Grunge Is Dead

by Greg Prato

  DAVID MEINERT: Around ’91, police started using [the Teen Dance Ordinance] on rock shows. As the Seattle rock scene blew up, I think it made the powers that be in the city scared, and they wanted to shut it down. So they used the Teen Dance Ordinance, saying, “When kids are moshing, they’re dancing — this law applies to them.” I worked at the Odd Fellows Hall, and Mudhoney was playing a show. The police surrounded the building with riot gear, came in, and said we had to shut down because kids were dancing. We’re like, “ It’s a Mudhoney show — they’re not really dancing.” They’re like, “It looks like dancing to me.” And that was at the height of moshing. They really started to go after all-ages clubs at that point — rock clubs and punk shows. That turned into a big battle that we eventually won … but not until 2001.

  ED FOTHERINGHAM: People were taking the piss out of everybody. There’s that story of the New York Times writing a fluff piece about “grungy Seattle.” They wanted a youth lexicon, and they called up [Megan Jasper] at Sub Pop — she was the receptionist at the time. She spun this bullshit, and it got published! And this is the most venerable paper in the world. That was a victory for Seattle.

  MEGAN JASPER: I remember thinking it was a joke that someone was playing on me. Because it’s too dumb of a question, for someone to say, “Share the grunge lexicon.” Dude, come on. When I realized it was a real phone call from a real reporter, I figured I should have fun with it, and make a joke about it. I tried to give more and more whacky grunge synonyms, thinking that the reporter would go, “Oh, come on!” But that never happened. Then I thought, “That story will just end internally at the New York Times, because someone’s going to read that, and say, ‘This is retarded.’” All I could hear was the sound of the keyboard — the reporter was so busy accurately trying to get the information. I’m sure he’s a smart enough guy, but his brain was turned off. He just became part of the telephone wire — my words went directly into the keyboard, and it skipped his brain.

  ART CHANTRY: We clipped that thing off the front page of the New York Times. Daniel House at C/Z put it on T-shirts, and people were wearing them around town. It was really hilarious. But the more and more outsiders came here to partake of the explosion, after a while, those words became real. You’d walk down the street, and people were actually using those slang terms. And then years later, Harsh Realm becomes a TV show, for Christ’s sake! Then you begin to realize the power of what happened. Here’s this scene that didn’t exist, that was created as a hype. It was a fraud — it didn’t exist. And then, it became real. And then out of it, it became a vehicle for enormous talent that had been pent up in this crappy little part of the world forever. It got a venue. These talents that had been living like rats up here in the Northwest for decades all of a sudden had a place to show their stuff. And blam — it’s like they had the chops to back up the bullshit. It’s one of those incredible moments.

  JERRY CANTRELL: To see what it turned into — it was incredible. Turned the world on its ear — the fucking planet, dude. That’s heavy [laughs]. Not me, not us, all of us — we all did it together, without doing it together. We were just doing our own thing. That’s the beauty of it. It wasn’t some planned thing — it just happened. And it happened because the shit was good.

  CHAPTER 18

  “If you can sell 40,000, they’ll let you make another one”: Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog

  Still reeling from the death of Andy Wood, ex–Love Bone bandmates Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament decided to continue to work together. On the recommendation of a mutual friend, singer Eddie Vedder was welcomed aboard — resulting in the formation of Pearl Jam. At the same time, a one-off tribute album was put together for Wood — Temple of the Dog.

  JEFF AMENT: Not long after Andy died, Susan [Silver] and Kelly [Curtis] shared offices, and she mentioned that Chris [Cornell] had recorded a couple of songs that pertained to Andy, and wanted us to hear them. I hooked up with Chris, and he gave me a tape — I was blown away. I thought initially that he could just release them like that and they would have been great. The demos of “Reach Down” and “Say Hello 2 Heaven” are really not that much different than what ended up on the record [1991’s Temple of the Dog]. Chris had all these songs together, and there were a couple that Stone had — we knocked them out in five or six days. We were down and out, and those guys picked us up for a minute, and helped us out. It was pure music, it wasn’t anything else.

