Editing Meat Puppets

{{Redirect|Meat Puppet||Meat puppet (disambiguation)}}{{Needs more sources|date=May 2025}}{{Short description|American rock band}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name                = Meat Puppets
| image               = Meat Puppets 2014.jpg
| caption             = Meat Puppets performing in 2014
| image_size          = 
| landscape           = yes
| background          = group_or_band
| alias               = 
| origin              = [[Phoenix, Arizona]], U.S.
| genre               = {{flatlist|
* [[Alternative rock]]
* [[cowpunk]]
* [[psychedelia (music)|psychedelia]]
* [[alternative country]]
* [[hardcore punk]]
* [[post-punk]]}}
| discography         = [[Meat Puppets discography]]
| years_active        = {{flatlist|
*1980–1996
*1999–2002
*2006–present
}}
| label               = {{flatlist|
* [[SST Records|SST]]
* [[London Records|London]]
* [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
* [[Rykodisc Records|Rykodisc]]
* [[Anodyne Records|Anodyne]]
* [[Megaforce Records|Megaforce]]
* [[DC-Jam Records|DC-Jam]]}}
| associated_acts     = {{flatlist|
* [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]
* [[Eyes Adrift]]
* [[Volcano (supergroup)|Volcano]]}}
| website             = {{URL|http://www.themeatpuppets.com/}}
| current_members     = [[Curt Kirkwood]]<br>[[Cris Kirkwood]]<br>[[Derrick Bostrom]]<br>Elmo Kirkwood<br>Ron Stabinsky
| past_members        = [[Shandon Sahm]]<br>[[Kyle Ellison]]<br>Andrew Duplantis<br>Troy Meiss (touring member)<br>[[Ted Marcus]]
}}

'''Meat Puppets''' are an American [[Rock music|rock]] band formed in January 1980 in [[Phoenix, Arizona]]. The group's original lineup was [[Curt Kirkwood]] (guitar/vocals), his brother [[Cris Kirkwood]] (bass guitar/vocals), and [[Derrick Bostrom]] (drums). The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending [[Brophy College Preparatory|Brophy Prep High School]] in Phoenix. The three then moved to [[Tempe, Arizona]] (a Phoenix suburb and home to [[Arizona State University]]), where the Kirkwood brothers purchased two adjacent houses, one of which had a shed in the back where they regularly practiced.

Meat Puppets started as a [[punk rock]] band, but like most of their labelmates on [[SST Records]], they established their own unique style, blending punk with [[country music|country]] and [[psychedelic rock]], and featuring Curt's warbling vocals. Meat Puppets later gained significant exposure when the Kirkwood brothers served as guest musicians on [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]'s [[MTV Unplugged in New York|''MTV Unplugged'' performance]] in 1993. The band's 1994 album ''[[Too High to Die]]'' subsequently became their most successful release. The band broke up twice, in 1996 and 2002, but reunited again in 2006.

==History==
===Early career (1980–1990)===
In the late 1970s, drummer [[Derrick Bostrom]] played with guitarist Jack Knetzger in a band called Atomic Bomb Club, which began as a duo, but would come to include bassist [[Cris Kirkwood]]. The band played a few local shows and recorded some demos, but began to dissolve quickly thereafter. Derrick and Cris began rehearsing together with Cris' brother [[Curt Kirkwood]] by learning songs from Bostrom's collection of [[punk rock]] 45s. After briefly toying with the name The Bastions of Immaturity, they settled on the name Meat Puppets in June, 1980 after a song by Curt of the same name which appears on their first album. Their earliest EP ''[[In A Car]]'' was made entirely of short [[hardcore punk]] with goofy lyrics, and attracted the attention of [[Joe Carducci]] as he was starting to work with legendary punk label [[SST Records]]. Carducci suggested they sign with the label, and Meat Puppets released their first album ''[[Meat Puppets (album)|Meat Puppets]]'' in 1982, which among several new originals and a pair of heavily skewed [[Doc Watson]] and [[Bob Nolan]] covers, featured the songs "The Gold Mine" and "Melons Rising", two tunes Derrick and Cris originally had written and performed as Atomic Bomb Club previously.<ref>Reynolds, Simon. ''Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984''. Faber, 2005. {{ISBN|0-571-21569-6}}, pg. 469</ref> Years later, when the Meat Puppets reissued all of their albums in 1999, the five songs on In A Car would be combined with their debut album.

