Parish,
Like only a handful of rock artists before them, Nirvana changed everything.
They were indie rock’s triumph, wiping away the hair-metal of the day, so much so that the hair-metal bands came back…trying to sound like Nirvana.
The opened up commercial possibilities for a variety of other worthy bands—from Pearl Jam to Smashing Pumpkins & Green Day.
If Nirvana didn’t break the way they did, Epic & Virgin & Warner & all the other major labels never would’ve pushed the Pearl Jams & Smashi Pumpkis of the world. They would’ve become The Replacements of the 1990s—great bands, yet commercially unsuccesful.
Nirvana was a great band and they represented something. They came along a at a time when popular music had become horribly stale again.
And IMO, Nirvana’s music continues to stand on its own merit, with or without MTV. And if Cobain were still alive today, I have no doubt that he’d still be making great & interesting music.
Wow, that guy is a kind of a jerk. Honestly, though, why doesn’t Andruw think that his weight is an issue? Does he really think that you don’t need to be in excellent shape to be a productive major league player? I guess he sees guys like John Kruk, Mo Vaughan, David Ortiz, etc., and says, “Hey, I can be like those guys!” I’m kind of glad he’s gone.
“That’s why, throughout his career, Maddux has steered clear of certain catchers, because they couldn’t think fast enough to keep up with him. Padres catchers Josh Bard and Michael Barrett will sometimes go an entire game without giving him a sign. A little tap on the thigh for location is all that’s necessary.”
Nirvana played that role in conjunction with a number of other bands, including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. They were given more than their share of the credit after Cobain’s suicide. Mind you, I am not saying they weren’t significant, merely that their significance was overstated.
krugerindustrialsmoothing
on April 13, 2008 at 11:38 am
Timo, thanks for that, what a great article. “One of the first questions we used to ask was ‘Is my ball sinking, or is it just running?’ Now all they ask is, ‘Did I throw 92 or 94?'”
The thing that (I feel) is lost when writers appreciate the careers of Roger Clemons, is that only a handful of people with the correct genetic mix, and yes lots of hard work (and whatever else), could accomplish what he has done.
With Maddux, you look at the guy and think, ‘anybody should be able to do that’ yet no one does. That to me is the true mark of greatness.
I dont think I could have made it through my teenage years without the Braves, and Nirvana and the music they influenced. I dont listen to them much anymore, because they were so over played. When I was on my first deployment, I had 3 CD’s with me, Nevermind, STP’s Purple and Alice in Chains…..good times….
Nirvana’s importance is overstated in just the way that you did it, giving them sole credit for the ultimate success of alternative/grunge music. They were one element that popularized the genre and I thoroughly believe that it would have made it just the same sans Nirvana.
Our New Insect Overlords
on April 13, 2008 at 12:30 pm
With an off-day upcoming, there’s no reason for Bennett to stay in and “take one for the team” if Diaz gets on base here … but that’s probably what Bobby will have him do. Sheesh. After watching Wednesday night’s Chuck James-spawned debacle in person, I feel for the Braves fans who bought tickets for this mess.
Parish,
Really? You mean, if we’d waited long enough, Mudhoney would’ve broken through? Mall kids would’ve eventually identified with the Screaming Trees?
Exactly which label & exactly which band was primed to knock down the doors? Which song from that era had the visceral impact of “Teen Spirit”? Which songwriter connected best with his/her generation?
I lived through the 1980s when bands way better than Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumpkins didn’t get a sniff because the industry was tuned into something else. When Nirvana broke through, it was a victory & they deserve all the credit.
Within the music industry–and by that, I mean record labels of the early ’90s—Nirvana’s importance is overstated only in the same way that physicists might overstate the laws of gravity. It’s a basic truth.
It’s also too early in the season to have blown through all that starting pitching depth we’ve heard so much about. China Doll is back on the dl. Chucky is in Richmond. Carlyle didn’t go 5 in either of his Richmond starts and has an era of 7. Now Glavine’s hurt, though of uncertain severity. Paging Jo-Jo Reyes.
Remember when David O’Brien was saying this past offseason that the Braves were so thrilled about their starting pitching depth that they were willing and wanting to trade Chuck James for David DeJesus?