  Right around that time, I ran into Mike McCready. He said he’d been playing with Stone, and I needed to come over and check out what they were working on. As soon as I started playing with Stone and Mike, it seemed like that was more what I wanted to do. At every party I went to, Mike was playing guitar in the corner of the room — I just remember him shredding. I’ve never been across the room from somebody that could play blues and Hendrix that well. He and Tim DiJulio also helped keep me alive by flowing me leftover pizza at Piecora’s, which was right across the street from my apartment.

  Things happened pretty quickly after that with Stone. I think we practiced together a few times, he and I hung out, had dinner — talked about what we wanted to do. Because the end of Mother Love Bone wasn’t that creative — it was super passive-aggressive. I remember saying, “I want to be able to throw out ideas and not get laughed at. We should be able to play whatever we want.” That was probably the main thing we took into Pearl Jam — we wanted to be a really good, diverse band. We wanted to be able to play a country song, a hardcore song, or a groovy, mid-tempo rock song.

  REGAN HAGAR: I remember feeling like, “Alright, Stone and Jeff, I know you can do this.” They were “the Paul and Gene” of Seattle — very matter-of-fact.

  JERRY CANTRELL: I always liked Jeff a lot — he was a real business-oriented guy. A serious individual. Really into the graphic art part of the band, as well as the musical direction.

  KRISHA AUGEROT: Stone is one of my best friends — one of the funniest guys I know, in a different way. He’s not self-conscious — he’s very open and smart. He’s your classic smart, funny guy, who isn’t your typical rock star in any way. He remained himself through his entire career. Stayed true to himself — he has all the same friends.

  JEFF AMENT: Stone and I were in Los Angeles, promoting the Mother Love Bone record — which was a horrible, arduous task. I don’t think it was something that either one of us wanted to do, but we felt that we wanted Andy’s legacy to be heard. Somehow through [Michael Beinhorn], we got in contact with Jack Irons — who we loved as a drummer. We heard that he had quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Got his number, and ended up meeting him down there. Gave him a tape, and didn’t hear from him for three months.

  One of us finally called [and asked] if he was interested, and he said, “Nah — I have this other band, Eleven. I’ve known these guys all my life and I’ve got to do this.” I remember one of the last things I said to him was, “If you know another drummer that plays like you — or if you know a singer — that’s where we’re at right now.” Within a month or so, Jack called back and said, “I’ve become friends with this kid from San Diego. He’s got a lot of energy, and I think he’d be perfect for what you guys are doing.” So we got his address, sent him a tape, and within four or five days, I got the tape back with “Once,” “Alive,” and “Footsteps.”

  EDDIE VEDDER: I got this tape through Jack Irons, who I had become friends with while he was playing drums with Joe Strummer, on [the] Earthquake Weather tour. I started hanging out with Jack, and we went on this camping trip with a bunch of guys through Yosemite — Flea; John; Dix Denny; Nicky Beat, who played in the Germs; Dick Rude, who just made a documentary about Joe Strummer [2006’s Let’s Rock Again!] and was in a band called Two Free Stooges; Cliff Martinez, who was one of the Peppers’ drummers. This really cool gathering of the underground Los Angeles scene. This twelve-day trip — or maybe it was six days and twelve guys, I can’t remember. Just hiking and backpacking out into no man’s land. One of the greatest trips ever.

/>   When I got to Jack’s house in L.A., he gave [the tape] to me — I played it on the way home to San Diego. Then I’m sure I went right to work. I was a glorified security guard/gas station attendant doing midnight shifts. I had been doing midnight shifts for quite a while — maybe five or six years. I’d also work three shifts at this club called the Bacchanal. I had the music in my head. I went out for a bit of a surf in the morning, and then wrote the songs in this shack that I had a four-track sitting in. I sent the tape off that day — my version of three songs. Two days later, I saw a little article in Rolling Stone, that had a picture. I think it was Bruce, Stone, and Jeff. It was the first time I could put a face to it.

