CBCradio
Live on CBC Radio 3:  Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

Posted by Lisa Christiansen on Nov 12, 2009

Coming up today on Lisa Christiansen Live, 2PM ET / 11AM PT on CBC Radio 3's web radio/Sirius 86:

Today's Guests: Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, Corb Lund

J. Mascis on J. Mascis

play

Corb Lund on being grunge -  fashion & music

play

Melissa McClelland talks Neil Young and grunge

play

If the sight of an overstretched grey wool cardigan gets you all excited for some garage rock, you my friend are ready for Grunge 2.0.

I haven’t heard it officially called that yet, but it seems incredibly fitting since the genre is not quite new and ground zero for all things grunge – Seattle is also the home of Microsoft. But I digress…what I really want to say is: what’s going on!? Grunge only surfaced in the 90s; some might even argue it never really died, giving way to lots of scruffy bands, plaid shirts and Dave Grohl.

But this year fall fashion spreads were all about the over-priced thrift looks again, and bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement are back headlining Sasquatch and the Pitchfork Music Festival. One has to wonder – where will it all end.

Or should it?

ARE YOU HAPPY TO SEE GRUNGE AGAIN?

WERE YOU A FAN BACK IN THE DAY?

WERE YOU AROUND FOR GRUNGE?

Let us know your thoughts on grunge music and fashion, back then…and now.

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post comments.

Recent Blog Posts

Comments

  1. aaadamaa
    01

    @Lisa Christiansen

    Who are you?  I haven't seen you here before.  What are you doing?

  2. brainwash
    02

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    OMG the teen in me could not believe you've got Dinosaur Jr. in your midst?!?! I saw them a couple days ago at the Commodore, it blew my mind. It was the most psyched I had ever been for a show and it didn't dissapoint. I'm one of those people who have all their albums, even their collabo with Del tha Funkee Homosapien on the "Judgment Night" soundtrack.

    I think the world is ready for Grunge 2.0, we were practically there already.

    Also! My first car was named Dinosaur Jr., I don't usually name things I own, but I felt compelled to. It was an '88 Reliant K, not quite old enough to be considered a dinosaur, so the name felt appropriate. I also listened to a lot of grunge and Faith No More on my tape deck.

    To sum up, there's no shame in going back with bands like this, as they were good then and they're still good now doing something new. Continuing to like them just means we're all still classy.

  3. MikeV
    03

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    Grunge again? I don't know if I am happy to see it. The first time it came around I was still quite young and I really only caught the tail end of the scene. 

  4. MikeV
    04

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I do love me some Dinosaur Jr. though!!!

  5. bluegrassish
    05

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    Definatly have been seeing Grunge coming back, my band had to have a sit down and realise that we are possibly defined as Grunge Revival. I cant belive I missed Dinosaur JR. in vancouver on tuesday, what a sad sad day!

  6. mcfflyer
    06

    Lisa...

    Good to hear you once again!  Oh boy!

    And I cannot believe I never turned on radio3 last night - and you know what I missed. Bummer.

    Lee Hower - Sacramento, California

  7. jillenium00
    07

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I caught the tail-end of grunge too. I remember waffle-knits being popular. But that's about it. As for grunge 2.0, my wardrobe is probably an excellent such a thing, only with more colour. I'm a thrift store junkie.

  8. jillenium00
    08

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    excellent exmaple*

  9. Absotively
    09

    Re: Fashion spread

    I'm a bit in shock at those prices.  I knew there was a reason why Burda is the only fashion magazine I generally look at.

  10. suckamc
    10

    grungy

    I remember grunge from Grunge 1.0, but I was way too dorky to be involved.  I guess perhaps it made a big impression on me though, cause I think my fashion since then has been inspired by it.  Definitely not the same look, but only recently have I found that I've been dressing 'nicely'. 

    Sidenote, I rarely get to hear your show Lisa, cool to see/hear you a bit earlier in the day!

    Martin, Charlottetown, PE

  11. Craig Norris
    11

    Are those the actual words to "Even Flow"?

    I hope not.

    Neil Young is grunge.

    That is all.

  12. tb3
    12

    Funny you should post this…

    Just yesterday I was driving home after seeing Stu Berman's piece on Pitchfork about Nirvana's Bleach Re-Issue, during the day, thinking how hilarious I was when I prescribed to the grunge movement lock, stock and barrel like the hipsters I so despise today.

