The Return of That Dog / 25 Years of Veruca Salt Albums
Oct 19, 2019 19:31:45 GMT
Fox in the Snow likes this
Post by petrolino on Oct 19, 2019 19:31:45 GMT
That Dog ^ Veruca Salt
When That Dog ruled the alternative airwaves in the mid-1990s, a lot was made of the band's family ties (Anna Waronker's parents are Lenny Waronker & Donna Loren, triplets Petra & Rachel Haden are the sisters of Tanya Haden and daughters of Charlie Haden) in the music press. Much the same happened a decade later to top rock outfit The Like (Tennessee Thomas is the daughter of Pete Thomas, Charlotte Froom's the daughter of Mitchell Froom & Z Berger is the daughter of Tony Berg).
'Never Say Never' - That Dog
'June Gloom' - The Like
Now the band are back and they're comeback film is screening for free on the youtube. It's great to see another sterling outfit from the 1990s return to the fold, and to my ears, they're sounding pretty great, like the Breeders & Belly before them.
Take a gander if you're interested ...
"That Dog were a beloved band in the Nineties whose legacy has only grown since they released their last LP, 1997’s near-perfect Retreat From the Sun. They just released a deluxe edition of their 1995 debut album, and they recently played their first show in 19 years. In an example of That Dog’s influence on today’s generation of indie rock, Allison Crutchfield of the great band Swearin’ was on hand to sing backing vocals. Now, they’ve announced a new album, Old LP, their first since Retreat From the Sun. Along with original members — guitarist-vocalist Anna Waronker, bassist-vocalist Rachel Haden, and drummer Tony Maxwell — the new set features an interesting cast of guests, including Maya Rudolph, Randy Newman, former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon (who played a brief opening set before their comeback gig), Josh Klinghoffer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go’s, among others."
- Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone
'Old LP Mini-Documentary' with That Dog & Maya Rudolph
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'Totally Confused' - Beck & That Dog
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Veruca Salt are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album, 'American Thighs' (1994). I think it's fitting that the original line-up reunited for their fifth album 'Ghost Notes' (2015), as this record now forms a sort of loose trilogy with 'American Thighs' and 'Eight Arms To Hold You' (1997). The albums 'Resolver' (2000) and 'IV' (2006) were projects steered solely by Louise Post, while the other three records were laid down by Post, Nina Gordon, bassist Steve Lack and drummer Jim Shapiro.
'American Thighs' - we salute you!
'We celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the coolest records from the 90s Chicago alternative rock scene, Veruca Salt's debut album American Thighs which was first released through Minty Fresh Records. It might not be the most famous rock record out there, but this gem should never be forgotten. Not considered as iconic as some of 1994's releases (this was the year of Soundgarden's Superunknown, Oasis' Definitely Maybe, Blur's Park Life, Green Day's Dookie and Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral to name but a few), but it certainly deserves to go up there as one of those records that should not, under any circumstances, become lost in time.
Always being fans of the odd pop culture reference (they are, after all, named after the character from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Veruca Salt took the name of their first album from a lyric in the AC/DC song You Shook Me All Night Long, from their iconic Back In Black album: "Knockin' me out with those American thighs."
American Thighs was produced by Brad Wood, who had produced Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville earlier that year and would go on to work with Placebo on their self-titled debut. The biggest single was Seether, released with the B-side All Hail Me, which went on to appear in the movie Young Adult as well as the TV shows Hindsight and Halt and Catch Fire. Seether was actually the inspiration for the South African rock band of the same name. In fact, the track was such a success that Veruca Salt even landed a supporting slot on tour with grunge band Hole. Other singles were Number One Blind and Victrola; the latter of which also included a cover of The Knack's number one hit My Sharona in the original single release.
The album peaked at number one on the US Heatseekers Album chart, though didnt chart quite as highly in the mainstream Billboard chart. Still, Veruca Salt were hardly a band who craved mainstream popularity. As female-fronted 90s bands go, they were certainly go up there as one of the most memorable.'
Always being fans of the odd pop culture reference (they are, after all, named after the character from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Veruca Salt took the name of their first album from a lyric in the AC/DC song You Shook Me All Night Long, from their iconic Back In Black album: "Knockin' me out with those American thighs."
