Deftones and the Grunge Type of Music

If you are a fan of the Deftones then you know that they are considered to be a part of the Grunge type of music.

Introduction

The Deftones are an American rock band from Sacramento, California, formed in 1988. The band’s current lineup consists of founding members guitarist Stephen Carpenter and singer Chino Moreno, drummer Abe Cunningham, and bassist Sergio Vega. Their debut album Adrenaline was released on October 3, 1995, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard 200. The album was bolstered by the success of the second single “7 Words”, which reached number five on both the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and MTV’s Headbangers Ball. In 2001, they released their eponymous fourth album. It was met with critical acclaim, though it initially managed only to sell modestly. However, it contained the radio hit “Change (In the House of Flies)”, which helped fuel sales later in its life after being featured in the feature film Valentine’s Day. The song “Back to School (Mini Maggit)” from White Pony was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2001.

The band has released eight albums to date, with two platinum and three gold certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). They have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. In 2013, Cunningham left the band due to creative tensions and was replaced by Frank Delgado; Delgado had already been touring with the band since 2012 as a turntablist and keyboardist. In 2016, Vega also left the band due to creative tensions; he was replaced by Brian Hardy who had already been touring with them since 2015 as a live bassist.

What is Grunge?

Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in Seattle. It became commercially successful in the early 1990s, due in part to the success of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but the genre itself has much deeper roots, stretching back to bands such as Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and even punk rock pioneers such as the Stooges.

Grunge is characterized by its heavy, distorted guitars and angsty lyrics, often about disaffection or apathy. The style owes a great deal to punk rock andmetal, but it also incorporates elements of folk and pop music. Grunge bands generally avoided the flashy looks and gimmicks of many of their predecessors; instead, they tended to dress in normal clothes and play straightforward music.

Despite its commercial success, grunge was always considered an outsider genre; it never quite fit into the mainstream musical landscape. Nevertheless, its influence can still be felt today in the work of many popular bands.

The Origins of Grunge

Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock and a subculture that emerged during the mid-1980s in the Pacific Northwest U.S. state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. The early grunge movement revolved around Seattle’s independent record label Sub Pop and the region’s peculiar, hypermasculine slacker culture. According to Mark Arm, “grunge” is a reference to the dirty, wet sound of the music of early Nirvana drummer Chad Channing.

Grunge fashion became popular among young people in Seattle and other cities in the Pacific Northwest during the early 1990s, due partly to its rebellious nature and partly to bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam wearing flannel shirts and thrift store jeans onstage. By contrast, mainstream fashion at the time was extremely flashy, with women wearing short skirts and high heels and men sporting tight leather pants and colorful dress shirts. Grunge fashion rejected these trends in favor of more comfortable clothing such as plaid flannel shirts, denim jeans, and Doc Martens boots.

The grunge scene was also notorious for its drug use, particularly marijuana and LSD. MDMA (ecstasy) use was also common among grunge concert-goers.

The Sound of Grunge

Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in Seattle. Named after the dirt and grime that accumulated on the city’s streets and buildings, grunge developed as a reaction to the overproduced and polished sound of mainstream hair metal and pop rock. Musically, grunge is generally characterized by heavy guitar riffs, distorted guitars, lyrics reflecting youthful angst, and a visceral, raw sound.

The style was made famous by Nirvana’s 1991 album Nevermind, which propelled the group to mainstream success. Other seminal grunge bands include Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, and Mudhoney. Grunge was commercially successful throughout the early to mid-1990s but was largely overshadowed by Britpop after Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994.

The Lyrics of Grunge

While the grunge fashion waspay day loans characterized by jeans and flannel shirts, the music of the genre was marked by its angsty, anti-authoritarian lyrics. grunge songwriters typically shunned the traditional love song lyrical structure in favor of more personal and introspective themes. Many grunge songs dealt with subjects such as depression, boredom, anxiety, drug addiction and suicide.

Due to their often dark and depressing lyrical content, grunge songs were not typically played on commercial radio stations. However, they found a devoted following among alternative rock fans. Some of the most popular grunge bands included Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.

The Visuals of Grunge

In the early 1990s, Seattle was known for its thriving music scene, with a particular focus on the grunge subgenre of alternative rock. This type of music is characterized by its bleak and angsty lyrics, often inspired by the personal struggles of the artists themselves. The visuals of grunge were also distinctive, with many bands favoring a DIY aesthetic that eschewed the polished look of mainstream pop.

The grunge look was often typified by flannel shirts, jeans and sneakers, with messy hair and an overall appearance that suggested a complete disregard for fashion. This was in stark contrast to the glam look favored by many 1980s hair metal bands, which often involved lots of makeup, spandex and platform boots. Grunge fashion was more about comfort and practicality than anything else, reflecting the stripped-down sound of the music itself.

While grunge fashion may not be as popular as it once was, the style continues to influence fashion and music today. Many modern bands have been influenced by grunge, both in terms of their musical style and their visual aesthetic. So if you’re looking for something new to listen to, why not take a look at some of today’s grunge-inspired bands?

The Attitude of Grunge

Grunge is often associated with a negative attitude; however, the grunge subculture is actually very positive and tolerant. Grunge music often has a dark or melancholy tone, but the lyrics are usually optimistic or even humorous. The grunge fashion style is also intentionally anti-fashion, which gives it a rebel attitude.

The Deftones and Grunge

The Deftones are known as one of the few “guitar-oriented” grunge bands. They have been described as “post-grunge” and “nu metal”, but prefer to call themselves “guitar-oriented rock”. Their sound has been described as mixing “the atmospheric textures of shoegaze with the aggression of metalcore”.[1] The band was founded in 1988 in Sacramento, California, and was initially signed to Maverick Records in 1995. The band’s first four albums—Adrenaline (1995), Around the Fur (1997), White Pony (2000), and Deftones (2003)—they earned a reputation for being one of the most exciting live bands in rock.[2] Their fifth album, Saturday Night Wrist (2006), found them experimenting with an increasingly experimental and sonic direction, inspired by shoegaze and dream pop. Its follow-up, Diamond Eyes (2010), was praised for its more focused sound,[3][4] and found the Deftones once again enjoying strong sales; it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200.[5] In 2016, they released their eighth studio album Gore.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Deftones are a great band and have changed the sound of grunge music. They have also been hugely influential in the metal scene. If you are a fan of grunge music, then you should definitely check out the Deftones.