The group was formed in 1984 by Mark Arm and Steve Turner, both of whom had started playing together in a high school band in the early 1980s. With the addition of drummer Alex Vincent, bassist Jeff Ament, and guitarist Stone Gossard, Green River began to take shape as a band that blended elements of punk, metal, and blues into their sound.
Their first EP, “Come on Down,” was released in 1985, and featured six tracks that showcased the band’s raw energy and penchant for heavy, distorted riffs. Although the music was not immediately popular, it caught the attention of fans who were looking for something different from the mainstream rock of the time.
Their next release, “Dry As A Bone,” was equally well-received by fans, and saw the band refining their sound and adding more melodic elements to their music. Songs like “Unwind” and “This Town” demonstrated the band’s ability to craft memorable hooks while still maintaining the intense energy of their live shows.
By this time, Green River had become a fixture in the Seattle music scene, and had gained a loyal following of fans who appreciated the band’s uncompromising approach to their music. They frequently played shows with other local acts like Soundgarden, Mudhoney, and Tad, all of whom would go on to become influential bands in their own right.
However, by 1987, tensions had begun to rise within the band. Gossard and Ament were increasingly interested in pursuing a more commercial sound, while Arm and Turner were frustrated with the limited success the band had achieved so far. Vincent, meanwhile, had already started to pursue other musical projects.
The result was a split within the band, with Gossard and Ament eventually going on to form Mother Love Bone, while Arm and Turner would go on to form Mudhoney. Although Green River only released two EPs and a handful of singles during their brief career, their influence on the Seattle music scene and the development of Grunge cannot be overstated.
The raw, noisy sound of their early recordings would be refined and expanded upon by other bands in the Seattle music scene, leading to the development of a new genre that would come to be known as Grunge. The importance of Green River in the evolution of this sound is demonstrated by the fact that they are often referred to as the “Godfathers of Grunge.”
Despite the band’s relatively short career, Green River had a lasting impact on the music of the 1990s and beyond. Their sound and attitude inspired a new generation of musicians who were looking to break away from the commercial rock of the era and create something that was raw, authentic, and powerful. Although the band may have disbanded before they could achieve mainstream success, their legacy lives on in the music of the many bands that they inspired.