Never, ever assume you have enough or too much starting pitching.
well, i’m way too old for the music debate. all i know about nirvana comes from hearing my sons’ way-too-loud stereo years ago and i usually was in no mood for any angry young man grunge. but i was thinking that it’s amazing how quickly the music industry slams the doors shut after some AYM kicks them open.
Is it just me, or is the mlb.tv feed having problems? Mine is jumping and the audio hasn’t been synchronized with the video. Anyone else having problems?
I was close with label A&R guys & several bands from that era. I’m very familiar with the way the record industry works and especially how it worked then.
Trust me on this: Nirvana’s success was the big bang that wasn’t coming from anywhere else.
The fact that MTV produced shows pushing that same angle doesn’t make it any less true.
6 — wow, that l.a. times piece on AJ was scathing. Does that writer do that to everyone? I mean, I think we can understand his frustration with Andruw’s production so far as a Dodger, with him being out of shape, and the way it *seems* like he doesn’t care… but that was a harsh.
Though for a truly frustrating one run loss, the following scenario is in order. Chipper hits 3-run HR. Braves then cough it up when Moylan gives up a 2-run shot to Guzman in the bottom of the 9th.
That was a brilliant piece of announcing there. “What they want to do is add a couple of more runs…”
That could go right up there with dumbest things ever uttered by media including asking former Redskins QB Doug Williams before the Super Bowl
“Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?”
Ububba, would it shock you to know others in the music industry then and now have an opinion similar to mine.
You are still proclaiming something fact that is an opinion of a hypothetical. That illustrates the point that Nirvana’s importance is overstated.
Pearl Jam’s Ten was released on a major label one month before Nevermind. Soundgarden had been gaining popularity for a few years and MTV’s 120 minutes had been airing for several years. A number of other alternative bands paralleled Nirvana’s success and Nirvana was never really proclaimed the pioneer until after Cobain’s sad and selfish act.
Nirvana was one of the better bands of that era, but I really think the popular proclamation does a great disservice to the contributions of all the others involved in the mainstream musical movement, not to mention bands such as U2 and REM who had already paved a clear road out of the hair band ’80’s.
According to the Nats’ radio broadcast, the official scorer is giving Kotsay a hit and an error on the ball Peña dropped instead of just ruling it a two-base error.
Why, Beedee? That was a pitch over the heart of the plate, and he hit it hard. Should he have taken a couple strikes so he could pound a curveball into the ground to second?
rob,
he hasn’t had a hit off of rauch why not take a look at what he’s throwing before you swing. whatever. he’s the pro. mark off another one. 150 to go!
brad, in the bajillion posts you have made, i dont think you have ever agreed with anything anyone has done. every decision that the braves have made this year, that didn’t go their way, was the wrong one. right?
and tom, why do ya? it’s baseball guys and you can’t win every game.
i do think it’s ok to complain, but to bitch and moan about every game and decision made doesnt make for a fun blog to read. i know the response: “then dont read”. there’s 162 games and we’ve now played 12 of them. we’re all braves fans and noone is going to feel sorry for you because you have become disgruntled.
chipper is simply raking right now. escobar looks to be on his way to a stellar career (and maybe a dark horse to the backup all star this year). hopefully glavine will be ok. we need tomorrow.
Orrrrrr… he got a great pitch to hit and he took it. It was hard hit, but it just got caught. There’s basically two schools of thought on what to do with the first pitch against a new relief pitcher: he’s going to try to groove one to get ahead, so you should nail it, or he’s going to be wild, so you take the first. Obviously he got a good pitch to hit, and sometimes the first pitch is your only good pitch to hit. I’ll leave it to the professional to make the decision, and not second-guess based on hypothetical situations.
Beedee,
He knows what Rauch throws. As you said, he’s the pro.
Swinging at the first pitch with the bases loaded against a new reliever that isn’t good is not a good decision. I’m sorry. If Francoeur had done that, y’all would be murdering him.
Parish,
Pearl Jam’s “Ten” didn’t take off until Nirvana broke. Why? Because that’s when Epic decided to get behind it in a big way. That’s the reason you didn’t see videos of “Alive” in heavy MTV rotation before “Teen Spirit.”
And Soundgarden’s sales were relative tiddly winks before Nirvana broke. Same with all the other 120 Minutes bands.
There’s pre-1991 success with alt-bands like The Pixies & then there’s the 25 million copies that “Nevermind” sold. The alt-band signing frenzy had everything to do with that, not because major labels decided that Billy Corgan was some genius. And just why do you think a band like the Butthole Surfers could ever get signed by a label like Capitol?
