Grunge

• What do you notice about the people in all three pictures, especially the teenagers?
• If you had been a teenager then, how well do you think you would have been able to relate to these characters?
• Remember that there were no Internet, no Facebook, and no cell phones in the 1980s. If you did not feel you were being represented in mass media, where might you turn? Where might you find art or culture that you felt represented your world and your outlook?

Popular music in the 90s before acts like Nirvana and Pearl Jam included the following:
MC Hammer
Paula Abdul
Madonna
C&C Music Factory
Brian Adams
Celine Dion

Interview

• What is their general attitude toward life?
• How would you describe their appearance, especially compared to the characters in the television shows from the 1980s?
• Why might their general attitude have resonated with teenagers in this time period?

Paranoid (Black Sabbath)

Rise Above (Black Flag)

Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)

Alive (Pearl Jam)

• Do you notice any similarities in instrumentation and/or vocals? What are they?
• What do you hear in terms of dynamics? Are there contrasts between loud and soft? If so, what does this contribute to the song?
• What do you notice about the performers’ clothing and appearance? Do you see any similarities in aesthetic?
• What is similar about the attitude of the performers the different videos?
• What specifically do the Grunge songs (Mudhoney, Nirvana and Pearl Jam) appear to draw from the earlier Punk and Heavy Metal performances?

Write a three paragraph response to what we've looked at/discussed today.
Paragraph 1: Describe the music and performance

• What does the music sound like?
• What earlier musical influences does it draw upon?
• What do you notice about dynamics (how loud and soft the music is)?
• How would you describe the vocals?

Paragraph 2: What does the music mean?

• What are the songs about?
• What are the main themes?
• Why do you thing the songs were written?
• What general ideas and outlook are they trying to express?
• How does the way the performers look and behave help convey these messages?

Paragraph 3: Describe your reaction to the music.

• How effective do you find the songs and performances?
• Do they succeed in conveying their ideas to the audience?
• Who do you think would find this music most meaningful?
• Do you think "grunge" is a fair description of what you have seen and heard?