Self-Loathing and False Humility of Grunge, Meet the Gallagher Brothers

Remember the 90’s?  It started with hair metal, that got killed by grunge, then punk happened again and it ended with bubble gum pop and Nu Metal. 

Grunge, or whatever you want to call it, wasn’t new, it just hadn’t been mainstream before.  Nirvana had already put out an album in 1989, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains already had major label records out and even Pearl Jam had existed basically as Mother Love Bone.  The attitude was punk rock, the wardrobe was redneck and the music was a combination of Black Sabbath and Black Flag. 

It was definitely a reaction to the glam and excess of the Sunset Strip.  Not all hair metal is created equal, but the bands in Seattle were turning inward.  It’s easy for many of these guys to say it was intentional, but the fact is that many of them just didn’t think they’d ever play out of the northwest and some of them weren’t good looking enough for snakeskin pants and MTV. 

For whatever true reason they refused to wash their hair and wear dirty flannel, it’s fine.  Hair metal had become bloated and that tree needed to be chopped down.  But I don’t believe in the self-righteous modesty that they peddled.  As I recently quoted from Singles, set in Seattle, Kyra Sedgwick said, “I think you do have a gimmick and not having a gimmick is your gimmick.”

Modesty is a good thing, but if “doth protest too much” then you know it’s bullshit.  Kurt Cobain had no problem starting beefs with Axl Rose or others.  If he thought so little of them, why did he even care?  He did care.  He cared a lot.  You’ll hear Courtney Love and Krist Novoselic and others in Montage of Heck talk about Kurt wanting to be a huge rock star.  The punk rock ethos was all a part of his marketing. 

Personally, I find this obnoxious.  And Pearl Jam’s political preaching from behind their gated communities spewed out with $500 wine on their breath.  Middle class and upper-class kids have the privilege to learn to be outraged at college.  Working class kids are too busy trying to succeed given the situations they find themselves in. 

At first, it was refreshing, but then it became annoying.

Then something started happening in England…

Say hello to Noel and Liam Gallagher. 

Americans mostly hated them.  They were arrogant.  They were abrasive.  But, they were great.

Then, came (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?  And, even for a minute, America fell in love too.

Even their music has a swagger to it.  I dare you to listen to “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” or “Columbia” and not have your self-confidence go up ten points. 

Everything about them was uplifting compared to Seattle.  Gone was staying at home and dying from heroin.  Back was cocaine, fighting and supermodels.  I’m not suggesting going out, doing blow, getting in fights and going home with supermodels, but I at least understand why one would want to do that, as opposed to withering away on the needle at home.

You don’t make it to that level of success without a metric ton of confidence.  It usually borders, or goes over the border, into arrogance.  But the Gallagher brothers were honest about it.  They didn’t lie to you and tell you they really thought they sucked.  They were the greatest band in the world.  And if you listen to them, especially Noel, he’ll tell you it was all in good fun and to wind people up.  Yes, they’re definitely arrogant, but most of the outrageous things he said were strictly to get their names in the paper. 

Brilliant.

These guys were rock stars from day one.  Alan McGee signed them because when they played for ten people in Glasgow at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut that night, they acted like they were playing to a packed Wembley Stadium.  They were rock stars and they were going to put on a show, they weren’t going to throw themselves a pity party that more people weren’t there.  They had to be who they saw themselves to be. 

Be humble when you’re writing.  Be humble with the folks who work with you.  The audio engineers, the runners, the secretaries at the record labels, the stage crew, etc., etc.  But when you’re with the press, or definitely, when you’re on stage.  You own it.  You act like you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Because as Noel once said, “If you tell everyone you’re the greatest band in the world, half of them will believe you.”