11:19 pm - 01/30/2012
Where Are They Now? 20 Years After the Alternative Revolution
In January 1992, Nirvana's 'Nevermind' album toppled a four-week holiday-season reign by Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous' atop the Billboard 200 sales chart.
The Alternative Revolution had stormed the barricades.
Grunge, goth, pop-punk, industrial and electronica suddenly all came together to a degree, as outsider acts from outsider genres broke through to the mainstream in a counter-culture movement not seen since the hippies of the 1960s.
Marketers and advertisers quickly co-opted said movement, but much of the music has persevered. Though not all the acts survived, a surprisingly solid number have made it to 2012 with dignity intact. The rest stay with us through the alt-rock era music that has nostalgia-soaked the past couple years.
So here's a where-are-they-now Spinner status-check on the musicians of the Alternative Nation, 20 years later. Is today the greatest day they've ever known or are they still just rats in a cage?
Jane's Addiction
The band may have had a few moderate hits and shocking album covers, but it was leader Perry Farrell's brainwave to create the Lollapalooza music festival that will represent their ultimate legacy.
Current Status: Together. The first Lollapalooza served as their swan song, but they eventually reunited and, despite subsequent cyclical break-ups, the band recently released 'The Great Escape Artist.'
Alternative Anthem: 'Been Caught Stealing'
PJ Harvey
Harvey was one of the few strong female voices representing the alt wave besides Courtney Love (in fact, Love's grunge-king hubby was reportedly a major fan). Not only was Polly Jean voted Artist of the Year in 1995 by Rolling Stone but she also shared a mega-manager with none other than U2.
Current Status: Still going strong. In fact, her 'Let England Shake' album won this year's Mercury Prize.
Alternative Anthem: 'Sheela Na Gig'
Smashing Pumpkins
Always an act that fancied themselves more cerebral and sophisticated than their grungier peers, the band lived and died over the years based on leader Billy Corgan's whimsy.
Current Status: "Together." The reality is the band is now just Billy Corgan. If he puts out something called "Smashing Pumpkins" as opposed to Zwan, Spirits in the Sky or something else, then it's Smashing Pumpkins.
Alternative Anthem: 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings'
The Pixies
Just when this whole alternative thing was getting big, Boston band the Pixies released their 'Trompe Le Monde' album, toured the world with U2, then promptly broke up.
Current Status: Reunited. After reuniting in 2004 the band has been touring semi-regularly (most recently playing 'Doolittle' top to bottom) and building the template for how alt bands can capitalize on Gen X nostalgia.
Alternative Anthem: 'Where Is My Mind'
Hole
Younger readers may only know Courtney Love as TMZ-bait, but in '91 she was the alt-nation's mascara-streaked queen, thanks to Hole's album 'Pretty on the Inside,' her marriage to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain and the classic, if disquietingly titled, 'Live Through This' released days after Kurt's death.
Current Status: Together-ish. Predictably where Love's involved, there's been some conflict. Love has tried to revive the Hole name without the past members, but fellow Hole O.G. Eric Erlandson says she can't do that without him. So the band is kinda in limbo, but Love, Erlandson, and other charter Hole members Patty Schemel and Melissa Auf der Maur all appeared at this year's New York screening of Schemel's documentary 'Hit So Hard: The Life & Near Death Story of Patty Schemel.'
Alternative Anthem: 'Doll Parts'
Red Hot Chili Peppers
With their 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' album RHCP achieved an incredibly unlikely feat -- a funk-rock band became worldwide superstars. Though they'd eventually give up the funk in favour of radio balladry.
Current Status: Together. They have trouble keeping guitarists(John Frusciante), but beyond that they've been one of the consistent surprise survivors of the alternative wave.
Alternative Anthem: 'Give It Away'
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
Band leaders Michael Franti and Rono Tse were trailblazers, mixing rap with industrial, working with the likes of writer William S. Burroughs and covering the Dead Kennedys while railing against television, "the drug of the nation."
Current Status: Broken up. Franti has spent the last 16 years with his band Spearhead. Under the "new" banner, the barefoot artist (fascinatingly, Franti swore off shoes back in 2000) continues his campaign for social change.
Alternative Anthem: 'Television'
My Bloody Valentine
Pioneers of the shoegazing scene, the British band released the epic 'Loveless' album then disappeared into a sort of creative purgatory.
Current Status: Reunited. The band reunited in 2007 and promised a follow-up to 1991's 'Loveless.' That hasn't arrived yet. But they have toured, loudly.
Alternative Anthem: 'Only Shallow'
Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor's NIN were the highest profile industrial rock band in a movement that also included Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb and Front 242, amongst others.
Current Status: Limbo. Trent Reznor is to Nine Inch Nails what Billy Corgan is to Smashing Pumpkins. He shelved NIN in 2009 and in the meantime he's worked on 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' soundtrack and with the band How to Destroy Angels. Reznor has hinted he's going to work on new NIN music in 2012.
Alternative Anthem: 'Closer'
Pearl Jam
Another pillar of the Seattle grunge scene, Pearl Jam didn't play by the rules -- they didn't make videos, fought with Ticketmaster, and released official bootleg CDs of every show they played. And it's made them one of the music's biggest bands.
Current Status: Together. Somehow, they've become the new Grateful Dead with hardcore fans following them on their endless tour and helping sell out multiple-night stands in arenas around the world.
Alternative Anthem: 'Even Flow'
Sonic Youth
These New Yorkers were already underground heroes when Nirvana broke, but the happy coincidence of being on the same label as Kurt and crew helped push them into the spotlight during the '90s.
Current Status: Limbo. Married core band members Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore recently announced they're getting divorced. Guitarist Lee Ranaldo says Sonic Youth are "ending for a while," and the band's label Matador characterizes their status as "uncertain."
Alternative Anthem: 'Kool Thing'
Soundgarden
This Seattle band was one of the pillars of grunge/alternative, especially after they softened their edges on radio smashes like 'Black Hole Sun.' After touring Lollapalooza twice, they broke up in 1997 over creative differences.
Current Status: Reunited. After a decade apart, and some bad solo records from lead singer Chris Cornell, the band are planning an album for 2012.
Alternative Anthem: 'Jesus Christ Pose'
The Sugarcubes
This Icelandic band were notable for the fact their lead singer was Bjork before she went weird. Relatively, at least.
Current Status: Broken up. The band did a one-off reunion in 2006 for charity, but there's no sign of a get-together on the horizon.
Alternative Anthem: 'Hit'
The Jesus and Mary Chain
These brooding Scottish noise-rockers were central figures in the shoegaze scene and also obvious inspirations for acts like the Horrors and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Current Status: Reunited. After breaking up in 1999 the band got back together in 2007 and now perform the occasional blistering live show.
Alternative Anthem: 'Reverence'
Alice in Chains
One of the under-appreciated soldiers in the grunge army, Alice in Chains were in limbo for a number of years after the overdose deaths of bassist Mike Starr and lead singer Layne Staley.
Current Status: Revived. New singer William DuVall joined the band in 2007 and they've made a surprisingly vital return to performing.
Alternative Anthem: 'Man in the Box'
R.E.M.
This Athens, GA, band were already elder statesmen of the scene when alternative broke out, but the newfound acceptance of artier and weirder bands sure helped Michael Stipe and company with the breakout success of the 'Out of Time' album.
Current Status: Broken up. On Sept. 21, 2011 it was announced they were "calling it a day as a band." Their farewell comp 'Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011' may tide fans over for now, but eventually folks will start clamoring for the reunion Stipe insists will never come.
Alternative Anthem: 'Losing My Religion'
L7
This veteran all-gal punk band got swept up in the grunge revolution and made the most of their 15 minutes. L7 bragging rights include having Nirvana go-to man Butch Vig produce their 1992 album, sharing the Lollapalooza stage with the Breeders and Smashing Pumpkins, and staring in a rockumentary made by former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic.
Current Status: Broken up. In 2001, the band announced they were on "indefinite hiatus." There are no signs that's going to change anytime soon.
Alternative Anthem: 'Pretend We're Dead'
Blur
These Brits were supposed to be the next Kinks or Rolling Stones -- the next great British rock band. But lead singer Damon Albarn became obsessed with world music, found improbable success with his cartoon dance band Gorillaz and has never looked back.
Current Status: Together-ish. The band went on hiatus in 2002 and only in the last couple years have started playing occasional shows and releasing singles again.
Alternative Anthem: 'There's No Other Way'
Massive Atack
Fathers of the trip-hop movement, they'd be followed closely by their peers Portishead and Tricky to establish a dark beat-heavy sound that's still heard today in everyone from the Weeknd to Lykke Li.
