No Alternative

No Alternative is an alternative rock compilation album produced by Paul Heck and Chris Mundy that was released in 1993. It was the third compilation put together by the Red Hot Organization, a charity dedicated to raising money for and awareness of AIDS relief. The album features original tracks and cover versions from bands who went on to define the alternative rock scene of the 1990s. It was released with two different versions of album art: the standard version depicting a boy (without the Nirvana song listed on the back and liner notes), and the alternate version depicting a girl (some with and some without the Nirvana song listed on the back and liner notes).

A television special hosted by MTV and a VHS home video release featured live performances, music videos, and information about AIDS.

On 20 April 2013, as part of the annual internationally celebrated Record Store Day, No Alternative was released for the first time on vinyl as a special 20th anniversary edition LP. Stereogum lauded the album in a retrospective piece, saying that "it captures the American alternative scene at its commercial, cultural, and critical peak." In an interview with Radio New Zealand, producer Paul Heck discussed the history of the Red Hot Organization and the anniversary of No Alternative, saying that the response from the musicians asked to contribute was "overwhelmingly positive" and that some artists even wrote songs specifically for the compilation.

Album track listing

Home video track listing

1. Matthew Sweet – "Superdeformed" directed by Kevin Kerslake
2. Neneh Cherry – "Athens, Georgia 1993" directed by Jim McKay & Michael Stipe
3. Urge Overkill – "Take a Walk" directed by Matt Mahurin
4. Hole, Luscious Jackson, Free Kitten, Huggy Bear & Bikini Kill – "No Alternative Girls" directed by Tamra Davis
5. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Hot Heads" directed by Jennie Livingston
6. Sarah McLachlan – "Hold On" directed by Nick Gomez
7. The Breeders – "Iris" directed by Hal Hartley
8. Patti Smith – "Memorial Tribute" directed by Derek Jarman

US live performances:

1. Goo Goo Dolls – "Bitch" directed by Beth McCarthy
2. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Glynis" directed by Beth McCarthy
3. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Today" directed by Beth McCarthy
4. Buffalo Tom – "For All to See" directed by Beth McCarthy

UK live performances:

1. The Breeders – "Iris" directed by Neil Breakwell
2. Suede – "The Next Life" directed by Derek Jarman

Spoken word:

1. Maggie Estep – "No More Mr Nice Girl"
2. Lou Reed – "Busload of Faith"
3. David Wojnarowicz – "Untitled"

Charts

Notes

Further reading

• Gomez, Jeff (2023). . McFarland Books. ISBN978-1-4766-8976-0.

External links

• at NYU's Fales Library and Special Collections' Guide to the Red Hot Organization Archive (1989–2004)