American Thighs was produced by Brad Wood, who had produced Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville earlier that year and would go on to work with Placebo on their self-titled debut. The biggest single was Seether, released with the B-side All Hail Me, which went on to appear in the movie Young Adult as well as the TV shows Hindsight and Halt and Catch Fire. Seether was actually the inspiration for the South African rock band of the same name. In fact, the track was such a success that Veruca Salt even landed a supporting slot on tour with grunge band Hole. Other singles were Number One Blind and Victrola; the latter of which also included a cover of The Knack's number one hit My Sharona in the original single release.
The album peaked at number one on the US Heatseekers Album chart, though didnt chart quite as highly in the mainstream Billboard chart. Still, Veruca Salt were hardly a band who craved mainstream popularity. As female-fronted 90s bands go, they were certainly go up there as one of the most memorable.'
Contact Music celebrates the 25th Anniversary of 'American Thighs'
Louise Post, Steve Lack, Nina Gordon & Jim Shapiro
'All Hail Me' - Veruca Salt
'Seether' - Veruca Salt
"American Thighs was blasting at maximum volume. A thrilling, transgressive assault, the album – which made its debut 25 years ago this week – was an uncorked genie’s bottle of Generation X angst and delirium. Alongside Nirvana’s Nevermind, The Breeders’ Last Splash and Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream, the record stands tall as one of the decade’s most essential slabs of headbanging ferocity. You could laugh, cry and scream along to it. Veruca Salt certainly did as American Thighs catapulted them from the Chicago indie underground into the belly of the corporate rock behemoth. It didn’t end especially well. But, goodness, what a rollercoaster.
The single “Seether” set the tone, with metal riffs and dew-drop vocals from front women Nina Gordon and Louise Post. It was a song about feminine rage in an era when women in rock were asserting themselves loudly and proudly. And as with all the best bands from that period Veruca Salt looked as fantastic as they sounded. Just like Nirvana, they elevated just-out-bed scruffiness into high fashion.
The extent of Veruca Salt’s star power was clear when, after just a few months on the road, they played the Glastonbury main stage in 1995. You can watch on YouTube, though be warned: it may make you lament the bloodless condition of rock in 2019. Gordon wears a halter-top and a snarl. Post, as was the fashion at the time, rocks in a full length white dress. They plunge into “Seether” and, for those three minutes and 46 seconds, are the best, coolest, smartest band on the planet.
They should have been huge. For a while, backed by Nirvana’s label, Geffen, they almost were. And then it all unravelled, along with Gordon and Post’s almost too intense friendship. But they left us with American Thighs (named for a line in AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long”). A quarter century on, its growling, snarky melodies and slamming riffs remain singular – as evocative of the Nineties as Winona Ryder’s fringe or Kurt Cobain’s Dennis the Menace sweater. It deserves to be acclaimed far more than it is."
The single “Seether” set the tone, with metal riffs and dew-drop vocals from front women Nina Gordon and Louise Post. It was a song about feminine rage in an era when women in rock were asserting themselves loudly and proudly. And as with all the best bands from that period Veruca Salt looked as fantastic as they sounded. Just like Nirvana, they elevated just-out-bed scruffiness into high fashion.
The extent of Veruca Salt’s star power was clear when, after just a few months on the road, they played the Glastonbury main stage in 1995. You can watch on YouTube, though be warned: it may make you lament the bloodless condition of rock in 2019. Gordon wears a halter-top and a snarl. Post, as was the fashion at the time, rocks in a full length white dress. They plunge into “Seether” and, for those three minutes and 46 seconds, are the best, coolest, smartest band on the planet.
They should have been huge. For a while, backed by Nirvana’s label, Geffen, they almost were. And then it all unravelled, along with Gordon and Post’s almost too intense friendship. But they left us with American Thighs (named for a line in AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long”). A quarter century on, its growling, snarky melodies and slamming riffs remain singular – as evocative of the Nineties as Winona Ryder’s fringe or Kurt Cobain’s Dennis the Menace sweater. It deserves to be acclaimed far more than it is."
- Ed Power, The Independent
Veruca Salt in 'Totally Confused' (1998)
'Number One Blind' - Veruca Salt