Pamodzi ndi magulu ngati Limp Richeds ndi Mr. Epp & the Calculations, U-Men inali imodzi mwazochita zoyamba kulimbikitsa ndi kupanga zomwe zikanakhala zochitika za Seattle grunge.
Pazaka 8 za ntchito yawo, a U-Men adayendera zigawo zosiyanasiyana za United States, adasintha osewera anayi a bass, ndipo adajambula nyimbo yaulemu - "Butthole Surfer" (kuchokera mu chimbale cha Locust Abortion Technician).
Kodi zonse zidayamba bwanji kwa U-Men?
Kumayambiriro kwa 1981 ku Seattle pamene woyimba gitala Tom Price ndi woyimba ng'oma mnzake Charlie Ryan (aka Chaz) adaganiza zopanga gulu loimba lolimba lolimba. Adabweretsa woyimba John Bigley ndi woyimba bassist Robin Buchan kuti amalize mndandandawo. Patapita nthawi, Buchan anatopa ndi gulu ndi chiwonongeko, ndipo anasamukira ku England.
Pazaka zingapo zotsatira, U-Men adasewera ziwonetsero zingapo zopambana ndi wosewera watsopano wa bass Jim Tillman. Pomaliza, ndi iye anyamatawo adalemba nyimbo zawo zodzitcha okha EP ya nyimbo zinayi za studio ya Seattle.
Izi zinatsatiridwa ndi maonekedwe pagulu la "Deep Six" pamodzi ndi magulu odziwika a rock a nthawiyo. Gululi lidapanganso mgwirizano ndi Homestead Record, yomwe idatulutsa kayimba kakang'ono ka "Green River: Come on Down." Chaka chomwecho, situdiyoyo idatulutsa EP yachiwiri yamagulu, Stop Spinning. Nyimboyi idapeza omvera mwachangu, ndipo kutchuka kwa gululo kudakula.
Atatulutsa imodzi ya "U-Men: Solid Action" ndikuyenda ku America pafupipafupi, Tillman adawona kuti gululo silikulandira ndalama zokwanira kuchokera pazosewerera ndi kujambula, ndipo adazisiya.
Ophunzira akuyenda pakati pamagulu
Roadie wa gululo, David E. Duo, adafunsa Price ndi Ryan tsiku lina ngati akufuna kuchita ndi gulu lake latsopano, Cat Butt. Price adalowa nawo gululi ngati woyimba bassist, ndipo Ryan adayimba ng'oma.
Komabe, pofika kumapeto kwa chilimwe cha 1987, Price ndi Ryan adalemba ntchito Tom Hazelmyer yemwe anayambitsa Amphetamine Reptile Records kuti aziimba bass ya U-Men. Koma Price ndi Ryan pambuyo pake adasiya Cat Butt kuti abwerere ku cholinga chawo cha U-Men chanthawi zonse.
Mzere watsopanowu nthawi yomweyo unayamba kujambula zinthu. Zomwe zili mkatizo zidzawonetsedwa pa kutulutsidwa kwawo koyamba kwautali wonse. Nyimboyi idatulutsidwa pansi pamutu wakuti "Step on a Bug, the Red Toad Speaks". Albumyi idatulutsidwa m'masitolo a indie mu 1988. Zinapezeka kuti ndizokhazo zonse zomwe zatulutsidwa m'ntchito yonse ya gululo. Malingana ndi deta yosavomerezeka, gululo linalandira $ 6.000 chifukwa cha izo.
Pakati pa chaka, Hazelmyer adasinthidwa ndi Tony Ransom (yemwe amadziwikanso kuti Tone Deaf) chifukwa cha ntchito yake ndi Amphetamine Reptile. Komabe, chisankho ichi chinayambitsa kutha kwa mbiri ya U-Men.
Moyo wa mamembala a U-Men pambuyo pakutha
Pambuyo pakutayika kwa ndalama komanso kugwa kwa gululo, Price adagwira ntchito ku Seattle grunge scene. Kumeneko, pamodzi ndi mnzake Tim Hayes, adapanga gulu lake la siteji, Kings of Rock. Gululi litasweka, Price adalumikizana ndi anyamata ochokera ku Gas Huffer ndi Monkeywrench.
Bigley ndi Ryan adasiyanso gululi, ndikulowa nawo a Khwangwala, omwe panthawiyo anali akulemba nyimbo yatsopano. Ryan adasiya timuyi mu 1994. Kenako amalowa m’kagulu katsopano komwe anzake ena ankagwirako ntchito.
Gululi lidakhalapo mpaka 1989. Panthawi imeneyi anatha kuyenda pafupifupi America yonse. Ndi gulu ili lomwe limatengedwa kuti ndilo tate wa mtundu wa nyimbo za "grunge", momwe nyimbo zimayimbidwa "zonyansa," kutsitsa kapena kukweza manotsi, nthawi zambiri kuzisowa.
Zikhale momwemo, gululo linatha. Ndipo tsopano titha kusangalala ndi chimbale chimodzi chachitali, "Step on a Bug, the Red Toad Speaks," ndi ma albamu ang'onoang'ono awiri, "U-Men," "Stop Spinning."
