Thurston Moore Takes a Genuine Look at 'Grunge'

Posted on Oct 12th 2009 12:30PM by Linda Laban
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It might be titled 'Grunge,' but don't expect photographer Michael Lavine and Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore's book to be a straight-up set of band photos. It's far more subtle and complex than that, and delightfully so. Moore, who wrote the book's text, says the last thing he wanted to do was present "a grunge history" centered on the holy trinity of Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and, of course, Nirvana, all of whom are featured in the book. "I can't think of anything more tedious than having to read a history of grunge," Moore tells Spinner. "That's not what I wanted to do at all."

Instead, 'Grunge' takes a broad stroke at disseminating the roots of what was arguably the last great rock revolution. Lavine's evocative black and white photos include anonymous kids hanging out on Seattle streets in the early 1980s, as well as band promo shots taken in his New York studio.

"Our original idea was to do a book that encapsulated Michael's oeuvre. I wasn't super passionate about doing that, because often those are books are just for photographers," Moore says. "As soon as I saw his early black and white photography of kids on the street, I knew that was the focus. For me, it's a more genuine portrait of what that term grunge was all about."

This stylish book features Lavine's 1992 shot of Kurt Cobain on the cover. Cobain is scowling, but with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. As Moore notes of the Nirvana frontman in the book, grunge "was in his eyes." But, he says, grunge was in those hip street kids, too. Oh, and anyone looking for Creed or Nickelback in 'Grunge' is, Moore says, "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

'Grunge' will be released by Abrams Image, Oct. 15.

Buy Michael Lavine and Thurston Moore's 'Grunge'