Rockin' Read: Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge

I was a wee baby when Seattle’s music scene was creating what we now call “grunge” music. Actually, I was an idea when it all started… scratch that… I would have been the equivalent of a contemporary woman’s Pinterest board for planning an upcoming baby when it all was getting started. So, working in a radio station that plays classic rock and only the best new rock, I felt I needed to learn about the bands that earn me my bread and butter. I do know my fair share about the quintessential rock classics, I took ‘The History of Popular Music’ in university (yes, university not Greendale College); but I felt I was really missing the story behind the “grunge” music that I was certainly not allowed to listen to as a kid.

First of all, I am using “grunge” for lack of a better word and because it is pretty common place for music from this important chunk of rock history. I don’t like the label, I totally agree with people who are not fans of the word but this is just a simple blog for my station and I’m trying to not get too technical here.

So, what did I think of ‘Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge’?

Well, I will be honest with you. With the crazy morning show schedule it took me two months to read. Again, I promise to have it back to the Trail Public Library as soon as possible. I just finished it, but I took my time; I really wanted to get everything I could from it. It did take me a little while to get into the format of the book and the style that it uses to orally communicate the story from all the players; but I loved it!

It was like the script of a soap-opera turned into a documentary…that you could read. There are two-sided stories and all the drama you could possibly imagine. It balances the incredibly dark reality of some situations with the fun and the comradery that were also part of the era.

I would definitely read this one again; I think it is the perfect book to have on-hand for multiple reads.

A big, BIG thumbs up for everyone on this read; especially if you are a music lover and fans of bands like Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Hole , Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Nirvana and many others!