YOU’RE GONNA LISTEN TO THE BASS PLAYER. The Spindle is back for the new year, and this week on the show Marc and John drop the needle on the Melvins’ single “Night Goat” b/w “Adolescent Wet Dream.” Released in 1992 by Amphetamine Reptile Records, this 7″ exemplifies the odd sophistication of the Melvins, reveling in extreme volume, absurdist poetry, and overblown attitude. The single’s A-side, “Night Goat,” would go on to become one of the band’s signature songs; it was re-recorded for the band’s major label debut Houdini and is a longstanding staple of the band’s raucous live shows. The B-side—”Adolescent Wet Dream”–is curious too: the original comes from garage punk band Pussy Galore, whose leader Jon Spencer would go on to form The Blues Explosion. Is it grunge? Is it doom? Is it alternative? Who cares: it’s Melvins.
About The Spindle: The 7-inch record isn’t just a format—it’s an art form. On each episode of The Spindle podcast, music writer Marc Masters (Pitchfork, The Wire, Bandcamp) and music historian (and music maker) John Howard dive into a great 7-inch, dissecting its background, impact, and the reasons why it stands out as a small plastic piece of music history.
What’s your favorite 7″? Call us at 1-877-WASTOIDS and weigh in!