    Hypocrite much?

    Am I happy it's coming back? I don't know that it ever went away for me. Many of the bands I loved back then: Mudhoney, Dino Jr, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, etc still make regular visits in my audio listening. I never stopped liking them because the fashions moved on.

    Was I around for it? Dude that was my formative years. Ever since hearing Big Dumb Sex for the the first time I was sold.

    And the fashion side of it read like an ironic nod to the stoners in my high school — what with flannel, lumberjack shirts, long underwear so I was all in.

    I'd like to be cynical about it coming back, but I am sure the hippies have something to say about the PCU hackie sack years.

    I just can't be bothered getting angry about. Just so long as Sloan stays far, far, far away from DGC.

  13. tb3
    13

    There was a time when…

    Having a purple cow Dino Jr shirt was indie street cred like drinking PBR and riding a fixie.

  14. jillenium00
    14

    @absotively

    I love Burda! The Burda Style site offer free and super cheap patterns to download and sew your own clothes. Pretty much the bee's knee's

  15. brainwash
    15

    @tb3

    That time sounds like yesterday in East Van, dood!

  16. Absotively
    16

    @jillenium

    Yeah, I kind of love Burda Style too!

    But not as much as I love the magazine, because I'd rather trace patterns than print them.  It's includes a whole bunch of sewing patterns, and then the actual magazine part is mostly fashion spreads showing the patterns in that issue.

    Of course, I look at patterns a lot more than I actually sew things, so I should work on actually sewing things rather than finding new patterns, I guess.

  17. AlexOfAnders
    17

    Grunge

    I wasn't really into music when grunge was around, probably a little too young for it. I just remember it was the reason they wouldn't let us wear blue jeans at my elementary. They were afraid that the wicked grunge music would convince our mom's to let us wear jeans that were all torn up and ratty. At least....I think that was grunge's fault, maybe our school just had crazy rules cause every other color of jean was fine. Blue racists is what they were.

  18. tb3
    18

    Wait a minute!

    That Fashion Spread is not Grunge 2.0

    It is the Hot Topic Commune 2.0, or The American Eagle Upstate NY Collection or, or The Kids from Sigur Ros Videos collection..

    There wasn't a single pair of loose army shorts over long underwear. Nary a black band tee. Notta on the leather jackets. Plus they looked showered and clean.

    That is to grunge what Tang is to Florida Citrus.

  19. dawn.h
    19

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I shouldn't be, but I'm sort of excited for grunge to return. I kinda miss it, not that I don't still return to my favourite CDs (Dinosaur Jr, Pixies, Nirvana).

    Although I don't miss the fashion so much - I think my fashionable friend (who went through the phase too) will dread the thought because it took her long enough as it is to get me out of baggy clothes.

  20. lesjupes
    20

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I don't hear a real grunge revival in new music these days.  Sure, Dino Jr and the Pixies are touring - but that doesn't mean current music is being made in the same spirit.  All the stuff you're playing is garage rock, not grunge.

    Sure, everyone is wearing plaid - but its fitted plaid, not the loose, baggy, "I don't give a fuck" attitude that characterized the first wave.  Its watered down.  Its ruled by hipsters, where original grunge was built wholly on a political and cultural re-action to the current crop of mainstream crap.

    Just like how 80's revival from a few years ago picked and chose a few select bits from the 80's to re-glorify, 90's revival is doing the same.

  21. Absotively
    21

    @tb3

    Look, no matter how grungy you are, you have to shower before you put on a $450 shirt.  There are limits.

  22. TeamQuiggan
    22

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I just missed Grunge 1.0, I turned 14 in 98 so I missed out that stuff by a couple years, I was bigger into Weezer and Our Lady Peace.

     

    The first thing that pops into my head is :"Top Grunge in Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaail"

  23. Christine McAvoy
    23

    Grunge/@tb3

    i think that's why she wants to label it 2.0...the same idea, but just not as incredibly bad.

     

    I'm currenly wearing a flannel plaid shirt...i wore one out last night...and 3 of the people I was talking to most (at the media club) also were wearing plaid. i think its trendy, but i think everyone is happy that its back/trendy because plaid is great and comfy and very indie band, and now we can find it anywhere.

