Mark Arm Vocalist of the grunge band Mudhoney Date of Birth: 21.02.1962 Country: USA

1. Mark Arm: The Grunge Pioneer
2. Early Years and Musical Start
3. Mudhoney and Continued Success
4. Solo Projects and Collaborations

Mark Arm: The Grunge Pioneer

Mark Arm, the vocalist of the grunge band Mudhoney, is often credited with coining the term "grunge" as a way to describe the music style he and other Seattle groups were playing (although Kurt Cobain claimed that Jonathan Poneman, one of the founders of the Sub Pop label, came up with the term). His previous band, Green River, is considered one of the earliest grunge bands, alongside Malfunkshun, Soundgarden, Skin Yard, U-Men, and others. Currently, Mark Arm also serves as the manager of Sub Pop.

Early Years and Musical Start

In 1980, Mark Arm formed the band "Mr. Epp and the Calculations" while attending a Christian school in Bellevue. The band's first performance took place in 1981 as the opening act for Student Nurse. They even appeared on the radio station KZAM-AM, being introduced as the "worst band in the world". In 1982, the band released their first EP, and the following year, they welcomed guitarist Steve Turner. However, the group disbanded in 1984.

After Mr. Epp and the Calculations, Mark Arm and Steve Turner joined the band Limp Richerds for a few weeks. They later joined forces with future Pearl Jam members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, as well as Alex Vincent, to form the band Green River. Before disbanding, Green River released two EPs and one full-length album. Steve Turner left the band to finish college, and Mark Arm had to search for a new group once again. After Turner completed his education, they formed the band The Thrown Ups.

Mudhoney and Continued Success

Mark Arm and Steve Turner were joined by drummer Dan Peters and bassist Matt Lukin, a former member of The Melvins, to form the band Mudhoney. In 1988, their first single "Touch Me I'm Sick" was released on the Sub Pop label. After touring and releasing several EPs, the band released their first full-length album in 1989. Their next album, "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge," was released just before the grunge explosion caused by Nirvana's "Nevermind" in 1991. In 1992, Mudhoney signed with Reprise Records and released the album "Piece of Cake".

Although Mudhoney was never as popular as some of their peers, they remain one of the few grunge bands still actively releasing albums. In 2002, they released "Since We've Become Translucent," followed by "The Lucky Ones" in May 2008, which is their most recent work to date. The contribution of Mark Arm and Mudhoney to the grunge genre is highly significant.

Solo Projects and Collaborations

In 1990, Mark Arm released a solo single, "The Freewheelin' Mark Arm," on Sub Pop. He was also the vocalist and guitarist for the band Bloodloss and the vocalist of the Seattle supergroup The Monkeywrench, which included Arm, Turner, Tim Kerr (of Lord Hi Fixers, Big Boys, Poison 13), Tom Price (of Gas Huffer), and Martin Bland (of Bloodloss). Mark has also appeared as a guest vocalist on albums such as Alice in Chains' 1992 EP "Sap".

In 1998, he recorded the soundtrack for the film "Velvet Goldmine" alongside Ron Ashton, Mike Watt, Thurston Moore, and Steve Shelley, using the pseudonym Wild Rettch.

Overall, Mark Arm's contributions to the grunge movement and his long-lasting career in the music industry have solidified his status as a pioneer and influential figure in the genre.