Seven Ages Of Rock -  Left Of The Dial: American Alternative Rock

From America’s underground punk scene in the 1980s to the grunge explosion of the 90s, this episode traces the rise of alternative rock heroes like R.E.M. and Nirvana and unsung pioneers like The Pixies.

Kurt Cobain, rock’s reluctant idol, is at the heart of this story… and his triumph and tragedy continues to cast a powerful shadow. Also featuring Black Flag, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth and The Replacements.

Seven Ages Of Rock explores the music that has been the soundtrack of popular culture and defined each generation since the ‘60s, charting the story of rock music from the suburbs to the stadium, from the crackly 45 to the MP3 download.

From the UK electric blues boom, via the psychedelic rock of the late 60s; from the 70s punk explosion and on to the rise of grunge and indie rock in the 80s and beyond, this series tells the story of the music itself – with contributions from some of the biggest names in rock.