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5 Amazing Alternative Rock Albums Of The 90s

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Ah, the 90’s. Some people say it’s their favourite decade of music, and it’s not that difficult to understand why – especially if you’re a fan of guitar-based albums. Rock music went under a renaissance of sorts during these golden years, with grunge, Britpop, pop punk, nu metal and indie in fine voice.

The 90s produced some of the very best alternative rock music, and no serious music fan’s collection could be complete without these five records, which have stood the test of time very well.Weezer's Lead Singer, Rivers Cuomo

So, read on and be prepared for some of the best music ever made!

1. Weezer – Pinkerton (1996)

Weezer had already released the perfect debut album in the form of the Blue Album, which had hits such as “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So”, but they followed it up strongly with the very different Pinkerton. Critics panned the album for its bleaker and heavier tone, but unbeknownst to them, Weezer had actually seen the future of pop punk — emo. Yes, Pinkerton is now considered one of the very first emo albums and you can certainly hear why, with Rivers Cuomo’s self-deprecating and powerfully emotional lyrics. Weezer’s second album can now be considered a sort of history lesson in emo’s evolution, and who knows what Fall Out Boy’s music might have been like without it!

Key Songs: Tired Of Sex, Across The Sea, El Scorcho

2. Soundgarden – Superunknown (1994)

There were many different sides to grunge, but one of the heaviest bands that emerged from the scene was Soundgarden. Once Nirvana developed the grunge scene, Soundgarden got their big break and in 1994 they released their most commercially successful album, Superunknown. It is amazing, plus amazingly heavy! Inspired by heavy metal legends Black Sabbath, Superunknown is their most consistent album, and comes at you with hit after hit, all carried by their phenomenal musicianship and Chris Cornell’s powerful voice.

Key Songs: Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, The Day I Tried to Live

CD Of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless

3. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless (1991)

The story of this album’s creation is kind of a legend, but also a tale of warning for young bands. Loveless almost bankrupted MBV’s record label, with a lot of the budget being blown on drugs, but at the end of a stressful recording period, this masterpiece was born. A defining album in the shoegaze sub-genre, Loveless is atmospheric, fuzzy and best played very, very loud. If your ears aren’t bleeding whilst you listen to Loveless, you’re not listening to it properly.

Key Songs: To Here Knows When, When You Sleep, Soon

4. Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dreams (1993)Smashing Pumpkins When They Made A Guest Appearance In The Simpsons

Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins is infamous for his controlling nature of the band, but during the 90’s when things were a little more stable he created one of the greatest rock albums ever made. Siamese Dream is a long album with plenty of ambition, but it gets away with trying to punch above its weight because of its infectious heavy riffs and Corgan’s natural gift for self-defeating anthems. The most perfect of these is album highlight, Today, a wonderfully dark pop song about being on the edge of suicide and falling in love with life again.

Key Songs: Today, Cherub Rock, Hummer

5. Nirvana – In Utero (1993)

The Cover Of Nirvana's In Utero

Nirvana may have brought about the massive increase in popularity for alternative rock with Nevermind, but Kurt Cobain and co weren’t keen to just repeat the success of that album. Instead, they took a darker and heavier turn, taking more influence form their contemporaries. It was also, apparently, a deliberate ploy to make the music more inaccessible to the many thousands of people who latched on to Nirvana’s popularity. Although a little more difficult to appreciate at first, In Utero is still one of the best alternative rock albums to grace the airwaves. It’s aggressive, riff heavy and depressing tone can’t hide the fact Kurt Cobain loves to write great pop songs. It’s under rated, and should be adored by more, so grab this CD and some Nirvana clothing to educate your musical tastes.

Key Songs: Heart-Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies

These five timeless albums are just a few to get you started in discovering and celebrating the great music of the 90s. The truth is that there are hundreds more that could have been included. So what are you waiting for? Get listening!

Featured images:

Geoffrey Clarke is a part-time music blogger whose favourite band on this list is Smashing Pumpkins.




5 Famous People And Their Guitars

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You’ve heard of B.B. King and may have heard of Jimi Hendrix, among two of the greatest guitarists of all time. King still loves to strum the blues on his Gibson guitars and Hendrix was a psychedelic rock artist who thumbed his Fender Stratocaster in ways that few have ever come close to matching. Both men have contributed much to contemporary music, turning their gifts for guitar playing into an art form.   Besides King and Hendrix there have been others that have played a significant part in transforming the art of guitar playing including the following individuals.

