Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History [Hardcover]

Get the definitive story of the ’90s alt-rock movement straight from the musicians and figures who lived it.

No period in the history of rock music offered such an abrupt shift in prevailing tastes as the 1990s. While just a short while before, radio and MTV were clamoring for hair metal bands, suddenly alt-rockers such as Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Primus, Smashing Pumpkins, and of course, Nirvana, brought a sea change not just in what the most popular bands sounded like, but also in fashion, politics, and seemingly all aspects of pop culture.

InAlternative for the Masses: The Oral History of the ’90s Alt-Rock Revolution, veteran music critic Greg Prato presents more than 60 new interviews conducted exclusively for the book—with an emphasis on the 1990–1995 peak period—includinginsights from renowned names like:

• Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Dischord Records)
• Frank Black (Pixies)
• Corey Glover (Living Colour)
• Moby (solo artist/DJ)
• Al Jourgensen (Ministry)
• Les Claypool (Primus)
• Kennedy (host of MTV’s Alternative Nation)
• Matt Pinfield (host of MTV’s120 Minutes)
• Butch Vig (producer of Nirvana’s Nevermind)
• Tanya Donnelly (Belly, Breeders)
• Fred Armisen (Portlandia,Saturday Night Live)

Prato also includes excerpts from one of the last interviews with Steve Albini, arguably the period’s most influential recording engineer and producer, responsible for influential albums by the likes of Nirvana and PJ Harvey producer, among many others.

Prato sets out his book in thematic chapterscovering topics such as:

• The Lollapalooza music festival
• The impact of Nirvana
• Alt-rock’s many subgenres
• Notable producers of the period
• The impact of women rockers
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