American 90's College Rock appreciation thread

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jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
Anyone? Bueller? 

Was driving back from Bedford yesterday and one of my spotify daily mixes was full of basically all of my favourite songs from bands that were big in the 90's in the US. Made me realise that it's probably my favourite "genre" (if you can call it that), as it's the one that's arguably had the biggest influence on my musical likes to date. 

Would be good to find some gems I may not have heard of. 

Although Canadian, Barenaked Ladies are the first band I became obsessed with as a teenager, having heard their song "Shoebox" on the FRIENDS soundtrack. If it wasn't for that song, and then becoming a bigger fan, I wouldn't have discovered half of the bands I listen to today, probably. 

From there, I became a fan of Counting Crows, Matchbox Twenty and Third Eye Blind...and from there this has extended to the likes of;

Better Than Ezra
Guster
Gin Blossoms
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Hootie and the Blowfish
Vertical Horizon
LIVE
Our Lady Peace (also Canadian)
Goo Goo Dolls
Dishwalla

to name a few, there's probably a bunch I'm missing...but these bands all seem to have links in one way or another, be it through shared tours, or band members from other bands being a fan and me checking them out. Something about all of these bands resonates with me - their song writing, their sound, all just pushes the right buttons for me. 

If anyone wants any recommendations on any of the above, I'm happy to do so, but feel free to throw some recommendations out, as I'm always game to expand my horizons to other bands of similar ilk. 
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Comments

  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    Good stuff, I was really into a lot of those bands. First time I saw Counting Crows live they were supported by Cracker (who had Low out as a single and the Kerosene Hat LP) and CC were touring "August...", still one of the best gigs I've been to, Adam was mesmerizing.

    Would have loved to have seen the Gin Blossoms and Toad back then but never did.
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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    Here's Cracker with Low...


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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    How about the Gigolo aunts, saw then do a support slot, but can't remember who (it might have been Wonderstuff from a bit of googling), it was at the Aston Villa Lesure centre sometime in the early/mid 90s. Got the vinyl of the Flipping Out album.

    (I had no idea this was on the dumb and dumber soundtrack!)


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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    How about Wilco, Summerteeth is the one I'd most associate with that time...


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  • lasermonkeylasermonkey Frets: 1940
    I was going to mention Gigolo Aunts myself. I saw them supporting The Posies in the mid 90s, along with Eugenius. Great gig!
    The Posies were easily my favourite 90s American band. Criminally underrated.
    Redd Kross were good and definitely worth seeing on the rare occasions they do play the UK.
    Sloan (another Canadian band) also well worth checking out.
    My wife asked me to stop singing Wonderwall.
    I said maybe.....
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Pixies, Breeders & Throwing Muses, second the counting crows.  Haven't listened to the gin blossoms in ages, my weekend listening is beginning to shape up : )
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    Good shout with the Gigolo Aunts (Where I Find My Heaven is a banger), they've toured with Counting Crows quite a bit. 

    Wilco are another great band too. 

    Will give the Posies a listen this afternoon and stick Redd Kross and Sloan on the list too! 

    If there's enough interest, might start a public Spotify Playlist that people can add to. 
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    munckee said:
    Pixies, Breeders & Throwing Muses, second the counting crows.  Haven't listened to the gin blossoms in ages, my weekend listening is beginning to shape up : )
    Add Toad the Wet Sprocket to the list if you like Gin Blossoms. A bit more Americana but a great band. 

    Dogs Eye View are/were great and in the same vein too. 
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468

    Here's Cracker with Low...


    How could I forget about Cracker! good work sir. 
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468

    Good stuff, I was really into a lot of those bands. First time I saw Counting Crows live they were supported by Cracker (who had Low out as a single and the Kerosene Hat LP) and CC were touring "August...", still one of the best gigs I've been to, Adam was mesmerizing.

    Would have loved to have seen the Gin Blossoms and Toad back then but never did.
    Goddamn! Crows with Cracker on support touring August is absolute dream gig scenario for me! Very jealous.
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  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    How about the Gigolo aunts,
    For some reason I always thought they were British. Maybe it was the Syd Barrett name. Or maybe Game On.

    I think a lot of these bands got drowned out by Britpop for me- I've discovered a few of them along the way, but never loved them.

    @joneve- Matt Scannell from Vertical Horizon is on the latest No Guitar Is Safe podcast- worth a listen.

    Funny you should mention the Friends soundtrack- Mrs_bob and I have been watching the show on Netflix and it's had a few good tunes on it. I was wondering who'd done the cover of "In My Room"...

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    joneve said:

    Good stuff, I was really into a lot of those bands. First time I saw Counting Crows live they were supported by Cracker (who had Low out as a single and the Kerosene Hat LP) and CC were touring "August...", still one of the best gigs I've been to, Adam was mesmerizing.

    Would have loved to have seen the Gin Blossoms and Toad back then but never did.
    Goddamn! Crows with Cracker on support touring August is absolute dream gig scenario for me! Very jealous.
    It was the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, me and my girlfriend (now my wife) right on the barrier at the front. Mr Jones was getting plenty of airplay (well on Virgin 1215 at least), and they did a stripped down acoustic version of it, very brave move as i’m sure a large percentage of the audience came to see that song. 
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  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    It was the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, me and my girlfriend (now my wife) right on the barrier at the front. Mr Jones was getting plenty of airplay (well on Virgin 1215 at least), and they did a stripped down acoustic version of it, very brave move as i’m sure a large percentage of the audience came to see that song. 

