Statement On The Grunge Era

[lll]

Saw this statement on another forum (Gearslutz):

Grunge (much as I enjoyed it) made it very uncool to actually be good at your instrument. It was looked down upon.

Which rattled my memory from back then in the 90's. I started playing in the earlier 80's, so I was well aware of the extremely high skill level needed in the 80's.

Keep in mind I totally dig Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger and a handful of Pearl Jam / STP tunes.

Also keep in mind this is strictly from a guitar playing position, not a songwriting or composing position.

But I agree with this quote 100%... especially when it comes to solos... and I believe it (grunge) created an entire generation of guitar players (regular schmoes and pros) who were/are not extremely proficient with the instrument, because that music did not challenge them. It's like a lazy-ass approach was taken (too much hard work involved to achieve an extremely high skill level), and to make an excuse for being lazy-ass, let's label really difficult solos and other such guitar virtuosity (found in the 80's) as "wanking" and "excess"... and make lazy-ass "cool".

How about you?

[RockyStar]

I can't fucking stand grunge. It was the shit hole time for guitar playing IMO. The heroin induced coma shit playing and lame ass song writing was anything but cool. It ruined guitar playing. I can tolerate some Alice in Chains and Soundgarden from time to time but that is about it. The whole industry fell into a zone of mediocrity in that era and on some levels is still trying to recover. It glorified and magnified the very dark side of heavy drugs and ushered in the OTC drug problems and prescription drug abuse we have to deal with today. To me it was far deeper, far more sinister and powerful on the negative and party side than any 80's pussy chase and line of coke ever was. I associate it with the bullshit woke culture today but back then it was heroin and faux rebellion and sloppiness trying to raise its head and be something significant yet to me it was a miserable failure and a shit stain on music and guitar playing that no amount of bleach can ever disinfect and wash away. YMMV

[lll]

I can't fucking stand grunge. It was the shit hole time for guitar playing IMO. The heroin induced coma shit playing and lame ass song writing was anything but cool. It ruined guitar playing. I can tolerate some Alice in Chains and Soundgarden from time to time but that is about it. The whole industry fell into a zone of mediocrity in that era and on some levels is still trying to recover. It glorified and magnified the very dark side of heavy drugs and ushered in the OTC drug problems and prescription drug abuse we have to deal with today. To me it was far deeper, far more sinister and powerful on the negative and party side than any 80's pussy chase and line of coke ever was. I associate it with the bullshit woke culture today but back then it was heroin and faux rebellion and sloppiness trying to raise its head and be something significant yet to me it was a miserable failure and a shit stain on music and guitar playing that no amount of bleach can ever disinfect and wash away. YMMV

You should copy & paste this over at Seymour Duncan forum (same post in Off Topic). Get a load of some of those guys!

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/forum/t ... ost6123650

[PLX]

Saw this statement on another forum (Gearslutz):

Grunge (much as I enjoyed it) made it very uncool to actually be good at your instrument. It was looked down upon.

Which rattled my memory from back then in the 90's. I started playing in the earlier 80's, so I was well aware of the extremely high skill level needed in the 80's.

Keep in mind I totally dig Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger and a handful of Pearl Jam / STP tunes.

Also keep in mind this is strictly from a guitar playing position, not a songwriting or composing position.

But I agree with this quote 100%... especially when it comes to solos... and I believe it (grunge) created an entire generation of guitar players (regular schmoes and pros) who were/are not extremely proficient with the instrument, because that music did not challenge them. It's like a lazy-ass approach was taken (too much hard work involved to achieve an extremely high skill level), and to make an excuse for being lazy-ass, let's label really difficult solos and other such guitar virtuosity (found in the 80's) as "wanking" and "excess"... and make lazy-ass "cool".

How about you?

The same thing was said about "punk" music in the mid 70's, and was generally true.

The first "grunge" music I heard was when my brother bought the "Nevermind" cassette tape and played it for me. Hated it at first, but it grew on me. I think I just needed to understand what they were doing.

Pretty much sums up my introduction to Alice in Chains, as well.. upon the first listen, it sounded dissonant and very harsh. Could not understand what they were doing with the vocal harmonies.

[Findthetone1]

There were a few shining standouts during that era but I agree that it just fucking sucked. The whole miserable/downtrodden woe is me bullshit act got real old real fast.

[lll]

There were a few shining standouts during that era but I agree that it just fucking sucked. The whole miserable/downtrodden woe is me bullshit act got real old real fast.

Yeah I'm not interested in feeling like shit about myself or wallowing in my own negativity - would much rather have a good time; party on Wayne (party on Garth).