Current Status: Together. The band recently collaborated with dubstep artist Burial.
Alternative Anthem: 'Safe From Harm'
Source.
The Alternative Revolution had stormed the barricades.
Grunge, goth, pop-punk, industrial and electronica suddenly all came together to a degree, as outsider acts from outsider genres broke through to the mainstream in a counter-culture movement not seen since the hippies of the 1960s.
Marketers and advertisers quickly co-opted said movement, but much of the music has persevered. Though not all the acts survived, a surprisingly solid number have made it to 2012 with dignity intact. The rest stay with us through the alt-rock era music that has nostalgia-soaked the past couple years.
So here's a where-are-they-now Spinner status-check on the musicians of the Alternative Nation, 20 years later. Is today the greatest day they've ever known or are they still just rats in a cage?
Jane's Addiction
The band may have had a few moderate hits and shocking album covers, but it was leader Perry Farrell's brainwave to create the Lollapalooza music festival that will represent their ultimate legacy.
Current Status: Together. The first Lollapalooza served as their swan song, but they eventually reunited and, despite subsequent cyclical break-ups, the band recently released 'The Great Escape Artist.'
Alternative Anthem: 'Been Caught Stealing'
PJ Harvey
Harvey was one of the few strong female voices representing the alt wave besides Courtney Love (in fact, Love's grunge-king hubby was reportedly a major fan). Not only was Polly Jean voted Artist of the Year in 1995 by Rolling Stone but she also shared a mega-manager with none other than U2.
Current Status: Still going strong. In fact, her 'Let England Shake' album won this year's Mercury Prize.
Alternative Anthem: 'Sheela Na Gig'
Smashing Pumpkins
Always an act that fancied themselves more cerebral and sophisticated than their grungier peers, the band lived and died over the years based on leader Billy Corgan's whimsy.
Current Status: "Together." The reality is the band is now just Billy Corgan. If he puts out something called "Smashing Pumpkins" as opposed to Zwan, Spirits in the Sky or something else, then it's Smashing Pumpkins.
Alternative Anthem: 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings'
The Pixies
Just when this whole alternative thing was getting big, Boston band the Pixies released their 'Trompe Le Monde' album, toured the world with U2, then promptly broke up.
Current Status: Reunited. After reuniting in 2004 the band has been touring semi-regularly (most recently playing 'Doolittle' top to bottom) and building the template for how alt bands can capitalize on Gen X nostalgia.
Alternative Anthem: 'Where Is My Mind'
Hole
Younger readers may only know Courtney Love as TMZ-bait, but in '91 she was the alt-nation's mascara-streaked queen, thanks to Hole's album 'Pretty on the Inside,' her marriage to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain and the classic, if disquietingly titled, 'Live Through This' released days after Kurt's death.
Current Status: Together-ish. Predictably where Love's involved, there's been some conflict. Love has tried to revive the Hole name without the past members, but fellow Hole O.G. Eric Erlandson says she can't do that without him. So the band is kinda in limbo, but Love, Erlandson, and other charter Hole members Patty Schemel and Melissa Auf der Maur all appeared at this year's New York screening of Schemel's documentary 'Hit So Hard: The Life & Near Death Story of Patty Schemel.'
Alternative Anthem: 'Doll Parts'
Red Hot Chili Peppers
With their 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' album RHCP achieved an incredibly unlikely feat -- a funk-rock band became worldwide superstars. Though they'd eventually give up the funk in favour of radio balladry.
Current Status: Together. They have trouble keeping guitarists(John Frusciante), but beyond that they've been one of the consistent surprise survivors of the alternative wave.
Alternative Anthem: 'Give It Away'
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
Band leaders Michael Franti and Rono Tse were trailblazers, mixing rap with industrial, working with the likes of writer William S. Burroughs and covering the Dead Kennedys while railing against television, "the drug of the nation."
Current Status: Broken up. Franti has spent the last 16 years with his band Spearhead. Under the "new" banner, the barefoot artist (fascinatingly, Franti swore off shoes back in 2000) continues his campaign for social change.
Alternative Anthem: 'Television'
My Bloody Valentine
Pioneers of the shoegazing scene, the British band released the epic 'Loveless' album then disappeared into a sort of creative purgatory.
Current Status: Reunited. The band reunited in 2007 and promised a follow-up to 1991's 'Loveless.' That hasn't arrived yet. But they have toured, loudly.
