The Unsung Heroes of the Grunge Movement
Mudhoney is one of the unsung heroes of the grunge movement. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo via Emily Rieman
Sure, everyone knows about Nirvana and how their sophomore album, 1991’s “Nevermind,” took grunge from tiny Seattle, Washington, clubs to major venues around the world. But, there are also some unsung heroes of the grunge movement. These players never became household names, but they were just as talented and deserving as the “big four” in the grunge world, such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. The difference is that these unsung heroes of grunge didn’t get the mainstream attention they deserved. Sometimes it was bad timing, and other times it was lack of resources. Either way, embrace these fantastic grunge rock bands that are just as responsible for the genre’s genesis as the big names.
Grunge Heroes
Green River
It’s ironic that the band responsible for coining the term “grunge” is actually not one of the most well-known bands from the movement. That band is Green River, who formed in the mid-1980s in Seattle and released just one studio album, 1988’s “Rehab Doll,” before calling it quits. The band brought together some players who went on to make it big in other bands, though, including future Pearl Jam players Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard; future Mother Love Bone players Ament, Gossard and Bruce Fairweather and Gossard; and future Mudhoney frontman Mark Arm. Aside from their studio album, other releases of note are Green River’s 1985 “Come on Down” EP and 1987 “Dry as a Bone” EP. What’s extra special is that the first known use of the word “grunge” to describe a musical genre was in July 1987 by Bruce Pavitt of Sub Pop Records to describe Green River’s “Dry as a Bone.”
L7
While Courtney Love and Hole are often called the biggest female-led grunge band of the era, L7 didn’t get enough attention. They were from Los Angeles, not Seattle, but still had that grunge edge. The band formed in 1985 by Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner and really helped create momentum for women in grunge rock.
Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone was very well-known in the late-1980s, and they bridged the gap between grunge and hair metal, which was rare. Sadly, the band’s frontman, Andy Wood, passed away from a drug overdose in the early 1990s, and Mother Love Bone dispersed. If Wood had lived, there’s little question that Mother Love Bone would have been one of the greats of the grunge era.
Mudhoney
Known as one of the earliest grunge bands, Mudhoney was popular but never went mainstream. Their 1988 debut EP, “Superfuzz Bigmuff,” is legendary, and it influenced rising grunge bands with its rebellious single, “Touch Me I’m Sick.” Mudhoney lead vocalist Mark Arm is known as one of the genre’s best songwriters, and he’s an expert at crafting grunge nuggets. Arm and Mudhoney are still active, and their latest release is the rollicking “Plastic Eternity,” which dropped in 2023.
Tad
When Tad broke out in the late-1980s and early-1990s, they were largely expected to blow up big. In fact, many at the time thought Tad would get big like Nirvana eventually did. Lead singer Tad Doyle was a likeable, funny, witty frontman with great vocal chops, a fun onstage presence and catchy, pop-happy songwriting abilities. But, the band never got super big, largely due to a lawsuit for the artwork on their “8-Way Santa” album and some label deals that never came to fruition. Due to the lawsuits, 1991’s “8-Way Santa” didn’t have a chance to go big, but it’s still considered a must-listen in grunge lore. Listen to Audio Ink Radio’s interview with Doyle for a fascinating take on the grunge world in its start.
Find Audio Ink Radio’s feature on the most underrated grunge albums.
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