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The origin of "grunge"

The term "grunge" was almost-universally reviled by the bands it was supposed to describe. Where did the name come from? And how did it stick? A look at the etymology of grunge Read more

All your lies: myths of the northwest music scene

Was Pearl Jam part of the birth of grunge? Was Nirvana's worldwide popularity inevitable? Did Kurt Cobain's death signified the end of northwest music? We explore some of the myths around the northwest music scene. Read more

Statement of vindication: a riot grrrl primer

While a media-hyped grunge scene centered around Seattle was taking over the public imagination, a little bit further south in Olympia, an underground feminist punk rock scene was taking root. Northwest Passage takes a look at the movement that became known as riot grrrl. Read more

The lexicon of grunge

In the early 90s, the mass media went crazy for anything "grunge," even going so far into finding out the slang of flannel-wearing kids in the northwest. And in typical Seattle fashion, they made a joke out of it. Read more