Full Description
Grunge. Flannel. Generation X. In 1993, Seattle was the capital of the world, Nirvana was king, and slackers were everywhere. When the Red Hot organization, a group of activists dedicated to raising money and awareness of AIDS, released their third compilation CD featuring the biggest bands of the era--Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, The Breeders, Nirvana and more it quickly became the touchstone of a generation. Rolling Stone called No Alternative a "jaw-dropping compilation of musical gems."
This book takes a look back at what happened to the bands involved with No Alternative. It includes new interviews with the musicians and others behind the record, and chronicles the downfall of an industry, the taming of a devastating illness, and the arrival of another global pandemic. It's about growing up, saying goodbye, and proving once more that you can't go home again (even if that's where you left all of your CDs).
Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. That Was Then: Nirvana, AIDS, and the Rise of ACT UP
2. Trojan Horses: John Carlin, Leigh Blake, and the Birth of Red Hot
3. Opening Doors: Paul Heck, Chris Mundy, Jessica Kowal, and the AIDS Music Project
4. Money Changes Everything: Generation X and the Victory of Alternative Rock
5. Ready to Fly: AMP Joins Forces with Red Hot and Signs to Arista
6. Putting It Together: Naming, Sequencing, and Designing No Alternative
7. What Did You Expect? Matthew Sweet, Buffalo Tom, Soul Asylum, Urge Overkill, American Music Club
8. Tears of Respect: Goo Goo Dolls, Pavement, Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Mould
9. Renegade Good Intentions: Sarah McLachlan, Soundgarden, Straitjacket Fits, Barbara Manning, The Verlaines
10. We Must Say Goodbye: Uncle Tupelo, Beastie Boys, The Breeders, Patti Smith, Nirvana
11. Sex, AIDS, and Rock and Roll: The No Alternative MTV Special and Home Video
12. After the Glow: No Alternative Funds Get Distributed and Dark Was the Night Breathes New Life into Red Hot
13. This Is Now: Red Hot and No Alternative at Thirty
(Hidden Track)
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
