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photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
like any major cultural movement that has an impact, the shorthand history of the ALTERNATIVE ROCK scene is largely confined to the shortlist of bands that made money for corporate labels and sustained commercial appeal on the radio and the attention of the national press (i.e. SEATTLE bands like NIRVANA, SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM, ALICE IN CHAINS or soundalike groups like SMASHING PUMPKINS and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS). what the recent documentary UNDERGROUND INC: THE RISE & FALL OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK (THIRD FACE, 2019) attempts to do is expand that limited narrative to include a diverse set of bands of the era who have had an immeasurable impact on the INDIE, ALTERNATIVE and POST HARDCORE scenes that followed in the new millennium despite their lack of widespread commercial appeal and industry promotion. these impactful bands include the likes of FUGAZI, SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT, DRIVE LIKE JEHU, QUICKSAND, ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT, HELMET, COP SHOOT COP, JAWBOX, THE JESUS LIZARD, COURSE OF EMPIRE, FUDGE TUNNEL, BRAD, JETS TO BRAZIL, HANDSOME, TEXAS IS THE REASON, GIRLS AGAINST BOYS, MINISTRY, ONLY LIVING WITNESS, SURGERY, BIG BLACK, FAILURE, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, DOWNSET, FISHBONE and SUGARTOOTH among countless others.
some of these bands had died-in-wool DIY INDIE/HARDCORE ethos that carried them throughout their existence (like FUGAZI, SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, BIG BLACK and JETS TO BRAZIL), but the vast majority of these bands found themselves subject to traditional pressures that come with the responsibilities that comes with a bigger budget, which includes pressures that derive from outsized AMBITION, PUBLISHING SPLITS, DRUGS, lack of RADIO/TOUR SUPPORT and CREATIVE CONTROL. it really goes to show that the major label system as configured in the 1990s was brutal and laid waste to once-promising acts that could not say no to the allure of wider distribution and recording / promotional budgets. the FAUSTIAN bargain seemed to be at the expense of control once your commercial appeal wained. obviously some of these independent bands are well-known (FUGAZI, THE JESUS LIZARD, QUICKSAND, JETS TO BRAZIL, SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, JAWBOX) given their influence on later bands ranging from AT THE DRIVE-IN, THURSDAY, SAVES THE DAY, THRICE, POISON THE WELL, TAKING BACK SUNDAY and (my favorite) GLASSJAW. but just as interesting are the ones that i had never heard of before like COURSE OF EMPIRE, HANDSOME, SURGERY and SUGARTOOTH or one's ive only learned about recently (like COP SHOOT COP) through fellow DJs at MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC. for most of the second half of the 1990s i was overseas in AFRICA so i didnt come of age going to independent HARDCORE and INDIE shows. i was never a part of that community, so for me this documentary is fascinating in that it presents an amended list of influential yet largely unknown bands (by followers of the mainstream press like me) that mattered during that decade and influenced musicians within the creative set that followed. having listened to some of these bands now for a period, im ashamed and a little stunned that i had no idea some of these bands even existed, but then again why would i? the whole point of this documentary is that they werent promoted or supported well by the major label system. its too bad some of these groups couldnt be like the MELVINS and reclaim their identity by going back and kicking ass on an indie label after being let go or shelved by a major. i can only imagine once you had a taste of a certain standard of recording and touring experience it is difficult to go back. it is hard to think of bands that successfully navigated that indie-to-major-back-to-indie terrain outside of bands like CLUTCH, DINOSAUR JR, SONIC YOUTH and the aforementioned MELVINS. of course with the advent of the internet this whole conversation is a mute point. its an interesting CULTURAL ANACHRONISM since now everyone is essentially working as if they are on an indie. i cannot advocate any more forcefully how much of a revelation UNDERGROUND INC: THE RISE & FALL OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK was for me. i consider it required viewing for anyone interested in not only ALTERNATIVE ROCK, but especially the greater story of INDIE ROCK and HARDCORE and all its attendant offspring like POST HARDCORE and METALCORE. well worth rewatching and further future investigation as it set me on a path of discovery and appreciation.
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photo & text by nacrowe
what i remember about KORN's fourth album ISSUES (EPIC, 1999) as a teenager was how quickly it was released on the heel of the previous year's landmark FOLLOW THE LEADER (EPIC, 1998). in my opinion the band was on a trajectory with their first three records that saw them expand their sound with confidence with each subsequent release. this role of their's ended with ISSUES, which sounded like a retread and to some extent the rest of their career has been an attempt at capturing the magic of those first three releases.
when i hear ISSUES singles like "SOMEBODY SOMEONE," "MAKE ME BAD" and especially "FALLING AWAY FROM ME," all i can think about is "FREAK ON A LEASH" from FOLLOW THE LEADER. i understand that the record was seen as a gift to fans by the band, case in point all the alternative fan-created cover designs, but in retrospect the record just comes off as uninspired and a step backward for a group that was quite innovative at its time. quite literally they were the leader rallying a movement of like-minded bands during the late 1990s and with this record they unfortunately stepped into self-parody. they ended up following themselves. i remember getting this record in SACRAMENTO while on a trip visiting family alone from boarding school in MASSACHUSETTS during my sophomore year. i remember being excited about the release but a little uneasy at how quick it came out. my instincts about quality control were sadly correct and for me this album remains the ugly duckling of their extensive discography. in fact, only when KORN released their DUBSTEP hybrid record THE PATH OF TOTALITY (ROADRUNNER, 2011) many years later, which included some of the best JONATHAN DAVIS choruses to date in "NARCISSISTIC CANNIBAL" and "GET UP!," did i even begin to notice them again. if you are interested in KORN my suggestion would definitely be to check out their first three records: KORN (EPIC, 1994), LIFE IS PEACHY (EPIC, 1996) and FOLLOW THE LEADER. you can pretty much skip ISSUES entirely. 
