University of South Carolina Libraries
\ /■ I \ THEY SAID 1^ Page 6 ^ I I /\ "How you doin’?” Friday, September 10, 2004 -A-T -1 joey (MAmeBLANC) _ ^ _ ' ___ ^ ^ _ , _^ By MARIA CHARLES THE GAMECOCK It was a decade of technology, scientific advancement, war, peace and economic prosperity. And while it is difficult to create a complete perspective on how these years shaped the future, certain events and trends influenced great change and their impact is still evident today. During the 1990s, a decrease in computer costs led to explosive growth of the Internet and household use of computers. “I remember when my family got our first computer,” second-year education student Jamie Harrison said. “I had to hook it up because my parents didn’t know how.” People adapted quickly to the new technology. In the early nineties, there were 15 million e-mail accounts worldwide. By the end of the decade, 569 million e-mail accounts existed. E-mail was quickly adopted as a new form of communication. Information became readily available from the over 2.1 billion Web sites existing by 2000. The widespread use of computers also led to an unforgettable public dilemma. The year 2000 problem, Y2K, created panic. Since computer programs stored years in only double digits, it was possible that 2000 would be translated as “00” and would be interpreted as the year 1900. People feared computer programs would misread date comparisons and produce erroneous results. Systems using this “date logic” could fail. Some thought the world would come to an end and prepared for the worst while others took a more laid-back approach. “I thought Y2K was a joke. I thought it was funny the whole world was going crazy, but I do remember my dad having to reprogram a bunch of computers at work,” second-year music student Casey Smith said. In the 1990s, the prevalence of technology provided a new medium for information and communication, but the scare of losing it all was a stark warning that dependence can be dangerous. Scientific advancement in the ’90s surpassed expectations. In 1990 the Human Genome Project announced its goals to determine the 3 billion base pairs in the human genome and also to identify all the genes. The $3 billion project was estimated to take 15 years, but by 2000 a preliminary draft was already finished. Understanding the genome provides a better picture for doctors and biotechnicians to find cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. Blurring the distinction between scientific limits and humanity, society was forced to debate the implications of cloning when on Feb. 27, 1997 scientists announced the birth of an ewe named Dolly, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. Science fiction became reality and the effects were hard to determine. A doctor was quoted in the Wall Street Journal saying, “The potential of gene technology is beyond the comprehension of most people today.” Society was forced to handle an innovation many could not wrap their minds around. Cloning paved the way for genetic engineering in human children, especially genetic screening for hereditary diseases and genetic compatibility for stem cell transplantation in siblings, according to en.wikipedia.org. In the early nineties, politically, the times seem to parallel today’s concerns. The United States was at war with Saddam Hussein for the first time. The Gulf War began when the Iraqis invaded Kuwait. Iraq became dangerously close to the valuable Hama oil fields in Saudi Arabia. “No Blood For Oil” became a protest slogan of this war. The effects of this war remain evident today. A United Nations Special Commission on weapons was established which monitored Iraq’s adherence to restrictions involving weapons of mass destruction. There was a “sharp revival in Islamic extremism” (en.wikipedia.org). The Gulf War helped set a tone between the United States and Iraq. Threats to America could not be tolerated. Tensions continue. During apartheid in South Africa, non whites were excluded from national government and trains, buses and hospitals were segregated. Apartheid laws were banned in 1990 and in 1994 Nelson Mandela was sworn in as president of South Africa and a commission was established to rewrite, the constitution. The importance of free elections and the ability to vote were revered and brought to light in this conflict. Genocide in Rwanda killed 937,000 people during this time. Ethnic tensions increased until President Habyarimana instituted genocidal pogroms. Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered, many dismembered by machetes. Largely, the world ignored this problem. Apathy toward African strife caused President Clinton to publicly apologize to Rwanda, and many celebrities and activists continue years later to campaign for more aid for Africans. These killings weighed heavily on the social conscience. Politically, people faced the challenge to protect human rights. The presidency itself was also under scrutiny. Bill Clinton’s sex scandal with intern Monica Lewinsky and the impeachment trial that ensued left the American public uneasy and divided. Some felt private acts did not affect Clinton’s ability to run the country. Others were disgusted by his lies. The media exposure is hard to forget. “I thought (the scandal) was ridiculous. It was shoved down your throat,” Smith said. Morals, deceit and invasion of privacy were hotly contested? Americans looked to the Constitution to deal with the misdeeds of their leader. £ Economically, life was good. Professor ^ of history Gil Troy at McGill University characterized the ’90s as “the era when Yuppies reigned and greed was good” and “an era of great wealth, and even greater consumption, as the gap between rich and poor has bulged” (giltroy.com). The stock market boom led to economic prosperity. “Irrational exuberance” was the phrase coined by Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan. Some interpreted this as a warning the market might be overvalued, particularly the dot-com companies. Encapsulating a decade in terms of trends and events provides a small description of life at that time. Retrospect provides answers and reflection encourages revelation. But it remains to be seen how future generations will interpret these times. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu ’90s produced new music styles By FELICIA SAILEY THE GAMECOCK The ’90s — grunge, pop, rap, R&B and dance; Riot grrls and pretty boys; Latin, indie and swing; ’8 Os-inspired and totally new. Just about every genre of popular music from rock to techno/dance had a place between 1990 and 2000. Rock became serious (and angsty) again, after becoming all about partying and promiscuous women in the ’80s. Grunge broke onto the scene in 1991 with bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumpkins. In 1991, Nirvana released its top-selling album, “Nevermind”. The “Seattle sound”, as such music became referred to, moved east spawning the development of alternative rock bands including the Gin Blossoms, Hootie & the Blowfish, the Counting Crows, Bush and Silver Chair. Bush’s debut album, “Sixteen Stone,” went quadruple platinum. Bands like Oasis, the Barenaked Ladies, and Garbage were very much inspired by if not actually part of this movement. Feminism in rock became increasingly pronounced. The spark of enthusiasm of the Riot Grrl movement of the early ’90s dimmed after a few years, but the impact was felt in mainstream music like Alanis Morissette’s 1996 Grammy winning* album “Jagged Little Pill” featuring hits such as “Ironic” and “You Oughta Know.” Riot Grrl enthusiasm more heavily impacted indie rock — the likes of Liz Phair for example. Phair released her widely praised “Exile in Guyville” in 1993. Artists like Lisa Loeb, The Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, Jewel, Shawn Colvin and Paula Cole brought a folksier feel to rock. Jewel received the American Music Award for Best New Artist for her 1995 debut album, “Pieces of You.” In 1997, Sarah McLachlan organized the first “Lilith Fair,” a tour showcasing strictly female artists. Metal also became really big in the ’90s with Metallica releasing its self-titled album, which held the No. 1 position for four consecutive weeks. Marilyn Manson’s “Antichrist Superstar” received critical acclaim when it came out in 1996. The fusion of metal, punk and rap helped create what is known today as nil rock, a genre including bands such as Korn and Limp Bizkit, which was especially popular towards the end of the decade. Rap also shared the ’90s spotlight. In 1990, M.C. Hammer released “U Can’t Touch This,” which gave the lagging dance scene a boost. 2 Live Crew released the first live rap album, “Live in Concert” in 1991, and House of Pain came out with the party hit “Jump Around” in 1992. Influential “white-boy” rappers of the early part of the decade included Vanilla Ice with the 1991 hit, “Ice Ice Baby,” and Markey Mark and the Funky Bunch with “Good Vibrations” also released in 1991. Groups like the Wu-Tang Clan and Salt-n-Pepa, and artists like Tupac Shakur, Queen Latifah, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Lil’ Kim and Biggie Smalls rose to the top of the charts. R&B was also going through some changes during the decade, creating a hipper image for itself with artists such as Boys II Men, All-4-One, En Vogue, R. Kelly, Babyface and Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey’s 1991 single, “Emotion,” reached ' No. 1, a record fifth consecutive chart topper for the celebrated songstress. Toni Braxton, Brian McKnight and TLC were also influential in the development of modern R8cB — TLC sold big with their hit second album, “CrazySexyCool.” Teen pop started off with music that was more or less an outgrowth of the ’80s — remember New Kids on the Block? 1993 saw synthesized pop arrive from Europe in the form of Ace of Base. “The Sign” was a smash hit in Europe and abroad. This synthesizer-heavy dance music was embraced by American groups like Real McCoy (’95), No Mercy (’96) and LaBouche (’97). Amid all the techno-pop came many groups and individual artists who would later be remembered as bubblegum pop. The Backstreet Boys came out with their self-titled debut in 1996, followed by 98 degrees in 1997 and N’sync in 1998. In 1997, the Spice Girls released “Spice” which contained international chart toppers “Wannabe” and “Say You’ll be There.” Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson all released debut albums in 1999. After the movie “Selena” came out, Latin music became an overnight sensation pushing such artists as Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez to the forefront. Christina Aguilera even started work on a Spanish language album in 1999. The renewed interest in “party” music reached out to the swing and big band music of the ’30s and ’40s. Revivalist bands Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Brian Setzer Orchestra and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy rounded out the decade with a decidedly retro sound. The ’90s produced songs that have evidenced staying power — even if we have only been out of the decade for four years. From alt-rock to Latin to R&B, the modernization of many genres left a mark on the popular music industry that will forever be felt. Comments on this story? E-mail g. gamecockfeattires@gwm.sc.edu mSSBBm Ihhbi^