The ‘90s were certainly a time of thriving for the music industry. The emergence of bands such as Nirvana, Weezer, Blink-182, Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins were high on the music scene and introduced a different kind of rock’ n’ roll to America. After a decade of bands such as Def Leppard and Poison, ‘90s bands brought a more raw, alternative feel into the music world through “anti-pep-rally” hits such as Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit, ”Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So,” and Green Day’s “When I Come Around.” In San Antonio, alternative, rock, and indie music has made its way into the hearts of the city’s hottest clubs and venues.
Bands such as Cinderleaf took advantage of the vastly growing city-life in San Antonio and ventured into the music industry. Cinderleaf, with Jason Stiles (vox/guitar), Andy Pape (guitar), Kevin Holmes (drums), and Chris Brown (bass), joined in 1994. The San Antonio-native band has a distinguished history with four full-length albums, three cassette demos, two EPs, one 7-inch record. Ever since their first show at Doza’s in October 1995, the band continues to write music for the fun of it. With inspiration from bands such as Jimmy Eat World and Fig Dish, Cinderleaf has had the opportunity to tour with many of their idols. The group jammed out indie, alternative tunes into some of the most poppin’ local scenes of San Antonio during the ‘90s.
In remembrance, the group explained that “there was always something to do, somewhere to go, and someone to see. There existed a strong congeniality between musicians and service industry folks at that time, which always made for an eventful evening anytime a good show was happening.”
A couple of the band’s favorite performance venues (White Rabbit, Sneakers, Taco Land and Wacky’s) were said to have “laid the foundation for our thriving music scene today.”
What makes the ‘90s such a pure time is everyone’s absorbance in their emotional states the various, unique types of music were able to bring. Whether people are in a dance club, in a bar or enjoying the music of the time, the use of technology has really enhanced awareness of how people feel about the music.
“We think social media enhances the nightlife experience; now that everyone has an online voice, it puts pressure on venues to drive people to their respective establishments, much to the benefit of their audience,” said Cinderleaf.
So many different components in music have come into play since 1990. With bands such as AC/DC and Metallica making their way back onto the stage in our very own Alamodome venue, we can rest assured that even rock ‘n’ roll will always return to the scene. Our music tastes, genres, and artists are generally on a far broader spectrum than they were during the ‘90s. Despite this, the ‘90s were a crucial base coat to the music and nightlife of San Antonio.
