Mother Love Bone is considered by many to be forefathers of the whole 90’s Seattle Grunge sound/scene. The fact that
two of its members bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard went to form Pearl Jam and the premature death of lead
singer Andrew Wood helped cement Mother Love Bone’s legacy. What many of these people may or not be aware of is that Mother
Love Bone WAS A FUCKING GLAM BAND. You know, the kind of band Grunge was supposed to be the anthisesis of, The type of band
that according to popular legend Grunge ‘killed’ in the early 90’s.
Before Mother Love Bone, Ament, Gossard and guitarist Bruce Fairweather were in a band called Green River. Green
River’s debut EP Come On Down is considered by many to be the first ‘Grunge’ record. Their next EP Dry As A Bone was the
first non compilation release from legendary Seattle label Sub Pop records. According to Seattle folklore Green River
imploded due to musical differences. Original guitarist Steve Turner and vocalist Mark Arm wanted to retain the grungy
Stooges meets Black Flag sound of the first two Green River EP’s while Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Bruce Fairweather (the
guitarist guy who replaced Turner) wanted to go in a more the glam/Hard Rock/Mainstream Metal direction that Green River was
leaning towards on their final EP Rehab Doll. In the end, Arm and Turner formed the grungier Mudhoney while the other three
guys formed Mother Love Bone with ex Malkfunkshun singer Andrew Wood.
Earlier Green River
Later Green River
According to what I read online Andrew Wood’s pre Love Bone band Malfunkshun was turned down by Sub Pop for not being
“grunge enough.” Despite Andrew Wood’s Kiss inspired look and stage raps Malkfunkshun’s music was compatible with other
Seatle Grunge bands of the area but different enough to stand out. One thing that set Andrew Wood apaart from many of peers
like say Kurt Cobain, is that Mr. Wood embraced the idea of becoming a larger than life ‘Rock Star.’ I doubt he would have
been content staying under the mainstream radar.
Mother Love Bone might had been an 80’s Glam Metal band but their version of Glam was more Jane’s Addiction than
Poison. Like Jane’s Mother Love Bone had a slightly funky, psychedelic feel to their music but Jane’s music was built around
Eric Avery’s rock solid bass and Stephen Perkins’ tribal beat with guitarist Dave Navarro and singer Perry Ferrell working
around it. Mother Love Bone’s music on the other hand put greater emphasis on the the dual lead guitar work of Stone Gossard
and Bruce Fairweather. Jane’s had more of a post punk verging on Goth feel while Mother Love Bone was more Classic Rock and
“fun.” Mother Love Bone was also not very ‘angsty’ when compared to say Nirvana or even Alice In Chains.
Notice how Andrew Wood looks like he could pass for a less Mexican slightly less flamboyant relative of the singer
in this band:
For the record, I think it’s cool that the two of the founding members Pearl Jam are closet Glam guys. I prefer the
kind of sort of glam music of Mother Love Bone. to Pearl Jam. Especially to the music Pearl Jam has been done since Vitalogy.
I even like the Bulletboys. Sure the dance the singer does on that “Smooth Up In Ya” video is panty sniffing creepy and his
wailing can be irritating at times but these guys did a cover of a Tom Waits song that’s pretty damn legit.
As a fan of 80’s Glam Metal and 90’s Grunge I noticed that these two Rock sub Genres have more in common than many
people realize. Grunge and Glam Metal are not polar oppossites but rather distant cousins who do not always get along. I
also don’t buy the popular Grunge killed Glam in the early 90’s argument. Especially when you take into account that Mother
Love Bone one of the bands theoreticaly helped bring the ‘Seattle Grunge Scene’ into the mainstream was more ‘Glam’ than
‘Grunge.’ And I’m not even gonna talk about Alice In Chains, a band that was an opening act for Poison AND Slayer… That could
be another blog in and of itself…
ahandfullofnapalm 