A pretty
kickass band. Kind of like the
Ramones in that they have influenced a lot of bands that have achieved major financial success while remaining in relative
obscurity. While they never had the same popularity as some of the bands on
SST they have survived the longest. Formed in
1980 by the Kirkwood brothers after graduating from a
Jesuit prep school. Early on they were so committed to keeping their music punk that they refused to rehearse. Still they released their first EP,
In a Car, in just over a year after forming. At this point they were hardcore, loud and fast. Soon they signed with
SST.
After this they started to develop their own sound. Fusing in country, and later blues, and other styles into their original punk music. They broke up and reformed signing with London Records this time (1991). In 1993 they toured with Nirvana. Nirvana recorded an episode of MTV Unplugged where they covered three Meat Puppets songs from Meat Puppets II. The constant airing of this episode of MTV Unplugged after Kurt Cobain's suicide helped increase the Meat Puppets popularity, along with commercial radio playing their new single Backwater off the album Too High to Die. So far this was probably the height of the bands popularity. Yet they are still making music so who knows...
Members: Curt Kirkwood - guitar; Cris Kirkwood - bass; and Derrick Bostrom - drums.
I've heard their style called, Alternative Pop/Rock and Hardcore Punk for what that is worth. Also as they've gotten older they have moved from punk to a more hard rock style.
- Albums:
- Live in Montana -- Rykodisc (1999)
- No Joke! -- London Records (1995)
- Too High to Die -- London Records (1994)
- Forbidden Places -- London Records (1991)
- No Strings Attached -- SST (1990)
- Monsters -- SST (1989)
- Mirage -- SST (1987)
- Huevos -- SST (1987)
- Up on the Sun -- SST (1985)
- Meat Puppets II -- SST (1983)
- Meat Puppets -- SST (1982)
- In a Car -- SST (1981)
- EPs:
- You Love Me -- London Records (1999)
- Raw Meat (10" EP) -- London Records (1994)
- Out My Way -- SST (1986)
Plus they have appeared on soundtracks and compilations.
www.meatpuppets.com
information pulled from several sources including their website and allmusic.com