Mother Love Bone | |
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![]() Mother Love Bone in 1989; clockwise from left: Bruce Fairweather, Stone Gossard, Greg Gilmore, Jeff Ament and Andrew Wood | |
Background information | |
Also known as | Lords of the Wasteland (1987–1988) |
Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1988–1990, partial reunions: 2010, 2018 |
Labels |
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Spinoffs | |
Spinoff of | Green River |
Past members | Jeff Ament Bruce Fairweather Greg Gilmore Stone Gossard Andrew Wood Regan Hagar |
Mother Love Bone was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988. The band was active from 1988 to 1990. Frontman Andrew Wood's charisma and songwriting helped to catapult the group to the top of the burgeoning Seattle music scene at the time. Wood died shortly before the scheduled release of the band's debut album Apple, resulting in the breakup of the band. The album was released a few months later, though many recollections of demos, b-sides, and live performances were released and given to the general public as well.
As well as being influential to grunge, they are also considered early pioneers in the alternative metal genre. [1]
Mother Love Bone was established in 1987 by ex-Green River members Jeff Ament, Bruce Fairweather and Stone Gossard, ex-Malfunkshun frontman Andrew Wood and ex-Ten Minute Warning and The Living drummer Greg Gilmore. The group was formed in 1987 out of the cover band Lords of the Wasteland which featured Wood, Gossard, Ament and Malfunkshun drummer Regan Hagar. By early 1988 the band had added Fairweather, replaced Hagar with drummer Greg Gilmore and changed its name to Mother Love Bone. [6]
This new line-up quickly set about recording and playing shows and by late 1988 had become one of Seattle's more promising bands. [7] Wood's exuberant on-stage personality, outlandish clothes and dreamy lyrics helped bring attention to the band. In the 1996 grunge documentary Hype! Seattle engineer Jack Endino called Wood "the only stand-up comedian frontman in Seattle", a reference to Wood's playful style of interacting with fans. [8]
In November 1988, the band signed to PolyGram subsidiary Polydor/Stardog and recorded their debut EP. As part of their contract, PolyGram created the Stardog Records imprint exclusively for the band. [7] In March 1989, the group issued its debut EP Shine , becoming one of the first of the new crop of Seattle bands to have a release on a major label. The record sold well and rapidly increased the profile of the band. John Book of AllMusic said the "record contributed to the buzz about the Seattle music scene." [9]
In late 1989 the band entered a studio in Sausalito, California to record its debut album Apple . Despite some initial difficulties, the record was on time for its projected March 1990 release. Only days before Apple was slated to be released, frontman Andrew Wood, who had a long history with drug problems, overdosed on heroin. [10] Unresponsive and without signs of brain activity, he was in the hospital on life support for two days to allow friends and family to say goodbye. Wood's death effectively brought the group to an end. [7] The album would see release later that year on July 19, 1990. Kim Neely of Rolling Stone said that the album "succeeds where countless other hard rock albums have failed, capturing the essence of what made Zep immortal – dynamics, kids! – and giving it a unique Nineties spin." [11]
In the months following Wood's death, Gossard and Ament were approached by Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell (who had been Wood's roommate), and asked if they would be interested in recording a single containing two songs he had written in tribute to Wood. [12] The project turned into an entire album and the group took the name Temple of the Dog, a reference to a line in the Mother Love Bone song "Man of Golden Words". [13] Eddie Vedder later joined Mike McCready, Dave Krusen, Gossard, and Ament to form Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam subsequently became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed rock bands of the 1990s.
Fairweather initially remained inactive but later joined Seattle based psychedelic rock band Love Battery, replacing Tommy Simpson on bass in 1992. He played on three of the band's albums and numerous tours before leaving the band. In 2006 he resurfaced in The Press Corps, with Garrett Shavlik (The Fluid) and Dan Peters (Mudhoney).
Gilmore's profile dropped significantly following Mother Love Bone's demise. Between 1992 and 1994, he drummed with the band Chubby Children, reuniting with former bandmates from 1982–1985, Brian Fox and Garth Brandenburg. Out of the band came a handful of shows and unreleased recordings. He also participated in the reunion of his former band Ten Minute Warning in 1998, and was credited with providing 'inspiration' for the song "Never the Machine Forever" (credited as being written by Kim Thayil) on Soundgarden's studio album, 1996's Down on the Upside . The song initially came out of a jam session Thayil had with Gilmore. [14]
In April 2011, Kevin Wood (Andrew Wood's brother) teamed up with hard rock band Lace Weeper to record Mother Love Bone's "Crown of Thorns" in commemoration of 21 years since Andrew's death. The single was released on Kevin's Wammybox Records.
On April 14, 2010, the four surviving members of Mother Love Bone reunited for the first time in 20 years (with friend and fellow Seattle musician Shawn Smith serving as frontman) as part of a sold-out "Brad and Friends" evening at Seattle's Showbox. The songs featured were part of the band's core repertoire from their early days, including "Stardog Champion", "Holy Roller", "Gentle Groove" and a cover of the Argent song "Hold Your Head Up", a favorite encore from the band's early club days around Seattle.
On May 5, 2018, the band again got together and performed 14 songs (including "Hold Your Head Up") during the event at Seattle’s Neptune Theatre. Local singers Shawn Smith (Pigeonhed) and Ohm Johari (Hell’s Belles) shared singing duties.