photo & text by nacrowe
major label debut's dont come much cooler and more fun than WHITE ZOMBIE's LA SEXORCISTO: DEVIL MUSIC VOL. 1 (GEFFEN, 1992) with all of its gloriously and unapologetically SATANIC, PHANTASMAGORICAL IMAGERY via frontman ROB ZOMBIE and the absolutely crushing musicianship via newly recruited guitarist JAY YEUNGER. well, technically this was WHITE ZOMBIE's third record for GEFFEN, as the previous two were released via subsidiary label CAROLINE RECORDS, but in terms of overall cultural impact and popular awareness of the band, this record really is the introductory salvo in a legendary one-two punch that was closed by the celebrated follow-up ASTRO-CREEP 2000 (GEFFEN, 1995).
it was probably either through listening to 106.7 KROQ in LOS ANGELES or watching BEAVIS & BUTTHEAD on MTV at a friend's house that i first became aware of WHITE ZOMBIE via the INFECTIOUS track "THUNDER KISS '65" with its absolutely KILLER opening riff. that song and its day-glo, EXPLOITATION FILM-themed video was instantly MEMORABLE and effortlessly cool. like NIRVANA's "SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT" before it, the track just hooks you in for life immediately upon your first listen. just a DEVASTATING sonic experience with a highly referential yet OPAQUE set of lyrics that dont get in the way. other standout tracks like "WELCOM TO PLANET MOTHERFUCKER" and the IGGY POP-assisted, muscle car themed "BLACK SUNSHINE" are celebrations of EXTREME experiences, which basically summarize the band's aesthetic in general. ROB ZOMBIE once said in an early interview that his objective in making music was to create something that he himself would be willing to pay for as a fan and that ethos seems all over this record. there is a sense on LA SEXORCISTO that MORE IN FACT IS MORE. MORE ART, MORE GUITARS, MORE DRUMS, MORE SATAN. it all just adds up to a DENSE, EXTREME experience that is almost overwhelming on the initial listen. two decades later i still find myself listening to this record routinely and i have to be careful, because if i am driving i may fine myself 10-15 miles per hour faster by song's end. if you are a fan of artistic METAL or ALTERNATIVE ROCK from the 1990s, you really cant go wrong with either WHITE ZOMBIE's LA SEXORCISTO or ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 (review linked HERE). along with PANTERA, those records serve as the high water-mark for what has since been deemed GROOVE METAL. could not recommend either much more emphatically. this is required listening in my opinion. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i distinctly remember purchasing TINY MUSIC... SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP (ATLANTIC, 1996) by the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS at the FNAC in PARIS on a family trip the same year we moved to NIGERIA. talk about a whirlwind year that was. at the time i was very familiar with their previous two releases CORE (review linked HERE) and PURPLE (review linked HERE) and i recall being surprised by the change in direction of this then-new release. in fact, i originally thought there must be a mistake but then i checked the liner notes (this being pre-internet) and was confirmed otherwise.
i think part of the reason for this reaction was the dearth of heavy distorted guitars throughout, in fact, this record is very much in keeping with the aesthetics of early GARAGE ROCK, POWER POP and even hints of late 60s PSYCHEDELIA. this record came from a completely different place than the first two records, which was probably a good thing. it seemed that with every release the band got WEIRDER, ARTIER and more CREATIVE. sadly that trend ended here as the delayed follow-up was more of a calculated return to their previous more aggressive sound. for this reason i look back fondly at TINY MUSIC as my favorite STONE TEMPLE PILOTS release. standout tracks include foot stompers like "BIG BANG BABY," "ART SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND," "POP'S LOVE SUICIDE," "SEVEN CAGED TIGERS" and"TRIPPIN' ON A HOLE IN A PAPER HEART" as well as more subdued affairs like "SO I KNOW" and "LADY PICTURE SHOW." to my ears this record sounded a world's away from their ALTERNATIVE ROCK peer group and made such comparison's seem insipid and lazy in retrospect. it was during this period that frontman SCOTT WEILAND began flexing his creative muscle with regards to songwriting despite bouts with the law related to his burgeoning and soon to be full-blown heroin addiction. this affliction began years earlier in 1993 during the BAR-B-Q MITZVAH TOUR in support of the BUTTHOLE SURFERS, but according to his biography things started to spiral during the recording of TINY MUSIC. previous to its recording, WEILAND had gained confidence with his side project THE MAGNIFICENT BASTARD's celebrated addition to the TANK GIRL (UNITED ARTISTS, 1995) soundtrack in "MOCKINGBIRD GIRL." that carefree, soulful ROCK N ROLL swagger definitely found its way into the new material as well as his subsequent underrated solo album 12 BAR BLUES (ATLANTIC, 1998). as stated before, this is my favorite era of the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' career and i consider TINY MUSIC one of the most UNDER-APPRECIATED albums of the 1990s. i consider it required listening for anyone interested in ALTERNATIVE ROCK. highly recommended. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
when you consider the longevity and wildly EXPERIMENTAL nature of the music, it is hard not to be impressed by the career of seminal SLUDGE / ALTERNATIVE ROCK / PUNK ROCK band MELVINS. as the documentary THE COLOSSUS OF DESTINY: A MELVINS TALE (HELLSMORE MEDIA, 2016) attests, the narrative of the group is very much centered around the enduring friendship and artistic alchemy between BUZZ OSBOURNE and DALE CROVER. and its interesting that the film uses said friendship as its defining unifying structure as OSBOURNE is renowned for his UNCOMPROMISING, often BRISTLY public persona. the dude no doubt comes off like a born contrarian in interviews. but in a sense that distance to public perception or press critiques is what keeps his band free to chart their own course.
