I listened to all types of music, and obviously when I got to Seattle I was very much aware of the music scene there.
When it comes to grunge or even just Seattle, I think there was one band that made the definitive music of the time. It wasn't us or Nirvana, but Mudhoney. Nirvana delivered it to the world, but Mudhoney were the band of that time and sound.
Nirvana was happening when I was 14, kind of the perfect age. Growing up in Anacortes, Washington, it was close enough to Seattle that it seemed like a local thing.
I came up in the punk rock scene of Seattle.
There's a Kiss through-line to a lot of the music that came out of Seattle, and it hasn't been talked about a lot.
There was no support system in Seattle for musicians.
I never felt bad about being lumped in with other Seattle bands. I thought it was great.
The Seattle explosion was what saved rock from becoming too pompous! A great moment in music!
I absolutely think the Seattle grunge sound was instrumental to my music education.
What people don't realize is that the so-called Seattle grunge scene grew out of several close-knit gourmet supper clubs - we would only pick up guitars to pass the time while our dishes were simmering, baking, boiling, etc.
What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the industry showed up it was a pretty significant network. It was all happening, but the smell of money had not wafted up high enough for the industry. It wasn't really until they came descending on Seattle that things really got out of control.
