Periphery guitarist Mark Halcomb spoke in an interview with Radioactive Mike, and revealed his thoughts on ‘the big five’ lineup of 90’s rock music scene.
Interviewer asked:
“A few years ago, everyone was talking about the Big Four of thrash metal: Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth. I’m working it up to the ’90s, what I like to call the Flannel Five. Your favorite out of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains.”
Mark responded:
“Can I choose Alice in Chains five times? Let’s put them at the top. I guess you got to put Nirvana on there, right? I’m not the biggest fan, I love it, but I would put a lot of bands before them.
But they meant to much, so I guess you have to include Nirvana on there. And then Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, and Pearl Jam. Yeah, Pearl Jam would have to round up the five.”
On why Alice In Chains is special for him, he said:
“They walked this fine line and it’s something my ears could recognize even pretty early on.
I mean, I really sucked at guitar for my first years of learning, yet I could hear that they had this sort of technicality and appreciation for shred music that the other bands didn’t have.
You would hear Kim Thayil from Soundgarden playing leads and solos and stuff, but when you heard Jerry Cantrell play solos, it was, like, ‘Whoa, this guy knows who Paul Gilbert is, this guy has studied shredding at some point.’
They’re writing these amazingly powerful grunge songs, but they also had this extra layer of technicality that the shredders could appreciate as well.”
Listen to the entire interview below. Click here for the source. (Ultimate-Guitar)
