TUNE-UPS NEWS + NOTES
THERE WAS Atime at the dawn of the alternative rock explosion when Scottish quartet Teenage Fanclub seemed destined for rock stardom. They toured with Nirvana, performed on Saturday Night Live, and Spin rated Bandwagonesque as the best album of 1991, ahead of Nirvana and R.E.M. Suddenly, every media outlet wanted a piece of the bedraggled, jangly rockers, who were touted as alt-rock saviors.
“It was a really exciting time for us,” says guitarist and vocalist Norman Blake. “We got to tour the world and play these amazing places. We played a huge venue in Stockholm, and after Nirvana’s soundcheck we left with them and found a little play park. We all bought ice cream cones and ate them sitting on this swing set. That was really memorable because in the middle of all this craziness, we had this private, innocent moment with these nice, friendly people from America.”
Critics and alt-rock was ultimately a sales disappointment for the record company, which hoped it would be platinum within a few months. For Teenage Fanclub, however, the album allowed them to keep playing shows and recording music, which was all they had ever strived for.
