Alternative for the Masses - by Greg Prato (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Alternative for the Masses: The Oral History of the '90s Alt-Rock Revolution offers insights, opinions, and memories from an incredible cast of musicians and producers who created the music"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Get the definitive story of the '90s alt-rock movement straight from the musicians and figures who lived it.

No period in the history of rock music offered such an abrupt shift in prevailing tastes as the 1990s. While just a short while before, radio and MTV were clamoring for hair metal bands, suddenly alt-rockers such as Jane's Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Primus, Smashing Pumpkins, and of course, Nirvana, brought a sea change not just in what the most popular bands sounded like, but also in fashion, politics, and seemingly all aspects of pop culture.

In Alternative for the Masses: The Oral History of the '90s Alt-Rock Revolution, veteran music critic Greg Prato presents more than 60 new interviews conducted exclusively for the book--with an emphasis on the 1990-1995 peak period--including insights from renowned names like:

• Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Dischord Records)
• Frank Black (Pixies)
• Corey Glover (Living Colour)
• Moby (solo artist/DJ)
• Al Jourgensen (Ministry)
• Les Claypool (Primus)
• Kennedy (host of MTV's Alternative Nation)
• Matt Pinfield (host of MTV's 120 Minutes)
• Butch Vig (producer of Nirvana's Nevermind)
• Tanya Donnelly (Belly, Breeders)
• Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Saturday Night Live)

Prato also includes excerpts from one of the last interviews with Steve Albini, arguably the period's most influential recording engineer and producer, responsible for influential albums by the likes of Nirvana and PJ Harvey producer, among many others.

Prato sets out his book in thematic chapters covering topics such as:

• The Lollapalooza music festival
• The impact of Nirvana
• Alt-rock's many subgenres
• Notable producers of the period
• The impact of women rockers
• MTV's influence
• Drugs and addiction
• and much more!

Do you long for the days when it seemed rock artists were all about daring to be different, speaking their minds, and shaking up the music industry? The last decade before the internet, downloads, and streaming took over music? Alternative for the Masses will take you back to that time when alt-rock truly promised something different.

Review Quotes

"A thorough chronicle of an incredibly creative period in popular music, when the old norms were being shattered and a new breed of artists was making classics on a regular basis. Alternative for the Masses is a terrific companion tome to Prato's Grunge Is Dead."

--David de Sola, author of Alice in Chains: The Untold Story

"Connect the dots between the American underground of the eighties to the mainstream of the nineties, and beyond."

--Dave Markey, "1991: The Year Punk Broke"

"Encyclopedic and exhaustive, populated by both familiar names and fresh voices, Alternative for the Masses will, like all of Mr. Prato's books, prove invaluable to anyone interested in the history of modern popular music."

--Michael Azerrad, author of The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana

"All too often, histories of '90s alt-rock start and end with Nirvana's Nevermind. Greg Prato's entertaining and comprehensive Alternative for the Masses reframes that narrative, skillfully weaving together the diverse voices of the artists, producers, and engineers who crafted the songs and the sound that defined an era."

--Greg Renoff, author of Van Halen Rising

"Alternative for the Masses" presents a dazzling array of commentary from the leading lights of the underground music scene. A great reminder that "alternative rock" meant more than just bands from the Pacific Northwest."

--Gillian G. Gaar, author, "Entertain Us: The Rise of Nirvana"

"If your definition of "alternative music" is Nirvana, the Smiths, and Radiohead, you're missing out on perhaps a more profound and outrageous collection of talented outliers. Greg Prato's oral history of alt-rock is an absorbing deep dive into an era when--for a short and wondrous time--freaks and geeks ruled the world."

--Brad Tolinski, author of MC5: An Oral Biography of Rock's Most Revolutionary Band

"Prolific author Greg Prato has delivered his masterpiece with Alternative Rock For The Masses, an oral history of the 90s alt-rock revolution, from its roots in the most intimate clubs to its major label ascent, and beyond. A literary love buzz indeed!"

--Steven Blush, author/filmmaker, American Hardcore

About the Author

Greg Prato is a Long Island, New York-based journalist who has written for Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Songfacts. He has written over 40 books, including such popular titles as Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music; The Yacht Rock Book: The Oral History of the Soft, Smooth Sounds of the 70s and 80s; and Primus, Over the Electric Grapevine: Insight into Primus and the World of Les Claypool, among many others.