I was working in alternative radio when that came out. Nirvana's success single-handedly wiped out the alternative music scene. Once major labels stood up and took notice they bought up all the little specialty labels, killed them off and spawned the 'alternative rawk' format that hasn't changed in 20 years.
The Sebadoh thing was pretty cool but you're cheating, you're in the UK. Some of what charted in the early punk glory days was never matched this side of the pond. I plead no contest against Brits.
Re: Albini, love his production on Surfer Rosa. Demonstration quality.
His original version of In Utero is no slouch either - they only remixed 2 of his mixes but still I think in retrospect his version was the one they should have went with.
But yeah no doubt Pixies production really seems to stand up - not much of that studiophoolery and overproduction that makes me cringe when I put on other stuff from around then.
Steve Albini makes me feel like a fan club member... I'll pretty much listen to anything he records. I love how 90% of everything he records is done without overdub garbage.
The recordings he's done for Hosemobile, Mono, Don Cabellero, and Neurosis have to be my favorite
The blistering bass lines on the Hosemobile recordings are just ridiculously epic
7 pages and only one mention of Mogwai? I have a general rule that every time I hear "ithica 27-9" play it must be played as loud as possible...
The recordings he's done for Hosemobile, Mono, Don Cabellero, and Neurosis have to be my favorite
The blistering bass lines on the Hosemobile recordings are just ridiculously epic
7 pages and only one mention of Mogwai? I have a general rule that every time I hear "ithica 27-9" play it must be played as loud as possible...
It's so simple in fact! What's wrong is basicly the "biz" thing, no more no less.
It's still possible to live with this wrongness better or worse though
I was working in alternative radio when that came out. Nirvana's success single-handedly wiped out the alternative music scene. Once major labels stood up and took notice they bought up all the little specialty labels, killed them off and spawned the 'alternative rawk' format that hasn't changed in 20 years.
The Sebadoh thing was pretty cool but you're cheating, you're in the UK. Some of what charted in the early punk glory days was never matched this side of the pond. I plead no contest against Brits.
Re: Albini, love his production on Surfer Rosa. Demonstration quality.
The majors have been co-opting and corrupting for years. I have no trouble finding many DIY or self release labels. There are a lot of independent artists out there. One of our local stations has the policy of removing bands from the playlist as soon as they sign with a major, they took a lot of flack over Nirvana. My favorite Seattle band is still "The Wipers" with Greg Sage on guitar.
BTW Albini's comments on digital are mostly unprintable.
I still have all their vinyl. Hole, of all bands, does an excellent cover of 'Over the Edge'. To square the circle, Courtney Love's Albini-ish comments on the record industry here.
The Wipers and bands like them were arguably the biggest victims of the Nirvana wave of alternative. After that acts like them, Flipper and hosts of others were replaced with more mainstream production values. Much though I enjoy new acts like the Riverboat Gamblers it's a hard slog to maintain they're a break from the past or that the music scene has as many alternatives as when you might hear Ministry, Ian Dury, Jesus Jones, Redd Kross, Rollins Band and Sarah McLachlan in the same radio set. Now it's mostly three chord guitar, followed by four, followed by three, in rotation. Which, since I like three chord rock, isn't too bad but again, hardly a field of flourishing alternatives. Scissorfight anyone?
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I still have all their vinyl. Hole, of all bands, does an excellent cover of 'Over the Edge'. To square the circle, Courtney Love's Albini-ish comments on the record industry here.
The Wipers and bands like them were arguably the biggest victims of the Nirvana wave of alternative. After that acts like them, Flipper and hosts of others were replaced with more mainstream production values. Much though I enjoy new acts like the Riverboat Gamblers it's a hard slog to maintain they're a break from the past or that the music scene has as many alternatives as when you might hear Ministry, Ian Dury, Jesus Jones, Redd Kross, Rollins Band and Sarah McLachlan in the same radio set. Now it's mostly three chord guitar, followed by four, followed by three, in rotation. Which, since I like three chord rock, isn't too bad but again, hardly a field of flourishing alternatives. Scissorfight anyone?
The last Flipper show in Boston was far from mainstream
Fortunately we still have some independent radio (could't believe they played Black Flag's "Damaged" uncensored at lunch time last week).
By bizarre coincidence I pulled out The Trinity Session on Latent vinyl tonight for the first time in a decade.
Talking about vinyl, here's an interview with John Lydon (PIL) praising virtues of vinyl; he may actually be an audiophile
(starting at 1:30): YouTube - Johnny Rotten Interview August, 2007, NYC
(starting at 1:30): YouTube - Johnny Rotten Interview August, 2007, NYC
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