No Alternative is an alternative rock compilation album produced by Paul Heck and Chris Mundy. It was released in 1993 to benefit AIDS relief. 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), and the alternate version depicting a girl (with the Nirvana song listed on the back and liner notes; however, some CDs have the girl but no Nirvana mention).
A television special hosted by MTV and a VHS home video release featured live performances, music videos, and information about AIDS.
On the 20th of 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. Stereogum lauded the album in a retrospective piece, saying that "it captures the American alternative scene at its commercial, cultural, and critical peak." In an interview with Radio New Zealand, producer Paul Heck discussed the history of RHO 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.
Album track listing
Home video track listing
- Matthew Sweet "Superdeformed"
- directed by Kevin Kerslake
- Neneh Cherry "Athens, Georgia 1993"
- directed by Jim McKay & Michael Stipe
- Urge Overkill "Take a Walk"
- directed by Matt Mahurin
- Hole, Luscious Jackson, Free Kitten, Huggy Bear & Bikini Kill "No Alternative Girls"
- directed by Tamra Davis
- The Smashing Pumpkins "Hot Heads"
- directed by Jennie Livingston
- Sarah McLachlan "Hold On"
- directed by Nick Gomez
- The Breeders "Iris"
- directed by Hal Hartley
- Patti Smith "Memorial Tribute"
- directed by Derek Jarman
US live performances:
- Goo Goo Dolls "Bitch"
- directed by Beth McCarthy
- The Smashing Pumpkins "Glynis"
- directed by Beth McCarthy
- The Smashing Pumpkins "Today"
- directed by Beth McCarthy
- Buffalo Tom "For All to See"
- directed by Beth McCarthy
UK live performances:
- The Breeders "Iris"
- directed by Neil Breakwell
- Suede "The Next Life"
- directed by Derek Jarman
Spoken word:
- Maggie Estep "No More Mr Nice Girl"
- Lou Reed "Busload of Faith"
- David Wojnarowicz "Untitled"
See also
- Red Hot Organization
- Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series
References
- ^ No Alternative at AllMusic
- ^ "No Alternative (20 anniversary edition)". Dusty Groove. Retrieved 22 March 2013.Â
- ^ http://www.stereogum.com/1541231/no-alternative-turns-20/franchises/the-anniversary/
- ^ http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/2575803/red-hot-paul-heck
External links
- No Alternative at NYU's Fales Library and Special Collections' Guide to the Red Hot Organization Archive (1989â€"2004)