There is simply no other alt-band from that era (unless you count U2 & I don’t) that paralleled Nirvana’s sales success. Exactly zero.
My statement takes nothing away from the inroads made by REM or The Pixies or Soundgarden, but there’s a huge, huge difference between what they did and what Nirvana did.
Looking forward to this game. Let’s see if the bats are staying hot for consecutive games for the first time this season. Go Braves!
You know Kurt Cobain would’ve been 40 this year?
RE: previous thread, you guys are right. It makes sense to keep Salty down this year if you’re the Rangers. Thanks for clarifying.
Who’s broadcasting today?
I have always felt that Cobain’s and Nirvana’s importance in the musical world was exaggerated by MTV after Cobain’s suicide.
A great piece about Greg Maddux, my favorite player all-time:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3336514
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers13apr13,1,6365046.column
Ouch. This is really hard on Andruw Jones.
In case anyone cares, Andruw weighs 248 pounds…with shoes.
T.J. Simers is a dick.
Parish,
Like only a handful of rock artists before them, Nirvana changed everything.
They were indie rock’s triumph, wiping away the hair-metal of the day, so much so that the hair-metal bands came back…trying to sound like Nirvana.
The opened up commercial possibilities for a variety of other worthy bands—from Pearl Jam to Smashing Pumpkins & Green Day.
If Nirvana didn’t break the way they did, Epic & Virgin & Warner & all the other major labels never would’ve pushed the Pearl Jams & Smashi Pumpkis of the world. They would’ve become The Replacements of the 1990s—great bands, yet commercially unsuccesful.
Nirvana was a great band and they represented something. They came along a at a time when popular music had become horribly stale again.
And IMO, Nirvana’s music continues to stand on its own merit, with or without MTV. And if Cobain were still alive today, I have no doubt that he’d still be making great & interesting music.
lol on the Andruw article
Wow, that guy is a kind of a jerk. Honestly, though, why doesn’t Andruw think that his weight is an issue? Does he really think that you don’t need to be in excellent shape to be a productive major league player? I guess he sees guys like John Kruk, Mo Vaughan, David Ortiz, etc., and says, “Hey, I can be like those guys!” I’m kind of glad he’s gone.
Actually, Cobain was born in ’67 so he would’ve turned 40 last year. (Thanks Wikipedia.)
Wow – calling Andruw “tubbo” a half dozen times in your article a week into the season can’t be winning any friends.
“That’s why, throughout his career, Maddux has steered clear of certain catchers, because they couldn’t think fast enough to keep up with him. Padres catchers Josh Bard and Michael Barrett will sometimes go an entire game without giving him a sign. A little tap on the thigh for location is all that’s necessary.”
From the Maddux article
Ububba,
Nirvana played that role in conjunction with a number of other bands, including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. They were given more than their share of the credit after Cobain’s suicide. Mind you, I am not saying they weren’t significant, merely that their significance was overstated.
Timo, loved the Maddux article as usual, as well as the followup. And just remember, 39% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Timo, thanks for that, what a great article. “One of the first questions we used to ask was ‘Is my ball sinking, or is it just running?’ Now all they ask is, ‘Did I throw 92 or 94?'”
The thing that (I feel) is lost when writers appreciate the careers of Roger Clemons, is that only a handful of people with the correct genetic mix, and yes lots of hard work (and whatever else), could accomplish what he has done.
With Maddux, you look at the guy and think, ‘anybody should be able to do that’ yet no one does. That to me is the true mark of greatness.
for all of you MLB.tv’ers out there, I will not miss that techno-bop music they play with the graphics on the Nats telecasts.
Top notch defense.
No way that bobble by Yunel was a hit.
I dont think I could have made it through my teenage years without the Braves, and Nirvana and the music they influenced. I dont listen to them much anymore, because they were so over played. When I was on my first deployment, I had 3 CD’s with me, Nevermind, STP’s Purple and Alice in Chains…..good times….
Glavine does not appear to be getting that inside call.
I hope he’s ok here.
Ugh, the announcers (on mlb.tv) are very annoying.
Hurt??
Glavine’s hurt.
Looks like Bennett
Glavine says, “Boys, I ain’t got nothing today, take me out before I give up 7 in 1/3 of an inning”
Either a back or a leg. Jeff Bennett in.
