Green River (band)
Encyclopedia
Green River was an American rock
band from Seattle, Washington that was active from 1984 to 1988. Although the band had little commercial impact outside of its native Seattle, Green River proved to have significant influence on the genre later known as grunge
, both with its own music and with the music its members would create in future bands including Pearl Jam
and Mudhoney
. In 2008, Green River reunited and has since played several live shows.
of the same name
) was formed in early 1984 by vocalist/guitarist Mark Arm
, guitarist Steve Turner
, drummer Alex Vincent
and bassist Jeff Ament
. Guitarist Stone Gossard
then joined the band to allow Arm to concentrate on singing. Prior to joining, each member had played with punk and hardcore groups. Arm and Turner had played together in both Mr Epp & The Calculations and the Limp Richerds
. Turner had also performed with Vincent in Spluii Numa
, and Gossard in The Ducky Boys. Ament had been asked to join after moving from Montana with his band Deranged Diction.
By late 1984, the band was playing shows in and around Seattle. In December 1984, the band began production on its first record, Come on Down
. However, by the time the band finished the record in early 1985, Turner had left the group, citing his distaste with the rest of the band's heavy metal leanings. He was replaced by former Deranged Diction guitarist Bruce Fairweather
.
In mid-1985, the band embarked on its first nationwide tour to promote the now completed Come on Down EP. Release of the record was delayed however, thus negating the purpose of the tour. From all accounts the experience was less than positive, though it did help cement alliances with other emerging American indie rock
bands. Among them was Sonic Youth
, who later quoted the song "Come on Down" on its own composition "Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)". After the tour, Come on Down was finally released by the New York-based Homestead Records
. The record was released to little fanfare, and did not sell well. However it is often considered the first album to be released by a "grunge" band, as it predated both the Deep Six
compilation album and the Melvins' debut album.
In 1986, the band continued to play in and around the Pacific Northwest
to steadily larger crowds (especially in the band's hometown of Seattle). Early in the year, the now legendary Deep Six
compilation album was released on the local C/Z Records
label. Alongside two Green River songs, the compilation features the music of fellow Washington bands Soundgarden
, Melvins, Malfunkshun
, Skin Yard
and the U-Men. Kathleen C. Fennessy of Allmusic stated that the compilation "documents a formative period in Northwest rock history."
In June 1986, the band began production on its second EP, Dry As a Bone
, with local producer Jack Endino
. Green River chose to record Dry As a Bone for Bruce Pavitt
's new label, Sub Pop
. However, Pavitt couldn't afford to release it until the following year, and, as had happened with Come on Down, the record was delayed. In the meantime the band issued the one-off "Together We'll Never" single on the local Tasque Force Records label. Dry As a Bone was finally released through Sub Pop in July 1987, a full year after it was recorded. It was the new label's first non-compilation release. Dry As a Bone was promoted by Sub Pop as "ultra-loose GRUNGE that destroyed the morals of a generation." Steve Huey of Allmusic called it Green River's "strongest individual release...perfecting their sleazy, raucous fusion of '70s hard rock and post-hardcore punk."
Almost immediately following the release of Dry As a Bone, the group re-entered the studio to begin production on its first full-length album, Rehab Doll
. Band in-fighting, though, took center stage over the music. A stylistic division developed between Ament and Gossard on one side, and Arm on the other. Ament and Gossard wanted to pursue a major-label deal, while Arm wanted to remain independent, viewing the duo as being too careerist. The in-fighting came to a head following an October 1987 show in Los Angeles
, California
. Apparently, without informing the group Ament had filled the show's guest list with major label representatives, instead of the band's friends, only to have two of the representatives appear. On October 31, 1987, Ament, Gossard and Fairweather stated their desire to quit the band. Although the band members agreed to complete production of Rehab Doll
during the next three months, Green River had by late October 1987 ceased as a band. Rehab Doll was released in June 1988. Ned Raggett of Allmusic called it "a record that sounded caught somewhere between grunge mania and metal
/corp rock
folly."
