My Inner Lester Bangs - 1991

This week, whilest trying to write my evaluation, I hit writer's block pretty hard.  I thought about writing many other things instead of my eval.  One of these was to indulge my inner critic and see if I could write something about one of my favorite topics: music.  I've said before that I've always had a soundtrack going in my head, and it's something I totally enjoy.  I have been thinking about music made during my lifetime and decided to start focusing on years.  I decided to start with the year 1991.

In 1991 I was 15 years old and either a freshman or sophomore in high school (depending on the time).  It was an interesting time in my life, as I had just failed my first class ever (Algebra II) and was starting to wonder if perhaps going to a high profile college was in the cards for me.  1991 was also the year of the end of Operation Desert Storm, with George H.W. Bush's poll numbers in the high 70s to low 80s.  Everyone thought he'd be re-elected.    The film "Slacker" was released, and a new meme was started nationwide, and a book by Douglas Copeland, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture gave a generational id to these slackers.

One thing that was greatly in flux that year was the music.  If I was asked point blank which year during my lifetime produced the greatest music, I would have to say 1991.  There is pretty much no contesting that.  The amount of music made during 1991 that is still played today and considered seminal is just astounding.  Not only was Rock being revitalized, but rap was about to move to the G-thang with one last gasp from good time hip hop.  Even country music was changing. The old tropes were being torn down, and replaced with music that wasn't flashy, like hair metal, or even dopey, like what country music had become (I'm looking at you, Alabama).  Music-wise 1991 was a time when no matter the past, all music was valid.  Dance, rap, rock, alternative.  Everything was around.

Queen released their last album with Freddie Mercury, and Boyz II Men released their first album as a group.  Nirvana hit it big with Nevermind, and Pearl Jam slow burned with Ten.  U2 re-invented themselves with what at the time was considered the album of the year with Achtung, Baby! and Guns n Roses released a double album, Use Your Illusion I and II.  Lollapalooza made it's first trip around the US, with Jane's Addiction having their first farewell tour.  Ugly Kid Joe hit it big with "Everything About You", and Matthew Sweet hit it big with Girlfriend.


Everywhere you looked, music was being made that would last.  Even a small group like Black Sheep released a song still heard today on television commercials: "The Choice is Yours."  A Tribe Called Quest released one of the greatest rap albums ever, The Low End Theory.  The Red Hot Chili Peppers came out with Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Soundgarden released Badmotorfinger.  Everyone moved to C+C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat" and and 2unlimited's "Get Ready for This." When except for 1991 would the group, The KLF, be able to release an album and have an international hit with, "3 am Eternal."  (By the way, what were the Ancients of Moo Moo anyway?)  EMF came out of nowhere with a sample of Andrew Dice Clay and a catchy tune for "Unbelievable."

In fact, I'd put up any of that music against the music of today.  Who would you rather listen to: A Lady GaGa song, or PM Dawn's "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss"?  One of the kids from American Idol, or Mr. Big's "Be With You"?  Even Van Hagar released a great album that year!  Jodeci were riding high with "Forever My Lady" and Bryan Adams had a monster hit with "Everything I do (I do for you)" from a REALLY bad Robin Hood movie.  I know I'd rather listen to "Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog than most of the music today.

So why was 1991 such a banner year for music?  Was it because the world was in an economic downturn?  Was it because the Baby Boomer's had grown up and their children were starting to come of age as well and were sick of listening to their parents talk about how great Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were back in the day?  Was it a backlash against the excesses of the 1980s?  Rock and Rap decided to strip itself down to the basics and make good music again?  Why was Seattle hitting it big?  I'm not exactly sure.  I lived through it, and I just remember thinking that the music was fantastic.  I mean, I left LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out" off this list of great music, and it wasn't even missed.

Needless to say, music back then had a reason for being.  People were allowed to experiment, and that's a good thing.  I honestly think there is good music out there, but because of the internet it's diluted a bit.  No longer is there a great music scene in a city that is just begging to be discovered.  The music industry is broken, and they need to find a way to fix it so good music can come back.  Pre-fab may be fine for some, but it won't last.  Bieber won't be remembered in 20 years like Metallica's Black Album is today.  "Enter Sandman" is still a kickin song 21 years later.

Maybe I should go back again to listen to the music of 1991.  Screaming Trees' Uncle Anesthesia is a great album, and I still get happy for Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.  Heck, Primus released "Jerry Was a Race car Driver," which still doesn't get the credit it deserves.  However, I know in the future I'll probably bore my children to death talking about how the music was much better in my time than there's.  Maybe that's just the course for getting older.  But, considering what happened in 1991, I will probably be right.