Nirvana

Favorite Non-Famous Band

The Squirrels

Best Producer

Jack Endino

Best Vocalist

Gary Minkler, Red Dress

Best Bass Player

Kurt Danielson, TAD

Best Guitar Player

Kevin Whitworth, Love Battery

Best Drummer

Dan Peters, Mudhoney

From Ellensburg, across the Cascades from Seattle.  The Trees developed their Mod/Psychedelic sound independent of the Seattle grungemeisters.

The Posies

Originally consisting of Bellinghamers Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, the Posies moved to Seattle in 1988 and immediately made a name for themselves.

The Sonics

From Tacoma, arguably the original garage band and an influence to many in the Northwest and worldwide.

Nirvana

From Aberdeen.  You know the story.

(Half of) The Young Fresh Fellows

Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll moved up from the Bay Area with the Fellows concept already created.  The Fellows became a band in 1983, eventually adding Seattleites Jim Sangster and Tad Hutchison. (That’s Hutchison, not Hutchinson.)

Girl Trouble

From Tacoma, Girl Trouble built upon the tradition laid by the Sonics.

The Melvins

Never really a Seattle band, the Melvins hailed from Montesano, then moved to the Bay Area in 1987.

The Mono Men

From Bellingham, continuing in the Northwest garage tradition.

(Three Fourths of) Mudhoney

Steve Turner came from Mercer Island, Mark Arm from Kirkland, and Matt Lukin from Montesano.

Who Else?

My wife and daughter sat down as I set up my array of laminated Seattle photos and show posters.  I played a few musical selections to get the audience warmed up: “Polly” and “In Bloom” by Nirvana, “Half Past You” by Love Battery, and (at my daughter’s request) “Don’t Take It Personal Dave,” by the Cops.

A group of about 10 patrons stopped over to listen as I began the presentation.  I talked about that wonderful Seattle sense of humor, and introduced the audience to Mr. Epp and the Calculations…the fake band that became real.  Then I played them the following clip where Mr. Epp’s Mark Arm (now with Mudhoney) talks about the band’s latter days where a band mate began complaining that Epp had become “too rock.”  Back in the ’80s, punk bands could be shunned for sounding too much like a mainstream rock band.  As  I played the clip, I scanned the store, waiting to see how people would react to Mark’s imitation of a guitar plugged into way too much distortion and amplification (occurs at the end of the clip.)

I saw a few patrons physically jump.

I then read the notorious U-Men 1985 Bumbershoot (annual Seattle outdoor music festival) story, where the band set fire to a moat in front of the stage.  The band members didn’t realize that the moat actually ran underneath the stage, and that flames would follow.  But the U-Men kept performing, oblivious to the danger of the players themselves going up in flames.  A clip of U-Men guitarist Tom Price’s assessment of the situation followed…”We just kept playin’,” he said with typical Seattle nonchalance.

I talked about the incredible diversity of the Seattle music scene, which existed even during grunge’s heyday–offering up the Young Fresh Fellows’ “Amy Grant,” and Jack Endino’s experimental “Sideways Savannah” as evidence.

At the conclusion, my daughter asked some great questions about the book (not planted, I swear), as did some other folks not related to me.  After signing a few books, I hung out for about an hour, and Siren owner Blair allowed me to maintain control over the store’s PA.  And so I played a few Nirvana selections (“Love Buzz,” “Spank Thru,” “School,”); the U-Men (“Shoot ‘em Down”); Mudhoney (“Into the Drink,” “Fuzzgun ’91,”); Screaming Trees (“Ash Gray Sunday,” “Last Words”)…quietly finishing with the Shins (“Caring is Creepy.”)

I’d again like to thank Siren’s Blair and Chloe for hosting the event, and for supporting local writing.

http://www.gotoquiz.com/poll/fave_famous_grunge_era_seattle_band371

http://www.gotoquiz.com/poll/best_seattle_singer222

http://www.gotoquiz.com/poll/best_seattle_bass_player739

http://www.gotoquiz.com/poll/best_seattle_guitar_player760