1. Steve Vai — Starting off as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Steve Vai soon made a name for himself as a member of the David Lee Roth band. At 20, Vai was strumming with Zappa and by 25 he was with Roth. His top guitar choices are the Ibanez JEM and Ibanez Universe in addition to a Tom Anderson Drop Top Classic. He also uses exotic guitars and sometimes plays a heart-shaped triple-neck model. Vai is recognized for his understanding of music theory. He is further appreciated by students of the Berklee College of Music with whom he shares his techniques online.

2. Slash — Born Saul Hudson, Slash is a musician and guitarist who came to fame playing for Guns N’ Roses and was later part of Velvet Revolver before embarking on a solo career.  His instruments of choice include a Gibson Les Paul, a B.C. Rich Mockingbird and a Gibson EDS-1275, just three of more than 100 guitars that he owns. In 2008 Slash embarked on a solo career, what he had touched on at earlier times in his life when he jammed for Michael Jackson, the Yardbirds and Paulina Rubio among others.

3. Les Paul — Born Lester William Polsfuss, Les Paul was an American guitarist with a penchant for blues, country and jazz music. He was also a songwriter and inventor. Paul is credited with making rock and roll possible by inventing the solid-body electric guitar, and was also innovative in sound experimentation. The Gibson Les Paul was first sold in 1952 and was designed in collaboration with Ted McCarty. Among the musicians that have played a Les Paul are Eric Clapton, Steve Jones, Sammy Hagar, Billie Joe Armstrong, Peter Frampton and Jeff Beck.

4. David Gilmour — He was brought on the fifth and last musician for Pink Floyd, but last certainly did not meant least in David Gilmour. The English rocker has been credited with shaping Pink Floyd’s ethereal sound, pouring emotion into his guitar that few have ever matched. Gilmour is nearly always seen with a black Fender Stratocaster, but he also plays a red model and a Fender Telecaster.

5. Tom Morello — Not every guitarist seeks to sound like a guitar player or at least not all the time. Tom Morello, inspired by LED Zeppelin and a guitarist with Rage Against the Machine, counts his custom “Arm the Homeless” guitar as his favorite. This guitar is outfitted with a Kramer neck and a custom performance body to produce truly unique sounds. Morello also is fond of Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, an Ibanez classical acoustic and a Gibson Les Paul.

Claim to Fame   Besides Steve Vai, Slash, Les Paul, David Gilmour and Tom Morello, there are dozens of other guitarists that have had a larger than life influence through their work. Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Phil Keaggy, Keith Richards and Brian May are a few that come to mind.    Step back in the 1950s and Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins and Bod Diddley must be recalled. In the 1960s, it was Pete Townshend, George Harrison, Jeff Beck along with Hendrix, Clapton and Richards. By the 1970s, Gilmour, Santana and Duane Allman rose to fame and were later joined by Randy Rhoades, Vito Bratta, Buckethead and a host of other strummers.    Ask any budding guitarist whom they admire most and one or more of these names will likely be mentioned. Down through the years inspiration has been handed off, with a new contingent of guitar artists certain to dominate in the 21st century.

Justin Miller is a professional blogger that writes for Jamplay.com. JamPlay is a leading online music educator offering 2,000+ online guitar lesson videos in HD.

5 Bands Who Squandered Their Label Advances

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Imagine this scenario. You’re nineteen, fresh out of school, you’re in a band that everybody loves, and suddenly a record label notices you and comes at you with an offer you can’t refuse; record an album on their label and they’ll front you half a million pounds to do it.

This is known as an ‘advance’. An advance is typically handed out from a record label to one of their signed bands in order to record an album, for the fees which can be built up from studio time, promotion, instruments (and so forth) can be pretty costly. However as good as the advance may seem to the outsider, it sometimes can be a band’s demise; on occasion leading to a swift exit from the music industry. This is because as you might well imagine, rockstar’s would rather spend their lovely little packet dining in the Ritz, hotel rooms or fuelling their addictions (whatever they may be…). As proof of this seemingly wild accusation, here are five bands who definitely squandered their label advances.

Sleep

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Sleep had a lot of potential for a heavy metal/rock band. After their release ‘Holy Mountain’ on Earache records, they attracted the attention of many labels including Elektra and London (who Rolling Stones had also been signed on). London gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse in 1992 – full artistic control and a six-figure advance. Rumour has it that sleep spent their advance on two things; vintage tube amps and a bucket-load of marijuana. Given that the band estimates they spent $75,000 on tube amps – speculation has in that they spent pretty much the remaining figure on the finest spliffs that money could buy. All in all the album was dropped and wasn’t even released by the label; could be the fact that it featured just one song being an hour long psychedelic guitar solo.

