Photo: Van Halen | Staff, American Songwriter | Music lovers may want to think twice before they dismiss garage bands and opening acts. Plenty of influential and celebrated bands began with garage stores as their first stages. Here are nine of the best:
1. Nirvana
One of the most famous garage bands that went from local to national openers before it found worldwide fame is Nirvana. Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic were outcasts at the same Aberdeen, Washington high school. The two became aware of each other, and Cobain gave Novoselic his DIY album. Months later, Novoselic listened to it and agreed to form a band with Cobain.
The duo honed their early music in a hair salon managed by Novoselic’s aunt before getting gigs around the Pacific Northwest. When Nirvana finally settled on a band name and Dave Grohl as its drummer, released Nevermind in 1991, it blew up thanks partly to heavy rotation play on MTV.
Before becoming headliners, the band toured with major artists, including Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
2. Van Halen
Brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen formed the Pasadena, California-based band Mammoth in 1972. After recruiting David Lee Roth as their frontman and Michael Anthony as their bass player in 1974, they changed the band’s name to Van Halen and played house parties and other gigs around Los Angeles.
The band also played some high-profile LA clubs, including the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, and caught the attention of Kiss’ Gene Simmons, who financed the band’s demo. Their self-titled 1978 debut album launched them into mega-star status.
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3. The White Stripes
4. The Beatles
5. The Kinks
6. Arctic Monkeys
7. The Ramones
8. Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. Paul Revere and the Raiders
Read the full story here:
https://americansongwriter.com/6-bands-that-started-as-local-openers/
9 Bands That Started as Local Openers
