Mudhoney ain’t so sweet
I was reprimanded today by a certain KEXP DJ for falsely accusing Mudhoney of riding the coattails of the Grunge movement. Apparently they FOUNDED the grunge movement. I always thought they were just given a cookie and granted one song on the Singles Soundtrack… one song too many. I guess I would have known better had I been born here and forced through their droning sets at the Sit and Spin, nodding my head and discussing with my flannel-clad brethren, over steaming lattes, how progressive they are. Luckily, I’m not local. This gives me the distinctive ability to separate myself from the local bands and having an opinion other than “ALL-THINGS-SEATTLE-ARE-TOTALLY_AWESOME…”
Yawn.
Now note, I’m not ranking on all things Seattle. I just think that there is a line we need to draw between opinion and loyalty. As in, ditch your blind devotion for a second and listen to the sophomoric “Where is the Future” (found here) and tell me, HONESTLY, that this doesn’t sound like the runner up to the Ballard High Battle of the Bands. Try not to laugh. This is the song that was deemed worthwhile by our KEXP dj. Not only worthwhile of playing, but worthwhile of defending. Yikes. Where is the Future of indie radio..? I’m tempted to ask, but they get a little protective over there if you offer up anything besides praise.
And check out the lyrics”I want to fly with my personal jetpack. I want to visit my family on Mars.”
Ooooh, what futuristic vision. Where are the little green men? Didn’t Arnold go to Mars..? He must be awesome too. Please, someone explain to me what the hell the attaction is to this band… BESIDES that they’re from Seattle.
If you’re truly sado-masochistic, check out the brilliant repetition in Hard On For War on the same link above… (=shutter=)
Mudhoney and spice and everything nice. THAT’s what boring girls are made of.
While I’m ambivalent about Mudhoney, I’m aware of your point. I thought Mother Love Bone made awful music. Never understood the love for them.
There exists a Seattle music PC police that insist you hold everything from Seattle’s past in high regard. Recently there’s a tendency to include Juno in this phenomenon.
First off, Mudhoney slays. Mudhoney were one of the bands which helped create “indie” culture — and they probably kick themselves everyday for doing it. Secondly — the song on the Singles soundtrack is awful. For great Mudhoney, you’ve got to check out “Superfuzz Bigmuff” which is just their first singles/EPs. Nothing else really matters in the Mudhoney canon — unless you’re a fan. Mother Love Bone isn’t that sweet — lame Guns’N'Roses rip-offs. I only know two people in Seattle who really defend them–they were considered careerists, which is looked down up on in these parts. If you’re not into Mudhoney, you’re probably not into the Stooges, MC5, or New York Dolls either — and I wouldn’t understand not being into huge amped up fun rock & roll where it doesn’t matter if the lyrics are idiotic. Thirdly, yes, Juno does suck as well.
If you haven’t seen Mudhoney live — check it out. I’ve seen them destroy both the Crocodile and Memorial Stadim — which is an admirable task.
Fourthly, how’d you get in a conversation with a KEXP DJ? Did you call them up just to tell them that Mudhoney sucks? It’s the radio — they get to play what they want.
You say potato… I say bland root veggie. I’m not going to argue as to if or not Mudhoney sucks or slays. I love Ween and hate Neil Young. 50% of America would say I’m an idiot. 50%(ish)also voted for Bushie..go figger.
You mention that I should see the ‘Honey live. The link that I supplied IS from a live set. Now iff’n the were ALIVE for this set, that’s objectionable. I’d guess you could jump on a dead man’s chest and get about the same amount of tonality. I do like the Stooges and MC5. I have a hard time putting the previously mentioned music into the same class. Seriously, listen to the set in the link. It speaks for itself. As for this being the root of indie, I’m just glad lots of Indie bands preferred the influence of bands like the Sonics or Dinosaur Jr.
Finally, if ever you love or hate anything on KEXP, the beautiful thing about it is that it IS listener supported. You can, and should, let them know what you think. They – whether or not they agree with your opinions – will answer your calls/emails and the DJs tend to have the where-with-all to discuss music rather than just call you a dumbass for disagreeing. Unfortunately I disagree with this DJ more than not. She’s not a big fan of mine as I am not of the ‘honey.
Response to how Kev is “just glad lots of Indie bands preferred the influence of bands like the Sonics or Dinosaur Jr.”
I would like to point out that Mudhoney has done not one, but in fact TWO Sonics cover albums. I dig both records; they are both great.
