A Field Guide to Grunge

What makes Grunge… Grunge? We’ve all watched Kurt Cobain in a hazy, high school gym. But how did this self-effacing and dirty new genre fit into the zeitgeist of the time? How did it capture the disenchantment of America’s youth? And how did the primordial sludge of the underground become the mainstream? Well, that’s precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explains in this handy book.

In these pages, Steve explains how cracks in the American dream turned into unwashed hair and thrifted flannels in America’s Pacific Northwest, with detailed timelines and a look back at the social climate of the 80s and 90s. There are breakdowns on the key record labels, DJs, producers, engineers and magazines – all of which grew from the gritty determination and sonic experimentation of a close-knit community. There are deep dives into controversies, rivalries and messy band breakups.

And lastly, there’s a dissection of how ripples of Grunge are still felt today, in recorded music and across wider pop culture. If you, or someone close to you, is obsessed with wallowing in Grunge, then this book is a must-have.