as a business man, OSBOURNE goes on in great detail about how producing limited run in-house publications and vinyl re-pressings is their core strategy for long-term SURVIVAL as a business venture. they acknowledge that their music is available for all in this modern digital world of streaming services and video sharing social media platforms. and that is alright. the free widespread distribution of their music is a mute point, so their focus is on artistic extensions and hands-on limited pieces for their hardcore fanbase. OSBOURNE at length defends this practice, which seems entirely reasonable to me. i cant imagine what PUNK purist would see such as beyond reproach, the dude needs to make a living. its funny that for a band that defends their art and need for control with a ZEALOUS fervor matched by few, the first thing i think of when i consider the band themselves is their unique ability to seek out collaborations. the nearest analogue to this well outside of the rock world in that id very much liken it to the NON-PRECIOUS, IMPROVISATIONAL and highly COLLABORATIVE realm of JAZZ. the documentary goes into the bands various lineups and incarnations that has included members of CLOWN ALLEY, LUSTMORD, RED KROSS, BIG BUSINESS, MR. BUNGLE and THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS as well as collaborations with everyone from JELLO BIAFRA to LEIF GARRETT. whatever incarnation, whether expanded or contracted in terms of instrumentation, it is that core musical identity of OSBOURNE and CROVER that prevails. and they are UNIQUE in that they are fearless in their ability to try anything. for me it is that dichotomy of extreme control of their product and their RELENTLESS devotion to the COLLABORATIVE nature of music that defines their cultural significance 30 years into their career at the time of filming. its pretty ridiculous that a truly exhaustive list with the likes of JELLO BIAFRA (DEAD KENNEDYS), SCOTT KELLY (NEUROSIS), DAVID YOW (THE JESUS LIZARD), GENE SIMMONS (KISS), MIKE PATTON (FAITH NO MORE, MR. BUNGLE, FANTOMAS), J MASCIS (DINOSAUR JR), MARK ARM (MUDHONEY), JG THIRLWELL (FOETUS), CHRIS CORNELL & KIM THAYIL (SOUNDGARDEN), MATT PIKE (SLEEP, HIGH ON FIRE), KRIST NOVOSELIC (NIRVANA), PAUL LEARY & JEFF PINKUS (THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS), JOSH HOMME (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), KEITH MORRIS (BLACK FLAG, CIRCLE JERKS, OFF!), SCOTT "WINO" WEINRICH (THE OBSESSED, SAINT VITUS), BRENT HINDS & BRANN DAILOR (MASTODON), LOU BARLOW (DINOSAUR JR, SEBADOH), DONITA SPARKS (L7), KID CONGO POWERS (THE GUN CLUB, THE CRAMPS, THE BAD SEEDS), COREY TAYLOR (SLIPKNOT) and countless producers, artists and former band members who all agreed to testify to such artistic and cultural relevance in interviewed segments. it seems the secret to success is surrounding yourself like-minded people with similar values and treating your business like an extended family. despite being dropped by a major label (ATLANTIC RECORDS) after three stellar records (HOUDINI, STONER WITCH and STAG), the band had advocates and friends with independent labels (AMPHETAMINE REPTILE, IPECAC) which helped support their long-term artistic endeavors. THE COLOSSUS OF DESTINY: A MELVINS TALE is most definitely worth checking out if you have any interest in the music of the MELVINS or their philosophy of making it in the music industry as currently constructed. their example is a powerful one, both in business and in terms of building a community. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i know people get all hyperbolic when talking about BRITISH ALTERNATIVE ROCK band RADIOHEAD and especially their seminal record OK COMPUTER (), but for me discovering this band was a highly EMOTIONAL and TRANSFORMATIVE affair. in my way this record expanded what i thought a rock band could get away with sonically and conceptually so i think of it more in the vein of KING CRIMSON or PINK FLOYD rather than influences like R.E.M., THE CURE or THE SMITHS or even peer bands like OASIS, NIRVANA or THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. RADIOHEAD are very much their own animal.
its kinda crazy to think back on now, but i bought OK COMPUTER on a school trip in SWITZERLAND back in middle school. the french department at the international school i attended in NIGERIA had an annual trip to FRANCE and SWITZERLAND as an extended part of the curriculum. i believe i bought at a FNAC in GENEVA as i have clear memories of listening to this record on a bus when we arrived in nearby LEYSIN as part of the trip. past students from NIGERIA attended the LEYSIN AMERICAN SCHOOL which was small but had jaw-dropping views of the SWISS ALPS as well as access to sports facilities that were built as part of a failed attempt at pursuing the 1994 OLYMPIC GAMES that eventually were awarded to LILLEHAMMER in NORWAY. so that is the backdrop. i can recall listening to the sweeping soundscapes of "SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES," "PARANOID ANDROID," "ELECTIONEERING," "NO SURPRISES," and "AIRBAG" while gently falling asleep to unobstructed views of the SWISS ALPS while careening through mountain roads on a bus headed north to ZURICH. i have an intense sense memory of just being overwhelmed by the visual and aural beauty of it all. and its not just those celebrated lush, sweeping guitar tones that drew me in, even the down-tempo, mellow tracks like "LET DOWN," "KARMA POLICE," "EXIT MUSIC (FOR A FILM)," and "LUCKY" are all deeply affecting in no short order due to the incredible vocal talents of frontman THOM YORKE whose voice belied a palpably INTIMATE sense of all-encompassing unadulterated PAIN, RESENTMENT and UNDERSTANDING all at the same time. thematically the record is committed to understanding the extent to which the modern individual is deluged with information and ultimately DEHUMANIZED through industrial processes of AUTOMATION and COMPUTER INTEGRATION to more and more of our daily lived experience. to me this record is sonically and lyrically concerned with that uneasy yet inevitable integration. its beyond ahead of its time in that regard as the internet was still relatively in its infancy back in the late 1990s. more than 20 years later it feels like a clarion call about the potential political, cultural and interpersonal DISRUPTION that awaited us all in this new digital global order. its fascinating. if you are unfamiliar with OK COMPUTER, definitely stop reading this and go listen to it now. it is that rare celebrated record that lives up to the hype and even surpasses it. required listening in my opinion. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
celebrated both for his work as singer / lyricist / songwriter with 90s ALTERNATIVE ROCK veterans INCUBUS as well as his published efforts as a gifted VISUAL ARTIST, it is not hyperbole to state that BRANDON BOYD very much is a modern-day renaissance man. but i think what has often been criminally overlooked is his solo material as well as his side project / collaboration with producer BRENDAN O'BRIEN in SONS OF THE SEA.
