You’re No Big Deal: Grunge, the U.S. Underground and Beyond, 1984-1994 (deluxe edition)

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Annotation

• 4CD SET EXPLORING GRUNGE AND THE AMERICAN ALTERNATIVE UNDERGROUND 1984-1994.

• COMPILED WITH MUDHONEY’S MARK ARM.

• FEATURES SOUNDGARDEN, MUDHONEY, DINOSAUR JR, HOLE, GREEN RIVER, MELVINS, SKIN YARD, SCREAM, TAD, SONIC YOUTH, HUSKER DU, PIXIES, MEAT PUPPETS, SCREAMING TREES, PAVEMENT, L7, FLAMING LIPS, VERUCA SALT, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, TEMPLE OF THE DOG, BABES IN TOYLAND AND MORE….

• ALSO FEATURES A HANDFUL OF ANTIPODEAN BANDS BELOVED OF THE SEATTLE SCENE.

• SLEEVENOTES BY MARK ARM.

During the late 1980s, whilst pop, rap and glam metal dominated the American airwaves, underground musicians sought an antidote. During the middle of the decade, from Seattle in the west to New York in the east, bands immersed in a less highly polished, raw and more powerful sound began to emerge, fusing punky garage band attitude with meaningful, often disenchanted lyrics and lashings of distortion to create something new. The “grunge” tag quickly took hold, absorbing bands from all over the States and becoming a social phenomenon, drawing countless other underground and college circuit bands into its orbit in the process. Overnight, macho rock was dead.

Featuring an embarrassment of key bands and classic tracks, alongside lesser-known nuggets and a hand-picked selection of Australasian artists who were inadvertently feeding into the scene, ‘You’re No Big Deal’ explores a vital period in post-punk American musical history, the rebirth of rock music and its new place among the underground elite. With sleevenotes from Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, whose previous band Green River were the first to be given the “grunge” tag, this is an on-the-ground, broad reaching dive into a time and place that saw the unlikeliest of anti-rock stars recalibrate what American guitar-based music could be, reconnecting it with ordinary suburban kids and reigniting punk rock’s spirit.

Packed with over 80 tracks spanning a decade, and presented in roughly chronological order, ‘You’re No Big Deal’ tells a story that spread far beyond the ambitions of its key players.

Made in the E.U.

Annotation last modified on 2025-12-19 21:38 UTC.