    I know it makes me feel like i want to go camping...which is my goal everyday. :)

  24. brainwash
    24

    @lesjupes

    What you are saying is true, after all, how can you lump Nirvana with Pearl Jam and give it the same "grungey" moniker?

    "Grunge 2.0" seems to focus on keeping a raging party going, selectic the best aspects of nostalgia for us all to relate to, kind of like glam rock - nothing too complicated, just a good time. You could call it "Glam Grunge", but I'm not a good one with names.

  25. Absotively
    25

    Grunge

    I was definitely not paying attention to music yet when grunge came around the first time.  I can attest, however, that t-shirts over waffle weave long underwear were a popular look at my school.  But that might have had more to do with the climate.

  26. Craig Norris
    26

    I have to agree with lesjupes

    To me, it's less grunge and more classic rock, actually.

  27. mcfflyer
    27

    *sigh* I feel so old...

    And I just got my polyester leisure suit back from the cleaners too.

    Lee

  28. Peplerspray
    28

    Grunge Fashion

    My oh my, I hope grunge fashion does make another splash, it would be such a polar extreme to the hipster.

    Tight and Colourful vs Baggy and Drab

    As someone who has never been able to fit into skinny jeans, (huge calves from a lifetime of soccer, aka the Yams) it would be nice to give folks of all sizes a chance to be fashionable once more.

    Hmmm, since hybrids are all the rage, how about using grunge as a base layer then add all the cool hipster scarves and accessories; Gripster.

     

  29. dawn.h
    29

    @Lee

    I don't know why you feel so old. You are the least old person I know (if you don't mind me saying I know you haha).

  30. tb3
    30

    @'s

    @Absotively: Remember those jeans that cost $200 that had the worn in, ripped look that you could get at the VV Boutique for $7?

    @Christine McAvoy: I'm just saying it's more like a beta version of the 4.0 Grunge, when robots compute what grunge was/is. It is funny that plaid is so near and dear to what people associate with Grunge. For me it was the tee over the long underwear / waffle knit shirt. Just before grunge struck, some may be oldie enough to remember the Preppie. Which was a throughback to the 50's/60's crew cut kid – think Southside Soc's à la The Outsider's. Then it was deck shoes (also, now back) khaki pants, and plaid shirts. For me plaid shirts, especially the ones now are closer to that movement, or Western wear than they are Grunge.

    @McFlyer: It's okay Lee, I have both my afro, and my polyasster, mint green pleisure suit still too. You and I can both wait for the return of Disco.

  31. lesjupes
    31

    Revivalism

    Its been 10 years of revivalism now... first 80's revival with a bunch of dance-punk acts making us shake our booties, and some of the fashion to match. 

    Now its 90's revivalism with plaid and the big bands from then coming back for an encore.  I was thrilled to see the Pixies. Looking forward to hopefully catching Pavement.  This isn't Grunge.  Its a musical museum capitalising on our remeniscing.

    But - and I think this is the important bit - the CRUX of grunge was based on being unhappy with the current musical paradigms.  It propelled a small generation ('89-'94) of teenagers to think critically of the cultural world shaping up around them.

    I think today we're in the opposite place - where big (really big) mainstream media (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc) aren't criticized or analyzed in the same way that the old giants used to be.  Our current culture is so tied in to the corporate world, via technology -- and that includes us musicians.  I mean, heck, I own a Blackberry - which means that I am the bitch of several very large companies, a trade-off for being able to better run my little business.

    Kurt Cobain or Eddie Vedder would've thought I was a tool.  And I probably am.  But I miss those loud voices shouting at us, pleading with us to be more critical of the world we're so voluntarily participating in.

    -Mike

  32. mcfflyer
    32

    @dawn.h

    Awwwwwwwww.  (blush)  Thank you so much.  Radio3 is one half of my fountain of youth.

    However.  There IS a photo of me in my one (ghastly) sea green leisure suit.  (shiver)  How could anyone have ever thought that was cool?

    Lee

  33. dawn.h
    33

    @Mike (lesjupes)

    I bet Eddie Vedder has a Blackberry of his own.

  34. tb3
    34

    "Retro"

    Pretty soon retro will be the retro we're doing now.

    So… nowtro?

     

    Corb rules.

  35. tb3
    35

    @mcfflyer

    No shit, Lee, I think I found your sea green suit at a Value Village about 4 years ago. Go through my FB pics and will see it.