Year | Album details |
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1990 | Apple |
Title | Album details | US peak chart position [15] |
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Mother Love Bone |
| 77 |
On Earth As It Is – The Complete Works |
| — |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory |
Year | Album details |
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1989 | Shine
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Year | Single | Album |
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1989 | "Hold Your Head Up" (cover of Argent) / "Lady Godiva Blues" / "Man of Golden Words" (alternative version) | N/A (promo blue vinyl 7" single) |
1990 | "Stardog Champion" | Apple |
"This Is Shangrila" | ||
"Stargazer" | ||
1992 | "Stardog Champion" | Mother Love Bone |
"Capricorn Sister" | ||
2014 | "Hold Your Head Up" (cover of Argent) / "Holy Roller" (alternative version) [17] | N/A (Black Friday Record Store release 7" single) |
Year | Video details | US peak chart position [18] |
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1993 | The Love Bone Earth Affair | 13 |
Temple of the Dog was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. It was conceived by vocalist Chris Cornell of Soundgarden as a tribute to his friend, the late Andrew Wood, lead singer of the bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. The lineup included Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Jeff Ament on bass guitar, Mike McCready on lead guitar, and Matt Cameron on drums. Eddie Vedder appeared as a guest to provide some lead and backing vocals and later became lead vocalist of Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten, was released four months after Temple of the Dog's only studio album.
Green River was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. Considered one of the first grunge bands, Green River is best known for being the precursor to multiple key early 1990s rock bands, most notably Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, and Love Battery. Green River reunited for several live shows in 2008 and 2009.
Greg Gilmore is a French born-American drummer in Seattle, Washington, and co-founder of the recording label First World Music.
Jeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician best known as the bassist of rock band Pearl Jam, which he co-founded alongside Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. Ament wrote or co-wrote many of Pearl Jam's hits, including "Jeremy", "Oceans", "Dissident", "Nothingman" and "Nothing as It Seems".
Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as a guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band.
Andrew Patrick Wood was an American musician who was the lead singer and lyricist for the alternative rock bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. He formed Malfunkshun in 1980 with his older brother Kevin Wood on guitar and Regan Hagar on drums. The band used alter ego personas onstage; Wood performed as Landrew the Love Child. Though the band only released two songs before going on an extended hiatus, "With Yo' Heart " and "Stars-n-You", on the Deep Six compilation album, they are often cited as being among the originators of the Seattle grunge movement. While in Malfunkshun, Wood started using drugs, entering rehab in 1985.
Malfunkshun is an American rock band formed in 1980 by brothers Andrew and Kevin Wood. Combining glam influences with distortion, they were one of the earliest grunge bands, forming alongside the U-Men and Melvins. Their definitive lineup consists of the brothers and drummer Regan Hagar. After interactions with fellow grunge act Green River, Andrew would become the frontman for successor Mother Love Bone. Malfunkshun dissolved without having released much material, although they recorded demos and appeared in the landmark grunge compilation Deep Six.
Apple is the only full-length studio album by the American rock band Mother Love Bone. It was released on July 19, 1990, through Stardog/Mercury Records.
Mother Love Bone is a compilation album by the American rock band Mother Love Bone. It was released on September 22, 1992, through Stardog/Mercury Records.
Regan Hagar is an American musician. Primarily a drummer, he also plays keyboard and guitar on occasion.
Shine is the debut EP by the American rock band Mother Love Bone. It was released on March 20, 1989, through Stardog/Mercury Records. This was the only compilation of recordings to be released during singer, Andrew Wood's lifetime.
Bruce Ian Fairweather is an American guitarist and bassist based in Seattle, Washington.
"Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" is a song by the Seattle rock band Mother Love Bone. The song is the fourth track on the band's debut EP, Shine (1989). "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" is actually two songs sequenced together. "Crown of Thorns" is found by itself on the band's sole studio album, Apple (1990). "Chloe Dancer" is not available as a stand-alone track.
"Swallow My Pride" is a song by the Seattle, Washington-based rock band Green River. Featuring lyrics written by frontman Mark Arm and music written by guitarist Steve Turner, the song is the third track on the band's debut EP, Come On Down (1985). It was later re-recorded by Green River and appeared on the band's sole studio album, Rehab Doll (1988).
Temple of the Dog is the only studio album by the American rock band Temple of the Dog, released on April 16, 1991, through A&M Records. It is a tribute to Andrew Wood, the former lead singer of Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone, who died on March 19, 1990, of a heroin overdose. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA in the United States.
War Babies was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988, fronted by former TKO vocalist Brad Sinsel. Although associated with hard rock, the band's sound incorporated some elements of grunge music. They only released one album, in 1992, the self-titled War Babies.
The Love Bone Earth Affair is a home video by the American rock band Mother Love Bone. It was released in 1993.
Deep Six is a 1986 compilation album featuring six Seattle-based rock bands. It was the first release by C/Z Records, with a catalogue number of CZ01 for 2,000 copies. The album was reissued as a joint C/Z Records/A&M Records release on April 5, 1994.
Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story is a 2005 documentary film produced, directed, and edited by Scot Barbour, based on the life of Andrew Wood, singer/songwriter for the Seattle-based alternative rock bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. The film includes interviews with fellow Seattle musicians and friends such as Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Jeff Ament, and Stone Gossard.
Kevin David Wood is an American musician known for playing lead guitar in various Seattle-based bands he founded during the grunge era in the Pacific Northwest.