Two outta three ain’t bad, right?
It was hard to pinpoint any injury in the replays. He seems totally fine until he bends over to stretch out.
Something definitely wasn’t right with Glavine.
Parish,
Exactly how was Nirvana’s significance “overstated”? I’m curious to know your definition.
I guarantee you that the music many people listened to after 1991 would’ve been very, very different if Nirvana hadn’t broken.
BENNETT!
I’ll take the double play. Things could turn out a lot worse with Glavine leaving injured, bases loaded, nobody out.
Great job by Bennett.
Good job by Bennett to get out of that relatively unscathed.
Looked like back spasms or something like that to my medically untrained eye.
Frak! I’m running late to the game and now this before I can even get there.
Tex is just not in the game.
Good AB by Francoeur. Tool some good pitches for a 7-pitch walk.
!!!FRENCH WALK!!!
Sure am glad Kotsay is batting above Matt Diaz against the right handed opposing pitcher.
I doubt Bennett can go farther than 4 innings, so I bet Campillo pitches today.
Nirvana’s importance is overstated in just the way that you did it, giving them sole credit for the ultimate success of alternative/grunge music. They were one element that popularized the genre and I thoroughly believe that it would have made it just the same sans Nirvana.
Is it just me or does the strike zone seem tighter for the Braves than for the Nats?
walking in a run. kill me.
And Nirvana sold out… wakka wakka. And let’s not even talk about how sold out the Foo Fighters have gotten.
no bullpen activity yet–sheesh
well it looks like the relief corp is gonna get plenty of exercise today.
god, another walk
hey Joe, McDowell already used the “free” visit
4-0. Bad defense. Glavine possibly hurt.
Feels like Dan KolBB is back. Wasn’t Bennett a Brewer?
Good, tomorrow’s a day off.
With an off-day upcoming, there’s no reason for Bennett to stay in and “take one for the team” if Diaz gets on base here … but that’s probably what Bobby will have him do. Sheesh. After watching Wednesday night’s Chuck James-spawned debacle in person, I feel for the Braves fans who bought tickets for this mess.
Root hard for the Brewers and Cubbies today, or is it too early to scoreboard watch?
Too early.
Parish,
Really? You mean, if we’d waited long enough, Mudhoney would’ve broken through? Mall kids would’ve eventually identified with the Screaming Trees?
Exactly which label & exactly which band was primed to knock down the doors? Which song from that era had the visceral impact of “Teen Spirit”? Which songwriter connected best with his/her generation?
I lived through the 1980s when bands way better than Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumpkins didn’t get a sniff because the industry was tuned into something else. When Nirvana broke through, it was a victory & they deserve all the credit.
Within the music industry–and by that, I mean record labels of the early ’90s—Nirvana’s importance is overstated only in the same way that physicists might overstate the laws of gravity. It’s a basic truth.
It’s also too early in the season to have blown through all that starting pitching depth we’ve heard so much about. China Doll is back on the dl. Chucky is in Richmond. Carlyle didn’t go 5 in either of his Richmond starts and has an era of 7. Now Glavine’s hurt, though of uncertain severity. Paging Jo-Jo Reyes.
Glavine has a hamstring injury they just sais.
Why is Bennett still in this game? Because his last inning was so inspiring?
I guess Cox has thrown in the towel for today’s game.
Take… Bennett… out… now.
any wagers on walking the pitcher?
Remember when David O’Brien was saying this past offseason that the Braves were so thrilled about their starting pitching depth that they were willing and wanting to trade Chuck James for David DeJesus?
Never, ever assume you have enough or too much starting pitching.
If Glavine get’s DL’d, who do you reckon will come up, JoJo?
When that ball leaves Bennett’s hand, you never know where it’ll end up. Amazing.
I still think his is one of the better arms in the bullpen, which is a sad commentary on what we have out there.
well, i’m way too old for the music debate. all i know about nirvana comes from hearing my sons’ way-too-loud stereo years ago and i usually was in no mood for any angry young man grunge. but i was thinking that it’s amazing how quickly the music industry slams the doors shut after some AYM kicks them open.
I’d like to put in an order for 10 runs, please.
Is it just me, or is the mlb.tv feed having problems? Mine is jumping and the audio hasn’t been synchronized with the video. Anyone else having problems?
Sosa in for O. Perez at Shea.