  36. hytumb69
    36

    Gripster

    I like the way you think... I'm in!

  37. Absotively
    37

    Gripster

    I think I already own waffle-weave long underwear and a couple nice scarves, so I'm in.

    That is, as soon as my office at work cools off enough; we've got about twelve computers (plus laptops) and up to five people in this room, so it'll take a little while, but thi window's not that well insulated, so we'll get there eventually.

  38. erik stevenson
    38

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    Well this year alone I have seen .... Mudhoney, Eric's Trip, The Breeders, Sonic Youth and the Vaselines live.

    Three of which have recently released new albums. These are just the BIG name bands.  So to me it is as alive as ever.

  39. Peplerspray
    39

    @Absotively

    Yeah, you've got it! The Gripster look accepts all kinds of mash-ups.

    I think tomorrow I'll be wearing a huge bunny-hug (Hoody) with with a shoelace headband over the hood.

     

  40. Absotively
    40

    @Peplerspray

    Hmm, and my things-to-sew list includes a cute-but-longish skirt.  Which might well look good with a plaid shirt.

    Yes, I think I can definitely join the Gripster bandwagon.

    I do have one question, though: what qualifies as Gripster music?  Is it the Grunge 2.0 stuff Lana's talking about?  I'm not that worried about actually listening to the music associated with this new fashion trend, but it seems modern fashion trends always have associated music, so I'd like to at least know what it is.

  41. keydive
    41

    Grunge

    I was around during the first go at it but barely when I was 14 it was kind of on it's way out though.  I'm unsure if I am cool with a revival of it cause I feel it will be more pushed by the hipster crew and it won't be the same

  42. brainwash
    42

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    Why all the antimosity towards the hipster crowd? If they weren't hip, they wouldn't be hipster!

  43. mcfflyer
    43

    @tb3

    Did it look like this?

    (Shudder)  Taken in about 1975.

    Lee

  44. jeffrocx
    44

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    Just another sign that musicians these days can't come up with anything new. More boring "what's next" conjecture.

  45. brentchicken
    45

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    labels shmables, I like the music generally and still dress like a slob. Look! I'm trendy now. Yay.

    Hey...didn't 'revivals' happen every twenty years instead of ten? Is technology accelerating that too?

  46. Lisa Christiansen
    46

    @Lee

    Now that is one amazing picture!

  47. loghrin
    47

    Grunge

    It's the recession, so it's only natural that people go grunge. What's more economically friendly than recycling a wardrobe that's a decade old? Or playing your old cds on a walkman vs. the new ipod? Or foregoing hair products and just rocking nasty, greasy bedhead? Sweet lazy freedom!

  48. flagpole music
    48

    someone named lee in a green leisure suit?!?!?!?

    lee

    i think i know where your suit went.  did you leave in a tag so he knew to use your name???

  49. tb3
    49

    Lee!

    Yup.

    Check my pic!!

  50. mcfflyer
    50

    @Lisa

    Well, you brought up grunge, that was long past the era I was trying to keep up with.  (I was trying to keep up with children at that time.)  But it is true.  That is a photo of me and my old girl friend taken about 1975 with me in that ghastly green leisure suit, western cut, no less.  Oh, trying to be "hip".  Even wayyy back then.

    But gosh, this will probably be the only photo of me ever on radio3 when I'm only 24!

    And if you think that's bad, you should have seen the first suit I ever bought!

    Lee

  51. Christine McAvoy
    51

    melissa mcclelland interview

    i missed it, but you were talking about an embarassing story she had?

    is it about the time that she wore a see-thru dress when she opened for Matt Good a few year ago?...i dont know if anyone ever told her.

  52. Lisa Christiansen
    52

    @Christine

    Yikes! No, not that story. This was about her husband Luke Doucett meeting Neil Young.

  53. TheRadioHead
    53

    WERE YOU AROUND FOR GRUNGE?

    Those were my child bearing/child rearing/sweatsuit wearing years.

  54. AlexOfAnders
    54

    In case any Vancouverite has heard...

    Basically, the corner that Slickity Jimm's Chat 'n Chew was on was in flames yesterday and the damage looks pretty bad, Ceeb story here.

    We can only hope that they reopen, I hear Lugz was damaged too and Kishu Island looks collapsed.

