Mudhoney Articles
Mojo
September '03
Mark Arm Talks To Keith Cameron
How do you feel about these albums [Piece Of Cake and My Brother
The Cow] being reissued?
I actually think Piece Of Cake could probably use a little
remixing! That record came out at the time when most of the focus
was on the Seattle scene. Unfortunately, it's our most unfocused
record. I think there's some great songs, but overall it's a bit
of a mess. It doesn't make for a good album.
And to what do you ascribe that?
(Laughs) I don't know if I really wanna get into
detail. Let's just say I was really unfocused too! I don't
think the overall sound of Piece Of Cake was that great.
And then some of the actual songs are kinda lacking as well. By
that time we'd taken things for granted. The early career path
of the band was so enormously without challenge. For a band that's
been around a year, going to Europe and having people give a shit
was pretty strange. The title of the album was just like, this
whole rock thing is super easy! And we were maybe a little bit
cavalier and nonchalant about it. Instead of getting in there and
really focusing upon the task in hand. But, what the hell? We were
in our twenties and having a good time.
So you were properly "focused" for My Brother The Cow?
We were definitely regrouped. Still, I don't think we actually
made a great complete record until Tomorrow Hit Today. But
My Brother The Cow seemed like a step towards that.
Were you surprised at the attention "Into Yer Shtik" received?
Well, it was meant to be heard! Danny Goldberg, who previously
ran Gold Mountain management, the company that managed Nirvana
and Hole, had taken over the helm at Reprise or Warner Bros. He
thought that song was solely an attack on Courtney Love, and he
was just livid. We were in LA visiting the offices, and he
refused to meet us. But y'know, he's kind of a cock! The thing
that's really missed about that song is that it definitely
applies to who you think it applies to, but it applies to many
more people than that. The one thing I regret is at the end,
where there's these three little vignettes, and I didn't
specifically name the people. I don't know why. Nothing else
about that song was particularly subtile.
The hatred is tangible.
I know. You can't keep shit like that bottled up.
