5 ’90s Rock Bands You Would possibly Have Forgotten

What number of of those 5 Nineties rock bands do you bear in mind?

If the reply is “none,” you are possible not alone. Nearly all of them had been rapidly signed by main report labels earlier than being dropped after only one album.

However that does not imply that one album was an entire catastrophe. On most events, it was merely a symptom of a serious label feeding frenzy as they tried to determine what was subsequent because the grunge period began to fade into oblivion.

Listed here are 5 ’90s rock bands you’ll have forgotten that deserve some consideration in the present day,

1. Lifter

For those who had been in your early 20s and making an attempt to determine your life within the mid-Nineties, Lifter had been the band for you.

The Los Angeles different rock act launched a handful of singles on varied smaller labels after forming in 1992. They might finally be a focus for Interscope, which signed the band in hopes of releasing their full-length debut.

Lifter would get off to an inauspicious begin with the label. Based on AllMusic.com, Interscope demanded vocalist and guitarist Mike Coulter head to rehab for heroin habit.

Coulter used that point to channel his frustrations of heartbreak and struggles with habit into the lyrics for Melinda: All the pieces Was Stunning & Nothing Harm.

The album is a brutally trustworthy have a look at rising up, failing after which making an attempt to do it another time in hopes of succeeding a second time.

The tune “402” hits on the will for the comforts of your dad and mom’ home after realizing you tousled after transferring out by yourself. “One thing Borrowed” makes an attempt to be hopeful after your first severe relationship goes south.

Melinda: All the pieces Was Stunning & Nothing Harm is filled with uncooked emotion, however perhaps it was a bit too emo when it got here out in 1996. Interscope moved on from Lifter and the band broke up in 1998.

Based on the Los Angeles Occasions, Coulter continued to wrestle with drug habit earlier than taking a break from music altogether. Years later, he would get sober and report new music as a solo artist.

Lifter bass participant Jeffrey Sebelia would discover success exterior of the music trade as a clothier. He competed on and gained the third season of the fact TV competitors collection, Venture Runway, in 2006.

2. Puzzle Intestine

Puzzle Intestine often is the hair steel model of the Steve Buscemi “how do you do, fellow youngsters?” meme.

Within the late Eighties, hair steel/onerous rock act Baton Rouge from (you guessed it) Louisiana broke onto the scene with a sound that possible would have made the band a family title in the event that they had been round for the primary half of the last decade. On the identical time, equally sounding however barely extra profitable XYZ additionally arrived.

However as an alternative of constant to beat the identical drained hair steel drum as grunge took maintain, members of those bands began to splinter off into different acts that sounded fully totally different in an try to stay with the instances.

Puzzle Intestine had been an edgy tackle grunge with a modest punk affect and featured members of each Baton Rouge and XYZ. It was sufficient to assist the band ink a cope with Interscope and launch the self-titled debut in 1997.

When it got here time to write down lyrics for the report, Puzzle Intestine appeared to maneuver so far as attainable from its members’ hair steel previous. The band’s most recognizable tune, “The Cow,” options the lyrics “I just like the cow” endlessly repeated over the course of 4 minutes.

Whereas nonsensical lyrics actually had a second within the ’90s, Puzzle Intestine proved to be a one-and-done undertaking. The act broke up not lengthy after the discharge of their lone album.

3. Radish

Earlier than singer/songwriter Ben Kweller made a reputation for himself as an indie rock solo artist, he was fronting post-grunge act Radish.

The band self-released two albums, Whats up in 1994 and Dizzy in 1996, earlier than being scooped up by Common, which put out Radish’s Restraining Bolt below its Mercury Data imprint in 1997. The album took a barely extra melodic strategy to the post-grunge sound, albeit with loads of fuzzy guitars in order to not stray too removed from the sound of the ’90s.

Even with the band being comprised of youngsters (Kweller was simply 15 on the time), Common was able to strap a rocket to their backs. Radish carried out on practically each late-night discuss present in a brief period of time. Additionally they performed a number of festivals and had their very own U.S. headlining tour with the band Lit as an opener.

Regardless of main backing from their report label, Radish by no means caught on like Common had hoped on the time. The band recorded yet one more album that by no means noticed the sunshine of day as they had been launched from the label.

Issues labored out for Kweller ultimately, due to some sensible cash strikes as a youngster. Based on the 2004 guide The Aesthetics of Cultural Research, which checked out how main report labels courted and rapidly dropped acts within the ’90s, Kweller invested his advance cash from Common within the inventory market and sought out varied actual property ventures.

He launched his seventh studio album, Cowl the Mirrors, in Might of 2025. The album is a tribute to his 16-year-old son, Dorian, who died in a automotive accident in 2023.

4. The Refreshments

The Refreshments garnered consideration in 1996 due to their tune “Banditos” off the Fizzy Fuzzy Massive & Buzzy album. The Tempe, Arizona band had a knack for using catchy hooks and popular culture references, together with a shoutout to the fictional Star Trek character Jean-Luc Picard.

Listening to the album in the present day makes it sound like your typical post-grunge different rock. However on the time, followers of the style could not get sufficient of these things.

The Refreshments tried to maintain their momentum going the next yr. The band is liable for the theme tune for the animated collection, King of the Hill, which debuted in 1997.

That very same yr, The Refreshments would launch their second album, The Bottle & Contemporary Horses. Sadly, this one did not produce successful single just like the band’s debut, leaving them largely misplaced within the shuffle amongst similar-sounding acts.

To make issues worse, interior turmoil began to fracture relationships inside The Refreshments. Ultimately, two members exited the band, with the rest of the group carrying on as Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

5. WANK

Earlier than you lazily declare these guys are a Social Distortion ripoff, it’s best to know they’ve the official stamp of approval of Mike Ness. Do you actually wish to argue with Mike Ness?

WANK had been across the California pop-punk scene within the mid-Nineties. In contrast to many of the different names popping out of the area at the moment, the band appeared greater than comfy leaning extra closely into the pop portion of the style.

The punk a part of their components was extra Social Distortion-esque with loads of rock within the combine.

WANK tapped Ness to supply their main label debut, Get a Grip on Your self, which was launched by Maverick in 1998. Tracks comparable to “Larry Brown” and “Mickey” sound like they’re long-lost Social Distortion recordings. “White Lightning” leans extra towards The Conflict.

Not dangerous for musical influences, proper?

WANK spent the summer time of 1998 touring the U.S. as one of many acts on the Vans Warped Tour. Simply when issues gave the impression to be going their manner, the band’s fortunes modified in a rush.

Lower than a yr later, WANK was dropped from Maverick. In 2000, lead singer and bass participant Bobby Amodeo was recognized with most cancers. The remainder of the band’s members began to hunt out different initiatives.

Amodeo advised OC Weekly that he did practically 5 years of chemotherapy remedies as he battled leukemia earlier than it was decided his most cancers was in remission. With Amodeo wholesome and the remainder of the band some open time on their schedules, WANK reunited in 2016 to launch an EP.

The band dropped a brand new full-length album, Flip it Up, in 2024 and continues to play reside reveals in the present day.