The Meat Puppets...

[vi5]

I was listening to the Up On The Sun album today. What a great band that was. It's a shame that their only touch of fame came from having to ride the wave of Kurt Cobain name checking them. And it's a shame that the one Kirkwood brother totally lost his sh*t over the past couple of years.

I just remember hearing them in the 80's and wondering how the hell they could play the way they do. A weird combination of punk, country, southern rock, jazz, the grateful dead, and god knows what other kind of spazzed out, psyched-out influences.

And almost 20 years later it still hits me the same way.

[Wickerman]

1. weren't they great?

I loved everything up to and including up on the sun. Mirage and Huevos had their moments, but the move to metal left me cold. Wasn't aware of the freakout - sad.

You should do a MP fave song poll!

[vi5]

2. Yeah, the one brother who didn't sing....

Developed a really bad heroin habit. His wife died of an O'D. He was homeless for a while, and recently got into a scuffle with a mall security guard who ended up shooting him. He didn't die but he's been close a few times over the past half a decade.

[Wickerman]

3. Geez, Cris done in by heroin and a rent a cop

thanks for posting this. Here's hoping he can get his shit together.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

10. Yeah...and he was epileptic too.

Meat Puppets!!

4. rock!

rock rock rock

one of the best bands ever

& they never sold out

[vi5]

5. Huh? Never sold out?

Now obviously I love the band if I posted about them. But they cashed in pretty hard, both in their late 80's metal direction and then with riding the wave of Nirvana plugs to a pretty big major label deal, MTV and radio play, etc. etc.

More power to them, since I think they deserved the success. But they definitely made some obvious overtures to mainstream success. They kept on playing the country fried rock of their mid-80's work they would have probably continued to toil in relative obscurity.

7. this is my example

Before they made their attempted splash at mainstream I saw them play at a bar in Lawrence Kansas cover charge $5.
Then right in the middle of their big push when Too High to Die was being played all over college radio they came and played in the same bar. cover charge $5.
They could have easily jacked the price way up at that moment and they didn't.
So that's what I mean by not selling out.
Also although I agree the sound on record changed a bit, playing live it was still pretty much the same.

I don't define trying to get heard as selling out although I understand that view.

[vi5]

8. Fair enough....

I also don't view wanting to be heard as selling out. But I think their sound changed enough over the years to the point where it was more than simply "evolution" or maturing. It seemed designed for success.

Still a great band though, no doubt about that.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

12. I dispute they went metal...

First off, long time Meat Puppets fan here. I cut my teeth on "Huevos."

I really don't think they went metal in the late 1980's. "Monsters" was certainly heavier than their previous albums, but it was a far cry from the metal that was circulating. I like to think they were the predecessors of the mid to late 90's SoCal heavy psychedelic music (a.k.a.: "stoner rock"), typified by Kyuss (and then Queens of the Stone Age) and Fu-Manchu. But cashing in would mean critical fame, the Meat Puppets certainly didn't get alot of that. They had one single off of "Forbidden Places" (Sam) that only got so so airplay, they're biggest radio hit "Backwater" from "Too High to Die" only received minor airplay at best. And "Scum" off of "No Joke" was relegated to almost indie status. But I would have to agree that if it weren't for Nirvana, singles like "Backwater" and "Scum" prolly never would have made it to the radio.

Personally, I think "Golden Lies" is probably their strongest effort since "Too High..." Its unfortunate that Cris had succumbed to his ever-increasing drug problem as well as the loss of his wife. Fortunately, Curt was able to carry on keeping the spirit of the Puppets alive. I can't wait for the follow up! :P

[LincolnMcGrath]

6. CLASSIC PUPPETS TO HIT THE STREET

TRACK LIST:
1 - Foreign Laws
2 - H-Elenore
3 - Blue Green God
4 - Walking Boss
5 - Lost
6 - Plateau
7 - Lake Of Fire
8 - The Whistling Song
9 - Up On The Sun
10 - Swimming Ground
11 - Enchanted Porkfist
12 - Two Rivers
13 - Out My Way
14 - On The Move
15 - Burn The Honkey Tonk Down
16 - Confusion Fog
17 - Get On Down
18 - Look At The Rain
19 - Sexy Music
20 - Dough Rey Mi
21 - Light (Previously Unreleased)
22 - Strings On Your Heart (Previously Unreleased)
23 - Meltdown (Previously Unreleased)
24 - New Leaf (Previously Unreleased)

[THUNDER HANDS]

9. question

I've never heard their stuff (minus the Nirvana cover), what album would you suggest I get to introduce myself to their music?

[vi5]

11. Any of their SST records....

Meat Puppets 2
Up On The Sun
Mirage
Out My Way

There is also a great compilation of the SST era stuff called No Strings Attached.

You can find most of these records on the cheap on Half.com.

[Wickerman]

15. I'd go for the comp LP

give you the broadest spectrum. Or, what for Classic. Persoanlly, I am most fond of Meat Puppets II - but that is where I started, though Tumbling Tumbleweeds and Walking Boss off the first is what made me buy II.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

13. Monsters or Golden Lies....eom

[av8rdave]

14. I only have their "Too High to Die" CD...

But it's one of my favs

av8rdave