concert in Las Vegas
, Nevada
. Participating in the reunion were Arm, Turner, Gossard, Ament and Chuck Treece
, who filled in on drums for Vincent, who at that time was living in Japan. The band performed the songs "Swallow My Pride" and "Ain't Nothing to Do" before leaving the stage. Green River reunited for four shows in 2008. The line-up for the shows included Ament, Arm, Turner, Vincent, Gossard, and Fairweather. The first show was a warm-up show on July 10, 2008 at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle. The band next played on July 13, 2008 at Marymoor Park
near Seattle to honor Sub Pop's 20th anniversary. Green River played another live show on November 28, 2008 at Dante's
in Portland
, Oregon
. Afterward, the band played on November 29, 2008 at the Showbox in Seattle to celebrate the Supersuckers' 20th anniversary. Green River played on May 22, 2009 and May 23, 2009 at the Showbox in Seattle to celebrate the Melvins' 25th anniversary.
(formerly of Melvins) and drummer Dan Peters
(of Bundle of Hiss
and Feast) to form Mudhoney
in January 1988. Mudhoney quickly gained popularity in the Seattle scene, with debut releases "Touch Me I'm Sick
" and Superfuzz Bigmuff
receiving positive reviews in the music press. Since releasing its debut album in 1989, Mudhoney has recorded a further seven albums and continues to tour.
Following the demise of Green River in late 1987, Gossard, Ament and Fairweather formed the short-lived covers band Lords of the Wasteland with Malfunkshun
frontman Andrew Wood. By early 1988 the Lords of the Wasteland had become Mother Love Bone
. Mother Love Bone quickly rose to popularity in the Seattle scene, and were about to release its debut album in 1990, when Wood fatally overdosed on heroin. That same year, Ament and Gossard (along with Chris Cornell
, Matt Cameron
, Mike McCready
, and a guest appearance by Eddie Vedder
) recorded the Andrew Wood tribute album Temple of the Dog
(amidst the formation of the band Pearl Jam
), which went on to achieve international mainstream success. After Temple of the Dog, Gossard and Ament founded Pearl Jam along with Mike McCready of Shadow, Eddie Vedder of Bad Radio
, and Dave Krusen
. Pearl Jam rocketed to fame with its debut album Ten
and is still active today. Pearl Jam has released nine studio albums in total and continues to tour.
Fairweather joined Gossard and Ament as a member of Mother Love Bone. Following the band's demise, he replaced Tommy Simpson on bass in the psychedelic rock band Love Battery
in 1992. He played on two of the band's albums and many of its tours before leaving that band as well and dropping off the radar. In 2006, he resurfaced in The Press Corps, with Garret Shavlik (The Fluid
) and Dan Peters (Mudhoney). Vincent, Green River's drummer, moved to Japan after the break-up and did not return to the United States for many years.
. With its sludgy mix of hard rock
, punk
and metal
, heavily influenced by Iggy Pop
's original proto-punk group The Stooges
, coupled with Arm's twisted lyrics and vocal delivery, Green River greatly influenced both its peers and bands that followed them. Even without the fact that some of its members would later go on to form some of the biggest bands of the Northwest music scene, Green River is still remembered for its musical foresight and innovation, years ahead of the rise of grunge.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Seattle, Washington that was active from 1984 to 1988. Although the band had little commercial impact outside of its native Seattle, Green River proved to have significant influence on the genre later known as grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
, both with its own music and with the music its members would create in future bands including Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
and Mudhoney
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
. In 2008, Green River reunited and has since played several live shows.
History
Green River (named after the then at-large serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
of the same name
Gary Ridgway
Gary Leon Ridgway is an American serial killer known as the Green River Killer. He murdered numerous women in Washington during the 1980s and 1990s, earning his nickname when the first five victims were found in the Green River. He strangled them, usually with his arm but sometimes using ligatures...
