Because grunge arose from a relatively condensed geographic area: the city of Seattle, and the surrounding area in the Pacific Northwest, many of the musicians involved were actually longtime acquaintances, often friends (or, at worst friendly rivals), as well as bandmates at one time or another. So once the Seattle scene exploded to national and then international fame, it was only natural that those same musicians would find solace from the media storm in each other’s creative company, while doing what they do best: write and play music.

The resulting music was as incestuous as it was inspired, sometimes achieving no small commercial success for a select number of these short-lived ensembles, sometimes not, but almost always giving fans a bundle of alternate musical realities to enjoy and ponder exciting “what ifs."

While the parameters of what is and isn't "grunge" have changed with the evolving musical landscape, we decided to look at that exhilarating period in musical history and reminisce about some of the many supergroups and temporary collaborations that came from it (and, in some cases, still exist today) in one form or another. Check them out below.

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