Mother Love Bone

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Background information
Origin	Seattle, Washington, USA
Genre(s)	Grunge Hard Rock Heavy metal
Years active	1988–1990
Label(s)	Stardog Mercury
Associated acts	Pearl Jam Temple of the Dog Green River Malfunkshun Love Battery Skin Yard Brad Three Fish Ten Minute Warning Deranged Diction The Ducky Boys
Members
Andrew Wood Stone Gossard Jeff Ament Bruce Fairweather Greg Gilmore

Mother Love Bone was a Seattle based rock band active from 1988 to 1990. The group is primarily remembered for its dynamic frontman Andrew Wood whose unique personality and memorable compositions catapulted the group to the top of the burgeoning late 80's/early 90's Seattle music scene. Tragically, Wood died only days before the release of their debut album Apple thus ending the group's hopes of success. Although Mother Love Bone is to this day remembered by many as a very talented band in its own right, its legacy is ultimately overshadowed by Wood's death and the bands that its former members would later form.

1 History
2 Band members
3 Discography
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Mother Love Bone was established in 1988 by ex-Green River members Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Bruce Fairweather, ex-Malfunkshun frontman Andrew Wood and ex- Ten Minute Warning and Skin Yard drummer Greg Gilmore. Initially the group was formed in 1987 out of covers outfit Lords Of The Wasteland which featured Wood, Gossard, Ament and Malfunkshun drummer Regan Hagar. By early '88 the band had added Fairweather, replaced Hagar with drummer Greg Gilmore and changed their name to Mother Love Bone. This new lineup quickly set about recording and playing area shows and by late '88 had become one of Seattle's more promising bands.

In early 1989 the band signed to Polygram subsidiary Mercury Records. As part of their contract Polygram also created the Stardog Records imprint exclusively for the band. In March of that year the group issued their debut EP Shine becoming the first of the new crop of Seattle bands to have a release on a major label. The record sold well and rapidly increased the hype surrounding the band.

In late 1989 the group returned to the studio (this time in San Francisco) to record their debut album Apple. Despite some initial difficulties, the record was on-time for its projected March 1990 release. By this point interest in the band had hit a fever pitch and it seemed destined that the band were going to make it big. Only days before the release of Apple, however, frontman Andrew Wood, who had a long history with drug problems, overdosed on heroin. After spending a few days in the hospital in a coma, Wood died, effectively bringing Mother Love Bone to an end.

In the months following Wood's death, Gossard and Ament would go on to join Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell in the Andrew Wood tribute band Temple of the Dog before forming their new band Pearl Jam later in the year.

Fairweather initially remained inactive but later surfaced in the Seattle based psychadelic rock band Love Battery before again dropping off radar.

Gilmore's profile also dropped significantly following Mother Love Bone's demise although he did participate in the reunion of his former band Ten Minute Warning in 1998.

[edit] Band members

Andrew Wood - vocals/piano (died of heroin overdose 19 March 1990)
Stone Gossard - guitar
Jeff Ament - bass
Bruce Fairweather - guitar
Greg Gilmore - drums

[edit] Discography

Album Cover	Date of Release	Title	Label	Type
	1989	Shine	Mercury Records	EP
	1990	Apple	Mercury Records	Studio Album
	1992	Stardog Champion aka Mother Love Bone	Mercury Records	Compilation

[edit] Singles

Stardog Champion (Promo) (Stardog/Mercury Records, 1990)
This Is Shangrila (Promo) (Stardog/Mercury Records, 1990)
Stardog Champion (Promo) (Stardog/Mercury Records, 1992)
Capricorn Sister (Promo) (Stardog/Mercury Records, 1992)

[edit] Home Videos

The Love Bone Earth Affair (Polygram Video, 1993)

[edit] Compilation/Soundtrack contributions

"Chloe Dancer/Crown Of Thorns" on the Singles Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Epic Soundtrax, 1992).
"Capricorn Sister" on the Thrash And Burn: The Metal Alternative compilation (Sony Music Special Products, 1993).
"Stardog Champion" on the The Best Of Grunge Rock compilation (Priority Records, 1993).
"Bone China" on the Proud To Be Loud compilation (Debutante Records, 1997).
"Chloe Dancer/Crown Of Thorns" on the Alternative Moments compilation (Sony Music Media, 2001).
"Stardog Champion" on the Alterno-Daze: Natural 90s Selection compilation (MCA Special Products, 2001).