  JEFF AMENT: It was so much more intense than anything we’d ever done. I remember when he came to Seattle, the thing he told me before he left was, “When I get there, I want to go straight to the rehearsal studio and play. I don’t want to hang out and chit-chat.”

  EDDIE VEDDER: I had no business making any demands — but I felt it was a gentle one.

  JEFF AMENT: That’s all we did for about a week — we’d take a break once or twice a day and go eat, and the rest of the time we’re in the Potatohead basement, working on songs. On the sixth day, we went in and recorded the ideas we had. We played them all at the Off Ramp on the seventh day, and then he went back to San Diego. We were buzzing — I remember not being sure of what had just happened. During that whole process, we wiggled our way out of the PolyGram deal that Stone and I were still signed to. We knew it was good the first day that we played. It felt like the kind of band that I would want to see. And I knew Ed was the type of guy who would have my back if I was getting my ass kicked … I don’t know if I had felt that way in other bands — i.e., the Detroit Samhain show.

  EDDIE VEDDER: I took a week off work and did that. I was excited, because it was a kind of music that I hadn’t really heard before. I could hear things in it. When the vocal got on there with some of the songs, it felt like something different. I was thinking, “We’ll play a song — one of the ones they’ve heard, or one of the ones I’ve just written,” because I’d written three more before I got up there. And … they were more concerned with the drummer! [Laughs.] This guy Dave Krusen. They’d talk to Dave for ten minutes, or try maybe a half hour to figure out a part or a bridge. I’d say, “What about my bit there?” “Oh that’s great, that’s fine — let’s do it again.” I was looking for some reinforcement one way or another, so I could work on it. By the end of six days, we had probably ten songs — maybe eleven.

  JEFF AMENT: There was never any doubt in my mind that he was the singer for us. He was so into it — so dedicated and uninhibited when we were playing. The first time you play with people, it usually takes three or four times until it feels right. With him, it all locked right away.

  SUSAN SILVER: Kelly and I were in New York. We were waiting for some Alice meeting, and he played me this cassette. This guy, Eddie, had put some melody and lyrics to this song — it was “Alive” — and I go, “Oh my God,it’s amazing .”

  KRISHA AUGEROT: Kelly’s relationship is really tight with the band. Kelly is not your classic businessman/manager. He’s very personable, it’s a very democratic situation — they all decide what’s going to go on. He’s more like a representative of the band — like a sixth member. Pearl Jam is really his number one priority, and always will be. He’s not looking to become a corporation, where he’s managing all these acts and making millions. He’s just devoted to Pearl Jam.

  I remember when Eddie first came to Seattle. The first time I met him, was at a party down in the Pike Place Market — I don’t remember whose house it was at. He stood out a little bit, because his whole style was different. He had a long, grown out Mohawk thing, that hadn’t been cut in three years or something [laughs]. It wasn’t a mullet, it was a Mohawk. I guess it was [a] really early “grunge look” — tie-dyed big pants and a hat. He was really sweet — very personable.

  Eddie likes to be one-on-one with somebody. If he meets you at a party, he would take you to a corner, or sit down somewhere and have an intimate conversation with you. People were drawn to him for that, because he would really focus on you and have this talk. He was back and forth during that time, then he moved up here, and he was staying in their practice space — below an art gallery on First Avenue. Living there — perfectly content. He was nice, friendly — also very funny.

  SUSAN SILVER: They were getting to know Eddie, so they brought him in to the studio, and he sang on “Hunger Strike.”

