History of the 90s

From the moment grunge music went mainstream in the fall of 1991 the clock was ticking down toward its tragic end just a few years later.But in the meantime, the huge success of Seattle bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and SoundGarden led to a frenzy by record labels to sign other grunge type bands. And as the Seattle area was picked dry of talent the search for half-way decent bands wearing flannel and playing detuned guitars expanded beyond the Pacific Northwest.At the same time, the bands that pioneered the movement were struggling with mainstream fame and were trying desperately to distance themselves from commercial success.  On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora takes a look back at the final days of grunge with the help of Alan Cross, host of the Curiouscast podcast, The Ongoing History of New Music.Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caGuest:Alan Cross, host of The Ongoing History of New Musicwww.ajournalofmusicalthings.comTwitter: @alancrossFor more about the life and death of Kurt Cobain listen to the Ongoing History of New Music’s episode on the 25th anniversary of his passing.  Available anywhere you stream audio and here: https://omny.fm/shows/ongoing-history-of-new-music/kurt-cobain-25-years-later For exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the uninitiated, grunge begins and ends with Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Maybe sprinkle in a little Pearl Jam or Sound Garden and a few flannels and that’s grunge. A moment in time that has long passed, but frozen in our memories because of Cobain’s early death.But grunge is so much more than one band, and one singer who may have had an outsized impact on the movement but was just one of piece of a genre of music and an attitude that captivated the world at the beginning of the 90s.On this episode of History of the 90s host Kathy Kenzora takes a look back at the birth of grunge with the help of Alan Cross, host of the Curiouscast podcast, The Ongoing History of the New Music.Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caGuest:Alan Cross, host of The Ongoing History of New Musicwww.ajournalofmusicalthings.comTwitter: @alancrossA note on sources:For more information about the birth of grunge and some of the pioneers of the movement check out Northwest Passage, a project dedicated to the music scene of the Pacific Northwest region of the 80s and 90s. This website was a great source for information and facts contained in this episode.For exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you grew up in the 1980s or 90s chances are you watched a lot of Nickelodeon or at least some of the fun kids shows made by the cable network. During its golden years, Nickelodeon not only had over 50 per cent of the kid audience share, but it was also one of the most profitable cable networks out there.  Plus it revolutionized kids programming with new and innovative game shows, variety shows, cartoons and sitcoms.On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora looks back at the rise of the cable channel dedicated to kids and the period between 1983 and 1995 known as Nickelodeon’s Golden Age.Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caGuests: Mathew Klickstein, author of Slimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon’s Golden Agewww.mathewklickstein.comChris Morgan, author of The Nickelodeon ‘90s: Cartoons, Game Shows and a Whole Bunch of Slime For exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1990s the FBI’s most wanted criminal was an elusive mystery bomber who had been mailing dangerous and deadly packages to executives and university professors since 1978. The UNABOMBER had left a trail of destruction around the United States, but the FBI had very little hard evidence that could help solve the case.Then in 1993 after a six year hiatus the UNABOMBER was back on the scene and the devices he sent were more powerful and sophisticated. Officials worried it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened. On this episode of History of the 90s host Kathy Kenzora looks back at one of the largest and most expensive manhunts in FBI history.You’ll hear from two of the FBI agents who were instrumental in the investigation that finally led to the capture of the Unabomber.Proud Sponsor of SickKids VS: https://www.sickkidsfoundation.com/podcastThis episode of History of the 90s is supported by Command Line Heroes.Command Line Heroes: Season 7: The Internet Class of ‘95 (redhat.com)Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caGuests:Max Noel, served as an F.B.I. special Agent for thirty-one (31) years. He retired in 1999. Terry Turchie, retired from the FBI in April 2001, having served as the first Deputy Assistant Director of the newly created Counterterrorism Division of the FBI from March, 2000 to April, 2001.Along with their colleague Jim Freeman they co-wrote; Unabomber: How the FBI Broke Its Own Rules to Capture the Terrorist Ted Kaczynski. They have written a sequel to the book which includes some of Kaczinski’s own writings. Capturing the Unabomber: The FBI’s Insider Story is scheduled to be released in May 2021. For exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1987 four young DJs from London took a trip to the Mediterranean Island of Ibiza for a birthday celebration. On their first night they attended an ecstasy-fueled party at club Amnesia, dancing under the stars to a mix of techno and house music played by legendary DJ Alfredo. The experience was life changing and when the four DJs returned home to London they organized some of the city’s first all night raves and were instrumental in pioneering a massive youth culture movement that spread from the UK, through Europe and around North America.On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora looks back at the rise and fall of 90s rave culture and how the movement continues to be felt today. Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.ca Guests: Scott Fraser: Club Owner, Manager, Entrepreneur in the entertainment scene in Toronto in the 80’s & 90’s including legendary clubs THE FACTORY & OZ.Twitter: @HogtownsmokeScot Turner: Radio broadcaster who worked at alternative 102.1 CFNY in the 80’s and was Program Director for dance music station Energy 108 in the 90’s.Twitter: @ScotturnerFor exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On November 30, 1999, thousands of protestors locked arms and marched into downtown Seattle. They surrounded a convention center where a conference organized by the World Trade Organization was set to take place over the next four days.Most of the demonstrators were peaceful but among their ranks was a small core of protestors dressed in black clothes and ski masks waiting for the right moment to unleash violence and mayhem.It was one of the largest acts of mass civil disobedience in US history and marked the unofficial start of the anti-globalization movement. On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora looks back at the rise of anti-globalization and the Battle in Seattle.Guests:John Sellers: Executive Director & Co-Founder of The Other 98www.other98.comTwitter: @other98Norm Stamper: Former Seattle Police Chief & Authorwww.normstamper.comTwitter: @normstamperLesley Wood: Associate Professor of Sociology at York University & Author Twitter: @lesleybikesShow Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caFor exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an era before podcasts and satellite radio, the 1990s was the peak of the shock jock genre on terrestrial radio. Big names like Howard Stern, Don Imus and Rush Limbaugh attracted legions of devoted fans with their controversial shows that often ran afoul of the FCC and special interest groups.  On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora looks back at three of the most famous radio shock jocks from the 90s and the impact they had on radio and society at large and considers whether shock jocks still exist today. Guest:Mario A. Murillo, Professor of Radio, Television, Film & Journalism and Vice Dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University.Twitter: @marioradio99Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caFor exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 30th anniversary of Woodstock was supposed to celebrate the iconic music festival known for peace, love and happiness but instead Woodstock ’99 turned into a weekend of violence and mayhem.The weekend ended with a fiery riot and reports of numerous sexual assaults, some taking place in the mosh pit. On this episode of History of the 90s we are looking back at the 1999 event in Rome, New York with the help of someone who was there.  A former MTV employee tells us about price gouging, overcrowding, scorching heat and misogynistic behaviour spurred on by aggressive nu-metal bands. Guest: Jeff Cornell, freelance journalistWoodstock '99: A Reporter on the Ground Remembers the Chaos - VarietyTwitter: @jeffcornell56Contact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.ca  For exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 90s were an era filled with new and inventive tech toys. It seemed liked every year another new gadget hit the market causing a buying frenzy at toy stores.Some were fads that quickly fizzled out while others were so revolutionary that they continue to impact us to this day. On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Kenzora is looking back at some of the most memorable tech toys and gadgets from the 1990s.Guest:Brandon Saltalamacchia www.retrododo.comTwitter: @iambrandonsaltContact: Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caFor exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Princess Diana, along with her boyfriend and driver were killed in a car crash on August 31, 1997, the course of history changed. The ‘People’s Princess’ and the mother to a future King was dead and a reckoning with the paparazzi was about to begin. From the moment Diana began dating Prince Charles she was stalked by aggressive photographers who she would later say made her life unbearable. Diana’s brother said at her funeral that every editor in the UK who paid for intrusive photographs of the princess had blood on their hands following her death. On this episode of History of the 90s we are looking back at the relationship between Princess Diana and the paparazzi and the changes that followed her tragic death.Guest:Mark Karloff, Los Angeles Photographer, and co-host of Paparazzi Podcastwww.paparazzipodcast.comTwitter: @PapsouljahInstagram: @PaparazzipodcastContact:Twitter: @1990shistoryFacebook: @1990shistoryInstagram: @that90spodcastEmail: 90s@curiouscast.caBlog: www.historyofthe90sblog.caFor exclusive bonus content subscribe to History of the 90s Patreon page.: https://patreon.com/historyofthe90s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices