Should you learn up on the tortured historical past of New Jersey indie rock legends the Wrens, you’re positive to study concerning the metamorphosis of Grass Information. Because the story goes, within the mid-’90s, the Wrens launched two nice albums on a plucky impartial label known as Grass Information. In 1997, Alan and Diana Meltzer purchased the label, modified its title to Wind-Up Information, and promptly signed Creed, and kicked the Wrens to the curb. It’s a part of the lore surrounding the band, notably its 2003 masterpiece The Meadowlands. However the Wrens weren’t the one indie rock legends signed to Grass.
Commander Venus, the Omaha emo band co-fronted by Vivid Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Cursive’s Tim Kasher, recorded their second album, 1997’s The Uneventful Trip, for Grass, although the label in the end licensed it to Chicago-based Thick Information as an alternative. In some unspecified time in the future the Meltzers performed a younger Oberst some Creed songs once they had been contemplating the band, and as Oberst tells the Damaged Report podcast, he strongly suggested the label in opposition to signing them.
As Exclaim factors out, Oberst was on right now’s episode of the Rick Rubin/Malcolm Gladwell present, the place he recounted the Creed incident. “They had been candy,” Oberst mentioned of the Meltzers, “however I bear in mind them displaying me Creed earlier than it even got here out. And I used to be like, ‘You guys — it appears like a very unhealthy Pearl Jam.’” The Meltzers disagreed with Oberst: “The girl, Diana, she was like, ‘He’s like Jim Morrison. He’s the brand new Jim Morrison.’ I used to be like, ‘Guys…’ After which, positive sufficient, they put it out, and it’s the largest factor on this planet. So [that’s] one more reason to not ever belief my judgement.”
I don’t know, Conor. With all due respect to your fellow We’ve Received A File On You alumnus Scott Stapp, I see the place you had been coming from. Take a look at the total podcast episode right here.