Mudhoney Articles
Addicted To Noise
27 August '97
You Say It's Your Birthday: Bloodloss' Renestair EJ
Birthday boy Mike Johnson of Dinosaur Jr. also has reason to celebrate.
Today is the birthday of Renestair EJ, original founder of Bloodloss. Most
famous for member Mark Arm, who also worked with Mudhoney, Bloodloss
remained an underground band mainly relegated to Australia throughout the
1980s, but achieved success in America during the '90s. Although EJ formed
Bloodloss in 1983, the original lineup lasted less than a year, disbanding
after nearly setting fire to the studio where they were trying to record a
single. Bandmates fled to different parts of the globe, several to London --
but mysteriously enough, the band reformed itself in Adelaide, Australia
three years later, recording albums such as Human Skin Suit and The
Truth is Marching In. In 1989, some of Bloodloss joined forces with
Lubricated Goat on a U.S. tour, remaining on the road for two years and
culminating with the stabbing of one member of Lubricated Goat in Berlin.
Bloodloss' Martin Bland moved to Seattle in 1991 after being invited by
Mark Arm, who wanted him to join Monkeywrench, one of SubPop's recording
"projects." Renestair arrived in the city soon after, and began proposing
songs. Bland, EJ, Arm and guitarist Rick Bishop recorded a single, "Hair of
the Future." In 1993, bassist Guy Madison completed the lineup, and the band
released an album, Ingadda-da-change. A year later, they composed and
recorded a musical entitled Ten Solid Rockin' Inches of Rock Solid
Rock -- which was originally a stage production -- and released the cast
recording in 1995. Also in 1995, Bloodloss released a more conventional
recording, Live My Way, which was met with considerable critical
acclaim. The music has been described as everything from "jazzy rock without
the tropical fruit" to "just plain odd."
Other birthdays: Mike Johnson (Dinosaur Jr.); B.J. Thomas, 55; Daryl Dragon
(Captain & Tennille), 55; Simon Kirke (Free/Bad Company), 47; Jeff Cook
(Alabama), 47; Alex Lifeson (Rush), 44; Glenn Matlock (The Sex Pistols), 41
and comedian/actor Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman).
