--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's not a word that describes us…" description: "\"There's not a word that describes us. We’re not alternative, metal or grunge - we’re not any of that. We’re just what we are.\" — Jerry Cantrell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/jerry-cantrell-23468_alternative_there-s-not-a-word-that-describes-us-we_1161299.png" --- # There's not a word that describes us. We’re not… ![“There's not a word that describes us. We’re not alternative, metal or grunge - we’re not any of that. We’re just what we are.” quote by Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/jerry-cantrell-23468_alternative_there-s-not-a-word-that-describes-us-we_1161299.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/jerry-cantrell-23468_alternative_there-s-not-a-word-that-describes-us-we_1161299.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/jerry-cantrell-23468_alternative_there-s-not-a-word-that-describes-us-we_1161299.png) > “There's not a word that describes us. We’re not alternative, metal or grunge - we’re not any of that. We’re just what we are.” [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The band refuses genre labels, emphasizing authentic self‑definition. **In simple terms:** We are just ourselves. Key Takeaway Embrace your unique identity. Themes authenticity identity genre fluidity Mood defiant proud Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - music industry - personal branding - creative expression Key Concepts sociology self‑definition Questions to Reflect On - What does being “just what we are” mean to you? - How do you resist external categorization? A Different Perspective Labels can help audiences find music. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grunge/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Metals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metals/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I got introduced to the rave scene in 1992. At the time I was into skateboarding; I listened to a little hip-hop but was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-winter/i-got-introduced-to-the-rave-scene-in-1992-at-the-time-i-was-into/) [Pedro Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-winter/) > [When you're in a band - before it got to grunge - you dressed the bit. So yeah, I've always had an attitude with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/when-you-re-in-a-band-before-it-got-to-grunge-you-dressed-the-bit-so/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [My exposure to independent music was via Nirvana and grunge so I'd never gotten into punk. I don't really like that music of Crass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elverum/my-exposure-to-independent-music-was-via-nirvana-and-grunge-so-i-d/) [Phil Elverum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elverum/) > [What was interesting about grunge was that it was this death sentence to the rock that had preceded it, which was hair metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/what-was-interesting-about-grunge-was-that-it-was-this-death-sentence/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [I'm too young to have experienced firsthand the '70s rock, but when I was in high school, me and my friends were super into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-lee-o-malley/i-m-too-young-to-have-experienced-firsthand-the-70s-rock-but-when-i/) [Bryan Lee O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-lee-o-malley/) > [I was a failed grunge kid who was too nerdy to totally get down with rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/i-was-a-failed-grunge-kid-who-was-too-nerdy-to-totally-get-down-with/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [I hate grunge. It was the worst period of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-allen-mellen/i-hate-grunge-it-was-the-worst-period-of-my-life/) [Polly Allen Mellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-allen-mellen/) > [I think the Cosmic Psychos were a band that was highly influential on the Seattle so called grunge scene. I know that Kurt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-vig/i-think-the-cosmic-psychos-were-a-band-that-was-highly-influential-on/) [Butch Vig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-vig/) > [I absolutely think the Seattle grunge sound was instrumental to my music education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cook/i-absolutely-think-the-seattle-grunge-sound-was-instrumental-to-my/) [David Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cook/) > [I think we should wear any look we want to! The grunge style early 1990s is one of my favorites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-ting/i-think-we-should-wear-any-look-we-want-to-the-grunge-style-early/) [Chloe Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-ting/) > [I like women who look like women. I hated grunge. No one's more feminist than me, but you don't have to look as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-like-women-who-look-like-women-i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I was big into grunge, like Nirvana and Hole, when I was younger, which has been a really huge inspiration because of its rawness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-lo/i-was-big-into-grunge-like-nirvana-and-hole-when-i-was-younger-which/) [Tove Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-lo/) > [As far as the grunge thing, there are three bands from Seattle that I would call true grunge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-jones/as-far-as-the-grunge-thing-there-are-three-bands-from-seattle-that-i/) [Adam Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-jones/) > [The grunge scene is not what I'm interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-bean-cobain/the-grunge-scene-is-not-what-i-m-interested-in/) [Frances Bean Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-bean-cobain/) > [I hated grunge. No one’s more feminist than me, but you don’t have to look as if you don’t give a - you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more-feminist-than-me-but-you-don-t-have-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) ## More by Jerry Cantrell > [Success has a lot to do with luck, but it also involves a lot of real hard work. The thing about success is you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/success-has-a-lot-to-do-with-luck-but-it-also-involves-a-lot-of-real/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [Like everybody, I'm making up my life as I go along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/like-everybody-i-m-making-up-my-life-as-i-go-along/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [In '98, I locked myself in my house, went out of my mind and wrote 25 songs. I rarely bathed during that period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/in-98-i-locked-myself-in-my-house-went-out-of-my-mind-and-wrote-25/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [Times change and you have to adapt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/times-change-and-you-have-to-adapt/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [I've never been a big soloist; I just put in what needs to be there. I'm more of a rhythm player who plays lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/i-ve-never-been-a-big-soloist-i-just-put-in-what-needs-to-be-there-i/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [That's always been a dream for me, to be able to collaborate and make music with the people that inspired you to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/that-s-always-been-a-dream-for-me-to-be-able-to-collaborate-and-make/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [Bands don't last. Bands don't last forever - it's a rarity when they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/bands-don-t-last-bands-don-t-last-forever-it-s-a-rarity-when-they-do/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [To me not one thing is better than anything else, I'm completely proud of everything I've written and recorded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/to-me-not-one-thing-is-better-than-anything-else-i-m-completely-proud/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [Part of the healing process is sharing with other people who care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/part-of-the-healing-process-is-sharing-with-other-people-who-care/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [I can sing fine and I can play guitar fine, but put 'em together and it becomes a thoughtful effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/i-can-sing-fine-and-i-can-play-guitar-fine-but-put-em-together-and-it/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [I didn't really know Kurt that well, but there was a guy I always admired. We didn't spend much time together, but the few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/i-didn-t-really-know-kurt-that-well-but-there-was-a-guy-i-always/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [Every record that you do man, is sooo different in every way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/every-record-that-you-do-man-is-sooo-different-in-every-way/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [One thing that you hope for when you want to be a musician is that you have that recognizable sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/one-thing-that-you-hope-for-when-you-want-to-be-a-musician-is-that/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [Every record, you've got more experiences to draw on as a writer and a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/every-record-you-ve-got-more-experiences-to-draw-on-as-a-writer-and-a/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) > [When power ballads come back, we'll get big hair again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-cantrell/when-power-ballads-come-back-we-ll-get-big-hair-again/) [Jerry Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) [Explore all 26 Jerry Cantrell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-cantrell/) ## More Alternative quotes > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [In my book I specifically discussed the structural nature of injustice and offered Nine Touchstones of Goddess ethics as an alternative to the Ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/in-my-book-i-specifically-discussed-the-structural-nature-of/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) Don Chipp > [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [It's American Alternative radio stations that bug me. We're considered Alternative, but don't expect us to be played next to Blink 182 and Offspring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/it-s-american-alternative-radio-stations-that-bug-me-we-re-considered/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [There are some fantastic, brilliant alternative doctors out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-mills/there-are-some-fantastic-brilliant-alternative-doctors-out-there/) [Hayley Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-mills/) > [The alternative to the market process is government control, and we know where that principle leads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-richman/the-alternative-to-the-market-process-is-government-control-and-we/) [Sheldon Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-richman/) > [Alternative services would mean that there would be services available to compete with Google, Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Skype, etc., and they would be run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikko-hypponen/alternative-services-would-mean-that-there-would-be-services/) [Mikko Hypponen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikko-hypponen/) > [I liked a lot of alternative and I like punk stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/i-liked-a-lot-of-alternative-and-i-like-punk-stuff/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I've thought about what is an alternative word to feminism. There isn't one. It's a perfectly good word. And it can't be changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-ve-thought-about-what-is-an-alternative-word-to-feminism-there-isn/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [The Voice has always been an alternative paper. They have always understood that that was part of their role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-schanberg/the-voice-has-always-been-an-alternative-paper-they-have-always/) [Sydney Schanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-schanberg/) > [Please don't eat less, eat right, don't hold it in, its okay to cry, do not hurt yourself there is always an alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/please-don-t-eat-less-eat-right-don-t-hold-it-in-its-okay-to-cry-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Gospel is not an alternative, it’s an ultimatum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/the-gospel-is-not-an-alternative-it-s-an-ultimatum/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [Alternative medicine plays into this exaggerated notion that you can prevent disease simply by doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/alternative-medicine-plays-into-this-exaggerated-notion-that-you-can/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) Browse all 400 Alternative quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's not a word that describes us. 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