No Alternative

1993 compilation album From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No Alternative is an alternative rock compilation album produced by Paul Heck and Chris Mundy that was released in 1993. It was the third compilation put together by the Red Hot Organization, a charity dedicated to raising money for and awareness of AIDS relief.[6] The album features original tracks and cover versions from bands who went on to define the alternative rock scene of the 1990s. It was released with two different versions of album art: the standard version depicting a boy (without the Nirvana song listed on the back and liner notes),[7] and the alternate version depicting a girl (some with and some without the Nirvana song listed on the back and liner notes).

ReleasedOctober 26, 1993
Recorded1991–1993
Genre
Length74:21
Quick facts Compilation album by various artists, Released ...
No Alternative
Compilation album by
various artists
ReleasedOctober 26, 1993
Recorded1991–1993
Genre
Length74:21
LabelArista
Producer
Red Hot Benefit series chronology
Red Hot + Dance
(1992)		 No Alternative
(1993)		 Red Hot + Country
(1994)
Singles from No Alternative
  1. "Hold On"
    Released: February 1994
Close
More information Review scores, Source ...
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[1]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(choice cut)[2]
Deseret NewsStarStarStar[3]
Los Angeles TimesStarStarStarHalf star[4]
Orlando SentinelStarStar[5]
Close

A television special hosted by MTV and a VHS home video release featured live performances, music videos, and information about AIDS.

On 20 April 2013, as part of the annual internationally celebrated Record Store Day, No Alternative was released for the first time on vinyl as a special 20th anniversary edition LP.[8] Stereogum lauded the album in a retrospective piece, saying that "it captures the American alternative scene at its commercial, cultural, and critical peak."[9] In an interview with Radio New Zealand, producer Paul Heck discussed the history of the Red Hot Organization and the anniversary of No Alternative, saying that the response from the musicians asked to contribute was "overwhelmingly positive" and that some artists even wrote songs specifically for the compilation.[10]

Album track listing

More information Title, Artist ...
Track listing comparison
No. (CD)No. (Cassette)TitleArtistWriter(s)
11SuperdeformedMatthew SweetMatthew Sweet
22For All to SeeBuffalo TomBuffalo Tom
33Sexual HealingSoul AsylumOdell Brown, Marvin Gaye, David Ritz
44Take a WalkUrge OverkillUrge Overkill
55All Your Jeans Were Too TightAmerican Music ClubMark Eitzel
66BitchGoo Goo Dolls with Lance DiamondMick Jagger, Keith Richards
77Unseen Power of the Picket FencePavementScott Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus
88GlynisThe Smashing PumpkinsBilly Corgan
99Can't Fight ItBob MouldBob Mould
1010Hold OnSarah McLachlanSarah McLachlan
1111Show MeSoundgardenBen Shepherd
1212BrittleStraitjacket FitsShayne Carter, Straitjacket Fits
1313Joed OutBarbara Manning and the San Francisco SealsGraeme Downes
1414Heavy 33The VerlainesGraeme Downes
1515EffigyUncle TupeloJohn Fogerty
1616It's the New Style (Live)Beastie Boys and DJ HurricaneBeastie Boys, Rick Rubin
1717Iris (Live)The BreedersKim Deal
–18Burning Spear (Live)Sonic YouthKim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Richard Edson
–19Hot Nights (Live)Jonathan RichmanJonathan Richman
1820Memorial Song / Memorial Tribute (Live) [a]Patti SmithPatti Smith
1921Verse Chorus Verse ([b] [c])NirvanaKurt Cobain
Close

Home video track listing

Quick facts Video by various artists, Released ...
No Alternative
Video by
various artists
ReleasedFebruary 22, 1994
GenreAlternative rock
Length65:00
LabelPolyGram Video
Directorvarious
Close
  1. Matthew Sweet – "Superdeformed"
  2. Neneh Cherry – "Athens, Georgia 1993"
  3. Urge Overkill – "Take a Walk"
  4. Hole, Luscious Jackson, Free Kitten, Huggy Bear & Bikini Kill – "No Alternative Girls"
  5. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Hot Heads"
  6. Sarah McLachlan – "Hold On"
  7. The Breeders – "Iris"
  8. Patti Smith – "Memorial Tribute"

US live performances:

  2. Goo Goo Dolls – "Bitch"
  3. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Glynis"
    • directed by Beth McCarthy
  4. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Today"
    • directed by Beth McCarthy
  5. Buffalo Tom – "For All to See"
    • directed by Beth McCarthy

UK live performances:

  2. The Breeders – "Iris"
    • directed by Neil Breakwell
  3. Suede – "The Next Life"
    • directed by Derek Jarman

Spoken word:

  2. Maggie Estep – "No More Mr Nice Girl"
  3. Lou Reed – "Busload of Faith"
  4. David Wojnarowicz – "Untitled"

Charts

More information Chart (1993–1994), Peak position ...
Chart (1993–1994) Peak
position
Australia Alternative Albums (ARIA)[11] 15
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12]46
US Billboard 200[13] 56
US Top 100 Pop Albums (Cashbox)[14][15] 21
Close

Notes

  1. [a]
    listed on back cover as "Memorial Tribute;" in booklet as "Memorial Song."
  2. [b]
    The song is labelled as "Verse Chorus Verse", but is generally referred to by its original name of "Sappy" in order to avoid confusion with another, abandoned Nirvana song with the former name.
  3. [c]
    This track is not listed on the tracklisting.

References

Further reading

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI