Queen of Grunge Rock: Courtney Love and Hole, Skid Row, Northern Kings

"18 AND LIFE"                       SKID ROW

From the debut CD from Sebastian Bach and Skid Row, VH1 put this song on their list of the Top 100 Rock songs of all-time.     Skid Row was a New Jersey band who actually got their start when Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi signed them to their new label.    "Living On A Prayer" starts off telling us that Tommy used to work on the docks and Gina works the diner all day.    Tommy had to put his six-string in hock and Gina dreams of running away but they have hope of making it by living on a prayer.   Skid Row tells a different New Jersey tale.  They take it up a notch, telling us about Ricky and how he was just out of school, walked the streets a soldier and fought the world alone. He fired his six-shot in the wind, that child blew a child away.   Great contrast on the two Jersey hair bands!

"VIOLET"   (On Letterman)               HOLE 

Courtney Love, hate her or love her, truly captured the Seattle Grunge sound for me.    Hole was aggressive, raw, you questioned their musical ability but loved their heart and energy.     I first saw Courtney in the Sid & Nancy movie on the Sex Pistols.   Then I was blown away by Doll Parts, Violet, Rock Star, punk passion from a mesmerizing charismatic female rocker.    This performance ends with Courtney chanting, "Then he hit me and it felt like a kiss, never knew it could feel like this".   Powerful! 

"HELLO"                                  NORTHERN KINGS

Northern Kings are from Finland.  They play symphonic metal and are comprised of band members from many big groups of their country.   They do incredible orchestral covers of songs like "Don't Stop Believin'", "Creep", "We Don't Need Another Hero" but my favorite is "Hello".   Couldn't find an official video for this one, thankfully there isn't one of a blind girl sculpting a bust of Northern King's lead singer.