Touch Me I'm Sick

When Nirvana burst on to the mainstream scene with Nevermind in 1991, it marked both the beginning and end of quite a few things. For one, it marked the beginning of a new era in rock - an era in which the grunge sound that had been stewing in Seattle for years would take center stage. It marked the beginning of alternative rock's reign as a mainstream radio staple. Finally, it ended the careers of cock-rockers everywhere, many of which would not be resurrected until VH1 started airing Behind the Music years later. Overnight, the members of Poison, Ratt, and Stryper (among countless others) would be looking for new work. Of course, the genre itself didn't spring up overnight - however instantaneous the effects of grunge were felt on a mainstream level, it was a movement with deep roots and influences that went back nearly a decade. Luckily for us, many of the successful Seattle bands were wont to tip their hats to the original influences - be it in concert (Nirvana covering the Wipers' "D-7" and inviting the Meat Puppets to play with them on their unplugged set, for example) or explicitly in interviews. Kurt Cobain himself seemed to particularly detest listeners who did not appreciate the history of his band and genre, kicking off the unplugged sessions by saying "This is off our first record, most people don't know it" before launching into "About a Girl" from Bleach (1989).

Cobain's concerns (particularly in the wake of his death) did not fall on deaf ears. Post-Nirvana, there has been a good deal of interest in the band's influences. Nonetheless, the popular sentiment remains that grunge was born with Nirvana. This could not be further from the truth. One could argue, for example, that the Melvins (who formed in 1983 when Cobain was just 16 years old) were the first true bearers of the genre's torch. Indeed, there are merits to this argument - lead singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne knew Cobain since he was 11 years old, and was certainly one of the biggest influences on the future rock icon. Furthermore, both Osborne and Melvins drummer Dale Crover were members of Cobain's first band, Fecal Matter.

For me, however, grunge begins with the release of Mudhoney's single "Touch Me I'm Sick"/"Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More." Mudhoney formed in 1988, and quickly signed to Sub Pop (whose first release had been Dry As a Bone by Green River - a band whose members would eventually form Mudhoney). Soon after, the band would release its debut EP, Superfuzz Bigmuff, along with the aforementioned single. The hallmark of the single is its all-out filthiness - something that must have been particularly shocking, especially given the fact that it was released at a time when overproduction and cleanliness in music was the norm. The B-side, "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More," sounds like a Stooges outtake - complete with snarling vocals and a diving guitar line. However, the centerpiece of the single (and today's upload) is the A-side. One notices the filth almost immediately on "Touch Me I'm Sick" - even before the first notes of the track, we hear the buzzing of an overdriven amp. When the guitar does come in, it is shrouded in crackling distortion - the product of a Big Muff pedal. Mark Arm's vocals on the track are delivered in a fashion vaguely reminiscent of an overdriven Kim Fowley ca. "Animal Man." - though not all too similar from a tonal perspective, their phrasing seems cut from the same cloth. The finest (and filthiest) moment of the song comes during the final repetition of the chorus as Arm alters the refrain to "fuck me, I'm sick."

This is as grungy as it gets, boys and girls. Nevermind was one hell of an album, but it never sounded quite this dirty. You can find both the A and B side of the single on Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles, an expanded edition of Mudhoney's first EP. It is essential listening for fans of Nirvana and the Stooges, as well as anyone seeking a little more unbridled filth in his or her life.

Pleasantly sullied.

Touch Me I'm Sick