Gen X Blues

History of Rock

NWBHM New Wave British Heavy Metal

Brits inspired by metal pioneers like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath

They had much in common with 70s Brit punks

• Dissatisfaction with society, politics and the world in general

This metal was harsh, fast and angry Bands include:

Saxon Venom Iron Maiden AC/DC – from Australia but part of the wave

• These bands took a dark militant image

Iron Maiden & AC/DC In 1983 metal fans voted Iron Maiden’s

albums Piece of Mind and The Number of the Beast the best 2 metal albums of all-time “The Number of the Beast” is a good

example of the aggressive intensity of this new wave of metal

AC/DC caught Brit fans’ attention in the early 80s with hits like “Highway to Hell”, and “Back in Black”.

Thrash or Speed Metal US Band Metallica took the inspiration of

NWBHM They sped up metal Anger an aggression are the central themes to

their music• This was similar to the West coast punk mood of the

time Formed by LA based Lars Ulrich. Other

members are: James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and a series of bassists

They have won 9 Grammy awards They are the first band to debut 5 albums at

number on the Billboard 200 chart

“Enter Sandman”

Post Baby Boom Economic Slide 1992 – the average worker earned $18 less

than the average worker in 1979 Unemployment rose to 7.4 percent Teens not is school (college) could not find

jobs This new generation found no stability either

at home or economically Divorce Child abuse rates up Many sought aggressive music as an outlet

for their frustrations

Industrial Music

Ministry – formed in 1981 by Alain Jourgensen Their early sound combined industrial

dance with intense, abrasive, pounding guitar inspired samples, synthesized sounds and tape effects

“Everyday is Halloween” received the most commercial play

“Stigmata” from the album Land of Rape and Honey shows their heavy-metal industrial style

Industrial Music Nine Inch Nails

• Added heavy metal guitar for a greater mass-appeal sound

Trent Reznor – Classically trained - Formed NIN in 1988

NIN captured the gloom and doom of this era

“just one big blast of anger. Not necessarily a well-rounded record-just one ultrafast chunk of death” – Rockin’ in Time quote by Reznor about the NIN album Broken 1992

“Head Like a Hole” - NIN

Rock in the Pacific Northwest

A style of rock music which had a combination of punk hardcore and metal emerged out of independent record labels in Washington state

Grunge Independent label Sub Pop signed bands that

rejected the fashion of both punk and metal Northwest fashion

• Faded flannel shirts• Ripped jeans• Baggy shorts• Boots or tennis shoes• Wool caps

Grunge

Music influenced by hardcore and metal with a darker melodic influence

Bands include:SoundgardenNirvanaPearl Jam

• Their lyrics were often personal and deeper than their punk predecessors

Arguably the most recognized grunge band Formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987

Members: Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, & Dave Grohl (1990)

2nd album Nevermind released on major label DGC Records in 1991 Huge success “voice of a generation” Gen X Cobain did not like the attention

In 7 years and only 3 commercial albums Nirvana helped establish alternative rock in the form of grunge and re-vitalize guitar based rock and roll

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Pearl JamSeattle, WA.

They followed Nirvana to the top the charts

Their members were fans of British heavy metal

Their debut album Ten has sold over 12 million copies

“Even Flow”

Grunge

Other bands took what Nirvana had started and spread the sound throughout the Pacific Northwest Alice in Chains – Dirt went quadruple

platinum (platinum = 1 mill sold) Sound Garden – First Seattle grunge

band to land a major record label deal• Superunknown – released at number one

on the charts and won 2 Grammy awards

“Black Hole Sun”

Alt Rock Now an enormous category

Indie Rock Underground Rock

Often began in college towns on college radio Independent labels Anti-commercial ???

• Anti-conformity Guitar based music blends

Very diverse category: R.E.M. - Georgia Sonic Youth – New York Smashing Pumpkins - Chicago Stone Temple Pilots – San Diego No Doubt – Orange County, CA

Nu-Metal Pioneers

A hybrid of hard-edged rock and hip-hop Faith No More – Los Angeles band formed in 1980 Blended hip-hop, funk and metal Paid homage to metal pioneers

Black Sabbath Led Zeppelin Jimi Hendrix

“If it wasn’t for Sabbath, I wouldn’t be sitting here” – Puffy Bordin – drummer for Faith No More

“We really liked the Run DMC thing that was going on at the time” – Roddy Bottum keyboardist for Faith No More

“Epic”

Nu-Metal Pioneers Red Hot Chili Peppers – Formed in

1983 in L.A. Blended funk, metal and rap Members: Anthony Kiedis, funk bass

player Michael “Flea” Balzary, guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith

Their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik hit no. 3 in the charts

They found inspiration in groups such as Parliament/Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys “Suck My Kiss”

“Give it Away”