The Muffs (1993) may not be the band’s best album, but there are many days it’s my favorite. All the songwriting elements that Kim Shattuck would hone, perfect, and whip into shape by Happy Birthday To Me (1997) were present from the debut– and to a lesser extent, the singles leading up to this CD. The Muffs is also the only album to feature the original lineup:
Kim Shattuck – lead and backup vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
Melanie Vammen – rhythm guitar
Ronnie Barnett – bass, stupid vocals
Criss Crass – drums, percussion, backing vocals
I totally get why The Muffs stripped down to a power trio with Roy McDonald in 1994. Their subsequent catalog speaks for itself. Still, I loved the Vammen-Crass version of The Muffs. I saw the four-piece at least twice, maybe thrice, once for sure at The Off Ramp in Seattle. That’s my signed CD booklet at the top of the post and that was after the Off Ramp gig. If it’s my 24th birthday, then that show took place on August 3, 1993. It was an unseasonably hot night and The Muffs matched the temps. It was like they took the best parts of Joan Jett and filtered it through swinging 4/4 punk rock, and Shattuck’s obvious early Kinks/early Beatles sweet spot. What was I not supposed to like?
The first time I saw The Muffs was about a year before that Off Ramp show. Throughout 1992, Bob Forrest of Thelonious Monster had been talking up The Muffs on stage and in Flipside. So, on August 21, 1992, The Muffs opened for Thelonious Monster at the late, great Bogart’s in Long Beach. God knows I love the Monster and I mostly saw good Thelonious shows back in the day. That night at Bogart’s was not one of them. They couldn’t get their shit together, which was unfortunate because The Muffs came out loaded for bear and didn’t let up for 45 minutes. Once I heard the patented Shattuck Shriek about 3 seconds into their set I understood the fuss. Poor Bob, hoisted with his own petard.
The Muffs had 3 singles out at the time, so whether it was that night or later in record stores, I quickly procured all 3. I distinctly remember hearing “New Love” at Bogart’s, so that was my first favorite Muffs song. Then, the first album came out and it was like an entire album of “New Love” — and superior variations thereof. Here’s a couple of my faves.
The Muffs – Lucky Guy – 1993 [Expanded CD] [Vinyl]
“By the time we were officially signed (to Warner Bros) and recording the real record, we did all our basic tracks, including re-tracking all of the original demos. That included a new version of ‘Lucky Guy,’ which was the version I preferred. Unfortunately, the rest of The Muffs had ‘demo-itis,’ and I was outvoted, so we used the demo version. Unfortunately, I misunderstood and thought they were going to remix the demo version so it would fit in with the rest of the album, but nope. I was bummed. Scarred for life. This was the beginning of why I eventually decided to produce everything myself.”
–Kim Shattuck in the liner notes to The Muffs reissue, 2015
“We did a video for ‘Lucky Guy,’ directed by our friend Dave Markey, who directed Desperate Teenage Lovedolls and other amazing stuff. Our ‘real’ A&R guys starred and Criss was very jealous of my role as the leprechaun.”
–Ronnie Barnett in the liner notes to The Muffs reissue, 2015
The Muffs – Every Single Thing – 1993 [Expanded CD] [Vinyl]
“I wrote this song right before my little sister’s recital. When we were hammering it out at practice, I really wanted Ronnie to play a different note in a walk-up, right before the chorus, but he didn’t like it. Eventually he did it and it makes the song.”
–Kim Shattuck in the liner notes to The Muffs reissue, 2015
“It may or may not have too many songs, and there may have been too many cooks in the studio*, but it is what it is — our first album. It had heart, it had songs, and is the basis for our ongoing — after all of this time — career. Kim and I used to dismiss this album, but I now think it’s time to embrace it.”
–Ronnie Barnett in the liner notes to The Muffs reissue, 2015
* If the Discogs release page is correct, The Muffs’ debut album featured SIX fucking engineers and two producers not in the band. I’d say that’s six cooks too many.
Really enjoyed this write-up – I know the albums after this one pretty well, but have not spent enough time with The Muffs’ debut. You’ve inspired me to change that – thanks!