We’re all capable of doing the strangest things to get what we want. Even if it means going against all that you will stand for once you get it. But when this ‘thing’ involves getting up on a stage and singing to thousands of people or putting an album out in stores, it’s very likely that someone will dig up your past – like we’ve done to these guys.
Alice In Chains Alice In Chains’ first album, Facelift (1990), has been called “one of the most important records in establishing an audience for grunge and alternative rock.” The dark album contains songs like ‘We Die Young’, ‘Love, Hate, Love’ and controversial lyrics like ‘Jesus Christ/Deny your maker’.
But, barely four years earlier, the band “dressed in drag and played speed metal”. This band was called Alice N’ Chainz and songs from their first EP include songs like ‘Lip Lock Rock’, ‘Fat Girls’ and ‘Sealed With A Kiss’. More than this, they embraced the glam metal lifestyle (the frizzy hair, mascara, leather pants), grunge bands abhorred.
Evanescence Considered to be part of the gothic rock genre, Evanescence was once aggressively promoted by Christian record stores. However, they abandoned their support after their first major release, Fallen.
Also, while their lyrics are usually depressing (‘I'm so tired of being here’, ‘I can't hold on to me, Wonder what's wrong with me’) the band’s former guitarist Ben Moody has said, ‘The message we as a band want to convey more than anything is simple -- God is Love.’ Eh?
Tori Amos Tori Amos is one of the most respected contemporary artists. To her rabid militant fans, she knows best. But dig into her past and you’ll find Y Kant Tori Read, her misguided dive into ’80s synth-pop. The album sold so poorly that Atlantic refused to promote it, despite signing a six-album deal with her. Thankfully for them, Amos got her act together soon enough, or maybe it was just that the eighties passed.
Alanis Morissette We’ve all been young and stupid, but at least we don’t have two full-length albums to live with. Before she came to be known as the angst-ridden girl with ‘Jagged Little Pill’, Alanis was recording trite bubblegum pop. And sure, we should go easy on her. After all, she was only a kid. But get these lyrics –
My name is Alanis, I'm a white chick singer The drums are a-smokin' and so's the bass Shake your thing (chika chika chika, cha) When you sing (chika chika chika, ooh yeah) Just sixteen (chika chika chika, cha) No disco queen (chika chika chika, oh yeah)
A year after her self-titled debut, Alanis grew up and first started to show signs of the pretentious. In ‘Big Bad Love’ from ‘Now Is The Time’, she sings, “I'm having dreams in the night of you baby/And Sigmund Freud would have thought I was crazy.” Thankfully, both the albums have been pulled from circulation.
Dr Dre Dr Dre is best known for crafting beats for NWA, an act considered so hardcore, their albums were banned in several countries (including Rwanda) and was one of the first to get the Parental Advisory sticker. The FBI even sent their record label a warning letter because of their song ‘F**k Tha Police’. Even his solo work is replete with violent scenarios. But, go back a few pages until you reach the eighties (again), and you’ll find the original gangster – a lip-stick and eye-shadow wearing, stet scope-carrying wimp who masqueraded as ‘The Doctor’. Straight outta Compton? Yeah, right.
