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Screaming Trees were grunge’s great outsiders. They came from a small college town east of the Cascades, they loved 1960s psychedelia as much as punk, and they had one of the most extraordinary voices in rock in Mark Lanegan. They never sold records like Nirvana or Pearl Jam, but musicians and critics have long treated them as one of the scene’s essential bands.
| Formed | 1985, Ellensburg, Washington |
| Members | Mark Lanegan (vocals), Gary Lee Conner (guitar), Van Conner (bass), Mark Pickerel and later Barrett Martin (drums) |
| Genres | Grunge, psychedelic rock, alternative rock |
| Best-known song | “Nearly Lost You” (1992) |
| Active | 1985–2000 |
Brothers Gary Lee and Van Conner, singer Mark Lanegan and drummer Mark Pickerel formed the band in Ellensburg, a farming and college town about two hours from Seattle. Their early records mixed garage rock, punk and 1960s psychedelic pop, closer in spirit to the Doors or the Creation than to Black Sabbath.
After a debut on a small local label, they signed to SST, the influential independent label of Black Flag and the Minutemen. Between 1987 and 1989 they released a string of records that built a loyal underground following and helped shape what would become the Seattle sound.
A rough, energetic debut showing the band’s psychedelic garage roots.
Their first SST album. “Transfiguration” and “Don’t Look Down” are the places to start.
Stronger songwriting and heavier guitars. Buzz Factory, produced by Jack Endino, is the best of their independent records.
Their major-label debut on Epic, co-produced by Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell. “Bed of Roses” earned modern rock airplay.
The breakthrough, with new drummer Barrett Martin. “Nearly Lost You” appeared on the soundtrack to the film Singles and became a modern rock hit. “Shadow of the Season” and “Dollar Bill” are just as good, and the album is often named among the most underrated records of the decade.
Their final album, produced by George Drakoulias, is lush, soulful and full of Eastern and folk textures. “All I Know” and “Sworn and Broken” show how far the band had travelled.
The band split in 2000. A posthumous album, Last Words: The Final Recordings, was released in 2011.
Lanegan’s deep, weathered baritone made Screaming Trees instantly recognizable. After the band, he built one of rock’s most respected solo careers, sang with Queens of the Stone Age, recorded duet albums with Isobel Campbell, and collaborated with dozens of artists. He also wrote two acclaimed memoirs. He died in February 2022.
Soundgarden, Mudhoney, the Afghan Whigs, Queens of the Stone Age, Mark Lanegan’s solo albums and Alice in Chains.
Ellensburg, Washington, a small college town in central Washington.
Mark Lanegan.
“Nearly Lost You” (1992), from Sweet Oblivion and the Singles soundtrack.
Sweet Oblivion (1992) is the most accessible, and Dust (1996) is a great second step.
“Nearly Lost You” is one of the deep cuts our grunge programmers love to drop between the bigger Seattle hits. Catch it on Where Modern Rock Meets Grunge, check the radio show schedule, or press play on the live stream. Want a specific song? Send a request or dedication.
About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.
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