Andy Rocks in Seattle

Andy here. Not long back from the most amazing adventure in the USA. I went over on an invite from a friend in Seattle to see the most incredible line up.

Hank Khoir (Stone from Pearl Jam’s project doing Hank Williams songs, featuring the amazingly gorgeous Barbara Ireland), Satchel, Pigeonhed, Brad, Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone.

Those of you that know the story of the Seattle scene will know that Mother Love Bone were nothing like the Grunge movement that followed. They were more like Guns n’ Roses or Dogs D’Amour – funky Led Zep riffing mixed with glam, and 70s rock.

They were a band destined to great things when sadly the lead singer, Andy Wood, died of a drugs overdose. The band split. Bruce went on to Love Battery, Greg went on to Ten Minute Warning with Duff McKagan, Jack Endino’s Earthworm and more recently Asva, Jeff and Stone formed Pearl Jam.

So this visit to Seattle was something special. The first performance of Mother Love Bone in 20 years, plus the opportunity to meet and hang out with some incredible people.

MLB didn’t disappoint. After nearly 5 hours of music they hit the stage and performed Holy Roller, Stardog Champion and Bone China from their only album. They also played a cover of Hold yo’ Head Up by Argent.

Feet from the stage, I can tell you that this was the most intense concert experience I’ve ever had. MLB were tight and played as if there hadn’t been a 20 year gap. Shawn Smith (of Brad and Satchel and Pigeonhed) took Andy Wood’s place and nailed the sound and feel of the songs. Close your eyes and it was 1989 all over again.

Later in the week I was lucky enough to land a guest pass to the Soundgarden “secret” show at the Showbox. Billled as Nudedragons, they played a great set made up mostly of songs before Black Hole Sun era. Most of the songs were from BadMotorFinger, UltramegaOK and the Flower EP.

The crowd was like a who’s who from the Seattle music scene. Greg, Jeff, Matt and Bruce from MLB, Jonathan Poneman from Sub Pop, Mark Arm from Mudhoney, Hiro Yamamoto (Soundgarden’s first bass player, who actually mistook me for Bruce Pavitt!), Rock DJ Pierre Robert from Phili Rock Radio station WMMR… the list could go on!

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Tags: Bruce Fairweather, Greg Gilmore, Jeff Ament, Malfunkshun, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam, Pigeonhed, Satchel, Seattle, Shawn Smith, Soundgarden, Stone Gossard, Sub Pop