.
Who exactly is giving us this shallow little lecture, acting all high and mighty with their amateur psychology?
If you’re a massive Nirvana fan—which, honestly, is the only way to be—and you’ve got that deep, sentimental connection to the band that most people keep close to the chest, you seriously need this release.
In the liner notes, Neil Strauss mentions doing this little study where he polled 30 teenagers during an afternoon at a local Tower Records, and only 11 of them had even heard of Nirvana. Now, if we were talking about Sonic Youth, it wouldn't even be a shocker, but Nirvana was quite literally the most significant band on the planet in the early nineties, especially when you factor in that massive commercial explosion. Eleven out of thirty. That's less than half. And these weren't just random kids; these were the teens actually hanging out in record stores looking for music.
But then again, what’s the actual metric for a band like that? Does popularity come down to the quality of the music, the quality of the fans, or some weird mix of both? You have to wonder how much they managed to bridge the gap between totally incompatible groups of people, or to what extent it was just a messy fusion of subcultures. I won't get too bogged down in all those heavy philosophical questions that a band as legendary as Nirvana invites.
To wrap things up, here’s the final word from Thurston Moore in his liner notes:
Nirvana expressed anger, amusement, satire, defeat, emotion and debate. They just wanted to be part of the scene they began with and were so inspired by. Their music ruled so hard that they became so much more - whether they liked it or not. Maybe they felt they were losing touch at the end there but we always knew, no matter how high up they flew, they could never ever really leave us.
Mellow Drunk - Before and after Then is a solid record, full of blunt lyrics and these smooth, elegant hooks that just stick with you. It actually made me think of The Auteurs—though they don't quite hit those same lyrical notes despite having killer, sophisticated hooks—and because of that connection, their track Sick of Hare Krishna felt like a total win.
Just drop the lyrics right here so we can actually get into this, because honestly, I’ve shed enough tears over Bugs Bunny already and I just need to know what the real truth is.
Here's some poetry for you, just so nobody claims I don't have a soft side 😛.
So
Freeheat - The Long Goodbye
Maybe it's the cold December Maybe that's why I can't forget her Maybe it's that I can't get by no more Maybe it's that I can't get high no more
It's my crime that I waste my time With cripplin' diseases But you left me here in pieces With my soul That's growin' old
You know there's no tears to give you I shed my tears when I was with you You know I got no tears no more You know I got no tears no more A-no more No more A-no more A-no more
Album of the week—skipping the winner this time because I just wasn't feeling that whole "consistency and perfection" vibe today.
Song of the week—Freeheat - Facing up to The Facts (Jim Reid and the crew, heavy on the explicit lyrics, basically that whole everything's fine while you're falling apart and I love rock n roll and I'm sick and don't worry be happy kind of mood).
Also Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)—looking at the big picture, the Kill Bill soundtracks are absolute gems, man, what a time for movies.
Album of the week: Felt - The Splendour of Fear. There aren't many records that hit with this kind of high-end polish, especially this 1984 gem that clocks in at just over half an hour and features six tracks, four of which are instrumentals. It’s dream pop or proto post-rock, but honestly, it’s way more than that.
Song of the week: Felt - The Stagnant pool np Pips Chips & Videoclips - 2 x2
As a proud owner of exactly 0 posts here on Now Playinz, I figured it was finally time to start a thread. Hope everyone is doing alright out there; things are cruising along fine on my end.
The plan is basically to check in once a week and drop whatever we’ve been spinning most heavily over the last seven days—just pick an album and a song (they don't even have to be from the same record, obviously). Feel free to throw in a quick critique or some random thought if you're feeling it.
So, here it goes:
Album of the week: The Faint - Wet fra Birth. These disco punks still hit hardest for me because of that incredible Mote cover of Sonic Youth (if you dig SY and haven't heard it, go fix that immediately). It's a solid listen, even if it isn't life-changing; my favorite lines are:
i might be an introvert to you, a shallow fashionista deep as any paper plate dressed just like the girl beside you
(from the track How Could i forget).
Favorite track: drop kick The Punks. Pure rock energy.
And for the song of the week: Jefferson Airplane - Let's get Together. For those who aren't hip to it, this is that Come on people now, smile on your brother... tune that got totally butchered on Nevermind. Very hippie, but cool regardless.
