What is Alternative?

[Jeff]

Alternative Rock...I've heard "alt rock" bands, but I still don't really get what makes it so different. I think it's more chord-ish and stuff, but is there anything that makes a rock song alt rock?

[GuitarWizard]

Yes!

When someone calls something "Alternative" that means it pretty much sucks, but its different , so it will be popular for a 6 or 7 days, then it will be forgotten about a month later.

For example. AC/DC is considered hard rock, that = 30 year + career.

The Flaming Lips are considered alternative, that = 2 month career.

See the difference.

[darren wilson]

"Alternative" used to mean "College Radio".

Now it means "Doesn't fit into the music industry's arbitrary categories, so we'll stick it in this arbitrary catch-all music industry category".

[pawel]

pretty much what Darren said...

I think "Alternative" is also sometimes used to describe post-punk music in general...

It always annoyed me how "Alternative" would be used for artists ranging from Nick Cave to Muddle of Pudd...

[BeastofLove]

Originally Posted by darren wilson

"Alternative" used to mean "College Radio".

Before I even read the posts on the thread I was thinking that!
It's odd how much alternative has changed though; I remember Alt being stuff like the Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Concrete Blonde, the Smiths, PiL, etc... even early REM, Smashing Pumpkins (Gish), and Jane's Addiction were 'Alt'. You had the hair bands for Rock, BoyzIIMen and the like for Pop, Megadeth & Maiden for Metal, and the aforementioned were just... alternative.

But now it seems like 'Alternative' just encompasses everything. I don't see a clear distinction anymore. Every now and again I hear some rock with acid-jazz beats or ambient influences and I wonder if that's the new 'alternative', but I don't think it is. Anyone in the younger crowd that can help with this?

-Ben

[jay ratkowski]

I used to listen to alternative. Not sure if I do or not anymore since everything is alternative.

I think the modern perception of alternative came when bands like Collective Soul, Candlebox and other whiny rockers kinda milked off the grunge scene long enough to hit it big with sappy ballads. More bands started copying them and added their own little touch to it. Then you had someone like Sugar Ray hit it big, well they are kinda heavy... but they make songs you can tap your foot to as well. What do we call it? Why not alternative. New Metallica album isn't really metal... alternative? SURE! Contemporary Christian-based non-denominational Spiritual pop hard rock wasn't a good description for Creed... so alternative it is!

I think by confusing all of you I've helped you see the light. If you say you listen to alternative now adays it could mean anything from Nickleback to Michelle Branch to Staind to Pink. Avoid being laughed at and just say you don't listen to music at all.

[bammbamm]

I thought alternative meant no solos...
Funny how the 2 alt stations here in Chicago both play the same crap, and then for good measure, dish up some Metallica?! WTF is that?! not even good Metallica, just the new crap.

I would like to Quote Todd Snider's BRILLIANT anthem of the Seattle Grunge Rock Blues: you must hear this song !

Hey, hey, my, my, rock 'n' roll will never die,
Just hang your hair down in your eyes
You'll make a million dollars.
Well, I was in this band goin' nowhere fast
We sent out demos, but everybody passed
So one day, we finally took the plunge
Moved out to Seattle to play some grunge.
Washington State that is.
Space Needle ...Eddie Vedder ...mud 'n' honey!
Now to fit in fast, we wear flannel shirts,
We turn our amps up until it hurts,
We got bad attitudes, and what's more
When we play we stare straight down at the floor, wow-ee
Pretty scary.
How pensive ...how totally alternative.
Now to fit in on the Seattle scene
We gotta do somethin' they ain't never seen.
So, thinkin' up a gimmick one day
We decided to be the only band that wouldn't play -- a note.
Under any circumstances.
Silence ...music's original alternative.
Roots grunge...
Well we spread the word through the underground,
that we were the hottest new thing in town.
The record guy came out to see us one day,
and just like always, we didn't play; it knocked him out.
He said he loved our work.
He said he loved our work, but he wasn't sure if he could sell a record
with nothin' on it.
I said tell 'em we're from Seattle.
He advanced us two-and-a-half million dollars.
Hey, hey, my, my, rock 'n' roll will never die,
Hang your hair down in your eyes
You'll make a million dollars.
Well, they made us do a video, but that wasn't tough,
'Cause we just filmed ourselves smashin' stuff.
It was kinda weird, 'cause there was no music,
But MTV said they'd love to use it.
The kids went wild, the kids went nuts,
Rolling Stone gave us a five-star review; said we played with guts.
We were scorin' chicks, takin' drugs,
then we got asked to play MTV Unplugged; you shoulda seen it.
We went right out there and refused to do acoustical versions of the
electrical songs that we had refused to record in the first place.
Then we smashed our ****.
Well, we blew 'em away at the Grammy show,
by refusin' to play and refusin' to go.
And then just when we thought fame would last forever,
Along come this band that wasn't even together.
Now, that's alternative ...hell, that's alternative to alternative.
I feel stupid ...and contagious.
Well our band got dropped, and that ain't funny,
'cause we're all hooked on drugs, but we're outta money
So the other day I called up the band,
I said, "Boys, I've taken all I can,
"Shave off your goatees, pack the van...
"We're goin' back to
Athens."


BRILLIANT !

Bamm