Something lately made me dig up my old Veruca Salt cd's and almost forgot how much I LOVED them. Veruca Salt is the classic Generation-X band what with their self-referential nature, cynical worldview and grungy guitars. Add to that a pop sensibility that was lacking from most alterna-bands and you have a classic formula. There was also the gen-x staple (a sense of sadness) in heavy supply. Songs like the coming of age "25", or standing behind your Levelor blinds in "Number One Blind", or falling in love with your "Victrola" immediaely take you back to a time and place (1994). 1994 was the apex of alterna-rock, and Veruca Salt were the perfect band to help close the doors.

You're my winter love

I can lie here

With you so near

We both live here

Happy New Year

You're my sweat dear

Victrola!

I have their EP 'Blow It Out Your Ass It's Veruca Salt' produced by Steve Albini. I like that it was rough and dirty unlike their other releases.

I liked Eight Arms to Hold You a lot. Lots of good stuff on that one. Wasn't really interested in what they put out after the split up.

I liked American Thighs and saw them open with Bush around 1996

I heard "Seether" on the radio a couple weeks ago. I had "American Thighs" in high school but kinda stopped listening to them after that. There was one song on Thighs.....it was a slower song....really good tune though I can't remember the name of it. "Twice bitten, twice baked...." Anyone?

guitarslinger44 said:

Spyderman `79 ?

spy-derrrrr man..

buddy of mine met them during their heyday...

...said that they were "rock stars", and he dug it...

i saw them open for hole once - it was good times. i've never been a big fan, but they seemed like a pretty decent band.

sextonseven said:

Surprisingly I don't have that EP, but "American Thighs" to me has a low-fi, ragged sound, especially in comparison to "Eight Arms To Hold You", which is basically arena rock.

"Resolver" is Veruca Salt redux, considering Nina Gordon left the band in a bitter breakup that included so many levels of nastiness between the two girls. Pure band soap opera trash. Loius Post put out the album that one critc said never left 1994 sonically. It's also a bitter record directed at Nina and dave Groul, Louis' ex. I skipped this album but might pick it up someday. But the sad fact is Veruca Salt isn't Veruca Salt without Louis Post AND Nina Gordon.

Veruca Salt is one of my favorite bands!! I'm kinda surprised to see that so many other people like them.Most people i talk to don't even know who they are lol.

CynicKill said:

If you know Steve Albini's work then you know what he made the EP sound like.

I miss that whole Chicago scene.

I do too. It all went the way of The Smashing Pumpkins.

CynicKill said:

And even worse, Liz Phair.

GangstaFam said:

That's almost tragic, even though she did put out some catchy little ditties with her last release. I have "Guyville" and "Whip Smart".

CynicKill said:

Such huge potential and promise with those first two, but totally not living up to it in the decade since then.

I believe it was a NYT reviewer her said she commited "career suicide" with this last one. I tell you alterna-rock died in 1995.

they pay homage (I hasten to say "rip-off") to Juliana Hatfield big-time in their music.

Juliana is the REAL slept-on rock royalty.

mrdespues said:

I've read that. But I hear the REAL homage they pay to is The Breeders.

CynicKill said:

Breeders too with some of their riffage, but the singer is a dead ringer vocally for Juliana.

their first album was really great ( I don't know the following).

mrdespues said:

too bad there isn't just one singer. The two girls switch off lead vocal duties. Great ears Despues! Good luck with the eyebrows and music

LAProducer1 said:

what the hell is your problem? you're always attacking me for no apparent reason. i REALISE there are two singers, but in the earlier days at least, there was one girl who kinda took the lead more in songs like "Seether". She's very reminiscent of Juliana.

mrdespues said:

That would be Nina Gordon.

Seether is, neither

Loose nor tight

Seether is, neither

Black nor white

I tried to keep her on a short leash

I tried to calm her down

I tried to ram her into the

Ground, yeah!

CynicKill said:

I have an interesting version of "I Think It Was December" by Nina.....

Y'all knew that Veruca came about because Nina (and the other chick) were in line to see Wendy and Lisa's Eroica show?

The girls recently did some work with Nina..but i guess it will never see the light of day cause the tunes didnt really fit the feel Nina was going for.

sosgemini said:

Nina took a hard AC turn after Veruca Salt. Her song was pretty but I missed the agnsty, ragged, goofy stuff she did with VS.

They had a few really good ideas. Unfortunately, they had no real sound, as their albums sounded like thei producers: Blow It... was produced by Steve Albini, and it sounds like it, and Eight Arms was totally a Bob Rock album.

Thunderbird said:

good call there..i bought Eight Arms and a Live CD i found for girlbros. radio..their sound does seem all over the place.....ive been real hesitant to go out and buy more stuff now....


hmmm...

CynicKill said:

Yeah, the brunette? I like her. The girl who went out with Dave Grohl, right?