Happy Mondays

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Yes Please! Was the terrible last album that the critically acclaimed Happy Mondays made, under the label ‘Factory’. The most famous thing about this album was that it was so costly to produce, it drove Factory into bankruptcy. Why did it cost so much? Well, the Happy Mondays wanted to record in Barbados of all places with their families present. Not only that, but the Happy Mondays had a penchant for taking a plethora of drugs; especially when they teamed up with their mate Mick Jagger who was staying nearby.

Royal Trux

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Royal Trux were an alternative rock band straight out of the late eighties, started up by Neil Haggerty and Jennifer Herrema. Due to a growing interest from labels in underground grunge music; after their second album Royal Trux were picked up by Virgin. Virgin offered them a $3,000 advance to record a third album; which Royal Trux proceeded to blow it all on heroin.

My Bloody Valentine

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Irish alt rock band My Bloody Valentine were signed to Island records in 1992, and were given £250,000 to record a belter of an album (they had been given the same amount of money by label Creation to make their second). Whilst the second one was critically acclaimed by many people, the third did not do so well. My Bloody Valentine took the £250,000 and put it all into making their own studio in Streatham – which was riddled with problems. The third album was never released by Island due to lack on any decent material… and My Bloody Valentine went into a band ‘meltdown’.

Warrant

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With all of this in mind, record labels these days have wised up to the cheeky antics of music stars; combining their advance with their own pay packet. This serves as an incentive not to blow it all – because they are eating out of their own pocket at the end of the day! However, truth be told it probably doesn’t stop some rocking musicians still…

Author: This list was put together by Alfie Davenport who works for DV247, suppliers of Fender guitars.

Brad Delp’s voice on new Boston Album

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The band Boston is set to release their next album and will pay tribute to their iconic lead singer Brad Delp that sadly passed away on March 9th, 2007. This is coming from the people at ultimateclassicrock.com, which I tend to view from time to time. Not much else is said about the album other then that.

Like every Boston fan out there, never hold your breath about the issue date of the bands next album because of the bands agonizingly slow evolution in their recording process. Even though the band states that this album is 85% complete, I still wouldn’t dare to place a wager on the exact date. Does anyone out there recall the band taking 6 years to complete their third album Third Stage? Talk about build up to a product release!

Since Brad Delp’s death, Boston has chosen to use a couple of singers but their recent singer, Tommy DeCarlo, is the one that stuck.

Boston just has that sound that makes you stand up and take notice. Even if you not a fan of the band, I bet that you’d know them after listening to only a few bars of a song.

When my parents bought me a 50 watt 1/2 stack HIWATT (for a good laugh check out the link!) amp, the first song I played on it was Boston’s Don Look Back! I literally didn’t know how powerful it was so after 10 minutes of setting it up, I found the number 9 button on the volume control. It was so loud it work up John Elek down the street, not to mention the cat never came back for 3 days, it was at the foot of my bed, true story. Thank God the windows were open otherwise I don’t know what would have happened. I never went near number 9 again …

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiOqHLVxZvA

So when do you think the band’s release date will be?

Keep on Jammin’

To the olde boys from Pink Floyd

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It took 29 years and 328 days for the surviving members of Pink Floyd (Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason) to perform as a band at a Roger Waters concert at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday May 13th. Man that would have been a great show to witness.

I recall seeing the band in the old CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) in Toronto in the mid 80’s and that show was just plain epic. The band actually went into Quadraphonic Sound that night, holy crap it was just like sitting in someone’s home who had a real kick ass stereo system. An old friend of mine, Ed Myers, had the first Quad Stereo that I ever experienced and for that I thank him!

While Rogers was playing Comfortably Numb that night with his band, David Gilmour joined in with a beautiful black Stratocaster of his and what a sight and sound that must of been. Behind Roger Waters on stage was his trademark white Wall and on the top of that was David Gilmour whaling away singing and playing guitar like only he can. Whenever I jam along with this classic tune or perform it live somewhere, I always have his majestic guitar solo playing in my head way before it should in truth come in. It’s just one of those solo’s that even non guitarists know off by heart.

Then for the last song of the evening Roger Waters, David Gilmour and then bands original drummer Nick Mason gathered on stage and offered the crowd their version of Outside the Wall. Gilmour was on a mandolin, Rogers on trumpet and Nick Mason on tambourine.

I’m not sure how many Pink Floyd fans there are out there, but if you wanted to see the olde boys from Pink Floyd play together again, even if it was for largely symbolic reasons, than this was a show to have seen.

Keep on Jammin’

Frank Zappa and the Monkee’s

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Since I was a kid I was glued to the TV when this musical series called The Monkees were on. I was just introduced to the playing guitar in Miss Lord‘s class and I found the Monkees music was so catchy. I thought that the band had to be popular because it was constantly on the radio. Also the band had to of been even cooler because my older brother and sister were listening to them on vinyl albums. Technology back then rocked!

