This month in 1988, Mudhoney was at Seattle’s Reciprocal Recording Studio to record “Touch Me I’m Sick”.
Produced by Jack Endino, who worked on seminal albums from bands including Soundgarden and Nirvana, “Touch Me I’m Sick” was released as Mudhoney’s debut single by Sub Pop on 1 August 1988. The song’s lyrics, which feature dark humor, are a sarcastic take on issues such as disease and violent sex.
When it was first released, “Touch Me I’m Sick” was a hit on college radio. Its heavily distorted and fuzzy guitars, snarling vocals, blunt bass line, and energetic drumming contributed to a dirty sound that influenced many local musicians, and helped develop the nascent Seattle grunge scene. According to 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤, “the song’s raw, primal energy made it an instant anthem which still stands as one of [grunge’s] all-time classics.” A staple of Mudhoney’s live shows, it remains the band’s most recognisable song.
Prior to the release of the “Touch Me I’m Sick” single, Sub Pop co-founder Bruce Pavitt sent a five-song Mudhoney tape to Sonic Youth for their opinions. Sonic Youth immediately proposed a split single where each band covered the other. Sonic Youth covered “Touch Me I’m Sick” while Mudhoney covered Sonic Youth’s “Halloween”. Bradford Allison of Prefix magazine suggested that Sonic Youth’s version “seems even grimier than the original.”
In 2002, 𝘕𝘔𝘌 ranked it #99 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singles of All Time. In 2004, 𝘒𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨! included it in 666 Songs You Must Own (Grunge). In 2010, it was also mentioned in 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die.
💧 NEARLY LOST YOU, MARK LANEGAN.
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Featured image via Loudwire.
