Rediscover Tina Bell: The Black Woman at the Heart of Grunge
Rediscover Tina Bell: The Black Woman at the Heart of Grunge
Her name was Tina Bell, and she was the frontwoman of Bam Bam, a historic group from the American Northwest among the genre's founders. Along with her, there are many other “godmothers.”
Tina Bell is a pioneering force in Seattle’s grunge scene who played a crucial role in shaping the genre that emerged from the American Northwest. Born in the mid-20th century in Seattle’s Central District—a predominantly African American neighborhood—Bell grew up immersed in music, which eventually led her to alter its history.
She began singing at Mount Zion Baptist Church and, in her early twenties, took to the stage with the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, touring with the French-language opera C’est si bon. During her theater career, she met Tommy Martin, two years her junior, who offered to tutor her in French after having lived in France. Their connection blossomed into marriage, and they welcomed a son, TJ, who would later become a renowned director and documentary filmmaker.
In 1983, the couple’s ambitions shifted toward music. According to Matteo Ceschi—an essayist, journalist, and historian who authored G. Storia ed estetica Grunge, published on September 17th by Vololibero editions—an ad appeared in The Rocket: “Wanted a drummer and bassist for a punk band.” Matt Cameron, who had newly arrived in Seattle, and Scott Ledgerwood responded, forming Bam Bam with Tina Bell as the frontwoman.
By 1984, Bam Bam entered Reciprocal Studios in Seattle to record their first LP, compiling songs they had written over the years. Ceschi notes that the material remained temporarily shelved due to misunderstandings between Tommy Martin and Chris Hanzsek, owner of C/Z Records. Recognizing the quality of their work and buoyed by a solid local following, the group invested their funds to produce the EP Villains (Also Wear White) and later the video single “Ground Zero,” directed by Adam Burke, hoping to secure a whole album deal in the future.
Scott Ledgerwood reflects on this period in G. Grunge History and Aesthetics: “When we started Bam Bam, we were all into punk, but each of us brought our own mix of influences.” Tina Bell, in particular, infused the nascent genre with a psychedelic, hard rock style. “Bell was the queen,” Ledgerwood stated. He believed that her prominence unsettled the music industry at the time: “I think the real obstacle—Bam Bam not getting a record deal or offers to open for bigger bands—came from those at the top, the usual guys in ties who couldn’t envision a beautiful Black woman fronting a hard rock band in the States. Even today, many people struggle to accept women’s accomplishments in rock music. As they say, strong women intimidate boys but intrigue men!”
The narrative of grunge cannot be told without acknowledging the crucial contributions of women like Tina Bell. Her story is highlighted in the chapter “Godfathers? Surely a Godmother” in Ceschi’s book, which examines the genre’s origins and emphasizes how women played essential roles in transforming music history. They propelled a small underground experiment from the American Northwest into mainstream consciousness.
The eight chapters of Ceschi’s volume are tied together by the question of how grunge transitioned from the underground to widespread popularity. Two chapters are penned by Scott Ledgerwood himself, bassist of Bam Bam, who was a crucial figure in the genre starting from their formation in 1983.
Photographers, directors, cartoonists, editors, journalists, and the fashion industry contributed to this revolution—a movement heavily influenced by women. It’s no coincidence that one of the chapters in G. Storia ed estetica Grunge is titled “Godfathers? Indeed, a Godmother.”
Ceschi remarks, “Grunge owes a great deal to Bam Bam, just as it does to Susan Silver, Chris Cornell’s girlfriend and soon-to-be manager of Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.” He also acknowledges Dawn Anderson, The Rocket’s journalist and music critic, as someone who first attempted to describe the sounds saturating Seattle, which would soon spread across the United States and the world. Anderson commented on the early Green River songs and noted their ability to reveal new layers with each listen.
Among all the elements that fostered the birth of grunge, women played prominent roles—especially Tina Bell, a Black woman whose influence was far-reaching.