Before I pressed record, I shared this true story with Steve Turner. Bruce and John of SubPop came to me and said, “You know John Peel, right? Could you send him some of our records?” I did know Peel and I did send him a package of early SubPop releases – Green River, Tad, Nirvana etc. Peel played this new music on his legendary and highly influential show, not just once, but night after night. Now you need to understand, this was way before the days of instant communication, the internet and email were far in the future. Some weeks went by, then, one day, John Peel calls me, “Norman, what’s all this amazing music from Seattle all about, tell me more, send me more!” Meanwhile the UK music press had taken note of Peel’s enthusiasm for this new music out of the Pacific Northwest. Articles were written and eventually a journalist was dispatched to the Emerald City. The rest is, as they say, is history. By the way, SubPop never did reimburse me for the postage.
Mud Ride – A Messy Trip Through The Grunge Explosion by Steve Turner and Adam Tepedelen is 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. In the late 80s and early 90s, Steve Turner and his friends—Seattle skate punks, hardcore kids, and assorted misfits—started forming bands in each other’s basements and accidentally created a unique sound that spread far beyond their once-sleepy city. Mud Ride offers an inside look at the tight-knit grunge scene, the musical influences and experiments that shaped the grunge sound, and the story of Turner’s bands, Green River and Mudhoney, which went from underground flophouse shows to selling out stadiums with Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Including stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge’s beginnings to its come-down from the highs of global success and stardom, this is the first account of the musical phenomenon that took over the world from someone who was there for it all.
In our conversation, Steve and I recall people, places and venues all so important to his story, and yes we do go off on tangents sometimes. Turner is an engaging guest, his slight self-effacing demeanor underplays his importance as a guitarist. Aficionados of Grunge will delight in his storytelling and so will everyone intrigued by rock ’n’ roll.
Show 511