  EDDIE VEDDER: It was during that same week that I was up there. Day four maybe, or day five, they did a Temple rehearsal after our afternoon rehearsal. I got to watch these songs, and watch how Chris was working, and watch Matt play drums. It got to “Hunger Strike” — I was sitting in the corner, putting duct tape on a little African drum. About two-thirds of the way through, he was having to cut off the one line, and start the other. I’m not now, and certainly wasn’t then, self-assured or cocky, but I could hear what he was trying to do, so I walked up to the mic — which I’m really surprised I did — and sang that other part, “Going hungry, going hungry.” The next time I was up, he asked if I’d record it — so it was just me and Chris in the same studio that we made [1991’s] Ten record. I really like hearing that song. I feel like I could be real proud of it — because one, I didn’t write it, and two, it was such a nice way to be ushered onto vinyl for the first time. I’m indebted to Chris time eternal for being invited onto that track.

  MATT CAMERON: A&M really liked [Temple of the Dog] and put it out there — so it was once again, organically produced.

  SUSAN SILVER: They went in the studio, and eleven days later, came out with that entire album. It was just an unbelievable, cathartic experience. An amazing record — a big, powerful record.

  XANA LA FUENTE: Chris gave me pretty much the first copy of it. I loved it — I still love it. I’m just not happy about the fact that they made money off of it — I think they could have asked Kevin and Brian to be on it. I know they have some hard feelings about that.

  KEVIN WOOD: Me and Brian were bummed that we didn’t get asked to play on it. I never really listened to it until I had to go to Italy last year, and they asked me to learn some of the songs. Otherwise, it struck too close to home for me to go out and buy it, or even listen to it. You pick yourself up, you go on, and then somebody says, “I wrote a song about your brother, and it’s really sad.” “OK, well, don’t play it, buddy, I don’t want to hear it.” Chris and all those guys who played on it are awesome musicians and did a wonderful job.

  GRANT ALDEN: I was in L.A. on the A&M lot, which were the Chaplin Studios. I was picking up an advance of the Temple of the Dog record, and Rick Gershon, Soundgarden’s publicist, had this promo photo. He said, “Grant — who the hell is this Eddie Vedder guy, and why is he in my picture?”

  EDDIE VEDDER: The end of the week I was there, I think day six, we played a show. And day seven we recorded the ten songs that we had — maybe it was twelve. Then I went back, and it seemed like all a blur, but I had this tape — which was not just the instrumental tape now. It had the whole deal going on. So we played a show on day six, and that was at the Off Ramp. That was in late October — I’m guessing.

  JIM BLANCHARD: I saw the Mookie Blaylock show, before they were Pearl Jam, at the Off Ramp and hated it. They’re great musicians, super-professional, talented, charismatic. You can tell they’re on their way to becoming superstars, but don’t ask me to like it. It’s the vibe they were mining — it brought back memories of all those awful ’80s heavy metal bands that we sought out to destroy. It had a little bit more passion going, but it wasn’t that different.

  STU HALLERMAN: I remember leaving that show, and for months afterwards I would tell people, “I have a favorite new unknown band in Seattle, these guys Mookie Blaylock” [Pearl Jam’s original name].

  EDDIE VEDDER: The first show was interesting because we opened for I don’t know who — we snuck on
this bill. During sound check — of which we were the last band to sound check, since we were the first one on — I had my eyes closed. We had only one song to play before they opened doors. I kept my eyes closed and sang the song — I don’t know if it was “Release” or “Even Flow.” The club’s empty, I sing the song, I open my eyes right at the last bit of music is playing, and the club’s half full. They had opened doors. It’s kind of an interesting analogy of just what it was being ushered into Seattle, and the kind of interest Stone and Jeff already had in their group, and me getting to share in that. After years of playing to ten or fifteen people that you had to coax and call to get to show up, it was interesting to start a song with your eyes closed, wake up, and there was a crowd. It wasn’t lost on me — having a crowd was a new experience [laughs].

  After the show, I was getting some positive reinforcement from a few folks that I knew were part of the family and scene. Cornell coming up to me, and he just happened to be standing under a black light. He was talking to me, and his eyes and his teeth were glowing — he absolutely looked like Satan. He was saying he thought it was great, and was happy for Jeff and Stone. Andy was a friend of his and this felt like a good thing. To hear it from Chris, especially from his connection with Andy … but to hear it from Satan at the same time, it left a really strong impression.