Mudhoney – Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Released July 26th, 1991 on Sub Pop Records

Produced by Conrad Uno

Peaked at #34 U.K.

Singles:

“Let It Slide” (#60 U.K.)

Mudhoney galvanized the alternative movement with “Touch Me I’m Sick” in 1989 and then spent the rest of the Nineties being something of an also-ran that the critics scoffed at. Part of this was because they were they refused to take any of it seriously; their attitude, much like the Melvins, was to roll their eyes at the growth of mainstream acceptance of Pacific Northwest hard rock style that they exemplified. The band’s members had been floating around the scene since the beginning, so they came by their distaste of fame honestly. Frontman Mark Arm and guitarist Steve Turner had been the original impetus for the formation of Green River, a legendary one-LP PNW band who had also featured Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam. They formed Mudhoney after the breakup of Green River, pinching Melvins bassist Matt Lukin in the bargain.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, the band’s second album, would be their last for Sub Pop. It was released two months before Nevermind, and when that album ascended in early 1992 so would the tides of Mudhoney. This album ended up selling 50,000 copies and Arm claims that it single-handedly saved Sub Pop from going under. Although, as Steve Walksman once remarked, “the sheer fact that Sub Pop was on such unsteady ground at the very moment when the Seattle Sound reached new levels of popularity indicated that the label had done a better job of building hype than building sales.” It showed off the hybrid nature of grunge: it was as though Black Sabbath songs were being done by the Stooges, with more than a little bit of hardcore thrown in for good measure. After the success of the album, Reprise Records came calling with an offer to sign up with a major label. Stung by how bad the business practices were at Sub Pop, Arm and Co. jumped ship. The band’s relationship with Reprise soured quickly, and after 1995’s My Brother The Cow the head of the label informed the band’s A&R that he never wanted to see the band again in his life. After a brief spell in the wilderness the band got back together with Sub Pop. Mark Arm is now the warehouse manager for the label. It’s funny how these things work out.