The Grungy 1990s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Black

Lead singer Eddie Vedder wrote the lyrics for this song shortly after first meeting the rest of the band on his arrival in Seattle from San Diego. Vedder has said that the song "Western Sky" by American Music Club was the inspiration for his lyrics. "Black" was voted the ninth best ballad of all time by readers of "Rolling Stone" in 2011.

Answer: Celebrity Skin

The song "Celebrity Skin" came from Hole's fourth full-length album and third studio album, which was also called "Celebrity Skin". Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan is credited with writing the opening guitar riff and opening line of the song.

Answer: River of Deceit

Mad Season was a grunge supergroup, featuring Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, Layne Staley from Alice in Chains, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, and John Baker Saunders (whose background was in jazz). Mad Season's only album, "Above" also featured vocals from Screaming Trees lead singer Mark Lanegan. The band disbanded when Saunders died in 1999.

Answer: Rooster

"Rooster" has been featured on a number of Alice in Chains albums, including its second studio album (Dirt) and its "MTV Unplugged" album. "Rooster" was written by guitarist Jerry Cantrell for and about his father, whose nickname was Rooster.

Answer: Nearly Lost You

"Nearly Lost You" was included on the soundtrack for the movie "Singles". That movie was directed by Cameron Crowe and featured members of Pearl Jam as Citizen Dick, the band with Matt Dillon's character as its lead singer. By the time "Singles" came out, Screaming Trees had been together as a group for over seven years, having formed in 1985 in Ellensburg, Washington -- a small town 100 miles from Seattle.

Answer: Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart

"Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart" was included on two of Stone Temple Pilots' albums -- "Tiny Music...Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop" and the greatest hits compilation "Thank You". Scott Weiland has said that this song and its lyrics were an attempt to describe a bad LSD trip. The song reached number one on the Billboard US Modern Rock charts in July of 1996.

Answer: Crown of Thorns

Pearl Jam members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard were members of Mother Love Bone. Mother Love Bone's lead singer, Andrew Wood, died of a drug overdose shortly before the band's major label debut, "Mother Love Bone", was released. Even today and on special occasions, Pearl Jam will perform "Crown of Thorns" live in concert -- as they did in their tenth anniversary show in Las Vegas in 2001.

Answer: Say Hello 2 Heaven

Temple of the Dog was another grunge supergroup which also featured members of Pearl Jam -- as was the case for Mother Love Bone and Mad Season. Temple of the Dog was a collaboration including Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron (who later joined Pearl Jam himself) and Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, and Eddie Vedder.

The band released only one album called "Temple of the Dog", and it was meant as a tribute to Andrew Wood, the lead singer of Mother Love Bone who had died from a drug overdose.

Answer: Spoonman

The song "Spoonman" was inspired by a street performer called Artis the Spoonman, who performed on the streets of Seattle in the early 1990s. The title of the song actually came out of the movie "Singles", as the name "Spoonman" was discussed for the band name for the Matt Dillon character to play in; "Citizen Dick" was the name that was used eventually.

Answer: Pennyroyal Tea

"Pennyroyal Tea" was scheduled to be released as a single in April of 1994. Just before the release date, Kurt Cobain committed suicide. Pennyroyal is an herb that supposedly has the effect of inducing a miscarriage (or abortion) in women. More to the point for Cobain, pennyroyal also is reported to have the effect of soothing an upset stomach.