) was formed in early 1984 by vocalist/guitarist Mark Arm
Mark Arm
Mark Arm is the vocalist for the grunge band Mudhoney. He is also credited with coining the term "grunge" to describe his style of rock music...
, guitarist Steve Turner
Steve Turner (guitarist)
Steve Turner is an American guitarist, most famous for his work with Seattle band Mudhoney.-Biography:Turner was born in 1965 in Houston, Texas. His first band was called The Ducky Boys. The line up included future Pearl Jam member Stone Gossard. The Ducky Boys split around 1983.Turner later found...
, drummer Alex Vincent
Alex Vincent (drummer)
Alex Shumway was the drummer for the bands Spluii Numa and, later, one of the pioneers of the grunge scene, Green River. After Green River had broken up, Shumway moved to Japan...
and bassist Jeff Ament
Jeff Ament
Jeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician who serves as the bassist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
. Guitarist Stone Gossard
Stone Gossard
Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as the rhythm and lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
then joined the band to allow Arm to concentrate on singing. Prior to joining, each member had played with punk and hardcore groups. Arm and Turner had played together in both Mr Epp & The Calculations and the Limp Richerds
Limp Richerds
The Limp Richerds were a hardcore punk rock band from Seattle, Washington which featured Mark Arm and Steve Turner in one of their many lineups...
. Turner had also performed with Vincent in Spluii Numa
Spluii Numa
Spluii Numa was a pre-grunge Seattle punk band from the early 1980s. Its members consisted of Erik Aasen , Charles Quain , Keith Strobel , briefly Harold Hollingsworth , and Alex Shumway. Mudhoney's Steve Turner was also a guitarist for the band for a short amount of time before leaving the band...
, and Gossard in The Ducky Boys. Ament had been asked to join after moving from Montana with his band Deranged Diction.
By late 1984, the band was playing shows in and around Seattle. In December 1984, the band began production on its first record, Come on Down
Come on Down
- Personnel :Green River* Jeff Ament – bass guitar, back and sleeve designs* Mark Arm – vocals* Stone Gossard – guitar* Steve Turner – guitar* Alex Vincent – drumsProduction* Green River – production, cover concept...
. However, by the time the band finished the record in early 1985, Turner had left the group, citing his distaste with the rest of the band's heavy metal leanings. He was replaced by former Deranged Diction guitarist Bruce Fairweather
Bruce Fairweather
Bruce Fairweather is a guitarist/bassist based in Seattle. In 1985, he replaced Steve Turner in the grunge band Green River, which included Mark Arm , Alex Vincent as well as Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, later of Pearl Jam....
.
In mid-1985, the band embarked on its first nationwide tour to promote the now completed Come on Down EP. Release of the record was delayed however, thus negating the purpose of the tour. From all accounts the experience was less than positive, though it did help cement alliances with other emerging American indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
bands. Among them was Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, who later quoted the song "Come on Down" on its own composition "Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)". After the tour, Come on Down was finally released by the New York-based Homestead Records
Homestead Records
Homestead Records was a Long Island, NY based sublabel of music distributor Dutch East India Trading. It was founded in 1984 by Sam Berger, who was the American Independent buyer for Dutch East India Trading. Berger was finding that many bands who had perhaps released their own first 45 were...
. The record was released to little fanfare, and did not sell well. However it is often considered the first album to be released by a "grunge" band, as it predated both the Deep Six
Deep Six (album)
The Deep Six compilation was released March 1986 . It was the very first release by C/Z Records, a few months before the release of Sub Pop 100 from Sub Pop Records. It was also arguably the second record to influence the later "Seattle sound" that would be known worldwide as grunge...
compilation album and the Melvins' debut album.
