speed of dark

The Muffs: Kim, Ronnie, and Roy

I have already mentioned my punk period and a couple of the bands (Homegrown, early Everclear) that I liked a lot from the early to mid 90's. Perhaps my very favorites of that time are the Muffs from Los Angeles.

I first liked punk for its raw anger, but then I discovered that it also has a great sense of humor. The Muffs' songs exemplify both of those characteristics perfectly. Kim Shattuck, singer and songwriter, can tell somebody off in no uncertain terms, yet her underlying humor and vulnerability also come through clearly.

Within the limiting genre of punk (few chords, short songs), the Muffs stand out for having decent harmonies, truly attractive, singable melodies, and understandable and well-written lyrics. The songs don't start all sounding the same, so you can play an entire album and not get bored. And Kim's hoarse roars just can't be beat.

I was able to see them in concert twice--at the Wiskey A Go Go in August 1995 with the Queers and Cub (featuring a very young Neko Case on drums) opening, and the following year at the Roxy. I can't convey very well here how fun and exciting their shows are--like riding a rollercoaster for a couple of hours. My friend and I left drained, happy, and drenched in sweat from our underwear out from being nearly as active as the band.

The Muffs have had the same lineup since their second album Blonder and Blonder, so current members are the same as I saw performing back then: Shattuck on lead guitar and vocals, Ronnie Barnett on bass, and former Redd Kross member Roy McDonald on drums. They disbanded for a couple of years, then got back together in 2004 to make another album. This speaks volumes about their friendship and compatibility.

The Muffs' first three albums are such jewels that the hardest part of this post was choosing the songs. I usually try to stick to six or fewer, but today I went a little nuts. I don't even know why I like "Oh Nina" so much, I just do. Whenever I think of the Muffs, that is the first song that pops into my head. Maybe because Nina is from Pasadena and she really doesn't have a clue. And "You and Your Parrot" ("walk around like you're demi-gods") just cracks me up. "Honeymoon" is actually quite a pretty song, so I couldn't leave it out.

From The Muffs (1993)
Big Mouth
Every Single Thing

From Blonder and Blonder (1995)
Oh Nina
I Need a Face

From Happy Birthday To Me (1997)
Honeymoon
Nothing
You and Your Parrot

Other releases: Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow (1999) and Really Really Happy (2004). In September 2005 The Muffs were featured in a series of Canadian Milk commercials that played throughout Canada. The Muffs are currently signed to independent label Five Foot Two Records.

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