Alternative Anthem: 'Only Shallow'
Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor's NIN were the highest profile industrial rock band in a movement that also included Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb and Front 242, amongst others.
Current Status: Limbo. Trent Reznor is to Nine Inch Nails what Billy Corgan is to Smashing Pumpkins. He shelved NIN in 2009 and in the meantime he's worked on 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' soundtrack and with the band How to Destroy Angels. Reznor has hinted he's going to work on new NIN music in 2012.
Alternative Anthem: 'Closer'
Pearl Jam
Another pillar of the Seattle grunge scene, Pearl Jam didn't play by the rules -- they didn't make videos, fought with Ticketmaster, and released official bootleg CDs of every show they played. And it's made them one of the music's biggest bands.
Current Status: Together. Somehow, they've become the new Grateful Dead with hardcore fans following them on their endless tour and helping sell out multiple-night stands in arenas around the world.
Alternative Anthem: 'Even Flow'
Sonic Youth
These New Yorkers were already underground heroes when Nirvana broke, but the happy coincidence of being on the same label as Kurt and crew helped push them into the spotlight during the '90s.
Current Status: Limbo. Married core band members Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore recently announced they're getting divorced. Guitarist Lee Ranaldo says Sonic Youth are "ending for a while," and the band's label Matador characterizes their status as "uncertain."
Alternative Anthem: 'Kool Thing'
Soundgarden
This Seattle band was one of the pillars of grunge/alternative, especially after they softened their edges on radio smashes like 'Black Hole Sun.' After touring Lollapalooza twice, they broke up in 1997 over creative differences.
Current Status: Reunited. After a decade apart, and some bad solo records from lead singer Chris Cornell, the band are planning an album for 2012.
Alternative Anthem: 'Jesus Christ Pose'
The Sugarcubes
This Icelandic band were notable for the fact their lead singer was Bjork before she went weird. Relatively, at least.
Current Status: Broken up. The band did a one-off reunion in 2006 for charity, but there's no sign of a get-together on the horizon.
Alternative Anthem: 'Hit'
The Jesus and Mary Chain
These brooding Scottish noise-rockers were central figures in the shoegaze scene and also obvious inspirations for acts like the Horrors and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Current Status: Reunited. After breaking up in 1999 the band got back together in 2007 and now perform the occasional blistering live show.
Alternative Anthem: 'Reverence'
Alice in Chains
One of the under-appreciated soldiers in the grunge army, Alice in Chains were in limbo for a number of years after the overdose deaths of bassist Mike Starr and lead singer Layne Staley.
Current Status: Revived. New singer William DuVall joined the band in 2007 and they've made a surprisingly vital return to performing.
Alternative Anthem: 'Man in the Box'
R.E.M.
This Athens, GA, band were already elder statesmen of the scene when alternative broke out, but the newfound acceptance of artier and weirder bands sure helped Michael Stipe and company with the breakout success of the 'Out of Time' album.
Current Status: Broken up. On Sept. 21, 2011 it was announced they were "calling it a day as a band." Their farewell comp 'Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011' may tide fans over for now, but eventually folks will start clamoring for the reunion Stipe insists will never come.
Alternative Anthem: 'Losing My Religion'
L7
This veteran all-gal punk band got swept up in the grunge revolution and made the most of their 15 minutes. L7 bragging rights include having Nirvana go-to man Butch Vig produce their 1992 album, sharing the Lollapalooza stage with the Breeders and Smashing Pumpkins, and staring in a rockumentary made by former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic.
Current Status: Broken up. In 2001, the band announced they were on "indefinite hiatus." There are no signs that's going to change anytime soon.
Alternative Anthem: 'Pretend We're Dead'
Blur
These Brits were supposed to be the next Kinks or Rolling Stones -- the next great British rock band. But lead singer Damon Albarn became obsessed with world music, found improbable success with his cartoon dance band Gorillaz and has never looked back.
Current Status: Together-ish. The band went on hiatus in 2002 and only in the last couple years have started playing occasional shows and releasing singles again.
Alternative Anthem: 'There's No Other Way'
Massive Atack
Fathers of the trip-hop movement, they'd be followed closely by their peers Portishead and Tricky to establish a dark beat-heavy sound that's still heard today in everyone from the Weeknd to Lykke Li.
Current Status: Together. The band recently collaborated with dubstep artist Burial.
Alternative Anthem: 'Safe From Harm'
Source.