Green River

To understand the grunge development and its roots we should travel back to 80s and know more in detail Green River. Green River was alive during four years, from 1984 to 1988, and after its breakup two essential bands were born, Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone.

Green River reunited during 2008 and 2009 to play for some gigs. But let's start from the beginning.

The founders were Mark Arm (vocals and guitar), Steve Turner (guitar), Alex Vincent (drums and also know as Alex Shumway) and Jeff Ament (bass guitar). Stone Gossard (guitar) arrived some time later.

Alex Vincent lived in Sacramento and used to be ballet dancer before to be embraced by the punk rock, he knew some Seattle scene just before his family moved there.

The Mark Arm's father was a air pilot in the World War Two, he met his wife after the war, she was an german opera singer. Mark was born on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, then moved to Germany for some time, then moved back to United States, they finally went Seattle in 1966.

Once in Seattle, Alex Vincent went to North West School Of The Arts, the ssme school Stone Gossard and Steve Turner were.

Spluii Numa at the Metroplis in 1983

Then Alex Vincent met Mark Arm on a The U-Men show at the Metropolis, both and Steve shared one common thing, they liked Minor Threat.

The Metropolis was the place were the musicians used to play, have fun and meet with each other, Jeff Ament also met the rest of the band there. The band was looking forward to get Jeff into the lineup, and Steve had to get a job in the same company Jeff was working at that time, the coffee shop Raison d'Etre, Steve and Jeff got in contact, and finally Mark Arm and Steve Turner got a bass guitar finally.

Bruce Fairweather (guitar) replaced Steve Turner in 1985.

From left to right, Ament, Arm, Gossard, Turner and Vincent

Mark Arm's former bands were: Mr Epp and the Calculations and The Limp Richerds.

Steve Turner's former bands were: The Ducke Boys, Mr Epp and the Calculations and The Limp Richerds.

Alex Vincent's former bands were: Spluii Numa.

Jeff Ament's former bands were: Deranged Diction.

Stone Gossard's former bands were: March of Crimes and The Ducky Boys.
Bruce Fairweather's former bands were: Deranged Diction.

First Green River EP, Come Down

The fisrt EP arrived in May 1985 under the name of "Came Down" over Homestead Records. It was recorded in December 1984 at Crow Studios in Seattle.

Came Down was produced by the Green River and Chris Hanzsek.

Steve Turner worked on this record, later he left the band and Bruce Fairweather joined them. He was not agree with the musical trends of the band.

Come Down is considered the album that began the  movement grunge. The first album under the grunge label.

Green River fed the compilation album called "Deep Six" with two song. Deep Six is, within Come Down, one of the most important albums in the grunge history.

Second Green River EP, Dry as a Bone

The second EP was "Dry As A Bone", released in July 1987 through Sub Pop Records.

 

Jeff Ament and Jack Endino produced the EP at Reciprocal Recordings in Seattle. It was recorder in 1986, and passed one year in order to release it since Sup Pop had not enough money. And it meant to be the first no compilation album of Sub Pop.

Charles Peterson worked on the album's cover art, he is key in grunge movement over his photograph work there.

Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman, founders of Sup Pop, were another crucial piece of grunge cake. Sup Pop helped a lot to show a bunch of bands around Seattle during those years.

Third Green River EP, Rehab Doll

The next album created was "Rehab Doll", released in June 1988 through Sub Pop Records. The band at that time was finished.

The producer was Bruce Calder and was recorded in Steve Lawson Studios in Seattle.

During this album the internal division was understood, not only about music but Mark Arm wanted to stay with a small and independent label, and on the other hand Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament wanted to join this a major label.

Once again Charles Peterson done the cover art of a Green River's new album.

Dry as a Bone and Rehab Doll were reissued together in 1990 with the same format.

The breakup was announced on October 31, 1987. Ament, Gossard and Fairweather deciced to quit Green River, this was the end of the grunge root.

Mother Love Bone and Mudhoney were born in 1987 from Green River.

Mark Arm and Steve Turner formed Mudhoney. Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Bruce Fairweather formed Mother Love Bone.

Green River has been playing since 2008 in few gigs songs from the past, watch one live: