Among the many benefits of a reunited Kirkwoood brothers is that they now have an opportunity to get out there and surpass their bothersome status as a mere footnote in the biography of Kurt Cobain. Now, don’t get me wrong: it’s great when you can find entertainers more popular than yourself to help carry your water. In fact, The Meat Puppets have always counted on the kindness of strangers. Back in the day, some of our very first traction was among the ranks of L.A.s existing avante-guard music scene.
Yep, the Los Angeles Free Music Society was but the first in a long line of organizations that recognized the band’s undeniable greatness. And even as much as I love to pull out “Nevermind” or “Purple” every so often, you always tend to remember your first. That’s why I was so jazzed to find the Mutant Sounds blog. Among the obscurities to be found there are many works by the LAFMS, including work by Doodooettes, Solid Eye, as well as World Imitation alumnus, the amazing Steve Thomsen. Even folks who like their noise in small doses will enjoy the comparatively poppy Darker Skratcher album and of course the Light Bulb cassette, which contains the first-ever piece of music released by the Meat Puppets themselves.
Though some of the post-Nirvana Puppets fans might not give a shit about the noise contained on these records, I can assure you that it makes Your Truly a little nostalgic to put them on. Click on over to Mutant Sounds and check ‘em out. And if your really lucky, maybe one of the album cover scans will feature a legible address that you can send some money to. I’m sure they would appreciate it.
From the blog:
“The Los Angeles Free Music Society, formed around Tom Recchion in 1972, was a collective of underground artists loosely inspired by Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart (but also all jazz and classical avantgarde movements). Le Forte Four, who released four lunatic electronic-folk albums starting with Bikini Tennis Shoes (1974), Doo-Dooettes (two albums), Smegma (one album) and Airway (one album) were some of the performers devoted to free improvisation, abstract cacophony and demented chanting.”
Hey i stumbled across this blog by accident yesterday, I have been catching up on the MP history. It has been many moons since the sunclub days, but I used to live in Tempe and would do whatever to catch you guys.
Live was always best, remember a show in PHX in an art gallery (1988?) where the Police shut it down and if foggy memory serves, F tha Police may have been played.
I escaped with a friend a case of Hamms draft in a 66 bug and made it to the Sphincter house…
Thanks for the memories and the links that you share in the post above. Now to explore some of the live tapes that you have shared.
Hey Curt, Remember the El Camino and the loading docks at metro center. Imported Mexican furniture. Eduardo’s head butts. And bumpy butler. Hope all is well with you. Take care, Jeff
Derrick,
I did an interview with Curt yesterday. I told him you were awesome and how it was great you kept the history of the band alive. That part of the interview did not get printed.
Just got the opportunity to chat with Cris and Curt last night at the Ottobar show in Baltimore. Met Shandon, too, he’s a real nice chap and held down the drums well. Told my friends who were attending with me (Todd Osborn and Patrick McCann) how you would call out the setlist during your shows. Still didn’t see a written setlist anywhere, not sure how they do it these days.
I’m looking forward to exploring the LAFMS site. I had an opportunity to see the B People back in the day, but my sisters’ boyfriend wanted to see a jazz fusion group called The Fents. Anyway…
I wanna see some tour dates. Meat Puppets are awsome
Hello Derrick! Do you recollect keeping some kind of Meat Puppets tour guide, with the date of the shows and places.. or something like that? It would be a nice addition to the blog, although i’m afraid it would take too much time to do.
Happy Holidays! I hope you have an excellent 2010!!!
I have a bunch of tour guides, prepared for us by our various tour managers over the years. I agree that they are interesting and do deserve posting. One day…
Hi Derrick,
Check out this artifact I found the other day while digging through my treasures.
http://gallery.me.com/zoonstellar#100166
I believe the letter was written by you, and judging from the content, the incomplete date originally read 3-27-85.
Who knew the forthcoming LP would be a total game changer! I had forgotten there once was a time when one actually had to write the bands to learn of upcoming releases and tours. Anyway, thanks for the response (25 years late)!
Peter N.
That’s me all right! Why’d you let such a valuable collector’s item get so crumbled??
“post nirvana fans might not give a shit about this noise”….
lol i do & will check it out. I actually met curt on their londen gig playin 2 around a year bak. I spontaneously wangled myself back stage through a well loved tour guy named dennis (im sure u no him) me and shy sensitive friend caught the band unawares relaxing down after the gig. I was more than a little nervous springin my visit on curt unsure of what his reaction might be but he was personable, talkative, open. He expressed an interest in playin acoustic shows in england & I told him how much i love his record snow. Wat do u think of it?? Im interested to no. Ps i don’t no whether u want to hear this but im not a fan really of either of the 2 new drummers, only u. Oink
I said “SOME of the post-Nirvana fans!”
You’re taking me out of context in my own blog!
Thanks to you,I now know about the Monitor cd reissue.I’ve had some ok sounding mp3′s for awhile,but it’d be nice to have something off the actual tapes and the book looks cool.Oh just out of curiousity,do you like the band Cold Sun?
Check out an advance copy of the book here:
http://granmondo.com/GM_Page2.htm
Excellent! Just got finished reading “Enter Naomi” by Joe Carducci; this Monitor/World Imitation biog will be right up my alley.
Are you serious? You can’t manage to put contact link on your website? You aren’t collectively smart enought to embed a link to show your music????? And MY SPACE/really??? Come on. You need to be more professional than this to convince anyone to come to a show. Get with the program.
Another misguided soul who’s visited the wrong Meat Puppets site…