    Very 90s, that whole "I want to be famous but I don't want to be famous" thing. 

    Like rock bands have to worry about that any more.

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    How about the Gigolo aunts,
    For some reason I always thought they were British. Maybe it was the Syd Barrett name. Or maybe Game On.

    I think a lot of these bands got drowned out by Britpop for me- I've discovered a few of them along the way, but never loved them.

    @joneve- Matt Scannell from Vertical Horizon is on the latest No Guitar Is Safe podcast- worth a listen.

    Funny you should mention the Friends soundtrack- Mrs_bob and I have been watching the show on Netflix and it's had a few good tunes on it. I was wondering who'd done the cover of "In My Room"...
    FFS. :D I *literally* just unsubscribed from it as I wasn't loving the guests he had on recent episodes and I subscribe to 8-10 podcasts, some of which are multiple episodes a week, so it's a lot to keep up with (dog walks twice a day help!)... but i'll definitely check this out. 

    He's one of my guitar heroes and an incredible talent on the Guitar. 

    This version of Wash Away is one of my favourite live tracks;


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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    joneve said:

    Good stuff, I was really into a lot of those bands. First time I saw Counting Crows live they were supported by Cracker (who had Low out as a single and the Kerosene Hat LP) and CC were touring "August...", still one of the best gigs I've been to, Adam was mesmerizing.

    Would have loved to have seen the Gin Blossoms and Toad back then but never did.
    Goddamn! Crows with Cracker on support touring August is absolute dream gig scenario for me! Very jealous.
    It was the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, me and my girlfriend (now my wife) right on the barrier at the front. Mr Jones was getting plenty of airplay (well on Virgin 1215 at least), and they did a stripped down acoustic version of it, very brave move as i’m sure a large percentage of the audience came to see that song. 
    The VH1 Storytellers version of Mr. Jones (i.e. the stripped back version) is one of my top 5 all time favourite tracks. I get teared up every time I hear it. 
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  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    joneve said:

    The VH1 Storytellers version of Mr. Jones (i.e. the stripped back version) is one of my top 5 all time favourite tracks. I get teared up every time I hear it. 

    I really like the Across A Wire live album. The Live From The 10 Spot version of "Round Here" is a.ma.zing.

    joneve said:

    FFS. :D I *literally* just unsubscribed from it as I wasn't loving the guests he had on recent episodes and I subscribe to 8-10 podcasts, some of which are multiple episodes a week, so it's a lot to keep up with (dog walks twice a day help!)... but i'll definitely check this out. 


    I certainly wouldn't break up with NGIS for excessive frequency of episodes. Some of them have been a bit "meh" recently though. Matt Scannell was interesting, although I was never a fan of Vertical Horizon.

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

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  • DopesickDopesick Frets: 1507
    edited March 2018
    I ain't gonna get 'Where I Find My Heaven' out my head for the rest of the day now. I remember it being the theme tune to Game On (old BBC 90s sitcom) as well as being in Dumb & Dumber.
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    joneve said:

    The VH1 Storytellers version of Mr. Jones (i.e. the stripped back version) is one of my top 5 all time favourite tracks. I get teared up every time I hear it. 

    I really like the Across A Wire live album. The Live From The 10 Spot version of "Round Here" is a.ma.zing.

    joneve said:

    FFS. :D I *literally* just unsubscribed from it as I wasn't loving the guests he had on recent episodes and I subscribe to 8-10 podcasts, some of which are multiple episodes a week, so it's a lot to keep up with (dog walks twice a day help!)... but i'll definitely check this out. 


    I certainly wouldn't break up with NGIS for excessive frequency of episodes. Some of them have been a bit "meh" recently though. Matt Scannell was interesting, although I was never a fan of Vertical Horizon.
    If you like the 10 Spot version of Round Here - you need to listen to the more famous one they did in Paris in 94 (it's on the deluxe edition of AAEA I believe - on Spotify)...they also have a number of great live bootlegs with "famous" versions of Round Here and Murder of One. 

    Have you heard them do Rain King with Bruce Springsteen's Thunder Road casually played in the middle? 
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  • quarkyquarky Frets: 2777
    Here's Cracker with Low...

    Wow, forgot all about that song. Thanks, that really brings back memories.

    Do bands like Weezer count? What about Collective Soul?



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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    joneve said:
    joneve said:

    The VH1 Storytellers version of Mr. Jones (i.e. the stripped back version) is one of my top 5 all time favourite tracks. I get teared up every time I hear it. 

    I really like the Across A Wire live album. The Live From The 10 Spot version of "Round Here" is a.ma.zing.

    joneve said:

    FFS. :D I *literally* just unsubscribed from it as I wasn't loving the guests he had on recent episodes and I subscribe to 8-10 podcasts, some of which are multiple episodes a week, so it's a lot to keep up with (dog walks twice a day help!)... but i'll definitely check this out. 


    I certainly wouldn't break up with NGIS for excessive frequency of episodes. Some of them have been a bit "meh" recently though. Matt Scannell was interesting, although I was never a fan of Vertical Horizon.
    If you like the 10 Spot version of Round Here - you need to listen to the more famous one they did in Paris in 94 (it's on the deluxe edition of AAEA I believe - on Spotify)...they also have a number of great live bootlegs with "famous" versions of Round Here and Murder of One. 

    Have you heard them do Rain King with Bruce Springsteen's Thunder Road casually played in the middle? 
    They did that Thunder Road section on the Hard Candy tour IIRC. 
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