Alternative Rock Band Continues to Hold Onto ’90s Feud With Grunge Band

In the early ’90s, the grunge music scene emerged, often credited with replacing the hair metal era. However, there was a band from that period not associated with grunge that still holds a grudge against one of the grunge bands that rose to fame in the early ’90s. This band is the Spin Doctors, and their lead singer, Chris Barron, has expressed his ongoing resentment towards Pearl Jam due to their overwhelming success, which in turn affected Spin Doctors’ promotion within their record label.

Recently, Spin Doctors made a comeback with their first new album in 13 years, titled “Face Full of Cake.” However, when they first started their career in 1991 with their debut album, “Pocket Full of Kryptonite,” they found themselves competing for attention among a new wave of bands.

Despite their decent success with the album, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart and receiving five times platinum certification, Chris Barron believes that their band could have achieved even greater heights if their record label had not prioritized Pearl Jam over them. In a candid discussion on the Rolling Stone Now podcast, Barron expressed his lingering animosity towards Pearl Jam, admitting that he still struggles to appreciate their music all these years later.

Barron explained how frustrating it was to constantly see Pearl Jam’s promotional materials overshadowing those of the Spin Doctors. He recounted instances where local newspapers featured full-page ads for Pearl Jam’s gigs and albums, while Spin Doctors struggled to find similar visibility. According to Barron, walking into a record store would reveal a massive display for Pearl Jam and only one copy of their own record, highlighting the inequality in promotion that they faced.

Despite the challenges, Spin Doctors did achieve considerable success with their debut album in 1991. They secured a Rolling Stone cover, appeared on Saturday Night Live as musical guests in 1992, and their music video for “Two Princes” received heavy rotation on MTV, propelling them to stardom. The album spawned five successful singles, including “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” “What Time Is It?” and “How Could You Want Him (When You Could Have Me?)” that enjoyed significant radio and MTV play.

In comparison, Pearl Jam’s album “Ten” enjoyed even greater success, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and producing four hit singles, including “Alive,” “Even Flow,” “Jeremy,” and “Oceans.” The music video for “Jeremy” won Best Video of the Year at MTV, earning the band multiple Grammy nominations and eventually induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame. “Ten” also achieved Diamond certification in the U.S., selling over 13 million copies.

While Spin Doctors experienced commercial challenges with their subsequent albums and parted ways with their record label after their third studio album, Pearl Jam continued to thrive in their music career. Looking back, the rivalry between these two bands in the ’90s remains a lingering point of contention for Chris Barron and Spin Doctors, presenting a unique perspective on the competitive nature of the music industry during that era.