to my ears BOYD's solo work is less adorned and more direct in both concept and orchestration than his work with INCUBUS, which is renowned for its INVENTIVE ORCHESTRATION and use of LUSH, COLORFUL SOUNDSCAPES. both projects showcase a poet with EASTERN PHILOSOPHICAL leanings concerned with our connection to EACH OTHER, our ENVIRONMENT and OURSELVES. SAME MESSAGE from a DIFFERENT MUSICAL PERSPECTIVE. the solo work of BRANDON BOYD is compelling and well worth investigating and checking out, irrespective of whether or not you are a fan of INCUBUS. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
iconic ALTERNATIVE ROCK musician DAVE GROHL of NIRVANA / FOO FIGHTERS fame has been on a bit of a creative streak the past few years, diversifying his many interests into a string of well-received documentaries and HBO specials centered on the role of music and its many facets (production, recording, touring, inspiration) in society. it doesnt seem that far-fetched that the next outlandish GROHL production would be a schlocky HORROR film that effectively parodied his self-perception as the slavedriver of the FOO FIGHTERS.
in STUDIO 666 (ROSWELL FILMS, 2022), whose title is a reference to the band's longstanding BURBANK recording facility STUDIO 606, GROHL is demonically possessed after setting up shop in an old abandoned hillside estate and recording there. again, this conceit is parodying GROHL's recent real-life proclivity for cooking up ever more outlandish concepts for recording albums (i.e. his home on tape for WASTING LIGHT or utilizing studios across AMERICA in SONIC HIGHWAYS, each studio a different song about that city). its pretty funny that its actually conceivable that recording in a haunted house would could probably be the hook or premise of an actual FOO FIGHTERS album (or even recording in space or on ANTARCTICA or in a submarine). now i will fully admit that i am not a fan of HORROR films, especially the 1970s and 1980s SLASHER variety that thrives on gore and jump scares. its arguably the only genre i avoid. exceptions include early GERMAN EXPRESSIONIST films and the later inspired series of UNIVERSAL MONSTER movies. but in STUDIO 666 i see much less GEORGE ROMERO or TOBE HOOPER and much more HERSCHEL GORDON LEWIS or even MEL BROOKS. in essence the violence is so over-the-top and ridiculously that its beyond hilarious. its very much reminiscent of DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT (BROOKSFILMS, 1995) with regard to how the ultra-violence is interpreted and ultimately perceived. obviously the real-world passing of drummer TAYLOR HAWKINS a month after STUDIO 666's release makes watching it a bittersweet experience. there has been quite a bit of discussion and controversy over a universally derided hit piece by the ROLLING STONE which essentially stated that HAWKINS was overworked and suffering from exhaustion and was looking to limit the band's brutal touring schedule before and up to the time of his passing. people close to the band have bitterly stated that this is complete utter bullshit, but its still uncomfortable that the subtext of the film's basic plot surrounds the band going along with GROHL idiosyncratic notions despite their own reservations. its just a little unnerving and odd, thats all. my hope is that GROHL will continue when the time's right and find the proper creative venue for his passion of connecting people through music. its what he does and to me that is what the FOO FIGHTERS legacy very much is about. even this goofy and schlocky labour of love deep down is ultimately about that need to connect and find a sense of community (in METAL!!!!). sending all my love to the band at this horrible moment. R.I.P. TAYLOR HAWKINS 
photo & text by nacrowe
there were a lot of POP PUNK pretenders back in the late 1990s and early 2000s chasing and emulating the likes of GREEN DAY and BLINK-182, but i think one of the standout (and contender) bands from that scene was the highly INFECTIOUS and strikingly LITERATE work of LOS ANGELES band EVE 6, especially their sophomore release HORRORSCOPE (RCA, 2000).
when i first heard this record sophomore year in high school i remember being taken aback by how dense and descriptive singer/bassist/songwriter MAX COLLINS was about the trials and tribulations of teenage life. that sentiment really spoke to me in songs like "PROMISE," "ENEMY," and "RESCUE" which all seemed to describe the psychodramas happening around me at an elite boarding school in MASSACHUSETTS surrounded by entitled peers with too much money and far too much privilege. looking back that experience was highly alienating and really set the tone for later career as an educator. so in some ways this album, like the first THIRD EYE BLIND (review linked HERE) record was a soundtrack to this isolating period of my life. whereas STEPHEN JENKINS, another talented songwriter, really played up lush textures on that ERIC VALENTINE (SMASH MOUTH, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS) produced effort to convey a sense of world-weariness that matched the lyrical content, here COLLINS and guitarist JON SIEBELS play to traditional POP PUNK conventions in their DON GILMORE (LINKIN PARK, GOOD CHARLOTTE, LIT) produced record in order to create a real sense of DISTANCE and FRICTION between the joyous sentiment conveyed sonically and that of the WORLD-WEARY lyrics. i really love it when bands are unafraid to write that way as it may confuse their audiences, but what it actually shows is a SOPHISTICATION and CONFIDENCE to express a sense of AMBIVALENCE and DISCOMFORT with past events. case in point is the standout ballad "HERE'S TO THE NIGHT" which really nails a hard won sense of BITTERSWEETNESS that comes with the transitory nature of being young. i remember feeling at the time like being young was my time to enjoy life before adulthood caught up with me. like there was a pressure to act and be a certain way. i was pretty miserable. looking back i think that HORRORSCOPE is an underrated achievement that got lost in the shuffle of all the POP PUNK bands that came out during that period. their intelligence and song-craft separated them in my opinion and i highly recommend them to anyone interested in POP PUNK as well as quality ALTERNATIVE ROCK from that period. 
