Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney’s debut single “Touch Me I’m Sick” and its follow-up *Superfuzz BigMuff* EP defined an era of late-80s-early ‘90s Seattle grunge, with its sludgy guitars, roughshod rhythms and singer Mark Arm’s emphatic whelps and screams. Other bands from the region went on to greater success — Nirvana, Soundgarden — but none represented the scene’s spirit more effectively; Mudhoney schooled every band that heard them. The band’s playful vibe channeled genuine rage; their cover of the Texas punk group the Dicks’ “Hate the Police” is a most forceful anti-authority anthem. This deluxe edition collects the early singles, the original EP, various compilation tracks, several early demos, live recordings from Berlin, and a 1988 radio program in Santa Barbara. It captures them at their spontaneous and magical best with an energy and un-jaded enthusiasm that only true believers can channel. The live version of “If I Think” expresses the perfect dynamic, lying low for the verses and exploding for the chorus with unrelenting force. Even at this early stage with tunes like “In n’ Out of Grace,” “Need,” and “You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)” they already had a deep catalog to draw from.
Anthems that fucked up a generation. 2009 LP reissue, remastered from original tapes. Black vinyl.
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.
This is it, folks. This is the album that put Seattle back on the map and brought grunge to the attention of the mainstream