Trashy Trash DJ Same DNA on the Legacy of the Grunge '90s: Forward-Thinking Artists Look to Grunge's Spirit, Not Its Sound
This post is part of the special Reverb Questionnaire series in which we ask local bands to discuss the legacy of the Seattle music explosion of 1991, as well as the class of 2011.
The Trashy Trash DJs join 70 other Seattle bands at SW's Reverb Local Music Festival on Saturday, October 8. They play Bastille at 7:30 p.m.
What do you think the legacy of the 1991 grunge explosion is for the Seattle scene?
Trashy Trash DJs' Same DNA: I think the legacy of the grunge explosion is definitely something that looms over the heads of people in the Seattle music scene. There's a sense of urgency to break out of the city and dominate, be it in sales or general industry hype--as in "Who will be the next Mix-a-Lot? Who will be the new Nirvana?" That's definitely left a hurdle for entertainers in Seattle to think about.
But I think there are a lot of forward-minded artists and promoters operating in the city who can relate to and respect the very DIY, "fuck what everyone else is doing" aspect of what made grunge great--the bubble of independence of creating something small and new without mimicking what everyone else is doing to be successful. I think that's the best part of the energy of this city, is that we all know what could happen if you fuck around and start something amazing.
Do you hear many influences of the sound in today's bands?
I think in Seattle, Portland, and Olympia you can definitely hear some bands emulating a lot of sounds from the grunge era, but I feel like most who break out of the bottom of the bunch tend to have more progressive interests in sound.
In what ways are you influenced by the 1991 sound?
Our collective of 11 Seattle and Portland DJs have been throwing a '90s dance party, called Snap!, for over 3 years, so it's influenced us to keep playing '90s music for the dance floors that continue to line up to get in. The best part is the musical content stays totally weird and all over the place, showing that people will rock out as hard to booty bass or gangsta rap as they will to the Smashing Pumpkins or well timed "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
How do you describe the Seattle sound today?
The Seattle sound today is definitely a fragmented one. I think most recently the Seattle sound would comprise of lots of Americana-style rock and roots acts, country,
lots of generically backpack-y white-kid rap--and a few standout DJs, bands and performers who keep a high level of performance, recording quality, and promo stuff.
Definitely my most boring answer, except for...
What were you doing on October 8, 1991?
On October 8th, 1991, I was 9 years old, probably counting the days until Halloween, unbeknownst to the fact that something epic was happening in the city of
my birth.
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