photo & text by nacrowe
PRETTY ON THE INSIDE (CAROLINE, 1991) by HOLE is such a BRUTAL record.
even when taking into account the intense PATHOS and TRAGEDY of front-woman/songwriter COURTNEY LOVE's later life and career trajectory, this record still stands out as an all out sonic and verbal assault on all things latently or nakedly PATRONIZING and ANTI-FEMININE. it really is quite the achievement and the palette cleanser of EXTREMITY that laid the groundwork for LOVE's public persona and unique voice in the formative ALTERNATIVE ROCK scene of the early 1990s. even before HOLE, LOVE had a lifetime of interesting experiences including traveling abroad and play a part in early incarnations of FAITH NO MORE and BABES IN TOYLAND, as well as acting in two ALEX COX films (SID & NANCY and STRAIGHT TO HELL). LOVE even at this stage was knowledgable and confident enough to make a record that made gore-obsessed METAL bands seem tame and cartoonish in comparison. PRETTY ON THE INSIDE dealt with themes related to VIOLENCE, RAPE and OBJECTIFICATION that seemed designed to stare squarely back at the MALE GAZE and demand submission. standout tracks include "BABY DOLL," "GARBAGE MAN," "PRETTY ON THE INSIDE" and the blisteringly intense "TEENAGE WHORE." when i look back and consider the many industry heavyweights that have attempted to bury LOVE and drag her reputation through the mud (i'm looking squarely at you TRENT REZNOR, LYNN HIRSCHBERG, HARVEY WEINSTEIN, KORN, MARILYN MANSON, TED NUGENT and so on) is because of her formidable artistic presence and status as an equal in a world where women are taught to submit and enfeeble themselves. when i think of LOVE i am presented with a complicated artist that is the unapologetic lineage of the likes of PATTI SMITH, CHRISSIE HYNDE and, yes, even KATHLEEN HANNA (with whom she had a bizarre one-way rivalry with for reasons unknown). the start of that story is PRETTY ON THE INSIDE. although not as polished or cohesive as LIVE THROUGH THIS (DGC, 1994) or even CELEBRITY SKIN (DGC, 1998), this record established HOLE as a creative entity and LOVE as a formidable player in what became the influential ALTERNATIVE ROCK scene of the 1990s. for those idiots that claim her late husband is responsible for her success, i present you EXHIBIT A for why such a notion is complete bullshit. definitely worth checking out. highly recommended. 
photo & text by nacrowe
as a music fan i find it compelling to consider the extent to which i project my emotions and psychic energy into the art created by total strangers. maybe that is just the reciprocal nation of art in general. in my experience there is an inherent expectation or sense of trust in the artist to not let the listener down by being inauthentic or explicitly market driven. it is my opinion that WEEZER's second album PINKERTON (DGC, 1996) is one of those select few recordings which collapses that notion in on itself, since many ALTERNATIVE ROCK fans probably wish songwriter RIVERS CUOMO would have been a little more guarded with his lyrics at the time. listening to it today still feels a bit cringe-y and most definitely TMI.
considered by many to be a landmark album that was an inspiration for the EMO movement a decade later, PINKERTON is renowned for CUOMO's diatribes about his DISSATISFACTION with life, specifically the SEXUAL ISOLATION of being frontman for a successful band. himself an object of desire, in a strange inversion he projects his own obsessed sexual ideations on young letter-writing female fans in JAPAN in his lyrics. that interpersonal DISCONNECT and overall DISSATISFACTION with the ALIENATING NATURE OF FAME, in which one becomes a caricature of themselves and lose their IDENTITY to a PUBLIC PERSONA, is all over this record and at times CUOMO seems to be losing that battle for control. his honesty regarding his SEXUAL PREDILECTIONS is maybe a vehicle for reestablishing such IDENTITY from a rabid fanbase that feels they know him, but obviously dont. its a very interesting dynamic and a subject that comes up from time to time, mostly in concept records by the likes of prog-rockers like PINK FLOYD or GENESIS. but not INDIE ROCK bands with no artifice or concept shielding them from criticism. PINKERTON is bare and brutally honest in its execution, especially in songs like "ACROSS THE SEA," "PINK TRIANGLE," "TIRED OF SEX," "THE GOOD LIFE" and "EL SCORCHO." the fact that these songs are ultra-catchy (thanks in no small part to the back-up vocals of bassist MATT SHARP - his last with the group), only makes the vinegar with the sugar that much more potent. i should mention that the title is a reference to the AMERICAN naval officer in the opera MADAME BUTTERFLY. the character of PINKERTON has a JAPANESE wife while stationed on the island and then promptly abandons her when recalled back home. the opera is about her extreme torment and ritual suicide after being shamed by the relationship and her pregnancy. its a very curious allusion for an album dealing with obsession, mainly because the plot of said opera is rather racist and anti-female. is CUOMO idealizing that level of loyalty from his fans or objects of affection? who is PINKERTON and who is MADAME BUTTERFLY in this scenario? having lived in JAPAN, i will say that CUOMO was correct in his observation about half-JAPANESE girls being gorgeous. i only bring that up since there is a major cultural taboo about NATIONAL IDENTITY only being recognized in those who parents are both JAPANESE. those that are half something else are often culturally looked down upon and even harassed. its one aspect of their CULTURE i never understood since objectively women that were half JAPANESE and half KENYAN or TURKISH or FRENCH or CHILEAN where absolutely stunning. but such is their CULTURE that anything deviating from the norm is discarded and effectively shunned. case in point was a MISS JAPAN a few years back that was half BLACK, who was brutally harassed online. i dont know if id recommend PINKERTON to the uninitiated. its a very idiosyncratic record that followed-up a universally praised modern ALTERNATIVE ROCK classic. it makes perfect sense that this record marked an end to his oversharing on record and marked the end of the beginning of their career that brought on a years-long sabbatical in which he re-enrolled in college and rediscovered himself. i support the dude and his efforts, but this record marks the end of WEEZER's time as a cutting-edge band. subsequent efforts seemed to be highly derivative of the sonic template of the first two records. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i remember being back in NEW JERSEY for winter break after my first semester in boarding school up in WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS and first hearing the propulsive and infectious "NEW SKIN" single off of INCUBUS' wildly inventive S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (EPIC, 1997) album on the local NYC ALTERNATIVE ROCK station 92.3FM KROCK. being in boarding school was kind of like being on a religious retreat, i was intently focused on my studies and pretty much unaware of anything outside the confines of the campus. it was an intense period.
INCUBUS was signed to the IMMORTAL imprint at EPIC RECORDS that seemingly specialized in the burgeoning ALTERNATIVE ROCK / NU-METAL scene of the period. other signees included KORN, SNOT, THE URGE and later THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS. its funny now to think that such a multi-faceted group as INCUBUS was lumped together with label-mates KORN, but back in the late 1990s such was the case. to my ears INCUBUS was sonically adventurous from the get-go. guitarist MIKE EINZIGER seemingly never met a PHASER or PITCH-SHIFTING pedal that he never liked as the band seemed to revel in conked-out interstellar soundscapes and bouncing, melodic textures, which coupled with the FUNK METAL of the incredibly tight rhythm section of ALEX KATUNICH and JOSE PASILLAS made for quite the formidable sonic experience. and then there is BRANDON BOYD, the lead singer. lyrically and conceptually the dude was obsessed with everything from BUDDHISM and EASTERN PHILOSOPHY to SCIENCE FICTION and the philosophical ramifications of living in an infinite universe with a finite set of sensory tools to facilitate any meaning from them. in a sense, id argue that BOYD's outer-body lyricism and potent stage presence actually grounded the band. more so on S.C.I.E.N.C.E. then all later releases, this album found the band coming to terms with their own intense musical and interpersonal connection as a unit and found them really pushing their boundaries, especially on tracks such as "A CERTAIN SHADE OF GREEN," "VITAMIN," "CALGONE," "REDEFINE" and especially "SUMMER ROMANCE (ANTI-GRAVITY LOVE SONG)." later on their focus was much more attuned to song-craft and cohesive structures that more effectively support a central concept, both sonically and lyrically. but on this record its all out there which is why it is one of my favorite records from this period, right up there with DEFTONES' WHITE PONY (MAVERICK, 2000) and MR. BUNGLE's CALIFORNIA (WARNER BROS, 1999). S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is a great starting point for anyone interested in investigating the more adventurist and idiosyncratic of 1990s ALTERNATIVE ROCK. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating INDIE ROCK icons R.E.M.!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 6PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating SLUDGE METAL icons MELVINS!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
much like their contemporaries DINOSAUR JR, PIXIES, THE REPLACEMENTS, R.E.M. and THE SMITHS in the 1980s INDIE ROCK scene, SONIC YOUTH is a seminal band whose expansive sound essentially exploded the sonic palette and listener expectations of what was acceptable and possible within a band context. arguably DAYDREAM NATION (ENIGMA, 1988) is their finest achievement and a proof of concept for their tunefully crafted WHITE NOISE.
to understand their musical point of view, you have to look back at the NO WAVE scene that happened just after the peak of the downtown NYC PUNK ROCK scene that birthed the likes of THE RAMONES, PATTI SMITH, TELEVISION, BLONDIE, DEAD BOYS and TALKING HEADS among many others. the NO WAVE consisted of experimental musicians who took the cue from the PUNK scene and took the sonic avant-garde tendencies much much further (incorporated EXTREME DISSONANCE and angular, jagged sonic JUXTAPOSITIONS with nontraditional song structures) and in many ways pointed the way towards modern-day EXPERIMENTAL music (POST ROCK, AMBIENT, etc). bands from the brief NO WAVE scene include the likes of SUICIDE, TEENAGE JESUS & THE JERKS, DNA, SWANS, THEORETICAL GIRLS, DINOSAUR L and MARS among others. essentially SONIC YOUTH took that sonic EXPERIMENTALISM and love of unyielding DISSONANT TEXTURES and placed them almost oxymoronically within a traditional pop context with recognizable song structures. it is a formula that initiates the listener into accepting a new SONIC VOCABULARY while contextualizing such within a framework they can recognize. arguably the best examples of such on DAYDREAM NATION include the two singles "TEENAGE RIOT" and "SILVER ROCKET," both displaying a hazy, YOUTHFUL ENERGY amidst a fog of dueling distorted guitars courtesy of THURSTON MOORE and LEE RANALDO. vocally bassist KIM GORDON and MOORE present an odd coupling, but it absolutely works. MOORE has a juvenile delivery that sounds both NAIVE and forward-looking as he bellows over an uneasy bed of undulating and interweaving guitar textures whereas GORDON comes off as the epitome of COOL DISAFFECTION. she never sounds as if she is anything but in total control. its an interesting role reversal of cultural constructed NORMATIVE VALUES associated with gender, especially within a rock setting. i am convinced that GORDON is the reason SONIC YOUTH became so influential, because as off-the-rails the sonic experimentation got (especially on earlier records), her voice and AUTHORITATIVE PRESENCE grounded the experience. its a real statement when you consider the blatant CHAUVINISM of the cultural scene during this period (including INDIE ROCK) and it makes it all the more crushing that MOORE outed himself years later as just another selfish creep. DAYDREAM NATION is required listening. definitely worth checking out especially if you have any interest in INDIE ROCK and ALTERNATIVE ROCK or the preceding PUNK ROCK, POST PUNK and NO WAVE scenes that helped spawn it. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
bands are weird.
