The Sound of Seattle

Eva Walker was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She is the frontwoman and principal songwriter of the acclaimed local rock band, The Black Tones, which has opened for Mavis Staples, Death Cab for Cutie, and Weezer. A popular DJ on KEXP, Eva currently hosts the Early on KEXP show. She also has recorded songs with Mike McCready, released songs with Sub Pop Records, and produced The Arts Hour for the BBC.  Jake Uitti’s work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Interview Magazine, Spin, Washington Post, Nation, Guardian, and many more. Jake is a staff writer at American Songwriter Magazine, where he’s chit-chatted with big names like Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, Garth Brooks, Ryan Lewis, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Ben Gibbard, and hundreds more. He is the author of Northwest Know-How: Beer as well as Muggsy Bogues: The Godfather of Smallball.

Contents

Foreword by Mike McCready
Introduction

The 1940s–1950s: Jazz and Jackson Street
Bing Crosby, “White Christmas”
Ray Charles, “Confession Blues”
Ernestine Anderson, “The Song Is Ended”
The Fabulous Wailers, “Tall Cool One”

The 1960s: Talking Fate with Merrilee Rush
Loretta Lynn, “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl”
Dave Lewis, “Little Green Thing”
The Sonics, “The Witch”
Jimi Hendrix, “Purple Haze”
Merrilee Rush, “Angel of the Morning”

The 1970s: Nancy Wilson on the Seattle Sound and the Foundational 1970s
The Black and White Affair, “Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother”
Gregg Rolie, “Oye Como Va”
A Note on Wheedle’s Groove
Carol Kaye (Ray Charles), “America the Beautiful”
Heart, “Crazy on You”

The 1980s: “The Grungefather” Jack Endino on Seattle’s Growing Indie Scene
Quincy Jones, “One Hundred Ways”
A Note on Garfield High School 
The Fartz, “Idiots Rule”
The Emerald Street Boys, “Christmas Rap”
Tina Bell (Bam Bam), “Villains Also Wear White”
The U-Men, “Gila”
Robert Cray, “Smoking Gun”
Deems, “Tough Tofu”
Skin Yard, “Reptile”
Diane Shuur, “Trav’lin Light”
Beat Happening, “Indian Summer”

The 1990s: Sir Mix-a-Lot on Seattle’s Musical Explosion
Oleta Adams, “Get Here”
Kid Sensation, “Prisoner of Ignorance”
Mother Love Bone, “Crown of Thorns”
Queensrÿche, “Silent Lucidity”
Hammerbox, “When 3 Is 2”
Tad, “Jack Pepsi”
Temple of the Dog, “Hunger Strike”
Pearl Jam, “Alive”
Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Love Battery, “Out of Focus”
Sir Mix-a-Lot, “Baby Got Back”
Screaming Trees, “Nearly Lost You”
Alice in Chains, “Rooster”
Kenny G, “Forever in Love”
Mudhoney, “Suck You Dry”
The Gits, “Second Skin”
Candlebox, “Far Behind”
The Fastbacks, “Gone to the Moon”
Melvins, “Honey Bucket”
Bikini Kill, “Rebel Girl”
A Note on Riot Grrrl
Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun”
IMIJ, “Medgar Evers DGC Bill Clinton and Me/I”
Sunny Day Real Estate, “Seven”
Critters Buggin, “Shag”
Presidents of the United States of America, “Peaches”
Clinton Fearon, “Nah Forget Mi Roots”
7 Year Bitch, “24,900 Miles Per Hour”
Vitamin D (Ghetto Children), “Who’s Listening”
Sleater-Kinney, “Dig Me Out”
Pigeonhed, “Battle Flag”
Foo Fighters, “Everlong”
Harvey Danger, “Flagpole Sitta”
Maktub, “Love Me Like Before”

The 2000s: Ben Gibbard on Getting Past Tragedy in the Aughts
Pedro the Lion, “Options”
The Postal Service, “Such Great Heights”
The Blood Brothers, “Live at the Apocalypse Cabaret”
Modest Mouse, “Float On”
Death Cab for Cutie, “I Will Follow You into the Dark”
Band of Horses, “The Funeral”
Neko Case, “Hold On Hold On”
Kimya Dawson, “Loose Lips”
Blue Scholars, “50 Thousand Deep”
Abney Park, “Sleep Isabella”
Fleet Foxes, “White Winter Hymnal”
Nissim Black (a.k.a. D Black), “Keep on Going”
Dave Matthews Band, “Funny the Way It Is”

The 2010s: Mary Lambert on the Collaborative 2010s
Jake One, “Know What I Mean”
The Head and the Heart, “Rivers and Roads”
Shabazz Palaces, “Free Press and Curl”
A Note on Black Constellation
Grieves, “On the Rocks”
Sol, “Need Your Love”
THEESatisfaction, “QueenS”
Allen Stone, “Unaware”
Minus the Bear, “Steal and Blood”
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “Thrift Shop”
La Luz, “Call Me in the Day”
Industrial Revelation, “Saying Goodbye (to Rainbow Socks and Hair Dye)”
Damien Jurado, “Silver Timothy”
NighTraiN, “Mating Call”
Tacocat, “Crimson Wave”
Perfume Genius, “Queen”
Mary Lambert, “Secrets”
ODESZA, “Line of Sight”
Courtney Marie Andrews, “May Your Kindness Remain”
Brandi Carlile, “The Joke”
Parisalexa, “Like Me Better”
Car Seat Headrest, “Beach Life-in-Death”
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, “Concussion”
Thunderpussy, “Speed Queen”
Duff McKagan, “Parkland”
Travis Thompson, “Glass Ceiling”

The 2020s: Navigating the 2020s with Ayron Jones
B.A.G., “Shellys(It’sChill)”
Left at London, “My Friends Are Kinda Strange”
Lil Mosey, “Blueberry Faygo”
Deep Sea Diver, “Impossible Weight”
Ayron Jones “Mercy”
Black Belt Eagle Scout, “My Blood Runs Through This Land”
Kassa Overall, “Going Up”
 
Hot Spots
The Showbox at the Market
Washington Hall
Jimi Hendrix Statue
The Edgewater Hotel
Seattle Center
KEXP
The Central Saloon
Easy Street Records
Sub Pop Records
Kurt Cobain Haunts
Dick’s Drive-In
The Museum of Pop Culture
The Gorge
London Bridge Studio
 
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Further Reading
Index