SHIRLEY MANSON
DUKE ERIKSON
STEVE MARKER
BUTCH VIG
So said guitarist Steve Marker in the band's first UK interview back in 1994 to Volume magazine which also housed their debut recording
Vow on the included CD. And although the band known as Garbage never really made good on the second part of that quote - though parts of
Bleed Like Me and the mixing of
Not Your Kind of People would come close - over the space of more than two decades, six albums and a wealth of b-sides and extra tracks, Shirley and the boys have certainly "take[n] pop music". Taken it and pummelled, sharpened and coaxed it according to their whim, be that incorporating crunching overdriven rock guitars, the programming and beats of electronica, spaced-out trip-hop or sugary sweet synths. As magnetic a prospect on stage as they are in the studio.
I'd be remiss not to mention Shirley Manson in my introductory post. Frontwoman. Force of nature. An often outspoken feminist, railing against sexism and patriarchy in the music industry. Champion of the freaks, geeks and weirdos. An icon. From a personal standpoint as a shy, geeky teen hearing Garbage's debut album and seeing Shirley's confident, striking appearance in their music videos sparked synapses in my brain and awoke in me what has become, and no doubt will be a lifelong obsession with music. So for that reason Garbage are, and probably will continue to be, one of my all-time favourite acts. And as the likes of last year's return-to-form
Strange Little Birds album just goes to prove, they are still producing vital and electrifying material over twenty years since Steve happened upon a music video for Shirley's previous outfit Angelfish while watching MTV.
So why a rate now I hear you scream?
Well firstable a singles rate was started a lifetime ago by
@D_ni and never finished, secondable the band themselves seem to be looking back over their career by releasing a lavish
[price suggests this] retrospective coffee table book later this year, and thirdable it's literally just an excuse to revisit this wonderful band and their music.
