Guilty By Association // U-Men / Crows

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One of the earliest entries in what would later become a Seattle grunge scene, U-Men were actively touring and recording throughout the 80s with their only studio album and numerous singles appearing on labels like Amphetamine Reptile and Homestead. They also made appearance on two legendary compilations – “Deep Six” and  “Sub Pop 100”.
The band debuted with a self-titled EP, which came out on Bombshelter Records in 1984, followed by “Stop Spinning”, another EP, which came out on Homstead Records a year later. The band’s sole full-length – “Step On A Bug” – arrived in 1988.
Long after the band’s demise, Chuckie-Boy Records released a retrospective compilation of the band’s work entitled “Solid Action”. Minerva website commented on “Action” in the following way – “The eighteen tracks of “Solid Action” reveal an original & unique sound, and shows very well why John Bigley (the vocalist) was considered a merger of Nick Cave and Iggy Pop. He have a very peculiar way of singing, very explosive, electric, aggressive, cynical, sarcastic, raw and bipolar. Imagine two desiquilibrated sides always running together: one is made by angry and raging screams and other with melodies that can’t affirm themselves as melodies. The best thing is that Bigley mix the two sides like if they were chocolate and milk. And the rest of U-Men members contribute with a very fine post punk glass (they are great)! No sugar in this songs, because the adjectives used to described John Bigley way of singing, can be perfectly apply to explain the U-Men lyrics and their sound.”
Fun Facts
– Butthole Surfers song “O Men” is about them
Band Members:
Charlie Ryan
Jim Tillman
John Bigley
Tom Price
Discography:
U-Men 7″ (Big Bad Music + Bomb Shelter, 1984)
Stop Spinning 12″ (Homestead, 1985)
Solid Action / Dig It A Hole 7″ (1987)
Freezebomb 7″ (Amphetamine Reptile, 1988)
Step On A Bug 12″ (Tupelo, 1988)
Solid Action CD (Chuckie Boy, 1999)
Selected Compilation Tracks:
“They” on Deep Six (C/Z, 1985)
“Gila” on Sub Pop 100 (Sub Pop, 1986)
“Shoot’em Down” on Woodshock ’85 (El Jefe, 1986)
“Bad Little Woman” on Dope, Guns And Fucking In The Streets Volume One (Amphetamine Reptile, 1988)
“Friendship Intro: Nardwuar & The U-Men Vs God” on Nardwuar The Human Serviette Presents… Clam Chowder & Ice Vs Big Macs & Bombers (NardWuar, 1991 / Musical Tragedies, 1991)
“Dig It A Hole” on Hype! Boxed Set (Sub Pop, 1997)