A down-and-dirty chronicle of the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene-from amateur skate parks and underground hardcore clubs to worldwide phenomenon-as told by one of its founding fathers and the lead guitarist of legendary alternative rock band Mudhoney. "I'm a Seattle musician who got started playing in punk bands in the early '80s-a few years before the music scene blew up. And I kept playing in a cult band for over 30 years," says Mudhoney lead guitarist Steve Turner. "My book covers three parts: the early days, the glory days, and the post-glory days that still see many of us playing, raising kids, and earning a living." Turner's MUD RIDE: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion (Chronicle Prism, June 13) is an exceedingly joyful promenade through the Seattle grunge scene of the late '80s, early 90s-it's clear everyone was having a great time, and that infectious energy jumps off the page as readers travel on a nostalgic journey with Turner through the basements that shaped the sound to the underground flophouses to the sold-out arenas with screaming fans. Along the way are stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge's beginnings to its comedown, told by someone who was there for it all. "Seattle was a small, incestuous scene," writes Turner. "Though we made an ungodly racket and created chaos wherever we played, we weren't reviled and we could pull a good crowd, including plenty of our musical peers...some of our shenanigans may have prevented return engagements at certain clubs, but people kept showing up to see us. I think it was an appreciation of the fun we were having." Written by Turner, lead guitarist of Mudhoney, a foundational grunge band that inspired musical icons from Kurt Cobain to Sonic Youth, MUD RIDE features a foreword by Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard as well as never-before-seen photographs and grunge memorabilia throughout. Turner doesn't shy away from any topic-nothing is off limits-but the tone of the book is one of enormous possibility, innovation, and a deep sense of humanity and relationships.
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