Grunge

• 1. Name 2 Grunge artists and 2 Grunge bands.
• 2. Describe the fashion of grunge
• 3. Name the time signature of 'In Bloom' by Nirvana.
• 4. List 3 intruments in the song, 'In Bloom'
• 5. In which decade did Grunge music reach mainstream popularity?
• 6. Where was Grunge 'made'?

Popularity

-Popular in the early 1990's-far more diverse than that of the 1980's

-Energetic, Relatable to-teenage angst

-'Look' was simply achievable

-Nirvana and Pearl Jam led the movement

-Most popular form of hard rock at the time

-Popularised by the Seattle record label Sub Pop

-Successful in the 1990's because of the release of the likes of Nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten.

Background

-Form of alternative rock

-Accumulated mainstream popularity in the mid 1990's

-Seattle band vocalist, Mark Arm used it to describe a fellow bands' single.

-Claimed that the term had been used in Australia

-Grunge was not a genre, but more a description of a Seattle based sound

-Punk/metal hybrid.

Sound

-Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock

-Comprises of distorted and chaotic electric guitars, contrasting dynamics and angst-like lyrics

-Unkempt and lack typical concert etiquette.

Chris Cornell

Eddie Vedder

Mark Arm

Neil Young

Alice in Chains

Nirvana

Kurt Cobain

Performance

-High energy and concise performances

-Avoided the detail and expense

-Excluded light arrays, visual effects, stage acting

-Grunge artists wore typical outdoor clothing such as flannel shirts . Artists weren’t focused completely or concerned on the fashion or the sense of style.

Test Your Grunge Knowledge

Grunge bands began to part their ways gradually, until the late 1990's. when they had almost completely been eradicated. However, the influence of Grunge affects many modern day bands and soloists.

Texture

-Polyphonic-Many sounds

-Voluminous, thick sounding texture

-Melodic Layer-Vocals and Lead Guitar

-Harmonic Layer-Backup Vocals and Bass Guitar

-Rhythmic Layer-Drum Kit

Dynamics and Expressive Techniques

-Verse-Mezzo Piano

-Chorus-Forte

-Cresendo leading to chorus

-Distorted, nebulous-sounding instruments

-Climax to final chous

-Whispering, droning verse to strained, almost shouting chorus

Timbre/Tone Colour

-Instruments

-Lead Guitar

-Bass Guitar

-Vocals

-Drum Kit

-Backup Vocals

-Vocals is strained, gutteral and shouting/screaming-like, in chorus’ but then soft, dark and gloomy in the verses

-Lead guitar is also distorted, electronic and chaotic in chorus, though steadily mellow in verses

Structure

-Intro 8 Bars

-Second Intro 8 Bars

-Verse I 16 Bars

-Chorus I 32 Bars

-Interlude 8 Bars

-Verse II 16 Bars

-Chorus II 32 Bars

-Interlude 8 Bars

-Guitar Solo 16 Bars

-Chorus III 32 Bars

-Outro 8 Bars

Duration

-Quadruple Time- 4 beats in a bar

-Syncopation

-Steady, Regular, Strong Beat

-Repetitious rhythmic patterns

-Allegretto-moderately fast

Pitch

-Major key

-Vocal shouts lead up to chorus, from verse

-Melody is carried out by Lead Singer’s vocals and his electric guitar

-Harmony is occasional from drummer’s harmonic vocals and bass guitar

Grunge