AreJay, no such problem.
Yeah.. It’s blacked out.
It’s a basic truth?
No, Ububba, it’s a basic assumption. You cannot proclaim how the music industry would have developed without Nirvana a truth, because you don’t know.
Thank you for once again illustrating the point about the overstatement of Nirvana’s significance.
The feeling of, this just isn’t our day, is pretty overwhelming right now.
Parish,
Point is, I kinda do know.
I was close with label A&R guys & several bands from that era. I’m very familiar with the way the record industry works and especially how it worked then.
Trust me on this: Nirvana’s success was the big bang that wasn’t coming from anywhere else.
The fact that MTV produced shows pushing that same angle doesn’t make it any less true.
Welcome, Jorge.
6 — wow, that l.a. times piece on AJ was scathing. Does that writer do that to everyone? I mean, I think we can understand his frustration with Andruw’s production so far as a Dodger, with him being out of shape, and the way it *seems* like he doesn’t care… but that was a harsh.
and yes Redding’s strike zone does seem huge
good start Escobar.
some kind of comeback now or it will be very unlikely.
Chipper rules all
Chipper!
Chipper Jones needs a contract extension.
Please bring in Ray King. I remember watching King kill games for us a few years back.
We’ll win this one 7-5!
“Please bring in Ray King. I remember watching King kill games for us a few years back.”
Done!
It’s sick how good Chipper still is and the level he has played on for some time now.
Soooo close Tex there but more runs please
hey simpson, that must be another example of McCann “turning it on” [reference to blather in yesterday’s game]
what a maroon
Well done, Jeff!
Jorge Campillo. Wow.
two nice innings for Campillo
Campillo… very impressive so far!
Look, guys, you need to score another run here so we can lose another one-run game. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
have faith Mac 🙂
Though for a truly frustrating one run loss, the following scenario is in order. Chipper hits 3-run HR. Braves then cough it up when Moylan gives up a 2-run shot to Guzman in the bottom of the 9th.
Radar Gun in the game. There, now it won’t be close.
This is a ridiculous decision, Bobby. Give us a freaking chance.
That was a brilliant piece of announcing there. “What they want to do is add a couple of more runs…”
That could go right up there with dumbest things ever uttered by media including asking former Redskins QB Doug Williams before the Super Bowl
“Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?”
Great hanging breaking ball down the middle, Resop. At least we could score a few before they break it open.
How predictable…
Ububba, would it shock you to know others in the music industry then and now have an opinion similar to mine.
You are still proclaiming something fact that is an opinion of a hypothetical. That illustrates the point that Nirvana’s importance is overstated.
Pearl Jam’s Ten was released on a major label one month before Nevermind. Soundgarden had been gaining popularity for a few years and MTV’s 120 minutes had been airing for several years. A number of other alternative bands paralleled Nirvana’s success and Nirvana was never really proclaimed the pioneer until after Cobain’s sad and selfish act.
Nirvana was one of the better bands of that era, but I really think the popular proclamation does a great disservice to the contributions of all the others involved in the mainstream musical movement, not to mention bands such as U2 and REM who had already paved a clear road out of the hair band ’80’s.
AreJay, those morons keep these stupid lines coming…
Ok, enough Nirvana.
Resop – ugh!
Ain’t that the truth, timo?
Nice!
Well that was awfully lucky. Thanks, Lastings.
MIlladge sucks, ha ha ha
Just wow. Thank you Milledge.
🙂 Idiot
I didn’t realize I had tuned into nirvanajournal.com
Milledge was safe, but I’m not complaining.
I wonder if Paul LoDuca has any friends.
I lost a post in there somewhere. Oh, well.
Brewers are still hanging on, but we need more offense for the Cubs. I understand it’s way to early to scoreboard watch, but i can’t help it.
I normally don’t care until Memorial Day
Sorry, Frank. The Nirvana debate began just before the first pitch. No doubt a 1 PM start would have spared you.
That’s a good sign to see Tex going the opposite way.
Trying to break my own personal BravesJournal losing streak…come on Braves. 3 stinking runs. That’s all I want. Unless Resop goes another inning.
Frenchy missed one there.
decent AB by Frenchy–not a great result but much better than swinging at any ole slop–maybe he’s not the Hannah Montana of batters
pfffff, Wily Mo Pena!
now we have game!
