Music Arcades: Mudhoney: Mudhoney

I just googled that joke, "How many indie music fans does it take to change a light bulb?" Answers seem to vary — a) "You don't KNOW?" b) "It's an obscure number; you wouldn't have heard of it." c) "I have that joke on vinyl" — but all betray that air of suffocating smugness and in-group snobbery. I've never answered to the description of "indie music fan", but I've been guilty of pretty obscene examples of those traits. Unfortunately, no-one ever asked me, 20 years ago, if I thought Nirvana were the best rock band in the world. If they had, I'd have "patiently" explained that, not only were they not the best rock band in the world, they weren't the best grunge band in the world. Or even the best grunge band in Seattle.

That private accolade was Mudhoney's. I heard them on John Peel, saw them supporting Sonic Youth, and then bought this CD (£9.49 from the F.O.N. shop on Division Street, Sheffield). It's more dumb (sometimes crassly so) and more crude than Nevermind — and that's exactly how it should be. You don't read George Eliot for the belly laughs, and you don't listen to grunge for sensitive lyrics. Mudhoney are much more fun, too.

Having said all this, I've never felt the need for a second Mudhoney album. I just dipped in to this one on We7, and had my lack of need confirmed.