The Greatest Band That Ever Wasn't: The Story of the Roughest, Toughest, Most Hell-Raising Band to Ever Come Out of the Pacific Northwest, the Screaming Trees

by Barrett Martin

In 1992, the Screaming Trees were expected to become the next big band to come out of the Seattle music scene during the heyday of grunge. Except it never happened. It wasn't because the band didn't have great songs—indeed, the Trees were revered for their ability to write a great song that was both artistically original and commercially viable, which is no easy task. Other Seattle bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden were fans of the Screaming Trees, playing shows with them and collaborating on albums, long before their own bands broke through into the mainstream. That kind of success eluded the Screaming Trees, and it seemed as if there were more demons than angels in the band's corner when it came time for the Trees to make their mark. Their songwriting skills, however, remain as their greatest legacy.

Written by Screaming Trees' long-serving drummer, Barrett Martin, The Greatest Band That Ever Wasn't flows like a Greek comedy or tragedy, depending on your viewpoint. Each of the three acts contained in this book features 11 short stories, for a combined total of 33 stories. These tales will make you laugh and perhaps even cry, which is why the saga of the Screaming Trees flows more like a great myth—one that is incredible, at times unbelievable, yet still contains volumes of humor and wisdom.

Genres: Music, Audiobook, Biography

Audible Audio

Published December 28, 2023

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barrett Martin's hair is so big because it's full of secrets! All of which are detailed here! No. That facetious of me. Though I am fascinated with his hair. There's just so much of it!

This isn't a collection of secrets but more a collection of anecdotes from his time within the Screaming Trees, started on his instagram after the passing of singer, Mark Lanegan, but continued and expanded in book form also due to the later passing of bassist, Van Connor.

Martin writes these anecdotes in good humour, there's quite a few moments of out loud giggles but there's also no shying away from the realities of a touring band in the 90s and all that comes with that. The band members were all heavy drinkers minus Gary Lee, Martin detailing his own experiences with alcohol (funnily enough he was the whiskey drinker between he and Lanegan who preferred gin) and more often than not operating on very little money.

But this an interesting and informative read. Martin writes with utter passion about music, collaborations and friendships. Experiences that are truely unusual and becoming rarer.

[Jonas Paro · Rating 4 out of 5]

En lång radda fina, roliga, dråpliga och tunga minnen från mannen som satt bakom trummorna i Screaming Trees under nästan hela 90-talet.

[Wayne Ballew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading Barrett Martin books, and really enjoyed this one in particular.
I had missed out on most of the Screaming Trees music, other than their hits. There was just so much great music during that era, I just never took the time to take in their music.
I found myself checking out their albums and live videos during the time I was reading this great book.
Wow! What a great fricken band! I plan on continuing to listen to their music.
I am indeed a Mad Season fan since back in the day. I’ve found myself over the years playing Above at least once a year. It always brings back memories of those times in the 90’s.
It was fantastic reading and learning about what went down during Martin’s great career. He has a way of making you feel like you are a part of it. I hope he continues to write books. He is a very talented writer.

[Mike Pekara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love anything about the Seattle scene, the screaming trees or mark lanegan, you must read this book. It’s a great counter weight to lanegan’s excellent but at times tough to read Sing Backwards and Weep. The stories are great and it really humanizes mark and the whole band. Great insight into the music and touring business as well. I’m so happy Barrett wrote this. Minor critique: it could’ve used an extra proof reader. A few too many mistakes that spell check can’t catch. Too/to, one/on, that/they and finally assassination/assassin. But that’s just nitpicking. I never dreamed my favorite band that was never huge would have a book written about them. And it didn’t let me down. Loved it!

[Jason Schurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an excellent book. Barrett is not only a multifaceted musician, but a gifted storyteller as well. I highly recommend if you like stories about restless artists.

[Ian Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Barrett Martin’s new book!
Some great stories about the Screaming Trees’ last decade as a band, some funny, some sad/ poignant ones too. I also really appreciated a different perspective of what it was like being in the band. I liked Mark Lanegan’s memoir but I found parts of it really dark and difficult to read, and I didn’t like how he sometimes slagged the band or took a few shots at Lee’s songwriting, in spite of the fact that was why he joined the band in the first place- he recognized Lee’s talent. (I understand that Mark later apologized to Lee after his book came out).
Barrett’s book talks about the “band of brothers” they became and how they (literally) always had each other’s backs, especially when threatened with fisticuffs. And I love how he recognized the many talents of each member, including the genius of Lee’s songwriting. I grew up in Seattle, those were my favorite songs as a teenager and they still move me today.
Barrett also traces his own journey of growth as a musician (and a very cool human) and what he learned from the Trees, Mad Season and the many other musicians he worked with. Highly recommended!

[DB0AT · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry but this one just missed the mark for me.

I love The Screaming Trees and Mad Season and I have the utmost respect for Barrett Martin as an artist and a drummer but really I just didn’t find him an interesting author very much at all.

This is a very lighthearted telling of band with a very dark history. Barrett seems to gloss over some big things but even mentions its not his place to really talk about others demons, which I can respect but I guess its just not really what I wanted to read.

It almost became a chore trying to finish this one up but I finally did.

I will say I really did enjoy the excerpts about when Lanegan moved in with Martin and his girlfriend for a short time and some of the chaos that ensued which would follow Mark nearly anywhere he went.

I’m glad to read about a band that I love but if you’re thinking about reading this just read Sing Backwards and Weep instead, if you already read that and are dying for more Screaming Trees content, thats the only other reason I could see for reading this book.

Sorry Barrett!

