The band that tried to kill hair metal vs. the band that did. GNR or Nirvana?

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Welp, Kurt Cobain famously hated Guns N' Roses, and Nirvana inarguably turned rock and roll on its side and effectively destroyed hair metal with Nevermind. One might assume here that Cobain not only hated GNR, but possibly the entire 80s hair rock and glam rock scene that (from the outside) seemed so infatuated with the excesses of the rock and roll lifestyle they forgot to write good music (not that I agree).

 

Here's the rub, Axl Rose also famously held disdain for the rest of the 80s rock scene when GNR came to conquer it. He claimed, as I recall, that no one wrote music with any actual sentiment anymore, and that he was here to change that. GNR had a reputation as the band which who's lives actually did revolve solely around drugs, sex, and rock and roll, while other bands only played the image up for its commercial appeal (Motley Crue aside).

 

So, all of that aside. Which of the two biggest rock bands of that four or five year period do you prefer? GNR, who set out to kill hair metal but failed, or Nirvana, the band that didn't even aim to hit the top 40 and changed rock and roll forever (killing hair metal in the process)?

 

 

 

 

I've never been a big Nirvana fan personally. Between my favorite Nirvana song ("In Bloom," or "Heart Shaped Box") and my favorite GNR song ("Sweet Child Of Mine," probably)...it's GNR easily.

[Fordgalaxy]

Never been much of a fan of Guns and Roses whereas I can remember the exact moment I first heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

[RUSHHEAD666]

Never been much of a fan of Guns and Roses whereas I can remember the exact moment I first heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

 

Smells Like Teen "Spirit Of Radio" to me!!!

 

Great Poll! For a second I thought it was Texas King!!

 

Sorry!!

 

Nirvana Killed Hair Metal!

 

Guns N Roses tried to recharge it with LA sleaze and METAL!

 

FUCKK GRUNGE!

 

Even though I do like some of it!

 

"Welcome To Mr. Bungle"

 

Signed,

 

"LOVE IS A FIST"

[RUSHHEAD666]

Your STARSHIT choice is hilarious.

 

One of the worst pop songs ever made.

 

I hate STARSHIT

[RUSHHEAD666]

Steven Wilson can write better pop that STARSHIT.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Recently discovered Pennyroyal Tea might be Nirvana's best song. I still think Sweet Child O' Mine trumps it by a decent margin, but it's more of a competition now.

[Lucas]

This wins every time

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlA3Fa5bgig

[RUSHHEAD666]

Recently discovered Pennyroyal Tea might be Nirvana's best song. I still think Sweet Child O' Mine trumps it by a decent margin, but it's more of a competition now.

 

"Sweet Child O Mine" is like listening to "Limelight" or "YYZ" for me. These three songs no matter how overplayed they may be never get old.

[RUSHHEAD666]

"FOREVER!"

 

Y&T

[goose]

Nirvana.

 

Now excuse me while I bruise some fruit.

[Ancient Ways]

GnR

[Texas King]

Guns N'Roses by a country mile!

 

Nirvana is one of the most OVERHYPED bands in the history of rock, period! Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden will always be far better bands than Nirvana.

And Kurt Cobain was a DOUCHEBAG(really far from a good person), nothing less than Axl and it's rare for anyone to talk about it.

[Rod in Toronto]

Guns n Roses.

[thirteen]

Nirvana killed 'Hair metal'.

Kurt killed...himself.

Gun n Roses...turned into a bloated parody of a once-kick ass rock band.

 

 

Signed

Get over here babe!

[ReRushed]

Nirvana

[JohnnyBlaze]

Nirvana easily.

 

Spindly maggot Axl's screeches aren't digestible.

[condemned2bfree]

Guns N'Roses by a country mile!

 

Nirvana is one of the most OVERHYPED bands in the history of rock, period! Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden will always be far better bands than Nirvana.

And Kurt Cobain was a DOUCHEBAG(really far from a good person), nothing less than Axl and it's rare for anyone to talk about it.

 

Really interested, what makes you say Kurt Cobain was douche -really far from being a good person?

Edited August 31, 2017 by condemned2bfree

[HemiBeers]

Not real crazy about either but I went with GnR. Slash's musicianship far outweighs anything from Nirvana. Regardless of Cobain's suicide, I think Nirvana was tapped out after their last album anyway. I view them as a flash in the pan similar to the Sex Pistols. Even the older, non members of airplane/starship mock that stupid song.

[J2112YYZ]

GnR.

 

One of my favorite bands during my middle/high school years. I understand the impact Nirvana had, I just never got into them too much.

 

I was tempted to vote for the third option just for the fun of it.

[thesweetscience]

I liked Nirvana and Grunge in general but GnR was miles better in just about every way. Better musicians and song writers anyway.

 

My opinion of course.

[rocket ignites]

Both bands helped change the rock landscape, no question. Smells Like Teen Spirit hit the scene like a ton of bricks, but from there on...give me Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam.

 

Guns N' Roses all the way. Egocentric asshole over the top screeching sleaze douche of a front man in Axl? Yes please.

[ReRushed]

I'm gonna defend Nirvana a bit. I always found Guns n' Roses to be a calculating and manipulative band aware of how every chord, howl, hair and stance affects the audience. A big derivative and calculated cliche, albeit, at times, an entertaining and good cliche. But, overall, been there done that. Recycled music, image and attitude. I guess you can say that about Nirvana, but Nirvana did push away from corporate backing and made a less commercial second album. And all evidence. at the time, pointed to Nirvana changing their music and pushing past their limitations. But, we'll never know.

 

And, to this day, Axl Rose and his band mates are riding the wave of a limited repertoire of music. Ain't much changed in three decades. Unless you count joining AC/DC.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

I'm gonna defend Nirvana a bit. I always found Guns n' Roses to be a calculating and manipulative band aware of how every chord, howl, hair and stance affects the audience. A big derivative and calculated cliche, albeit, at times, an entertaining and good cliche. But, overall, been there done that. Recycled music, image and attitude. I guess you can say that about Nirvana, but Nirvana did push away from corporate backing and made a less commercial second album. And all evidence. at the time, pointed to Nirvana changing their music and pushing past their limitations. But, we'll never know.

 

And, to this day, Axl Rose and his band mates are riding the wave of a limited repertoire of music. Ain't much changed in three decades. Unless you count joining AC/DC.

 

I can get this. GNR will never compare to Aerosmith or AC/DC in my mind for the reasons you listed. And I know I read somewhere that Kurt was actually hoping to collaborate with REM after In Utero, which might've been supremely awesome as Nirvana could provide REM with the hardcore edge they'd always lacked, and REM could provide Nirvana with the more acoustic dynamics and ambitions they'd yet to master.

 

That said, I'm still more a fan of GNR. Night Train is better than half of Nevermind IMO.

[ReRushed]

Like what you like. Personally, I prefer Nirvana, by a big margin, over Guns n' Roses, but I don't begrudge anyone who has preferences other than mine. Fact is, for decades both bands still reverberate in the musical world. Very impressive, isn't it?

[The Cat 3]

GnR's "Appetite " was a true game changer.

 

Although I do love "Nevermind".