When Alternative Becomes Dad Rock

Originally published at https://www.splicetoday.com.

I was eight when I first saw Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video. It was loud and scary, Mom hated it, and I loved it. Suddenly local radio station WHFS overflowed with a new wave of bands that popped up out of nowhere-Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, etc.-and all the synth pop bands of the 1980s died off…