Vice - “Before Seattle Bands Like Nirvana Took Over the Mainstream, Another Band Opened the Door First”
Photo: Gie Knaeps
Lauren Boisvert argues that Soundgarden helped lay the groundwork for Seattle grunge before Nirvana broke through. The band formed in 1984 and released Screaming Life on Sub Pop in 1987, Ultramega OK in 1988 and Louder Than Love in 1989. Along the way they mixed arena rock, punk, metal and Zeppelin-style riffs into the heavy, sludgy sound that defined the underground.
By the time Nevermind arrived in 1991, she writes, Soundgarden had already opened the door for Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the rest. She also credits them with keeping their indie credibility as they grew, from debuting on SST to being one of the first grunge acts to sign with a major label.
Read the full article at Vice
