With Arm In Hand, Bloodloss Conjures Memories Of Mudhoney
The last time Mark Arm was in Spokane the fire marshal cut short the performance of Arm and his band, Mudhoney.
It was the summer of 1991, the eve of the Seattle scene’s eruption.
Mudhoney - among the Emerald City’s promising “grunge” bands destined for great things, took the stage in an over-capacity, sweatdrenched, jam-packed Big Dipper. So many people wanted to see the band that a line ran out the door and down Second Avenue for a block.
One-and-half-songs into their set, the fire marshal pulled the plug. Mudhoney left, never to return.
That show is legendary in the local scene, mainly because of all of the rumors it sparked. There was one that said the band got stiffed by the bar. Another rumor circulated that Mudhoney vowed never to come back (most bands don’t, even without an incident). The best rumor said that on the way back to Seattle that night, the band’s van broke down in Ritzville, inspiring a song called “Ritzville” in which Arm ranted in the chorus: “Going Back to Ritzville/ Don’t ask why/ It’s as good a place as any/ to go an die.”
None of the rumors proved true, of course.
“I really have no idea what happened that night,” he said in a recent phone interview.
He says the band hasn’t been back to Spokane because: “We’re pretty lazy, overall. Which is kind of weird because Spokane’s only like six hours away. For some reason, we never have Spokane on real tours. We never seemed to do any little (Northwest) tours. But Bloodloss is doing that. We’re spending the whole summer doing little weekend excursions, places we wouldn’t normally go to on a regular tour.”
While Mudhoney is on an indefinite hiatus, Mark Arm’s duties with his other band, Bloodloss, consume most of his time. He’ll accompany his band at Ichabod’s North tonight.
Bloodloss bears little resemblance to Mudhoney, except when Arm lends his nasally, wiry vocals to a couple of songs. But with Arm in the band, some people still think it’s Mudhoney Jr.
“People probably have certain expectations,” Arm says.
“As far as I can remember, we’ve only gotten ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ yelled at us once.” The song to which he was referring was Mudhoney’s first single and the song that possibly even defined grunge.
In a drunken stupor, the Seattle-via-Australia band Bloodloss has inadvertently stumbled upon its very own sound, a sound that baffles many ears, including mine.
“Some people like it quite a bit,” Arm says. “Some people don’t understand it all.”
They’re simultaneously garage rock, jazz improv and lounge. The band further submerges itself into the obscure with Renestair EJ’s beefy sax riffs and squeaks and his Tom Waits/ Jesse Bernstein growls.
Although I normally don’t drop names, this band sounds like Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart beating each other with whiskey bottles in a smoky dive bar.
Bloodloss planted its roots in Australia in the early 1980s. The band was mainly the creation of Renestair EJ and drummer Martin Bland. After changing its name to Zulu Rattles, the band entered the studio to record a single. According to Arm, they torched the studio and disbanded.
Ren fled to London for a time and reformed the band after moving back to Australia.
In 1989, Bloodloss hatched its first album, “The Truth Is Marching in.”
Simultaneously, Bloodloss members - Bland, Ren and bassist Guy Maddison were moonlighting in another band called Lubricated Goat, which actually put out some records on Sub Pop - Mudhoney’s first label.
When Mudhoney was touring Australia in 1990, Martin handed Arm a copy of “The Truth Is Marching In” and mentioned he might move to the U.S. Arm offered him a place to live in Seattle, and Martin took him up on the offer in 1991.
Ren, who left Australia for L.A., moved to Seattle after Bland’s arrival and the band was formed.
“I was like, ‘If you guys ever decide to do this Bloodloss thing, I would love to play.’ Martin figured since he had been living with me for a year, he owed me something.”
Since relocating, Bloodloss produced several indie recordings and signed to Mudhoney’s label Reprise/Warner Bros. Among their releases are the 1994 LP “In-A-Gadda Da-Change” (Available on Sympathy for the Record Industry) and major-label debut “Live My Way.” Interestingly enough, both albums were recorded and produced by former Spokanite Jimmy Collier.
The Fumes and Clabberhag open.
Industrial strength
Technologically challenged industrial band Grotus will once again bombard Spokane with its sensory assault at Outback Jack’s on Saturday.
Grotus, which consists of four Luddites, opts for the organic side of heavy music. Without the luxury of employing synthetic instruments and voice modulators, the band still wells up an earsplitting mix of trance and industrial.
After a recording absence of more than two years, Grotus followed up its brilliant album, “Slow Motion Apocalypse,” with its spectacular major-label debut, “Mass.”
Grotus usually reinforces its live show with a variety of visuals and films to drive home ideas.
Accompanying the band is American Recording artist Barkmarket.
Fatty Lumpkin opens at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and are available at the door.
Rastamon vibrations
There’s something about reggae concerts in the middle of summer. Even if they’re inside a smoky bar.
8750, the world’s highest reggae band (they’re from Telluride, Colo., elevation 8,750 feet), return to Spokane Tuesday for an evening of roots reggae at Outback Jack’s. Also on the bill is ska band Congo Shock. Music starts at 9:30. The cover is $3.
Blues on the blue
The Waterin’ Hole in Coeur d’Alene is hosting a blues boat cruise on the waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene on Sunday, from 3 to 6 p.m. Portland-by-way-of-Spokane band Yo and de Cats will entertain. Tickets are $12 and are available at G&B outlets, the Waterin’ Hole in Coeur d’Alene, White Horse Saloon in Spirit Lake and at the Fort Spokane Brewery in Spokane. You must be at least 21.
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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: NIGHTWATCH PICKS Best bets at area clubs: TONIGHT: Bloodloss, the Fumes and Clabberhag at Ichabod’s North SATURDAY: Grotus, Barkmarket and Fatty Lumpkin at Outback Jack’s SUNDAY: Blues boat cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene TUESDAY: 8750 and Congo Shock at Outback Jack’s