“Hair Today, Grunge Tomorrow”

When the Seattle grunge scene went national in ‘91, I was completely caught off my stiletto heels. 

The days of cranking Mötley Crüe and Bon Jovi were coming to an end. 

A new musical force known as the Seattle sound had been shot out of a cannon, but I just couldn’t get with the program. My ’80s rocker chick heart wasn’t ready to trade in L.A.’s Sunset Strip for the Pacific Northwest. 

Before I knew it grunge — with its Doc Martens boots — stomped all over hair metal. Out with the Aqua Net superhold hairspray and power ballads, and in with the flannel shirts and Patchouli oil. 

A new era was unearthed, but I preferred the dying one. I know the hair metal scene was on its last legs and music fans were ready for a change. But the grunge and alternative bands that were taking over didn’t snap, crackle and pop for me. I always felt like grunge was for the supercool crowd and I just, flat out, didn’t fit in. 

Looking back, there were a few songs at the time that I liked. “Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog was very moving, and I could listen to Sonic Youth’s haunting version of the Carpenters’ “Superstar” on repeat. Who could forget Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, and I know I have a Mother Love Bone CD in my collection.

I tried to embrace the music. I even went to a few grunge concerts back in the day. I saw Soundgarden at the State Theatre (now Fillmore) in Detroit. I tagged along with some friends to the Lollapalooza concert at Pine Knob in 1992. It was fun to be there, but I felt so out-of-place, kind of like open-toed shoes after Labor Day.

Another concert was Pearl Jam at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I really didn’t pay attention to the show because I was on a date with Slash from Guns N' Roses. Instead of listening to the band, we found a worn couch and sat and talked.

No, guys, it wasn’t the real Slash, but a carbon copy. Here’s the lowdown. I met Slash, whose real name was Steve, about a week earlier at the Ritz in Roseville. It was Halloween night, and my friends and I came upon three guys who were dressed like Axl Rose, Slash and Izzy (I think) Stradlin from Guns N' Roses.

We spent part of the night talking. Steve was dressed like Slash. Black top hat, no shirt, bare chest, leather jacket, cigarette, wig and jeans. Axl Rose did some pretty good dance moves during the night…you know that swaying side-to-side motion from the “Patience” video. 

When Steve found out my friends and I were going to Pearl Jam the following week, he and I made arrangements to meet up. (This was before the internet and cellphones.) It was the only date we ever went on. And in case you were wondering, without the Halloween costume, Steve looked nothing like Slash, but he was a nice guy. 

It’s hard to believe that concert was 30-plus years ago, and boy there are times I feel nostalgic for those long-lost days of the early ‘90s.  I realize I probably missed out on a lot of good music of the time.

I’ve been to Seattle, by the way, and have great memories of fish tossing at Pike Place Market, going to the top of the Space Needle and seeing Mount Rainier in the distance. 

Now that my 13-year-old daughter listens to rock ‘n’ roll, including Nirvana and Soundgarden, With YouTube, maybe I’ll give grunge another chance, and perhaps I can borrow my daughter’s Nirvana T-shirt in the process. 

In harmony,

Maria Allard