Superfuzz Bigmuff
Original cover
EP by
Mudhoney
ReleasedOctober 20, 1988
RecordedJuly 22–24, August 6, 15, 21, 25 and September 29, 1988
StudioReciprocal Recording, Seattle, Washington
Genre
Length22:25
LabelSub Pop (USA)
Au Go Go (Australia)
Glitterhouse (Germany)
ProducerJack Endino
Mudhoney chronology
Superfuzz Bigmuff
(1988) 		Boiled Beef & Rotting Teeth
(1989)

Superfuzz Bigmuff is the debut EP and first major release by the Seattle grunge band Mudhoney. It was released on October 20, 1988, through record label Sub Pop. The album was later re-released in 1990 in the form of Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles.

Album information

The album was named after two of the band's favorite guitar effects pedals: the Univox Super-Fuzz and the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, which helped to provide the band's signature "dirty" sound.

The cover artwork is a photograph of frontman Mark Arm (left) and guitarist Steve Turner (right) performing live by photographer Charles Peterson. Other artwork on the album includes more photos of the band performing and them posing topless.[1]

Guitarist Turner also considered it to be Mudhoney's first official studio album, despite it being an EP initially.[2]

Song information

"In 'n' Out of Grace" opens with a sample of the eulogy from Peter Fonda's character in the 1966 movie The Wild Angels, saying "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do…"; the same sample was later used on Primal Scream's song "Loaded", [3] and also a refraining soundbite and quote in the 2013 film The World's End (film).

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Mojo[5]
NME8/10[6]
The Observer[7]
Pitchfork9.1/10[8]
PopMatters9/10[9]
Record Collector[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[11]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[12]
Uncut[13]

During initial release, the EP sold incredibly poorly (even by Sub Pop standards)[citation needed], however, it has since been acknowledged as one of the seminal records of the Seattle scene. In mid-2008 the EP charted at #25 on the UK Indie Album Chart, a peak for the EP, twenty years after its release.

Along with Mudhoney's second album Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, it was included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In its review, Jamie Gonzalo called it "sexy, smart, humorous and hard", as well as writing "[Mudhoney] emerged from the underground with this mischievous workout, achieving tense and dramatic musical structures with Turner's scalping guitars, Mark Arm's angry vocals, Matt Lukin's mighty bass and Dan Peters' propulsive drums."[14] Kurt Cobain listed the EP in his top fifty albums of all time.[15][16]

Track listing

Adapted from the album liner notes.[17][18][19]

Original release (1988)

All tracks are written by Mudhoney[20]

No.TitleLength
1."Need"3:01
2."Chain That Door"1:51
3."Mudride"5:43
4."No One Has"3:26
5."If I Think"3:37
6."In 'n' Out of Grace"5:28
Total length:22:25

Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles (1990)

Further information: Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles

All tracks are written by Mudhoney, except where noted[21]

No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Touch Me I'm Sick" Non-album single, 19882:35
2."Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More" B-side of "Touch Me I'm Sick"3:46
3."Hate the Police"DicksMondo Stereo, 1988 (*)2:08
4."Burn It Clean" B-side of "You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)", 19893:00
5."You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)" (8-track version) B-side of "You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)"2:53
6."Halloween"Sonic YouthSplit single with Sonic Youth, 19906:12
7."No One Has" Superfuzz Bigmuff3:26
8."If I Think" Superfuzz Bigmuff3:37
9."In 'n' Out of Grace" Superfuzz Bigmuff5:28
10."Need" Superfuzz Bigmuff3:00
11."Chain That Door" Superfuzz Bigmuff1:51
12."Mudride" Superfuzz Bigmuff5:43
Total length:43:39

Superfuzz Bigmuff deluxe edition (2008)

All tracks are written by Mudhoney, except where noted[22]