In 1986, the band continued to play in and around the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
to steadily larger crowds (especially in the band's hometown of Seattle). Early in the year, the now legendary Deep Six
Deep Six (album)
The Deep Six compilation was released March 1986 . It was the very first release by C/Z Records, a few months before the release of Sub Pop 100 from Sub Pop Records. It was also arguably the second record to influence the later "Seattle sound" that would be known worldwide as grunge...
compilation album was released on the local C/Z Records
C/Z Records
C/Z Records is a Seattle-based record label that was established in early 1985 by Chris Hanzsek and Tina Casale with the release of the now-legendary, Deep Six LP, which collected the earliest recordings of the real pro-genitors of what later came to be known as grunge...
label. Alongside two Green River songs, the compilation features the music of fellow Washington bands Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, Melvins, Malfunkshun
Malfunkshun
Malfunkshun is a band formed in 1980 by Andrew Wood and his brother Kevin Wood. Malfunkshun, along with Skin Yard, Green River, U-Men, and Melvins are considered the "godfathers" of grunge, with Malfunkshun being the first of those bands to form.-History:...
, Skin Yard
Skin Yard
Skin Yard was an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, who were active from 1985 to 1992. The group never gained a mainstream audience, but were an influence on their contemporaries – most notably Soundgarden, Screaming Trees, The Melvins, and Green River – alongside whom they are considered...
and the U-Men. Kathleen C. Fennessy of Allmusic stated that the compilation "documents a formative period in Northwest rock history."
In June 1986, the band began production on its second EP, Dry As a Bone
Dry As a Bone
-Personnel:Green River*Jeff Ament – bass guitar, production, engineering*Mark Arm – vocals*Bruce Fairweather – guitar*Stone Gossard – guitar*Alex Vincent – drumsProduction*Jack Endino – production, engineering...
, with local producer Jack Endino
Jack Endino
Jack Endino is a producer and musician based in Seattle. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands such as Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and Nirvana...
. Green River chose to record Dry As a Bone for Bruce Pavitt
Bruce Pavitt
-History:After briefly attending Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois and subsequently transferring to The Evergreen State College in Washington State, Pavitt started a fanzine entitled Subterranean Pop in Olympia, Washington in 1980, about American independent rock bands. Three cassette...
's new label, Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
. However, Pavitt couldn't afford to release it until the following year, and, as had happened with Come on Down, the record was delayed. In the meantime the band issued the one-off "Together We'll Never" single on the local Tasque Force Records label. Dry As a Bone was finally released through Sub Pop in July 1987, a full year after it was recorded. It was the new label's first non-compilation release. Dry As a Bone was promoted by Sub Pop as "ultra-loose GRUNGE that destroyed the morals of a generation." Steve Huey of Allmusic called it Green River's "strongest individual release...perfecting their sleazy, raucous fusion of '70s hard rock and post-hardcore punk."
Almost immediately following the release of Dry As a Bone, the group re-entered the studio to begin production on its first full-length album, Rehab Doll
Rehab Doll
Cassette bonus track-Personnel:Green River*Jeff Ament – bass guitar, vocals, assistant production, inner sleeve design*Mark Arm – vocals, assistant production*Bruce Fairweather – guitars...
. Band in-fighting, though, took center stage over the music. A stylistic division developed between Ament and Gossard on one side, and Arm on the other. Ament and Gossard wanted to pursue a major-label deal, while Arm wanted to remain independent, viewing the duo as being too careerist. The in-fighting came to a head following an October 1987 show in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Apparently, without informing the group Ament had filled the show's guest list with major label representatives, instead of the band's friends, only to have two of the representatives appear. On October 31, 1987, Ament, Gossard and Fairweather stated their desire to quit the band. Although the band members agreed to complete production of Rehab Doll
Rehab Doll
Cassette bonus track-Personnel:Green River*Jeff Ament – bass guitar, vocals, assistant production, inner sleeve design*Mark Arm – vocals, assistant production*Bruce Fairweather – guitars...
during the next three months, Green River had by late October 1987 ceased as a band. Rehab Doll was released in June 1988. Ned Raggett of Allmusic called it "a record that sounded caught somewhere between grunge mania and metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
/corp rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
folly."