Now being a little more mature, musically that is, when I view a couple of their earlier shows on line I tend to pick up some unexpected treasures in those shows that I wasn’t really aware of back then. To see what I mean read on.

At work I’m always chatting with surgeons that use to play guitar in high school bands and our talks always revolves around obscure musical topics. This one day one of them told me about this particular Monkees episode that had Frank Zappa on it. Then right after saying this, this other surgeon chirped in and said that he was a massive Frank Zappa fan that went to see Zappa plays Zappa last year. Small world eh?

I then said, Really … Frank Zappa on the Monkees? You’ve got to be kiddin’ me. So off we went to a computer, did a quick youtube search and bang, there it was right in front of us.

Frank Zappa in a short clip on the Monkees show..

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOI-SDYGviM&feature=related

Michael Nesmith playing Frank Zappa and Frank Zappa playing Michael Nesmith interviewing each other as the other person, hilarious!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNJy-OgCzB0

Any Zappa fans out there?

Keep on Jammin’

Who will make the Rolling Stone’s next cover?

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On the cover of the rollingstone, dr hook and the medicine show On the cover of the Roll~ing Stone … remember that tune made those crazy guys from Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show so famous?

 

Well as it turns out, the Rolling Stone is going to let their faithful readers choose what band, 16 unsigned bands, to be placed on their iconic cover in a 4 round contest.

At the end of the showdown, two of the last remaining acts will perform on stage at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee early this summer.

I can’t even imagine the thrill that will get cha …

Keep on Jammin’


Nash the Slash and Iggy Pop interview

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Here is a rare video of Nash the Slash and Iggy Pop interviewing themselves after a concert in Calgary Alberta sometime in 1982. I think it was 1982 because Nash was on a North American tour with Iggy Pop from February-April in 1982.

They just appear to be having a great time in each others presence. I’m not sure what they’re getting at or if there is any purpose to the interview but it sure is entertaining at times! In one section someone alludes to the fact that it is being shot in a local TV studio somewhere in Calgary.If anyone out there knows more about the video please tell me, I’d love to find out.

Nash can’t remember, but he thinks there are serious stories to be told here, but..he…can’t…. remember. Jim…..Help!!! Just kidding. Iggy and Nash remember everything that happened over the entire six week tour, but they refuse to incriminate each other.
Nash the Slash’s Gravesite

At one point in the video, they show us some of the finer points of yoga and stretching. Come to think of it, they may have been the forerunners of the 20 Minute Workout video’s? Remember that show?

The video is very poor and grainy at times, I’ll warn you now.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZnP_oNVko

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting the man, without the bandages, at a local patio. It was so cool to finally meet a boyhood legend that it left me speechless … yes speechless!

Keep on Jammin’

Austin City Limits moving to new location

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So the longest-running music series in American television history, Austin City Limits (ACL) is getting quite the upgrade and a new larger studio. The Moody Foundation of Galveston has donated a large sum of money to ACL for new HD production equipment and to boost seating from 320 to 2,750. Through their donation the Foundation gains the naming rights to the theatre to be called the Moody Theatre

Ok, I get it, they might want to upgrade/replace the old studio by how are they going to replace that feel that you get with a smaller much more intimate venue?

Not that I’m against the advancement of music halls but why don’t the designers work with what they have? Don’t they have the expertise and technology to do it correctly?

I’ve been a huge fan of ACL’s for so many years now that I can’t remember the first time I’ve ever seen it. The bands that they had were amazing. The complete listings of bands that have performed must be HUGE. Just check out some of the line ups that have been there on the Rolling Stone website, there’s no way you can read them all!

So check what I consider the best show ever to grace the stage at the famous Austin City Limits stage!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3Cc-EoybFY

Keep on Jammin’

John Lennon would have been 70 today

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I wonder what John Lennon would have done for his birthday if Mark David Chapman had not taken the heart and soul of a generation from us on that Monday December 8th 1980 @ 10:55 PM?

It’s wild just to think about what John Lennon would be doing, as a modern day artisan, if he was with us today.

I think that he’d be a rather hard working multi-media god.

He could have created some of his magical music right in the comfort of his Dakota apartment and then released it on iTunes or some other site. He could have produced fabulous digital art for art galleries or for sale. He’d more than likely have a blog to use as a soapbox to bring us his message about his comments on society. He might even have had a Twitter account, who knows?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw

What do you think John Lennon would be doing to celebrate his birthday if he were alive today?

Keep in Jammin’

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