General Article name: Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles
Genre: Rock englischsprachig Product type: LP (Vinyl) Label: SUB POP Number of tracks: 12 Duration: 43:16 Tracklist LP - 1 1. Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick 2. Mudhoney - Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More 3:46 3. Mudhoney - Hate the Police 2:08 4. Mudhoney - Burn It Clean 3:00 5. Mudhoney - You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face) 2:53 6. Mudhoney - Halloween 6:12 7. Mudhoney - No One Has 3:26 8. Mudhoney - If I Think 3:37 9. Mudhoney - In 'n' Out of Grace 5:28 10. Mudhoney - Need 3:00 11. Mudhoney - Chain That Door 1:51 12. Mudhoney - Mudride 5:43   Description Description

Named after the band's favorite distortion pedal, Superfuzz Bigmuff was actually Mudhoney's first EP; the Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles package collects that recording, as well as the A- and B-sides of their first two 45s and two covers (of the Dicks and Sonic Youth), all released in 1988-1989. Taken as a whole, this output makes a case for Mudhoney as the first true grunge band; due to the time constraints of the forms in which this material was originally released, it also makes for their best, most consistent album, as the band largely refrains from the sort of aimless, grinding Stooges updates that slow the momentum of most of its records. Instead, Superfuzz Bigmuff has all the best attributes of Mudhoney's Stooges fixation -- whether slow or fast, this music is grimy, raucous, and violently enthusiastic, with a stronger melodic sensibility than Iggy's band possessed. Mudhoney's dominant traits are simple chord progressions and a filthy-sounding, ultradistorted guitar racket, punctuated by Mark Arm's snarling, demonic howls. It isn't the most original approach to rock & roll, but when it all comes into focus -- as on their (and Sub Pop's) debut single, the ultimate grunge anthem "Touch Me I'm Sick" -- Mudhoney's power is absolutely throttling. "Touch Me I'm Sick" would be essential listening for anyone even remotely interested in the genesis of the Seattle scene, but the album is full of menacing, vital rock & roll, plus sharp songwriting that elevates several other songs to classic status. Mudhoney's musical range may be quite limited, but as Superfuzz Bigmuff proves, they can be amazing at what they can do. This is the birth of grunge, and a reminder of exactly why the music was christened with a word meaning "dirt." ~ Steve Huey

Steve Huey

Description

Mudhoney didn't invent grunge, and Sub Pop Records had close to twenty releases under their belt when they unleashed the band's first 12" release, Superfuzz Bigmuff, in 1988. But if this wasn't the first shot fired in the battle to bring The Seattle Sound to the four corners of the world, it was the first one that well and truly hit the target. Superfuzz Bigmuff codified the first wave of grunge the way the Model T codified the first modern automobile; this is where the ingredients came together in a way that clicked with listeners, reworking the rudiments of hard rock and garage punk into a formula that made sense in the world of alternative rock. The band's snarky wit, brazenly sloppy guitar work, and songs that combined melodic hooks with Godzilla-sized riffage reinterpreted the visceral kick of metal into a format that celebrated its power while stripping it of its pomposity. And Superfuzz Bigmuff's six songs captured a great rock band as they were just starting to hit their stride; Mark Arm's vocals dripped attitude even when he was making fun of the material, Steve Turner's guitar work generated massive walls of fuzzy power, and drummer Dan Peters was Mudhoney's secret weapon: his crisp but forceful pounding giving the songs a rock-solid foundation no matter how far Turner and Arm drifted into the void of slop. Mudhoney made better and more compelling music than Superfuzz Bigmuff, but as a snapshot of the moment where grunge became a sound that meant something outside of a few dim Seattle beer joints, it's absolutely invaluable and a lot of grimy fun. ~ Mark Deming

Mark Deming

Contributors Guitar (Bass): Matt Lukin Vocals: Mark Arm Vocals: Steve Turner Record Label: Sub Pop Current Distributor: PIAS Artist: Mudhoney Producer: Jack Endino Engineer: Jack Endino