Reunions
A Green River reunion occurred on November 30, 1993 during a Pearl JamPearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
concert in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. Participating in the reunion were Arm, Turner, Gossard, Ament and Chuck Treece
Chuck Treece
Chuck "Chuck" Treece is a session musician and professional skateboarder from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His credits include starting the 1980s skate punk band McRad, remixing songs for Amy Grant and Sting, playing the bass line on "The River of Dreams" by Billy Joel, filling in on drums at a...
, who filled in on drums for Vincent, who at that time was living in Japan. The band performed the songs "Swallow My Pride" and "Ain't Nothing to Do" before leaving the stage. Green River reunited for four shows in 2008. The line-up for the shows included Ament, Arm, Turner, Vincent, Gossard, and Fairweather. The first show was a warm-up show on July 10, 2008 at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle. The band next played on July 13, 2008 at Marymoor Park
Marymoor Park
Marymoor Park, located on the north end of Lake Sammamish in Redmond, Washington, is King County's largest, oldest, and most popular park, with more than 3 million annual visitors coming to roam its . Among recreational activities available are various sports facilities, rock climbing, a dog park...
near Seattle to honor Sub Pop's 20th anniversary. Green River played another live show on November 28, 2008 at Dante's
Dante's
Dante's is a nightclub and live music venue in Portland, Oregon, United States, that opened in February, 2000. Since opening, the club has hosted numerous internationally-famous bands, solo-acts, troupes and performance artists....
in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Afterward, the band played on November 29, 2008 at the Showbox in Seattle to celebrate the Supersuckers' 20th anniversary. Green River played on May 22, 2009 and May 23, 2009 at the Showbox in Seattle to celebrate the Melvins' 25th anniversary.
Post-Green River
After the break-up, Arm and Turner began rehearsing together. They recruited bassist Matt LukinMatt Lukin
Matt Lukin is an American musician, best known as a bassist and founding member of the Melvins and Mudhoney.-The Melvins :...
(formerly of Melvins) and drummer Dan Peters
Dan Peters
Daniel Joe Peters is the drummer for Mudhoney. He joined Bundle of Hiss when he was fifteen years old. He also played drums for Nirvana, appearing on one single, "Sliver". Peters' only live appearance with Nirvana was on September 22, 1990, in Seattle, Washington, at the Motor Sports International...
(of Bundle of Hiss
Bundle of Hiss
Bundle of Hiss were an American grunge band formed in 1980 in Stanwood, Washington by pre-Tad member Kurt Danielson, guitarist Jeff Hopper, vocalist Kurt Schonberg and drummer Russ Bartlett. Schonberg left the band after they had recorded a couple of demo tapes. Russ Bartlett then moved from drums...
and Feast) to form Mudhoney
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
in January 1988. Mudhoney quickly gained popularity in the Seattle scene, with debut releases "Touch Me I'm Sick
Touch Me I'm Sick
"Touch Me I'm Sick" is a song by the American alternative rock band Mudhoney. It was recorded in March 1988 at Seattle's Reciprocal Recording studio with producer Jack Endino. "Touch Me I'm Sick" was released as Mudhoney's debut single by independent record label Sub Pop on August 1, 1988...
" and Superfuzz Bigmuff
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Superfuzz Bigmuff is the debut EP by the Seattle grunge band Mudhoney. It was released in October 1988 through record label Sub Pop. The songs later appeared on their 1990 compilation album Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles...
receiving positive reviews in the music press. Since releasing its debut album in 1989, Mudhoney has recorded a further seven albums and continues to tour.
