Meat Puppet manifesto

It's going to arrive too late for the Christmas books market - perhaps, though, they're not aiming for that with a definitive history of the Meat Puppets. It's going to be arriving early in the new year:

authored by Jake Brown and featuring exclusive, first-hand interviews with brothers Curt and Cris Kirkwood, as well as the band's other band members- including ex-drummer Derrick Bostrom, producers- including an exclusive interview with Butthole Surfers' guitarist/MP producer Paul Leary, and related eye-witnesses, this book marks the first authorized study of the writing and recording process behind the band's catalog of 12 studio LPS- including a real-time chronicle of the Pup's recording of their 13th album- this book is a must-have for any MP fan!

Let's hope the book isn't quite as overwritten as the blurb.

Puppet on a re-string

There's a cheering piece in the Medical section of today's Los Angeles Times about the reunion of the Meat Puppets.

The medical section scored the piece because it's about Cris Kirkwood's drugs problem, his time in prison and how he's cleaned himself up, and rejoined his brother in the band. Something neither of them expected:

His brother Curt, the Meat Puppets' singer and guitarist, certainly didn't hold out much hope.

"No, no, none. I completely [wrote] him off years ago. A junkie, you don't deal with them at all, it doesn't do you or them any good…. You write them off as dead."

Mike Watt, who played bass in the Minutemen, is one of the old cohorts who's dropped by to welcome the Meat Puppets back to town.

"Personal problems were probably in the way before," says Watt, reflecting on his friends' return. "You have to grow up a little, and you get those problems subdued and you can get back to your aesthetic that you started off with.

There's always a road back; it's all a question of finding the place to do the U-turn.

Puppet sent down

Cris Kirkwood has been sentenced for his assault on a security guard in the middle of row over a parking space. The former Meat Puppet has been given 21 months.

[Edit: Cris spelling corrected; reformated to match current No Rock format 10-06-07]

Puppet going down

You'll remember that just after Christmas Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets got himself into a bit of bovver with a Post Office guard? Well, his case has come to court, and Kirkwood has pleaded guilty, which has satisifed the prosecution enough for them to only seek a minimal sentence - which will still see Kirkwood going down for two years.

[Edit: post reformated 10/06/07 to match current No Rock style and correct spelling of Cris' name]