Grunge didn’t just explode out of nowhere in the early 1990s. Behind Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and the other icons who defined the sound, there was a long chain of influences rooted in Seattle’s unique music culture. Unlike New York or California, where scenes often carried a specific identity, Seattle had no set mold. That freedom meant artists could experiment without boundaries, shaping a sound that felt raw, unpredictable, and deeply original.
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have long said Seattle played a huge role in their success, allowing them to explore music outside strict rock formulas. “I think that Seattle is full of outliers and misfits, especially in those days,” Nancy once explained. “It’s a seaport, it’s a place that rains maybe nine or ten months out of the year. It’s grey and dreary. That does have an effect, especially on sensitive people. So, I think if you’re an outlier and you’re a singer…you’re from Seattle!”
That environment eventually birthed Mother Love Bone, one of the first bands to shape what would later be called grunge. From there, Pearl Jam took the foundation and elevated it, crafting Ten — an album that remains one of the most celebrated in the genre’s history. But their story didn’t stop there.
Guitarist Mike McCready has often highlighted Pearl Jam’s later work, particularly after drummer Jack Irons joined in 1994. Together, the band pushed their sound in new directions, leading to songs like “Who Are You” from the 1996 album No Code. Eddie Vedder credited that period with opening the door to new experimentation.
For Irons, the track carried a personal history. “I’d been playing that [drum pattern] since I was eight,” he recalled. “It was inspired by a Max Roach drum solo I heard at a drum shop when I was a little kid.”
The result impressed the band deeply. McCready called it a turning point, saying: “When I first heard that song, I was totally blown away by it. I thought it was the best song we had ever done.”