Disc 1
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Touch Me I'm Sick" Non-album single2:35
2."Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More" B-side of "Touch Me I'm Sick"3:46
3."Twenty Four" Dope-Guns-'n-Fucking in the Streets Volume One, 1988 (*)2:46
4."Need" Superfuzz Bigmuff3:01
5."Chain That Door" Superfuzz Bigmuff1:51
6."Mudride" Superfuzz Bigmuff5:43
7."No One Has" Superfuzz Bigmuff3:26
8."If I Think" Superfuzz Bigmuff3:37
9."In 'n' Out of Grace" Superfuzz Bigmuff5:28
10."The Rose"Amanda McBroomSub Pop 200, 1988 (*)4:04
11."Hate the Police"DicksMondo Stereo (*)2:09
12."You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)" (8-track version) B-side of "You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)", 19892:55
13."Burn It Clean" B-side of "You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)2:58
14."Halloween"Sonic YouthSplit single with Sonic Youth6:12
15."Need" (demo)  3:23
16."Mudride" (demo)  6:03
17."In 'n' Out of Grace" (demo)  4:53
Disc 2
No.TitleLength
1."No One Has" (live)3:59
2."Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More" (live)3:45
3."Need" (live)2:47
4."Chain That Door" (live)1:59
5."If I Think" (live)3:18
6."Mudride" (live)6:20
7."Here Comes the Sickness" (live)4:12
8."Touch Me I'm Sick" (live)2:51
9."In 'n' Out of Grace" (live)6:55
10."Mudride" (live)5:34
11."Here Comes the Sickness" (live)4:10
12."No One Has" (live)3:32
13."By Her Own Hand" (live)3:32
14."Touch Me I'm Sick" (live)3:14
15."Dead Love" (live)14:18

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.[19]

Mudhoney
Technical personnel

Charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
UK Indie Chart[23] 3

References

  1. ^ Superfuzz....liner notes
  2. ^ "Steve Turner Ranks the Band's 10 Albums". Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  3. ^ Screamadelica#Musicology and samples
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. "Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles – Mudhoney". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  5. ^ Wilson, Lois (June 2008). "Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff". Mojo. No. 175. p. 120.
  6. ^ Pouncey, Edwin (February 18, 1989). "Sublime Subversives". NME. p. 31.
  7. ^ Smith, Caspar Llewellyn (June 15, 2008). "Mudhoney, Superfuzz Bigmuff". The Observer. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  8. ^ Masters, Marc (May 20, 2008). "Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff Deluxe Edition / The Lucky Ones". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  9. ^ Ranta, Alan (May 29, 2008). "Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff". PopMatters. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  10. ^ "Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff". Record Collector. Archived from the original on May 2, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  11. ^ Kot, Greg (2004). "Mudhoney". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 565. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  12. ^ Cohen, Jason (1995). "Mudhoney". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 261–262. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  13. ^ "Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff". Uncut. No. 133. June 2008. p. 104.
  14. ^ Dimery, Robert (2009). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Octopus Publishing Group, London. p. 589. ISBN 9781844036240. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
  15. ^ "Top 50 by Nirvana [MIXTAPE]". Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  16. ^ Cross, Gaar, Gendron, Martens, Yarm (2013). Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-7603-4521-4.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Superfuzz Bigmuff (Media notes). Mudhoney. Sub Pop. 1988. SP 21.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles (Media notes). Mudhoney. Sub Pop. 1990. SP21b.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ a b Superfuzz Bigmuff (Deluxe Edition) (Media notes). Mudhoney. Sub Pop. 2008. SPCD 773.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Mudhoney-Superfuzz-Bigmuff/release/833064 Superfuzz Bigmuff Original Track listing Discogs
  21. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Mudhoney-Superfuzz-Bigmuff-Plus-Early-Singles/master/30019 Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Singles Track listing Discogs
  22. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Mudhoney-Superfuzz-Bigmuff/release/1698667 Superfuzz Bigmuff Deluxe Track listing Discogs
  23. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1989. Cherry Red Books. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2014.

External links

Mudhoney
Authority control databases
Categories