Green River “Come On Down” 1985. Homestead Records. Today, July 20th, is Green River guitarist Stone Gossard’s 50th birthday (b. 1966). Come on Down is Green River’s first release and is often considered the first grunge recording release. Members of Green River went on to form Mother Love Bone (Gossard, Jeff Ament), Mudhoney (Mark Arm, Steve Turner) and then Pearl Jam (Gossard, Ament).

The EP is very riff-orientated, many nods to metal (Jeff Ament and Gossard both Iron Maiden fans) and early punk (the Stooges). The title track “Come on Down” is heavy, sludgy, and, well, grungy. In the 1996 grunge documentary Hype!, Leighton Beezer of the Thrown Ups plays the main riff of the title track “Come on Down” to illustrate the minor differences between punk and early grunge. (It’s at the 1:40 mark here) “Swallow My Pride” has  a bit more upbeat punk swagger accenting the riffs – you can really hear the roots of Mudhoney on this track. “New God” is thick and sticky while “Ride of Your Life” has a weird tension between breakneck speed and a deep slow drag that is disconcerting; I picture the flannel-clad pit confused in their mosh: first slow head-banging, then frenzied fist pumping, wait now slow down and sway a bit…guitar solo!