Meat Puppets II
Encyclopedia
Meat Puppets II is the second album by the Tempe, Arizona
band the Meat Puppets
, released in 1984. It is a departure from their self-titled debut album, which consisted largely of noisy hardcore
with unintelligible vocals. It covers many genres from country-style rock ("Magic Toy Missing", "Climbing", Lost") to slow acoustic songs ("Plateau", "Oh Me") to psychedelic guitar effects ("Aurora Borealis") to hard rock ("Lake of Fire").
On the back of the original vinyl, the cover art is credited to Curt Kirkwood
and Neal Holliday.
Rykodisc
reissued the album in 1999 with extra tracks and b-sides, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' Aftermath-era track "What To Do."
The Meat Puppets' SST
labelmates The Minutemen
covered "Lost" on the EP Tour-Spiel
and their last studio album, 3-Way Tie (For Last)
. Three of the album's songs were covered
by Nirvana
(as the Kirkwood brothers joined them onstage) during their "Unplugged" show for MTV
("Plateau
", "Oh, Me", and "Lake of Fire
").
The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
and was also listed on Pitchfork Media
's "Best Albums of the 1980's". The final track "The Whistling Song" was taken as the title of Stephen Beachy
's first novel. Curt Kirkwood created the cover art for the novel.
The album was performed live in its entirety at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festival in Monticello, New York as part of the ATP Don't Look Back
season, and again in December at a performance in London.
, unless otherwise noted.
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
band the Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
, released in 1984. It is a departure from their self-titled debut album, which consisted largely of noisy hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
with unintelligible vocals. It covers many genres from country-style rock ("Magic Toy Missing", "Climbing", Lost") to slow acoustic songs ("Plateau", "Oh Me") to psychedelic guitar effects ("Aurora Borealis") to hard rock ("Lake of Fire").
On the back of the original vinyl, the cover art is credited to Curt Kirkwood
Curt Kirkwood
Curtis Matthew Kirkwood is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but currently resides in Austin, Texas....
and Neal Holliday.
Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
reissued the album in 1999 with extra tracks and b-sides, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' Aftermath-era track "What To Do."
The Meat Puppets' SST
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
labelmates The Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
covered "Lost" on the EP Tour-Spiel
Tour-Spiel
Tour-Spiel is an EP by Minutemen released in 1984. It contained four songs, all covers.-Track listing:# Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love # The Red and the Black # Green River # Lost...
and their last studio album, 3-Way Tie (For Last)
3-Way Tie (For Last)
3-Way Tie is the fourth and final full-length album recorded by the American punk band Minutemen. It is particularly notable for featuring several cover songs by bands such as the Urinals, Meat Puppets, Blue Öyster Cult, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Roky Erickson and the Aliens. It was...
. Three of the album's songs were covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
(as the Kirkwood brothers joined them onstage) during their "Unplugged" show for MTV
MTV Unplugged in New York
MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American rock band Nirvana. It features an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993 for the television series MTV Unplugged. The show was directed by Beth McCarthy and first aired on the cable television...
("Plateau
Plateau (song)
Plateau is a song written by alternative rock band the Meat Puppets, which first appeared on their 1984 album Meat Puppets II.The song was popularized when the Meat Puppets performed it with the grunge band Nirvana during their famous 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance...
", "Oh, Me", and "Lake of Fire
Lake of Fire (song)
"Lake of Fire" is a song by the American alternative rock band the Meat Puppets. It appears on their 1983 album, Meat Puppets II and consists of three choruses, punctuated by two verses, in the key of G#....
").
The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
and was also listed on Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's "Best Albums of the 1980's". The final track "The Whistling Song" was taken as the title of Stephen Beachy
Stephen Beachy
Stephen Beachy is a writer. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1965. His first novel, The Whistling Song, was published by W. W. Norton with cover illustrations by Curt Kirkwood in 1991 and his second, Distortion, by Harrington Park Press, in 2000 and was reprinted in December 2010 by Rebel...
's first novel. Curt Kirkwood created the cover art for the novel.
The album was performed live in its entirety at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival in Monticello, New York as part of the ATP Don't Look Back
Don't Look Back (concert series)
Don't Look Back is a yearly series of concerts in which London based promoters All Tomorrow's Parties ask artists and bands to play one of their seminal albums live in its entirety...
season, and again in December at a performance in London.
Track listing
All songs written by Curt KirkwoodCurt Kirkwood
Curtis Matthew Kirkwood is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but currently resides in Austin, Texas....
, unless otherwise noted.
- "Split Myself in Two" – 2:22
- "Magic Toy Missing" – 1:20
- "Lost" – 3:24
- "PlateauPlateau (song)Plateau is a song written by alternative rock band the Meat Puppets, which first appeared on their 1984 album Meat Puppets II.The song was popularized when the Meat Puppets performed it with the grunge band Nirvana during their famous 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance...
" – 2:22 - "Aurora Borealis" – 2:44
- "We're Here" – 2:40
- "Climbing" – 2:41
- "New Gods" – 2:09
- "Oh, Me" – 2:59
- "Lake of FireLake of Fire (song)"Lake of Fire" is a song by the American alternative rock band the Meat Puppets. It appears on their 1983 album, Meat Puppets II and consists of three choruses, punctuated by two verses, in the key of G#....
" – 1:54 - "I'm a Mindless Idiot" – 2:26
- "The Whistling Song" – 2:56
1999 CD bonus tracks
- "Teenager(s)" (Meat Puppets) - 3:36
- "I'm Not Here" - 1:55
- "New Gods" (Demo Version) - 2:13
- "Lost" (Demo Version) - 3:03
- "What to Do" (Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
/Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
) - 2:35
- "100% of Nothing" - 1:50
- "Aurora Borealis" (Demo Version) - 2:28
Personnel
- Curt KirkwoodCurt KirkwoodCurtis Matthew Kirkwood is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but currently resides in Austin, Texas....
- guitar, vocals - Cris KirkwoodCris KirkwoodChristopher "Cris" Kirkwood is an American musician who is the bassist and a founding member of the Meat Puppets, an alternative punk rock band.-Biography:...
- bass, vocals - Derrick BostromDerrick BostromDerrick Bostrom is an American musician. He was the original drummer of the band Meat Puppets, which he founded together with the Kirkwood brothers, Cris and Curt, in 1980....
- drums