2 STARS

[Gabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall he's just good company and this served as a nice corrective to Mark Lanegan's memoir (which was good but got unremittingly dark and at a certain point that no longer seemed like honesty and started to seem instead like self-flagellation). This book was anecdotal which mostly makes sense for a band that was on tour a lot. The last section is a bit too quick tour through Martin's post-Trees life and honestly I would be happy to hear more detail about that stuff, rather than yadda yadda-ing it (though I was mostly here to hear about the prime Seattle years).

Only of interest if you're deeply interested in that scene and especially the Screaming Trees, I still have fond memories of their music at the time and so it really hit me just right.

[Sam Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sharp, heartfelt look at a band that had the songs but never the stability to cash in on their moment. Barrett Martin cuts through the grunge nostalgia and tells the story of the Screaming Trees, a chaotic, gifted, stubborn band that were just didn't quite hit the big time like the other grunge bands in the 90's such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains etc. It’s not a gritty exposé or a polished industry analysis, it is an honest, wry, affectionate account of a band that came close more times than most and still slipped between the cracks. A great read for lovers of the 90's grunge scene.

[Robnrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the dark and ominous vibe of the incomparable Mark Lanegan (lead singer of Screaming Trees), most of the narrative around this incredible band focuses on only infighting and negativity. So it was a truly wondrous thing, for a long time fan, to find out there were in fact times of great joy, many laughs and long standing friendships. Drummer Barrett Martin has done a beautiful thing with this book, in shedding a positive light on this most criminally undervalued band.

[East Bay J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this right after reading Mark Lanegan's autobiography. It's a lot more fun given that Martin has fond, happy memories of his time in the Screaming Trees. His writing doesn't equal the quality of Lanegan's, but Martin filled his book with many interesting, well told stories. It seems like you need to read both of these books to get an idea of what the Trees were all about.

[RJ Freed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good companion piece to Sing Backwards and Weep. Nice to have a more optimistic take on the Screaming Trees and a better perspective for Gary Lee. Not as entertaining as Lannegan’s tales, but it’s nice to have a leveled-perspective on those years. Happy that Barrett appreciates the Screaming Trees so much.

[James Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drummer Barrett Martin recounts his decade with pioneering “grunge” band The Screaming Trees in a memoir that never adopts an elegiac tone, despite the tragic deaths of Trees’ founding members Mark Lanegan and Van Conner in the short period prior to the book’s publication. Instead, Martin tells stories that are alternately harrowing and hilarious as he gives an insider’s view of life in the music world during the alternative/grunge boom of the ‘90s. Packed with profound moments and interesting personal tidbits, this book will be enjoyed by all music fans. And if you wore flannel and Doc Martens at any point in the early ‘90s, you will absolutely cherish this well-written remembrance of musical times gone by.

[Christos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια αναδρομή της ιστορίας των Screaming Trees από τον επί μια δεκαετία drummer τους Barett Martin. Παρότι μιλάει και για τα προβλήματα του συγκροτήματος αλλά και το προσωπικό του με το αλκοόλ, σαφώς πιο "ανάλαφρο" και χιουμοριστικό από τη βιογραφία του Mark Lanegan.

[Samkip · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was 13, I dreamt that Sweet Oblivion-era Barrett Martin and I spent the day listening to music and playing pranks on the other Trees. This audiobook (narrated by the man himself) is the closest I'll ever get to making that dream reality, and I'm totally cool with it.

[Stuart Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barrett Martin's book brings the light to the Screaming Trees story, whereas Mark Lanegan's Read Backwards and Weep brought the darkness.

Humouros account by a many who comes across as a gentle soul - putting a very different spin on the Trees story.

[Damian Konopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is Barrett an incredible drummer, but he’s a great storyteller also. I’ve always been a huge Mark Lanegan fan, but Barrett tells a lot of the band’s stories differently and full of positive lifeblood.

[Camilla Avis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intimate look into a great 90’s rock band. I read this book after I read Lanegan’s memoir “Sing backwards and weep” and got an entirely different view of the band. Lanegan’s view was definitely skewed by his drug use and Martin’s view was more down to earth.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring. Optimistic. Love the band and author.

[Charles Fortune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting, and at times humorous, read about what was probably the most fascinating, and most overlooked, band of the 90s.

[Aisling N · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Needed a good solid proofread but the stories were interesting.

[Casper Marel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book filled with rock anecdotes, lovely addition to Lanegan's Sing Backwards and Wheep.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well told stories, heartfelt, and at times magical. A perfect book for a fan of one of the best live bands of the 80s-90s.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great info coupled with great insight from the level headed member of a few very un-level headed bands.

[Gabriel Vendríes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

"The Greatest Band That Ever Wasn't", escrito por Barrett Martin, el baterista de Screaming Trees, es un relato que captura la hermandad y los altibajos de una banda con un éxito siempre esquivo. Martin nos ofrece un contraste más esperanzador que la biografía de su vocalista, Mark Lanegan.

Aunque Martin no evade los temas oscuros como las drogas y las peleas (internas y externas), su narrativa les da un aire más "rock and roll", más "familia disfuncional" que trata de salir adelante, que la cruda visión de Lanegan. Como fanático de los Trees (mi banda favorita del grunge de Seattle después de Alice in Chains), leer estas 33 historias sobre estos underdogs de esa época es siempre un deleite.

Recomendado si eres fan del movimiento de Seattle de los 80s y 90s y obvimente si eres fan de los Trees, o del trabajo de Lanegan como solista.

RIP Mark Lanegan
RIP Van Conner