Tracklist

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1CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Come On Down
assistant engineer:
Paul Scoles
engineer:
Chris Hanzsek
producer:
Green River and Chris Hanzsek
bass:
Jeff Ament
guitar:
Stone Gossard and Steve Turner (American guitarist, member of Mudhoney, Green River)
membranophone:
Alex Vincent
vocals:
Mark Arm
recorded at:
Crow Studios in Seattle, Washington, United States (in 1984-12)
mixed at:
Ironwood Studios in Seattle, Washington, United States (in 1985-02)
recording of:
Come on Down
lyricist:
Mark Arm
composer:
Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard
Green River3:21
2Linda Blair 1984
Redd Kross4:43
3Stooge
10 Minute Warning3:12
4Villains (Also Wear White)
Bam Bam3:09
5One Step Closer
Poison 133:29
6Swimming Ground
Meat Puppets3:07
7Look for the Light
Feast4:22
8If It's the Last Thing I Do
The Scientists3:59
9Crystal
engineer:
Steve Fjelstad (from 1985-10 until 1986-01)
producer:
Grant Hart (from 1985-10 until 1986-01) and Bob Mould (from 1985-10 until 1986-01)
recorded at and mixed at:
Nicollet Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (from 1985-10 until 1986-01)
recording of:
Crystal (from 1985-10 until 1986-01)
lyricist and composer:
Bob Mould
Hüsker Dü53:27
10My Only Fan
Malfunkshun4:28
11Little Fury Things
live recording of:
Little Fury Things (in 2005-12)
lyricist and composer:
J Mascis (US musician, member of Dinosaur Jr.)
publisher:
Spam as the Bread Music
Dinosaur Jr.3:06
12Hunted Down
recording of:
Hunted Down (Soundgarden Song)
lyricist:
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden lead singer)
composer:
Kim Thayil (lead guitarist for Soundgarden)
Soundgarden2:45
13Solid Action
U-Men2:13
14Caribou
live recording of:
Caribou
lyricist and composer:
Black Francis (US singer, songwriter & guitarist)
Pixies3:16
15Curtains
feedtime4:26
16The Ledge
recording engineer and mixer:
John Hampton (engineer, producer) and Joe Hardy (US producer, engineer and musician, notably associated with ZZ Top among others)
producer:
Jim Dickinson
bass flute:
Steve Douglas (American saxophonist, flautist and clarinetist)
bass guitar:
Tommy Stinson
drums (drum set):
Chris Mars
guitar and lead vocals:
Paul Westerberg
keyboard:
East Memphis Slim
music videos:
The Ledge (music video) by The Replacements
recording of:
The Ledge
lyricist and composer:
Paul Westerberg
publisher:
Nah Music
The Replacements34:07
17Maximum Dream for Evil KnievelThe Flaming Lips32:53
18This Town
Green River3:24
19Can't Come In
recording of:
Can't Come In (Cosmic Psychos Song)
writer:
Peter Jones (Australian guitarist), Ross Knight and Bill Walsh
Cosmic Psychos2:20
20Jesus on TV
The Celibate Rifles2:16
21Mom and Dad Like the Baby More Than Me
Happy Flowers4:24
2CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Touch Me I'm Sick
recording engineer:
Jack Endino
recording of:
Touch Me I’m Sick
lyricist:
Mark Arm
composer:
Mark Arm, Matt Lukin, Dan Peters (Mudhoney drummer) and Steve Turner (American guitarist, member of Mudhoney, Green River)
publisher:
Better Than Your Music
Mudhoney2:33
2Rabies
Bundle of Hiss4:10
3Cold Outside
The Fluid3:20
464 Funny Cars
Cat Butt4:36
5Two Way Street
Blood Circus2:56
6Dust Cake Boy
Babes in Toyland3:31
7Fucked Without a Kiss
Scream3:18
8Mercy Seat
engineer and producer:
Kurt Ralske
recorded at:
Ben Munves’ Studio (from 1988-05 until 1988-07)
recording of:
Mercy Seat
lyricist and composer:
Kurt Ralske
Ultra Vivid Scene4:04
9RiverbedGirl Trouble3:49
10Subway Circle
Crunchbird2:25
11Flower
recording of:
Flower
lyricist:
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden lead singer)
composer:
Kim Thayil (lead guitarist for Soundgarden)
Soundgarden3:26
12Behemoth
recording of:
Behemoth
Tad4.14:11
13Olympia (single version)
Kill Sybil4:23
14Between the Eyes
Love Battery44:29
15Inside
Seaweed2:45
16Start at the Top
Skin Yard3:09
17Firebug
Gas Huffer1:47
18In 'n' Out of Grace
recording engineer and mixer:
Jack Endino
recording of:
In ’n’ Out of Grace
lyricist:
Mark McLaughlin
composer:
Matt Lukin, Mark McLaughlin, Dan Peters (Mudhoney drummer) and Steve Turner (American guitarist, member of Mudhoney, Green River)
Mudhoney45:31
19Smoking Lounge
Helltrout2:21
20Thru Fade Away
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Universal Music Enterprises (not for release label use; catalog/reissue division of UMG Recordings, Inc.)