its interesting that a band renowned for creating such INTIMATE and VITAL music with seemingly unbounded emotional resonance themselves are so DYSFUNCTIONAL and UNCOMMUNICATIVE with each other. the "loud, quite, loud" within the tile LOUDQUIETLOUD: A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES (STICK FIGURE, 2006) is a reference to the songwriting formula seminal BOSTON INDIE ROCK band the PIXIES are celebrated and credited with popularizing (quiet verses and loud choruses), but it may also be an apt description of the inter-relational dynamism of the band as a touring unit (quiet off-stage, loud onstage). the film itself documents their 2004 reunion tour. much had happened since their 1993 split, chief among them the rise and fall of the ALTERNATIVE ROCK movement which included numerous acolytes, most famously NIRVANA. PIXIES bassist KIM DEAL was able to find critical and commercial success with THE BREEDERS, a project she co-wrote with her twin sister KELLEY, but for the most part all of the other members lived and worked in the shadow of their former group. this includes frontman and main songwriter CHARLES THOMPSON IV (a.k.a BLACK FRANCIS, FRANK BLACK). so the reason for the reunion was pretty much all about money. guitarist JOEY SANTIAGO had a young family at the time and drummer DAVID LOVERING was doing magic tricks (seriously!) to get by for years prior as the royalty and publishing checks dwindled with the rise in online piracy and the collapse of the recording industry. its not surprising and its not disappointing, but it is undoubtedly beyond CLICHE that the PIXIES got back together for financial reasons. i guess i just held their art so much higher than that but these are actual people with real bills to pay. i imagine such is also the motivation and reason for this documentary itself. a film about a band that is OBLIQUE and MYSTERIOUS, even amongst themselves. but it worked. they charged through births, deaths and even a relapse during their touring cycle. and it lasted nearly another 10 years until KIM DEAL quit before their next release INDIE CINDY (PIAS, 2014). it seems telling that while on tour, three of the four members were working on outside projects. just an interesting visual juxtaposition of sold-out shows enthusiastic crowds with solitary writing sessions alone in hotel rooms and tour buses. my reaction to this film is just confusion about how a band with such obvious preternatural connection onstage is so casually DISCONNECTED offstage. i dont know why that is difficult to comprehend but it is. its too bad the effort wasnt met with an album that included DEAL's haunted vocals which to me are a key ingredient of their sound, period. interesting film worth checking out if you are a fan of the PIXIES or INDIE and ALTERNATIVE ROCK in general. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
a common theme throughout many documentaries concerning PUNK ROCK and its assorted, tangled family tree of sub-genres (HARDCORE, POP PUNK, POST HARDCORE, NEW YORK HARDCORE, etc) is the concern over what constitutes "success" to an artist by definition catering to a niche community. is it being INDEPENDENT and SELF-SUFFICIENT from the larger recording industry? is it making business decisions that cut back on PROFITABILITY or CONTROL but allow your fan base greater access to products, shows and the like? is being PUNK about not making money? to my knowledge, there is no right answer.
and that is the crux of what is at stake in the documentary PUNK ROCK EATS ITS OWN: A FILM ABOUT FACE TO FACE (ANTAGONIST FILMS, 2006), released shortly after the breakup (which would end up being an extended years-long hiatus) of the veteran SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUNK ROCK group FACE TO FACE in 2004. the film is as much about the business and cultural forces that have led to numerous internal lineup changes as it is about the career of the band itself. on the face of it, the band enjoyed a mid-level career where they were signed to independents and mid-major labels (most notably FAT WRECK CHORDS and VAGRANT) and were able to sustain headlining tours for the better part of a decade from the mid 1990s through the mid 2000s. as with most films about this pre-internet period, where RECORD SALES and the PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION of product in stores was a paramount concern, it only shows how inverted the whole pyramid has become in the years since. back then you toured to sell records. now you put out records at a loss to make money on the road through ticket and merchandise sales. that obvious fact aside, the through line of the documentary is how the permutations in the lineup mirrored a refinement in focus and intention of purpose with the remaining members. when a founding member became a purist and was philosophically not on board, he was let go to pursue other pursuits (with PULLEY and NO USE FOR A NAME among others). another member becomes too much of a rock star and indulges in selfish behavior detrimental to the unit, same deal. hell, even a member left voluntarily to honorably spend more time with his young children. as a film PUNK ROCK EATS ITS OWN is pretty bare-bones with extensive interviews with former and then-current members. its spare, no-frills aesthetic plays into the authenticity of the bands itself, who largely escape vanity with badly lit and recorded, horrendously angled, spur of the moment interviews that get at the heart of the band: their connection to the fans. i only wish they had extended the interviews beyond the band and their manager to other bands and fans. if you are a fan of PUNK ROCK or the 1990s ALTERNATIVE ROCK explosion, than this documentary is worthy of further investigation. enjoy. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 6PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the notoriously perfectionist ENGLISH record producer GIL NORTON!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
LIMP BIZKIT gets a bad name, which is probably more than well deserved. the dull-witted MISOGYNY and general WHITE PRIVILEDGE frat-boy behavior and incessant whining by frontman FRED DURST has not aged well in the least, not to say it was that welcome back when their debut THREE DOLLAR BILL, Y'ALL$ (INTERSCOPE, 1997) came out in the late 1990s.
