I looked up this video to say the very thing a commenter said: “I can’t think of anything that captures the vibe of the transition from the late ’80s into the early ’90s more than this video.” There were others, too. But this presaged much of the 1990s and while still having 1980s styling and directly led to the popularity of bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden. No “Epic,” most likely no “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

I remember the first time I saw this video and heard this song. It was on MTV sometime in the spring of 1990. I was transfixed. I recall arguing with some kid at school about it shortly thereafter because he said “Epic” wasn’t “real music” because Mike Patton spends so much time rapping instead of singing. You know, the usual bullshit.

What a great bassline and hook, though.

This was a time when culture still underwent periodic, massive shifts. That just does not happen anymore. It’s all flattened; deculturation in action. Culture has been nearly static since 2005 or so and that shows no signs of changing.