The 4th and final album by the 6 year-old Meat, one of the best of the Chicago alternative rock scene, was released in early 1997. Called There's a Star Above The Manger Tonight, it's a very interesting, experimental record with weird instruments, tape hiss, and the like. I enjoyed it, though it's kind of a change from their previous albums which had appeared to be very influenced by by classic rock & blues Well, they're an interesting bunch, and in their live show it's intriguing to watch their songs nearly collapse, and then resurrect themselves. For more, check out Bunny Gets Paid and Jimmywine Majestic, both on Sub Pop.
Members include 31-year-old singer/guitarist Tim Rutili (who has long been a prominent, if not terribly successful, member of the Chicago scene), bassist/guitarist Tim Hurley, drummer/producer Brian Deck, and all-around utility-person Ben Massarella.
In 1984, Rutili moved from the suburb of Addison into the city to go to film school where he met bassist Glynis Johnson (they would play together for 8 years, until Johnson's death). Their first band Friends of Betty (with Massarealla) attracted a reasonable following, but their 1988 studio pop album Blind Faith II (with drummer John Rowan -- now best known as Urge Overkill's Blackie Onassis) wasn't much appreciated.
With new recruit Glenn Girard (who also lived and worked with them), they started a new band, called Red Red Meat, releasing its debut single "Hot Nikkety Trunk Monkey" and "Snowball" in 1991. Brian Deck, who was the engineer at the early sessions, sat in on drums and then remained...
During the summer of 1992, RRM toured with the Smashing Pumpkins. Johnson left the band then (for health reasons), and died later that fall. The band's self-titled debut covers the early era. While recording the single "Flank" at Idful Studios, Brad Wood played it for Sub Pop director Jonathan Poneman, who decided to sign the band (the labels first Chicago band).
Their first Sub Pop release Jimmywine Majestic was pretty accessible, even if it wasn't exactly grunge, which many people expected of the Sub Pop signees... In 1994, they released their third album, Bunny Gets Paid.
Red Red Meat has since ended their contract with Sub Pop. The future of the band is uncertain. They did, however, appear in Scott Petersen's film Out of the Loop, which documents the Chicago indie rock scene. RRM's own Perishable label just released Loftus, a collaboration with New York trio, Rex. The two bands, which toured together in the fall of 1995 (The Meat covered for Rex when the latter crashed their van on the way to their Empty Bottle New Year's Eve show), recorded an album for A&M subsidiary Treat & Release (the label run by anchorman Tom Brokaw's daughter Andie). The side project's record remained unreleased for more than a year before the band eventually bought the record back, so they could release it themselves.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.subpop.com/bands/redredmeat/rrm.html
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