Customer Reviews

Loser: The Real Seattle Music Story

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

LOSER is the most accurate, informative book about the Seattle music scene available today. Don't buy it if you are looking for nice flowery, stale synopsises of NIRVANA, PEARL JAM, and all the bands that made their name on major labels. If you want a detailed description of the birth and evolution of DIY punk rock in the pacific northwest that this is the book for you. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of interesting info on all of your favorite Seattle bands, but there are also bands that you've only heard mentioned in passing and some you've never heard of at all. This is the real Seattle, the whole scene, not just the bands that made "grunge" and punk commercially viable.

I'm confused about reviews that claim it's "not about the grundge scene (sic)" because the book is not supposed to be ABOUT grunge. However, the book does cover many to most of the local bands during the early 90s and of course references the ones that "made it," although you'll do better elsewhere for material on Nirvana, Mudhoney, etc. But the book is chock full of material on a huge number of bands--perhaps too many, because some of them fly by pretty quickly. Not much cultural analysis, but plenty of little insights about individuals, venues, etc. The book is strongest post-1975, especially post-1985.

When my cousin ..., told me of this book, I was all excited with anticipation... waiting to read up on all the bands and musicians I knew when I was part of the PNW music scene in the 60's.. ('63 to '67 with the Regents out of Tacoma). Well, there was some disappointment, and some satisfaction. The treatment of the "Golden Era" (50's & 60's) of PNW rock was prettly slim, yet still well presented. The 10 or so pages dealing with the "Golden Era" satisfied me, and the remaining 200 or so pages satisfied my daughter. If you are in to the more recent events of Seattle area music in the 80's and 90's, this is the book to get. Sammy Carlson... Bassist, The Regents '63-'67.

This book is the best informational book on the Seattle bands of the lates 80's and early 90's that I have read. If you want to learn more about the Seattle scene, and about many of the bands that did and didn't make it big in the "grunge" revolution, this is a good place to start. Many bands are covered here with great detail. There are also a lot of pictures I haven't seen anywhere else, some bands that I've never seen pictures of before. This book, and "Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music" by Greg Prato are the only two good books about the early "grunge" scene I have read. There are some other books out there that claim to be about grunge or the Seattle scene that I have read, only to find out that they were completely bogus--avoid those and read these two! I'd say Loser: The Real Seattle Music Story is the more informational, picture filled, and more expansive one, where Grunge Is Dead features interviews with people who were involved with the "scene", which provides another point of view. I think they go well as companion books together, if you are looking to learn about the Seattle music scene.

While there is plenty of interesting info on many Seattle bands, this book does NOT accurately document the real Seattle music scene. As an active full-time musician in the Seattle-area music scene for over 20 years, this book tends to reflect the attitude of the ROCKET magazine, a now defunct Seattle-area music periodical, which selectively covered only a tiny fraction which turned out to be more-or-less favorite bands of the staff.
I would NOT recommend this book if you are interested what actually went on in the Seattle music scene.

Loser is THE definitive book of the Seattle music scene. It provides a historical perspective of the Seattle rock music legacy and chronicles the "grunge" scene with great photographs and poster art. If you ever wondered about the evolution of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, or Soundgarden, you must buy this book

This book is definitive--a witty, thorough, often brilliant history of Seattle rock from its beginnings. It is not only the best book about the Seattle scene, it is one of the best books ever written about rock.

I admit, I bought this book for the art & posters. in that regard it is a bit disapointing: the art is all printed in the margins in black and white. The reproductions look like xerox copies -- granted, that is how a lot of the orignal art looked and how it was originally reproduced, but the pictures are so small and grainy, you need a lot of imagination to enjoy them. I was very bummed. Especially since I was looking specifically for art & posters by Art Chantry. If that is what you are looking for, this aint it.

This book is okay if you want to learn about Seattle history. Me? I couldn't care less, I wanted to learn about the bands that came out of Seattle in the 90's not about who founded the town of Seattle!!

This book is okay if you want to learn about Seattle history. Me? I couldn't care less, I wanted to learn about the bands that came out of Seattle in the 90's not about who founded the town of Seattle!!