  55. mcfflyer
    55

    @AofA

    How far is that from your place?

    Lee

  56. brainwash
    56

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I'm really bummed about the loss of Slickity's and Kishu Island, I've had a lot of great times there, hell, my first morning as a Vancouver resident was spent trying to get a table at Slickity's. Haven't been by ground zero yet, I hear it's pretty bad.

  57. Absotively
    57

    Fire

    @Lee: It's where we ate Saturday morning, remember?

    I guess I should be glad I got the chance to eat there already.  Even though I was only there once, I'm definitely sorry to see it gone; the menu was awesome.  Like Alex, I hope they reopen

  58. mcfflyer
    58

    @Absotively

    OMG - While in Van, I was Alex's guest and just let him take me wherever he wanted.  I most certainly remember that great and very filling breakfast on that beautiful Saturday morning, but didn't remember the name of the place.  And that CBC photo looks rather different now than it did last month.  Bummer.

    Lee

  59. AlexOfAnders
    59

    @Lee

    It's like 6km from my place, like Absotively said, it's where we had brunch with Lauren, Melanie, Kyla and Chris. Still, it was my second favourite brunch place and I'm sure many a person's favourite. It'd be so hard to replace the decor, I really hope they don't just pack it in.

    Wonder about Lugz too, they used to have live music once and a while. If the picture is any indication they might not be too bad for damages.

  60. Lisa Christiansen
    60

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I'll be driving past the site later today on my way home; very much part of my neighbourhood. Strangely another fire across the street took out a few old gems, too. That picture looks so very grim.

  61. Absotively
    61

    @AlexOfAnders

    I hate to be a pessimist, but it doesn't sound likely.  The assistant fire chief thinks the building's a write-off, and even if the structural damage isn't as bad as it sounds, the water and smoke damage will be pretty bad.

  62. PageAgainstTheMachine
    62

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I had a feeling a revival was upon us. I hadn't heard anyone talk of Dinosaur Jr for years, except in a record store where the still young and hip early thirty somethings were rocking out and reminiscing and then all of a sudden there was an interview with them in one of my local newspapers and now they're EVERYWHERE.

    Awesome.

    Maybe they can sign my ripped acid wash jeans and flannel shirt.

     

    I was young during the first run, but I was babysat by young gentlemen with skateboards and greasy shoulder-length hair so I got the jist of it. I'm interested to see who picks up Cobain's old crown.

  63. AlexOfAnders
    63

    @Absotively

    Yeah, like I said, I hope that they don't just give up the ghost but I have a feeling that some developer is going to try to scope up the land since it's already practically demolished for them. More condos or a new keg? Maybe I should take bets...

  64. Absotively
    64

    @AlexOfAnders

    What a silly question.  They could easily put a new keg on the first floor of a condo building.

  65. brainwash
    65

    @AoA

    I can just picture a The Keg with condos on top of it as far as the eye can see.

  66. AlexOfAnders
    66

    I stand corrected

    Your right, the Keg with condos on top, what was I thinking. I just hope condo developers don't figure this out, a development company combined with the Keg. If they got a Gap in there it'd be like the Devastator of development firms.

  67. Absotively
    67

    @AlexOfAnders

    No, I think they would at least acknowledge the neighbourhood's hipster roots.

    It would be an American Apparel, not a Gap.

  68. brainwash
    68

    Prepare to meet your doom, nothing can withstand the might of ... Devastatorrrrrr

    I'm sure there'd be room for a Starbucks. I don't think that particular junction has even ONE!

  69. dawn.h
    69

    @Absotively

    A keg in a condo. They already did in Toronto - the Minto Midtown at Yonge/Eglinton.

  70. mattyjames2001
    70

    re: Live on CBC Radio 3: Grunge Comeback w/ Dinosaur Jr., Melissa McClelland, & Corb Lund

    I kinda hate grunge.  I still pretty much do.  I've always thought Nirvana were soooooo overrated.  Gimme some Pavement/Pixies any day

    That being said, I really like the 2 new Dinsoaur Jr records.  And all my friends really dig the dino.  So does everyone at the record shop.  Other than that, who really matters?

  71. mcfflyer
    71

    Leeesa!

    Fun, fun show today!

    See you 2morrow!

    Lee

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post comments.