I have seen Mudhoney a half-dozen times or so. Their comedic approach disarms the oft-too serious attitude of some musicians around here…. That’s all they are to me: rock’n'roll and a good effin’ time.
But they most definitely did NOT invent/create “grunge”. A Sub Pop promotion person named Megan did that.
Neil Young can go on the bus.
OK Mr. Levitan, I’ve been called out on my overall lack of Seattle grunge/indie/whatever music knowledge. I’ll have to sit through “HYPE” sometime and get caught up. (nightmare) I can’t see how the Mudhoney’s soul squashing, gutless, monotone drivvel can translate into a “great” Sonics cover…but apparentyl they’ve molested a ton of them. I’ve heard a Brittany Spears cover that rules. Don’t mean I like Brit.
And comedic approach…? Are the lyrics supposed to be funny? I’m still looking for the little green martians. Isn’t a “comedic approach” to music the EXACT reason you hate Ween? Hmmm.. If it gives you a chuckle.. OK. Again, I refer you to the link I’m posting. Chuckle, no. Cringe, yeah.
So I still haven’t heard a reason that this band is even worth talking about besides they “slay” or “rock”. Having gone to umpteen shows and bobbed your head doesn’t make anyone good, it just perpetuates the blind faith that “ALL-THINGS-SEATTLE-ARE-AWESOME”
Oh well.
And I can just hear the whine as Neil’s bus hits the edge of the cliff…
The reason Mudhoney are good is implicit in the fact that they do indeed “slay.” Music taste has nothing to do with rhetoric or argument — it has to do with what you like and do not like. When Mark Arm gets up on stage and sings “Jesus Christ come save my soul!” I think it’s pretty sweet. Slay is the highest compliment which could ever be bestowed upon a band. Music is aesthetics — aesthetics are subjective and not objective.
On a historical note, Mudhoney were there with Dinosaur Jr. forging the underground scene (which was once called indie and has about as much to do with what is now called “indie rock” as the planet Mars does with a stapler). Their influence is felt in more ways than simply the “music.” They were once of the first underground US bands to get hugely popular in Europe (with Sonic Youth). Nirvana worshipped them and basically ganked the entire Mudhoney sound for “Bleach.” They helped build a network of clubs and musicians to support true independent music. And, most importantly — they got to do what they wanted musically, for a really long time. More props to that.
The OP is allowing some sort of ignorant resentment color this post. How can ANYONE dismiss Mudho’s significance in the “movement”? As Jered mentioned, Nirvana WORSHIPPED Mark Arm’s work. Green River and Mudhoney are the bedrock on which Nirvana was built.
To attempt to dismiss them as a “tagalong” band is superfluous, ill-informed and wrongheaded. In mick e’s opinion, Pearl Jam was a coat-tail rider if anyone was. Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard were in GR, but more as role players – certainly not part of the driving creative force. If you listen to PJ’s first album, it’s almost embarrassing in it’s datedness, while Mudhoney’s first album holds up and trancends anything being done today.
Their influence is still drawn on by many. For example, the Foo Fighters, with their ironic comic edge owe much of their success to Mudhoney in this regard.
If the motivation behind starting this discussion was to appear more insightful and provocative, well – the OP got the second part right.
I tend to mostly listen to punk so screw all this grunge talk. But Mudhoney as another person put it “Slays”. They do. They are one of my favorite bands of all time. All though music is music. We dont all like it all. So to the OP cool on ya.
Let’s dredge up a thread from the way-distant past! I’ll go to Kev’s Ween show on Monday if he comes to my Mudhoney show on Friday! And I’ll buy all the beer if he brings those Ween(ers) along with him.
Oh man, what I wouldn’t do to have Gene and Dean ragging on Mudhoney with me. Unfortunately I’m pretty sure WEEEN(ers) have other, more pressing things to do, such as make music, and no amount of beer is worth my soul being torn from me and left of the floor of El Corazon.
On that note, come see Mudhoney tear the souls from old dudes with feathered mullets and Nirvana T’s over thermal shirts, Friday Nov 16th at El Corazon. The first 2 chords are free, the third will cost you your eternity!
Correction: Ween plays Tuesday.
ween sucks! mudhoney rocks!
kevin, guess you had to be here to appreciate the power of the ‘honey, honey.
Oh thanks for the clarification, now that I know Mudhoney “rocks” it’s all become sooooo clear to me.
C’mon really, I give you a gem like “the first 2 chords are free but the third will cost you your soul” and you give me “Mudhoney rocks?”
Isn’t Mudhoney what you get on your hands after you use one of those porta-johns? Or is that ‘Honey Mud?