Society Owes Me A Gen-X Podcast: The 90s

SOMAGXP head back to 1991 where a band of Georgia natives dared to challenge all things hair rock, grunge and metal by donning bell-bottoms and busting out the Jagger moves to create this beauty of a record.  Shake Your Money Maker channels 70s in the 90s to be a banger of a debut to this very day, 31 years on.  We also meet Stan, chat Nick Drake and Otis Redding, and Hannah aces the Black Crowes quiz like a total legend.

Yes, you read that right.  The gals over at GH HQ have boiled down the entire (very diverse) 90s decade to one chart which surprisingly contains some cracking alternative gems.  Seriously!  

Featuring music by Green Day, Pavement, Radiohead, Bjork, Salt-n'-Pepa, Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, Notorious B.I.G., Oasis 

The quintessential grunge-y metal rock gods that are AIC grace us with their 90s back catalogue!  We get into the first three albums plus MTV Unplugged, aided by an origami fortune teller/playground paper toy.  The original 90s line-up take us way back to Cameron Crowe films, Rolling Stone interviews and one very big tribute to the guys in a 'Mo' modern day setting.  

Featuring Alice in Chains music from the albums Facelift, Dirt and Jar of Flies, and MTV Alice in Chains Unplugged

For the finale of Volume 2, we go through A to X discussing the best tracks from each pod episode and which one gets to be included on to the ultimate mixtape for this season.

Featuring music from Weezer, Rufus Wainwright, Pearl Jam, Manic Street Preachers, Nirvana, A Tribe Called Quest, Fiona Apple, Teenage Fanclub, The Prodigy, Fugees, & REM.

This week, we trip down memory lane and visit our top 5 Weezer tracks!  It's Pinkerton-free, and took us back to the grunge rebellion, nerd rock/geek-chic time in the mid 90s where Spike Jonze was a god-like genius and American Pie reigned supreme.  Non-wild dogs abound and even Anaheim queen Gwen makes a cameo... Plus Pearl Jam get linked up!  We think you will find it's just what you needed.

This week, SOMAGXP embrace our super-fan-selves and get into the glorious third album from our heroes, the mighty Pearl Jam!  Along with a track by track play of the album, we discuss the wealth of PJ podcasts available for the refined Jammer, drummer etiquette, and cases of mistaken identity in Safeway. You'd be Bugs to miss it!

Picture the scene: 

NYC, November 18, 1993. 

Black candles, stargazer lillies, crystal chandeliers. 

Grunge green mohair. Navy polo neck. 

A cello. An accordian. A concealed amp. 

The Brothers Meat. 

The scent of teen spirit wafted away in favour of lesser known material, and covers of Bowie, Leadbelly and The Vaselines. 

This week U is for possibly the best live album in the world ever... Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York.

Playlist:

About a Girl, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Come As You Are, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam, The Vaselines, Enter The Vaselines, 1992

The Man Who Sold The World, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

The Man Who Sold The World, David Bowie

Pennyroyal Tea, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Dumb, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Tangled North, Lori Goldston

Polly, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

On A Plain, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Something In The Way, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Plateau, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Plateau, Meat Puppets, Meat Puppets II, 1984

Who Needs Actions When You Got Words, Plan B

Oh Me, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Oh Me, Meat Puppets, Meat Puppets II, 1984

Lake of Fire, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Lake of Fire, Meat Puppets, Meat Puppets II, 1984

All Apologies, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Mark Lanegan, The Winding Sheet, 1990

Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Leadbelly

Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York

Fiona Apple's gorgeous 1996 debut album 'Tidal' is the subject, and it does indeed ebb and flow with dark crimes, light love and a variety of strange and vilified pop culture moments from the tortured genius, Ms A.  

Hop aboard the SOMAGXP train and runaway back to the 90s with us! This week ‘S’ is for Minneapolis’ finest, Soul Asylum. We discuss their 1993 triple-platinum-winning Grave Dancers Union album, plus some befores and afters, bad lyrics, dodgy hair days, and whether Dave Pirner and Eddie Vedder are in fact brothers from another mother... Strap in and enjoy the ride!

April Fool, Soul Asylum, Grave Dancers Union, 1993

Heavy Rotation, Soul Asylum, Hang Time, 1988

We 3, Soul Asylum, And The Horse They Rode In On, 1990

Somebody To Shove, Soul Asylum, Grave Dancers Union, 1993

Black Gold, Soul Asylum, Grave Dancers Union, 1993

Runaway Train, Soul Asylum, Grave Dancers Union, 1993

Summer of Drugs, Soul Asylum, Sweet Relief

Summer of Drugs, Victoria Williams

Without A Trace, Soul Asylum, Grave Dancers Union, 1993

Sexual Healing, Soul Asylum, After The Flood, 1997

Misery, Soul Asylum, Let Your Dim Light Shine, 1995

Syndicated Inc, Weird Al, Bad Hair Day, 1996

Rhinestone Cowboy, Soul Asylum, After The Flood, 1997

It's the turn of the inimitable Montreal boy RUFUS WAINWRIGHT on the pod this week!  We take a deep dive into his gorgeous 1998 debut album and it's legendary contributors, the family feuds and collaborations, public spats and redemption tracks - and there's also enough time to discuss the purpose of toilet phones in the 90s. We have those answers.

Rufus Wainwright: Foolish Love, Danny Boy, In My Arms, April Fools, Barcelona, Damned Ladies, Sally Ann, Beauty Mark, Millbrook, Matinee Idol

Loudon Wainwright III: Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road), You Mother and I, You Never Phone 

Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Kitty Come Home

Martha Wainwright: Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole

Bellini: Norma, Act 1: Casta Diva (Norma)