The late 80's and early 90's signaled the epic rise of a new genre of music: Grunge. This angst driven music was a direct response to the happy whiny music that came out of the 80's, especially hair metal. Kurt Cobain is the icon of this generation. The Nirvana's 1991 album, Nevermind, inspired a nation of wasted youth with Cobain alongside bassist Krist Novoselic and current Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl on drums. Other influential albums include the Stone Temple Pilots "Core", the Smashing Pumpkins "Siamese Dream, Soundgarden's "Superunknown", and Pearl Jam's "Ten".
The lead singers of all these bands each had unique voices all trying to pronounce the same idea. Billy Corgan's throaty whine contrasts with Cobain's melodic yelling, Chris Cornell's Plant-esque tenor, and Eddie Vedder's golden baritone. The world is lucky to hear the only collaboration between any two of these singers in the song "Hunger Strikes" by Temple of the Dog.
The story behind this song is sad but simply fascinating. In fact, without this song the band Pearl Jam would never come to be.
One of the main bands leading the grunge charge in the late 80's was Seattle based (yeah they're all seattle based but whatever) Mother Love Bone. Mother Love Bone had a line up consisting of Andrew Wood (vocals), Jeff Ament (bass), Stone Gossard (rhythm), Bruce Fairweather (lead), and Greg Gilmore (drums). Wood was very well respected and fortunately best friends and the college roomate of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell.
Tragically Wood overdosed on heroin in early 1990. Cornell, as well as all of Mother Love Bone, was absolutely heartbroken. Cornell immediately sat down to write a handful of songs. While he was writing he contacted Gossard and Ament to help him create a tribute album to their dear friend. The three of them, along with Matt Cameron and Mike McCready soon formed the one time only band Temple of the Dog and begun to prepare their self-titled album. While recording "Hunger Strike", Cornell realised that something was missing and flew in San Diego native Eddie Vedder to help him with the song. The duo created a distinctive track formatted in the style of a round.
Without this happening the band Pearl Jam would have never been created. Shortly after the album, Vedder started recording with the members of Temple sans Chris Cornell (still obligated to Soundgarden). They took on the name Mookie Blaylock, the namesake of my favorite player in NBA Jam. Several months later the name was changed to Pearl Jam (sounding
quite vulgar but apparently being named after Vedder's aunt Pearls' fabulous jam). Their best selling album Ten was released in 1992.Mookie Blaylock is a hilarious name.
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