Enter Originality. Enter Individualism. Enter Grunge.

Quite frankly we were tired of listening to Mariah Carey crooning "I'll be there". I mean it was good, but I guess we we were all looking for something more than mushy love songs vis-a-vis Bryan Adams + MLTR + BSB + Boyzone + ....the list is endless, at times relentless ... And then there was "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - like fresh air filling in the vacuum created by good original music as a result of impregnable layers of mush. They say that every generation feels that the music they listened to during their growing up years is the best music of all times. And maybe that is true. But then it is also true that this "Alternative" genre of music (punk rock with hooks or the more commercially known version of it called "grunge") was something never heard before and it did take over mainstream music pretty quickly. Yes it did draw inspirations from Heavy metal and hardcore punk and the likes, but what came out was something very unique.

I got drawn towards grunge mostly due to Nirvana which is when I started learning more about their influences and it was clear that bands like The Melvins and Mudhoney had already defined this alternative genre of rock, which eventually bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam and Soundgarden popularized. Of course there were others like Alice in Chains and Live and Bush, but it was really Nirvana and Pearl Jam who sort of defined the era of their music. Contrary to what most people think, it was not just about sex and drugs and "I hate myself and I want to Die" rants. Of course it was about that too - but then for a completely new style of music that originated from Seattle to take over mainstream music, it was that and much much more. It was also about dry humour, sarcasm, morbidity and overall very good music.

So that's me talking about my generation and why I think Grunge rules and unlike what a lot of people say, I totally do not think that Grunge is Dead. Which is why RhythmFish 21.5 FM has distinct flavors of Grunge.

Would love to hear from you folks on what are the genres that you absolutely like or hate.