[[File:Curt_Kirkwood_of_Meat_Puppets_(red_eye_fixed).jpg|thumb|left|250px|Curt Kirkwood]]
By the release of 1984's ''[[Meat Puppets II]]'', the bandmembers "were so sick of the hardcore thing," according to Bostrom. "We were really into pissing off the crowd."<ref>Reynolds, pg. 470</ref> Here, the band experimented with [[acid rock]] and [[country and western]] sounds, while still retaining some punk influence on the tracks "Split Myself in Two" and "New Gods". This album contains some of the band's best known songs, such as "Lake of Fire" and "Plateau". While the album had been recorded in early 1983, the album's release was delayed for a year by SST.<ref>Reynolds, pg. 471</ref> ''Meat Puppets II'' turned the band into one of the leading bands on [[SST Records]], and along with the [[Violent Femmes]], the [[Gun Club]] and others, helped establish the genre called "[[cow punk]]".

Meat Puppets II was followed by 1985's ''[[Up on the Sun]]''. The album's psychedelic sound resembled the folk-rock of the [[Grateful Dead|Greatful Dead]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dolan |first1=Joe |title=The 40 Greatest Stoner Albums |url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-40-greatest-stoner-albums-9727/meat-puppets-up-on-the-sun-9740/ |publisher=Rolling Stone |access-date=16 March 2025}}</ref> while the songs still retained hardcore influences in the lengths of the songs and the tempos. Examples of this new style are the self-titled track, "Enchanted Porkfist" and "Swimming Ground". ''Up On The Sun'' featured the Kirkwood brothers harmonizing their vocals for the first time. These two albums were mainstays of college and independent radio at that time.

During the rest of the 1980s, Meat Puppets remained on SST and released a series of albums while touring relentlessly. Between tours they would regularly play small shows in bars around the Phoenix area such as [[The Mason Jar]] (now [[The Rebel Lounge]]) and The Sun Club in Tempe. After the release of the hard-rock styled ''[[Out My Way]]'' EP in 1986, however, the band was briefly sidelined by an accident when Curt's finger was broken after being slammed in their touring van's door.  The accident delayed the band's next album, the even more psychedelic ''[[Mirage (Meat Puppets album)|Mirage]]'', until the next year. The final result included synthesizers and electronic drums, and as such was considered their most polished sounding album to date.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}} The tour for Mirage lasted less than 6 months, as the band found it difficult to recreate many of this album's songs in a concert atmosphere.

Their next album, the ZZ-Top inspired ''[[Huevos (album)|Huevos]]'', came out less than six months afterward, in late summer of 1987.  In stark contrast to its predecessor, ''Huevos'' was recorded in a swift, fiery fashion, with many first takes, and minimal second guessing.{{Citation needed|date=April 2007}} These recordings were completed in only a matter of days, and along with a few drawings and one of Curt's paintings taken from the wall to serve as cover art (a dish of three [[boiled egg]]s, a [[bell pepper|green pepper]], and a bottle of [[Tabasco sauce]]), were all sent to SST shortly before the band returned to the road en route to their next gig. Curt revealed in an interview that one of the reasons for the album being called Huevos (meaning 'eggs' in Spanish) was because of the predominance of first-takers on the record, as similarly eggs can only be used once.

''[[Monsters (Meat Puppets album)|Monsters]]'' was released in 1989, featuring new elements to their sound with extended jams (such as "Touchdown King" and "Flight of the Fire Weasel") and heavy metal ("Attacked by Monsters"). This album was mostly motivated by the Meat Puppets' desire to attract the attention of a major label, as they were becoming frustrated with SST Records by this time.

===Major label career (1991–1995)===
As numerous bands from the seminal SST label and other kindred punk-oriented indies had before them,  Meat Puppets grappled with the decision to switch to a major label.  Two years after their final studio recording for SST, 1989's ''[[Monsters (Meat Puppets album)|Monsters]]'', the trio released its major-label debut, ''[[Forbidden Places]]'', on the indie-friendly London Records. The band chose London Records because it was the first label that ZZ Top, one of their favorite bands, was signed to.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Giles|first=Jeff|date=January 16, 2016|title=How ZZ Top Arrived With Their 'First Album'|work=Ultimate Classic Rock|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/zz-top-first-album/|access-date=June 27, 2021}}</ref>

''Forbidden Places'' combined many elements of the band's sounds over the years (cowpunk, psychedelia, riffy heavier rock) while some songs had a more laid back early alternative sound. Songs include "Sam" and "Whirlpool", and the title track. Despite being a fan favorite, ''Forbidden Places'' is now out of print, and as such it remains a highly sought collectible online.

