Mudhoney

Formed in Seattle in 1988, Mudhoney have never seen major commercial success, but the band is often cited as a key influence on the breakout acts of the Seattle Grunge scene, Nirvana in particular.

Mudhoney formed out of the remnants of Green River, the Seattle band that many credit for originating Grunge, with its blend of Garage Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk, and Blues. Assembled by onetime high-school classmates Mark Arm and Steve Turner, Mudhoney was the first band signed to the indie label Sub Pop, which released its first single,"Touch Me I'm Sick,” in 1988, followed by "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More," and the EP Superfuzz Bigmuff a few months later. With it’s thundering, distorted sound, the band was embraced by college radio and toured with admirers Sonic Youth; they released their first album, Mudhoney, the following year.

After a second record on Sub Pop the band signed to the major label Reprise, issuing three records there in the mid-1990s before returning to Sub Pop. Since then the band – which during its long tenure has never lost favor with critics or with a solid fan base — has continued to record well-received albums and tour in the U.S. and overseas. Mudhoney’s ninth studio album, Vanishing Point, came out in 2013.

Related Lessons

lesson:
The Emergence of Grunge

Grades: High, Middle
Subjects: General Music

What was Grunge and where did it come from?

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