Wily Mo = Michael Jackson
both wear a glove on one hand for no apparent reason
What a great hussle by Jeff!!!
ONE RUN LOSS!
Andruw would have caught that.
Diaz…(shaking head)
Stephen Hawking would have caught that.
According to the Nats’ radio broadcast, the official scorer is giving Kotsay a hit and an error on the ball Peña dropped instead of just ruling it a two-base error.
Well, we are set up for the one-run loss now. Let’s hope we can turn that into something better.
On another note, when does Diaz plan to get going?
“On another note, when does Diaz plan to get going?”
Same time as Teixeira?
Johnny Estrada must have the same weight as Andruw…
Cordero’s pitching the ninth. Ring’s warming up for Atlanta.
Bryan Pena: horrible at-bat.
We need a bench.
Dang Pena…swing the darn bat. what a wasted AB.
swing the f-ing bat
This is my favorite kind of loss.
What was that? Pena just stood there and watched all those 84-MPH fastballs fly by and did nothing.
Crap.
Chipper!
Alright. This is the time Tex gets going.
Right here. Right now.
say you will B-Mac
By going, of course I meant going to first on an intentional walk.
Come on now!!
B-Mac–first pitch?!
Oh well.
didn’t even take a pitch…that’s frustrating
If you’re gonna lose a game by one run, that’s the way to do it. As Braves fans, we must learn to embrace the one-run loss.
Are you kidding me?!?
Why, Beedee? That was a pitch over the heart of the plate, and he hit it hard. Should he have taken a couple strikes so he could pound a curveball into the ground to second?
braves grab their ankles again
B/c…Jon Rauch sucks. B/c he could have thrown a wild pitch. B/c we had them on the ropes and a walk would have tied the game. Terrible at-bat.
Boy this team sucks. Another injury, another one-run loss. Why in the world do I still care?
rob,
he hasn’t had a hit off of rauch why not take a look at what he’s throwing before you swing. whatever. he’s the pro. mark off another one. 150 to go!
brad, in the bajillion posts you have made, i dont think you have ever agreed with anything anyone has done. every decision that the braves have made this year, that didn’t go their way, was the wrong one. right?
and tom, why do ya? it’s baseball guys and you can’t win every game.
i do think it’s ok to complain, but to bitch and moan about every game and decision made doesnt make for a fun blog to read. i know the response: “then dont read”. there’s 162 games and we’ve now played 12 of them. we’re all braves fans and noone is going to feel sorry for you because you have become disgruntled.
chipper is simply raking right now. escobar looks to be on his way to a stellar career (and maybe a dark horse to the backup all star this year). hopefully glavine will be ok. we need tomorrow.
Brad,
Orrrrrr… he got a great pitch to hit and he took it. It was hard hit, but it just got caught. There’s basically two schools of thought on what to do with the first pitch against a new relief pitcher: he’s going to try to groove one to get ahead, so you should nail it, or he’s going to be wild, so you take the first. Obviously he got a good pitch to hit, and sometimes the first pitch is your only good pitch to hit. I’ll leave it to the professional to make the decision, and not second-guess based on hypothetical situations.
Beedee,
He knows what Rauch throws. As you said, he’s the pro.
Swinging at the first pitch with the bases loaded against a new reliever that isn’t good is not a good decision. I’m sorry. If Francoeur had done that, y’all would be murdering him.
The good news is that the Mets lost and the Cubs have taken the Phils to extras.
Parish,
Pearl Jam’s “Ten” didn’t take off until Nirvana broke. Why? Because that’s when Epic decided to get behind it in a big way. That’s the reason you didn’t see videos of “Alive” in heavy MTV rotation before “Teen Spirit.”
And Soundgarden’s sales were relative tiddly winks before Nirvana broke. Same with all the other 120 Minutes bands.
There’s pre-1991 success with alt-bands like The Pixies & then there’s the 25 million copies that “Nevermind” sold. The alt-band signing frenzy had everything to do with that, not because major labels decided that Billy Corgan was some genius. And just why do you think a band like the Butthole Surfers could ever get signed by a label like Capitol?
There is simply no other alt-band from that era (unless you count U2 & I don’t) that paralleled Nirvana’s sales success. Exactly zero.
My statement takes nothing away from the inroads made by REM or The Pixies or Soundgarden, but there’s a huge, huge difference between what they did and what Nirvana did.