Foolam’s Folly

Mudhoney came around a couple weeks ago to play all of “Superfuzz Bigmuff”, plus early singles, etc. Having seen them since 1989 (first album tour, opening for the Sonics doing “Daydream Nation”), I figured “What the heck”, it would be fun to hear them dig into the old stuff. Unlike some folks who dropped off after the first couple of albums, I actually bought their last two LPs, and saw them, I dunno, two or three years ago (last time I had seen them before that was, I’m guessing, early to mid-90s. Plus I will never forget them at Maxwells New Years Eve 1991 going into 1992, with bodysurfers in the slamming crowd kicking out (by accident) all the stage lights except for one. Great mayhem!) When I saw them that time two or three years ago in Brooklyn, it was nice to find that they were still a good, solid band. Nothing new, but they delivered nice. This time was a bit more special, as it was “all the old hits” and many an ageing hipster (do I fit in there???) turned up. The band (all original save for John Belushi imitator/original bassist Matt Lukin) were pumped up, super-on, and seeming to enjoy revisiting their past catalog with much gusto. The crowd responded with a bit of a slam pit, with some of the elder “hipsters” joining in for old time’s sake. Included in that group, to my joyful surpise, was my friend Dave Anderson, slamming with much abandon (myself, I gave up the habit in the mid to late 80s, does that put me in the “I’m too cool” or “I became lame” category, or neither.) Dave had the quote of the evening “This is MY classic rock! Not Fred Zeppelin or the Rolling Flintstones.” He was right, even if one had not listened to that EP or early singles in years, each time one of those songs were played, it was an instant “OH YEAH! That song!” Made me remember what a milestone that Superfuzz/Bigmuff ep was. I mean, me and a couple of my college radio DJ pals spun that record to death on the air. And seeing them with the Laughing Hyenas and Sonic Youth on the same bill in NYC in 1989 will go down in memory as one of the best shows ever, with a young n’ long haired Mudhoney freaking and tearing up the stage, and forcing Sonic Youth, who followed, to put on one of the most rocking shows I have ever seen them do (they had no choice, Mudhoney were that powerful and HOT.)

Watching the band now, well, it was great, for sure. It did not come off as a nostalgia show for ca$h, but a well-honed band revisiting with joy what put them on the map. Still, it ain’t 1988 anymore. I enjoyed myself very much, but the usual nostalgia feelings about when live rock music used to be a RELIGION to me came up. Hey, I still enjoy seeing bands, heck, still play music for now, but after 25 years of experience with something, it’s hard to get that new/holy feeling happening. But that can happen with lots of exposure to anything, and I sure am glad I got to see all the stuff I did in the 80s and 90s (and Village People in the late 70s, I kid you not, first concert, I think I was 12. It left an impression, heh heh.)

After the show, hanging out with Dave and a couple of his friends, we go to chat with Mark Arm at the bar. Very nice fellow, got to talk fuzz pedals for a little bit (he now uses some cheap 90s Ibanez fuzz, Steve still uses a Big Muff), the band, etc. This was not their “last tour” as some have said, but just that they can’t tour much except in short spurts (they flew out to NYC for four shows, then flew back.) While Mark works at Subpop and can tour whenever he wants, Dan the drummer is a stay-home dad, so they can’t do real tours anymore. They have a two week stint coming up next year, and first thought of Australia, but due to logistics of long travel and fewer shows there, they are doing either Europe or the US (I forget which.) Mark was sort of bummed, as he wanted to go back to Australia (they have not been their in a while.)