recording of:
Thru Fade Away
lyricist:
Stone Gossard
composer:
Jeff Ament, Bruce Fairweather, Greg Gilmore, Stone Gossard and Andrew Wood (alt. rock singer)
publisher:
Universal PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (existed only since ca. 1998)
Mother Love Bone43:45
3CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Kool Thing
Sonic Youth4:09
2Shove
L73:13
3I Hope You Die
Toadies5:21
4From Now On
Pavement2:04
5Stockboy, Superhero
The Thrown Ups0:53
6Feel the Darkness
engineer:
Tony Lash
producer:
Poison Idea and Thee Slayer Hippy (Steve Hanford)
drums (drum set):
Thee Slayer Hippy (Steve Hanford)
electric bass guitar [bass]:
Myrtle Tickner (Charles Nims)
electric guitar [guitar]:
Pig Champion (Thomas Roberts) and Aldine Strycnine (Aldine Grossi)
lead vocals [voice]:
Jerry A. (vocalist in Poison Idea)
recorded at:
Sound Impressions in Portland, Oregon, United States
recording of:
Feel the Darkness
lyricist and composer:
Jerry A. (vocalist in Poison Idea)
publisher:
Vinyl Schnozza Ltd.
Poison Idea6:03
7Glorious
engineer:
Steve Albini
recorded at:
Palladium in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
recording of:
Glorious
writer:
Kim Deal and Ray Halliday (bassist)
The Breeders4.53:26
8The Wagon
recorded at:
Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1991-06-14)
live recording of:
The Wagon (on 1991-06-14)
lyricist and composer:
J Mascis (US musician, member of Dinosaur Jr.)
Dinosaur Jr.4:55
9Teenage Whore
Hole2:59
10Body Bag
producer:
Greg Reely
lead vocals:
Somebody (in 1985-01)
recording of:
Body Bag (in 1985-01)
writer:
Andy Kerr, John Wright (co-founder of NoMeansNo) and Rob Wright (Canadian bassist/vocalist member of Nomeansno)
NoMeansNo4:39
11Lorna
7 Year Bitch1:57
12Uncle Anesthesia
Screaming Trees3:54
13Syringe Mouth
Mercury Rev4:02
14Say It
Calamity Jane3:15
15Lost
Eric's Trip3:27
16Bleed
Thrillhammer3:51
17Discount Rebellion
Cop Shoot Cop2:24
18Ballard Bitter
recording of:
Ballard Bitter
Treepeople3:18
19Macaroni
Nubbin3:16
4CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Pushin' Forward Back
producer:
Rick Parashar and Temple of the Dog
mixer:
Brendan O’Brien (engineer)
additional background vocals:
Eddie Vedder
recording of:
Pushin Forward Back
lyricist:
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden lead singer)
composer:
Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard
Temple of the Dog3:46
2I'm Blown
recording of:
I'm Blown
writer:
Mark Arm and Tim Kerr (US punk guitarist)
publisher:
Conspiracy Of Wrench
The Monkeywrench3:58
3Sex Type ThingStone Temple Pilots3:41
4Sugarfoot (single version)
Honcho Overload2:36
5Keep on Rockin' ItLuscious Jackson43:34
6Murder (live at CBGBs)
Cheater Slicks4:05
7Just Right
The Beasts of Bourbon5:32
8Here's to Your Fuck
The Gits41:54
9Precision Auto
engineer:
Donnell Cameron (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
producer:
John Reis and Superchunk
mixer:
Jerry Kee (engineer) and Superchunk
drums (drum set):
Jon Wurster (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
electric bass guitar:
Laura Ballance (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
guitar:
Mac McCaughan (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20) and Jim Wilbur (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
vocals:
Mac McCaughan (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
recorded at:
Westbeach Recorders in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
mixed at:
TGS Studios in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
recording of:
Precision Auto (from 1992-09-14 until 1992-09-20)
writer:
Laura Ballance, Mac McCaughan, Jim Wilbur and Jon Wurster
publisher:
All the Songs Sound the Same Music
Superchunk52:46
10It's O.K.
recording of:
It’s O.K.
lyricist and composer:
Fred Cole (US rock guitarist and vocalist)
Dead Moon3:35
11Set Me Straight
recording of:
Set Me Straight
Melvins2:28
12Beauty Sleep
Patchouli Sewer2:15
13Kill the Crow
Wool3:12
14Non Stop Action Groove
Kim Salmon and the Surrealists3:26
15All Hail Me (remix)
Veruca Salt3:22
16Eat It's Tongue
Sleep Capsule2:22
17Four Winds
Steel Wool4:05
18Creepy Doll
Wicker Biscuit2:54
19Plant Man
Gary Young1:57
20Tripping Fields
Cellophane1:58
21I Hate Rock and Roll
St. Johnny3:14