Following the demise of Green River in late 1987, Gossard, Ament and Fairweather formed the short-lived covers band Lords of the Wasteland with Malfunkshun
Malfunkshun
Malfunkshun is a band formed in 1980 by Andrew Wood and his brother Kevin Wood. Malfunkshun, along with Skin Yard, Green River, U-Men, and Melvins are considered the "godfathers" of grunge, with Malfunkshun being the first of those bands to form.-History:...
frontman Andrew Wood. By early 1988 the Lords of the Wasteland had become Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988. The band was active from 1988 to 1990. Frontman Andrew Wood's personality and compositions helped to catapult the group to the top of the burgeoning late 1980s/early 1990s Seattle music scene...
. Mother Love Bone quickly rose to popularity in the Seattle scene, and were about to release its debut album in 1990, when Wood fatally overdosed on heroin. That same year, Ament and Gossard (along with Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
, Matt Cameron
Matt Cameron
Matthew David "Matt" Cameron is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the American rock bands Pearl Jam and Soundgarden...
, Mike McCready
Mike McCready
Michael David McCready is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Dave Krusen, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
, and a guest appearance by Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
) recorded the Andrew Wood tribute album Temple of the Dog
Temple of the Dog (album)
Temple of the Dog is the only studio album by the American rock band Temple of the Dog, released on April 16, 1991 through A&M Records. The album is a tribute to Andrew Wood, the former lead singer of Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. Wood died on March 19, 1990 of a heroin overdose...
(amidst the formation of the band Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
), which went on to achieve international mainstream success. After Temple of the Dog, Gossard and Ament founded Pearl Jam along with Mike McCready of Shadow, Eddie Vedder of Bad Radio
Bad Radio
Bad Radio was a four piece, American progressive funk rock band that formed in San Diego, California in 1986. The band is most notable for having featured future Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder as its lead singer from 1988–1990...
, and Dave Krusen
Dave Krusen
Dave Krusen is an American musician who is best known for being the original drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam and for his work on the band's debut album, Ten...
. Pearl Jam rocketed to fame with its debut album Ten
Ten (Pearl Jam album)
Ten is the debut studio album by the American grunge band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard's previous group Mother Love Bone, the two recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike McCready, and...
and is still active today. Pearl Jam has released nine studio albums in total and continues to tour.
Fairweather joined Gossard and Ament as a member of Mother Love Bone. Following the band's demise, he replaced Tommy Simpson on bass in the psychedelic rock band Love Battery
Love Battery
Love Battery is an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington.For the most part Love Battery was an unusual group in the early '90s Seattle music scene, blending intense swirling psychedelic guitar work, pulsating rhythms, driving beats and heartfelt vocals derived from '60s garage/psych, '70s...
in 1992. He played on two of the band's albums and many of its tours before leaving that band as well and dropping off the radar. In 2006, he resurfaced in The Press Corps, with Garret Shavlik (The Fluid
The Fluid
The Fluid was an American rock band from Denver, formed in 1984 who disbanded in 1993, but reconvened in 2008.-History:The Fluid were originally called Madhouse. After early 1980s Denver punk band Frantix broke, up bassist Matt Bischoff, drummer Garrett Shavlik and guitarist James Clower began...
) and Dan Peters (Mudhoney). Vincent, Green River's drummer, moved to Japan after the break-up and did not return to the United States for many years.
Legacy
Green River made little commercial impact outside of Seattle, but what the band lacked in commercial success it made up for in influence. In general, Green River is widely regarded as being one of the originators of the genre later known as grungeGrunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
. With its sludgy mix of hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, heavily influenced by Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
's original proto-punk group The Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
, coupled with Arm's twisted lyrics and vocal delivery, Green River greatly influenced both its peers and bands that followed them. Even without the fact that some of its members would later go on to form some of the biggest bands of the Northwest music scene, Green River is still remembered for its musical foresight and innovation, years ahead of the rise of grunge.
Band members
- Mark ArmMark ArmMark Arm is the vocalist for the grunge band Mudhoney. He is also credited with coining the term "grunge" to describe his style of rock music...
– vocalSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
s - Steve TurnerSteve Turner (guitarist)Steve Turner is an American guitarist, most famous for his work with Seattle band Mudhoney.-Biography:Turner was born in 1965 in Houston, Texas. His first band was called The Ducky Boys. The line up included future Pearl Jam member Stone Gossard. The Ducky Boys split around 1983.Turner later found...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1984–1985, 2008–present) - Alex VincentAlex Vincent (drummer)Alex Shumway was the drummer for the bands Spluii Numa and, later, one of the pioneers of the grunge scene, Green River. After Green River had broken up, Shumway moved to Japan...
– drumDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
s - Jeff AmentJeff AmentJeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician who serves as the bassist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Stone GossardStone GossardStone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as the rhythm and lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
– guitar - Bruce FairweatherBruce FairweatherBruce Fairweather is a guitarist/bassist based in Seattle. In 1985, he replaced Steve Turner in the grunge band Green River, which included Mark Arm , Alex Vincent as well as Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, later of Pearl Jam....
– guitar (1985–1988, 2008–present)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1988 | Rehab Doll Rehab Doll Cassette bonus track-Personnel:Green River*Jeff Ament – bass guitar, vocals, assistant production, inner sleeve design*Mark Arm – vocals, assistant production*Bruce Fairweather – guitars...
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Compilations
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1990 | Dry As a Bone/Rehab Doll
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Extended plays
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Come on Down Come on Down - Personnel :Green River* Jeff Ament – bass guitar, back and sleeve designs* Mark Arm – vocals* Stone Gossard – guitar* Steve Turner – guitar* Alex Vincent – drumsProduction* Green River – production, cover concept...
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| 1987 | Dry As a Bone Dry As a Bone -Personnel:Green River*Jeff Ament – bass guitar, production, engineering*Mark Arm – vocals*Bruce Fairweather – guitar*Stone Gossard – guitar*Alex Vincent – drumsProduction*Jack Endino – production, engineering... |
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Together We'll Never" | Non-album single |
Other appearances
| Year | Song | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "10,000 Things" "Your Own Best Friend" |
Deep Six Deep Six (album) The Deep Six compilation was released March 1986 . It was the very first release by C/Z Records, a few months before the release of Sub Pop 100 from Sub Pop Records. It was also arguably the second record to influence the later "Seattle sound" that would be known worldwide as grunge... |
C/Z C/Z Records C/Z Records is a Seattle-based record label that was established in early 1985 by Chris Hanzsek and Tina Casale with the release of the now-legendary, Deep Six LP, which collected the earliest recordings of the real pro-genitors of what later came to be known as grunge... |
| 1988 | "Searchin' (Good Things Come)" |
Motor City Madness | Glitterhouse Glitterhouse Records Glitterhouse Records is an independent record label based in Beverungen, Germany. The label specialises in the alternative country genre, and has released material by artists such as 16 Horsepower, The Walkabouts, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Hazeldine, Helldorado, The Shivers and Tom Liwa, but has... |
"Hangin' Tree" |
Sub Pop 200 Sub Pop 200 Sub Pop 200 is a compilation released in the early days of the Seattle grunge scene . It features songs from Tad, The Fluid, Nirvana, Steven Jesse Bernstein, Mudhoney, The Walkabouts, Terry Lee Hale, Soundgarden, Green River, Fastbacks, Blood Circus, Swallow, Chemistry Set, Girl Trouble, The... |
Sub Pop | |
| 1989 | "Bazaar" "Away In A Manger" |
Another Pyrrhic Victory: The Only Compilation of Dead Seattle God Bands | C/Z |
| 1990 | "Ain't Nothing to Do" |
Endangered Species | Glitterhouse |
| 1996 | "Swallow My Pride Swallow My Pride "Swallow My Pride" is a song by the Seattle, Washington-based rock band Green River. Featuring lyrics written by frontman Mark Arm and music written by guitarist Steve Turner, the song is the third track on the band's debut EP, Come on Down... " (1987 demo) |
Hype!: The Motion Picture Soundtrack | Sub Pop |