Seattle in the late 80s and early 90s was powered by melodic hooks played on distorted guitars, singalong choruses and - ever so slightly - softer verses, Seattle’s musicians played a slow, down-tuned, heavy and dirty brand of hard rock. Their loose and organic approach to recording produced plenty of raw sludge, happy mistakes and beginners’ luck - there was a get in and get out approach to the studio as budgets were low and local stages beckoned.
The genre’s biggest star was a true champion of his peers, and helped put a spotlight on the region’s all-female bands. This brief moment in the early 90s gave us Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Babes in Toyland and Alice in Chains. Is Mark Arm patient zero? Courtney Love? Or is it Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman from Sub Pop? Maybe we’ll find out.