DURST is a terrible frontman. i believe that is common knowledge at this point. so i want to go beyond him and discuss what i like about this album and LIMP BIZKIT in general, which are the actual musicians in the band. i feel wholeheartedly that LIMP BIZKIT has one of the most talented (and criminally underrated) rhythm sections of their era. starting with WES BORLAND who is an absolute wizard at guitar. his highly IDIOSYNCRATIC style has an IMPRESSIONISTIC and layered PAINTERLY vibe that feels like a hybrid between PRIMUS, WEEN, SLAYER and THE CURE. the dude is incredibly talented (just check out his superior side projects BLACK LIGHT BURNS and BIG DUMB FACE as well as moonlighting gigs with everyone from MARILYN MANSON and FROM FIRST TO LAST to JONATHAN DAVIS and COMBICHRIST). his LES CLAYPOOL-inspired double-hand tapping technique is all over this record, most prominently on tracks like "STALEMATE," "INDIGO FLOW" and "SOUR." in terms of big riffs, there is a certain angular POST PUNK flair, which are absolutely scorching despite the fact that they are usually in odd time signatures. BORLAND is treasure that modern guitarists respect despite the mind-bending stupidity of DURST in much the same way people separate the bigoted views of PHIL ANSELMO from the stellar musicianship of DIMEBAG DARRELL. JOHN OTTO has a FORCEFUL, hard-pounding snap to his drumming that is pretty iconic to their sound, especially on heavier tracks like "COUNTERFEIT," "POLLUTION" and "CLUNK." in later albums he would develop and integrate modern double-bass into his arsenal, but this record seems to be a bit more hands-centric in how forcefully he hits the toms and snare, and with speed and precision. not to be forgotten are the memorable SLINKY bass-lines of SAM RIVERS which provide a sense of grounding, but also much needed FUNK to the festivities. tracks like "STUCK," "EVERYTHING" and even the GEORGE MICHAEL cover "FAITH" showcase keen sense of DYNAMICS and an artistic freedom to float in-between the guitar heroics of BORLAND and the hard-hitting groundwork of OTTO. taken as a whole, the rhythm section is UNRESTRAINED, UNPREDICTABLE and UNRELENTING. just too bad about that singer situation. we're talking MIKE LOVE / DAVID DRAIMAN / BONO / CHRIS MARTIN / IVAN MOODY / SCOTT STAPP level terrible. although id love to hear BONO front LIMP BIZKIT. that might work. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i really believe that the capacity to appreciate and enjoy music is intertwined with the ability to have one's CONSCIOUSNESS expanded and altered. and not in some trivial psychedelic sense, but rather as a permanent EMOTIONAL marker in one's progression through life. case in point for me is the seminal NINE INCH NAILS' record THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL (NOTHING/INTERSCOPE, 1994), which honestly i did not get on any level the first ten or fifteen times i heard it as a young teenager. at that point i was not familiar with INDUSTRIAL or ELECTRONIC MUSIC and was still very much expecting traditional song structures and familiar sonic textures from rock music in general. this record was something entirely different.
its funny to me now but the track that really clicked for me is arguably the most EXPERIMENTAL and DEHUMANIZED on the record, that being "REPTILE" which is still arguably my favorite NINE INCH NAILS song period. with its repetitive, future robotic percussion and ABRASIVE and UNRELENTING slashing guitar-work, the song very much forwards the lyrical conceit of a ROMANTIC LOVE that both DEVOURS and ultimately CONTAMINATES the narrator of the song. it is a brutal song and the centerpiece of THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL record, which itself seems obsessed with calling into question the IMPURE motivations involved in ROMANTIC LOVE and HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS in general. although before it in the track-listing, i often felt that the antidote to NIHILISM of "REPTILE" was the relative SERENITY of "A WARM PLACE" which sonically attempts to mimic the emotions surrounding the hard-fought REHABILITATION of one's diminished sense of HUMANITY. it was those two songs that spoke to me as a teenager living in NIGERIA listening to it on tape as i experienced the DEPRAVITY and indiscriminate wonton PAIN on daily walking display living in a military dictatorship. this record was the soundtrack to my time seeing markets on fire (which happened when the police didnt get their regular bribes) and dead bodies on the side of the road. i really feel that TRENT REZNOR was relaying something personally deeply DECAYED within his TORTURED PSYCHE when he wrote THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL, but for me attempting to make sense of the blatant CORRUPTION and heroic SURVIVALISM that i saw on a daily basis, this record in particular felt like an apt sonic projection of what i lived in real-time. it is definitely an emotional marker for me of not only a time in my life, but of what the concept of struggle itself feels like. whether that be UNREQUITED LOVE, DRUG ABUSE, living under a DESPOTIC GOVERNMENT or stinging personal MORAL FAILINGS. this record really gets to the heart of that feeling and wallows in it through tracks like "HURT," "MR. SELF DESTRUCT," "CLOSER," "PIGGY," "RUINER," "MARCH OF THE PIGS" and "I DO NOT WANT THIS." for me though, the emotional poles of this record show that somewhere between the INHUMANITY of "REPTILE" and the struggle for PURIFICATION of "A WARM PLACE" is the scope of human lived experience. THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL is a seminal record that very much lives up to the hype. one of my favorite all-time records that is worth of further investigation. definitely worth checking out again. 
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