In 1992 following his departure from the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], guitarist [[John Frusciante]] auditioned for the band. Cris Kirkwood stated "He showed up with his guitar out of its case and barefoot. We were on a major label then, we just got signed, and those guys had blown up to where they were at and John needed to get out. John gets to our pad and we started getting ready to play and I said, 'You want to use my tuner?' He said, 'No, I'll bend it in.' It was so far out. Then we jammed but it didn't come to anything. Maybe he wasn't in the right place and we were a tight little unit. It just didn't quite happen but it could have worked."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-05-07/frusciante-wanted-meat-puppets-gig|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508134144/http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-05-07/frusciante-wanted-meat-puppets-gig|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 May 2015|title=Frusciante wanted Meat Puppets gig - Classic Rock|date=8 May 2015|access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref>
In late 1993, Meat Puppets achieved mainstream popularity when [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]'s [[Kurt Cobain]], who became a fan after seeing them open for [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] in the '80s, invited Cris and Curt to join him on ''[[MTV Unplugged]]'' for acoustic performances of "[[Plateau (song)|Plateau]]", "Oh Me" and "[[Lake of Fire (song)|Lake of Fire]]" (all originally from ''[[Meat Puppets II]]''). The resulting album, ''[[MTV Unplugged in New York]],'' served as a [[swan song]] for Nirvana, as Cobain died less than 5 months after the concert. "Lake of Fire" became a cult favorite for its particularly wrenching vocal performance from Cobain. Subsequently, the Nirvana exposure and the strength of the single "Backwater" (their highest-charting single) helped lift Meat Puppets to new commercial heights. The band's studio return was 1994's ''[[Too High to Die]]'', produced by [[Butthole Surfers]] guitarist [[Paul Leary]].  The album featured "[[Backwater (song)|Backwater]]", which reached #47 on the Billboard Hot 100, and a hidden-track update of "Lake of Fire". This album features a more straightforward alternative rock style, with occasional moments of pop, country and neo-psychedelic moments. ''Too High To Die'' earned the band a gold record (500,000 sold), outselling their previous records combined.

1995's ''[[No Joke!]]'' was the final album recorded by the original Meat Puppets lineup. Stylistically it is very similar to ''Too High to Die'', although much heavier and with darker lyrics. Examples of this are the single "Scum" and "Eyeball", although the band's usual laid-back style is still heard on tracks like "Chemical Garden". Though the band's drug use had long included cocaine, heroin, LSD and many others, Cris' use of [[heroin]] and [[crack cocaine]] became so bad he rarely left his house except to obtain more drugs.<ref>{{cite web|author=David Holthouse |url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1998-11-12/news/shooting-star/5/ |title=Shooting Star article at the Phoenix Times |publisher=Phoenixnewtimes.com |date=1998-11-12 |access-date=2011-07-15}}</ref> At least two people (including his wife and one of his best friends) died of overdoses at his house in Tempe, AZ during this time.<ref>{{cite web |author=David Holthouse |url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1998-11-12/news/shooting-star/ |title=Shooting Star article at the Phoenix Times |publisher=Phoenixnewtimes.com |date=1998-11-12 |access-date=2011-07-15 |archive-date=2011-06-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617081730/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1998-11-12/news/shooting-star/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>  The Kirkwood brothers had always had a legendary appetite for illegal substances and during the tour to support ''Too High To Die'' with [[Stone Temple Pilots]], the easy availability of drugs was too much for Cris. When it was over, he was severely addicted to cocaine and heroin. When their record label discovered Cris' addictions, support for ''No Joke!'' was subsequently dropped and it was met with poor sales figures.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NaiDBQAAQBAJ&q=meat+puppets+no+Joke+guns&pg=PA227|title=The Meat Puppets and the Lyrics of Curt Kirkwood from Meat Puppets II to No Joke!|first=Matthew|last=Smith-Lahrman|date=30 October 2014|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810884137}}</ref>

===First hiatus and reunion (1996–2001)===
Bostrom recorded a solo EP under the moniker ''Today's Sounds'' in 1996, and later on in 1999 took charge of re-issuing the Puppets' original seven records on [[Rykodisc]] as well as putting out their first live album, ''Live in Montana.'' Curt formed a new band in [[Austin, Texas]] called the [[Royal Neanderthal Orchestra]], but they changed their name to Meat Puppets for legal reasons{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} and released a promotional EP entitled ''You Love Me'' in 1999, ''[[Golden Lies]]'' in 2000 and ''Live'' in 2002.  The line-up was Curt (voc/git), Kyle Ellison (voc/git), Andrew Duplantis (voc/bass) and [[Shandon Sahm]] (drums).  Sahm's father was the legendary fiddler-singer-songwriter [[Doug Sahm]] of [[The Sir Douglas Quintet]] and [[Texas Tornados]].  The concluding track to ''Classic Puppets'' entitled "New Leaf" also dates from this incarnation of the band.

===Break up (2002–2005)===
Around 2002, Meat Puppets dissolved after Duplantis left the band. Curt went on to release albums with the groups [[Eyes Adrift]] and [[Volcano (supergroup)|Volcano]]. In 2005, he released his first solo album entitled ''[[Snow (Curt Kirkwood album)|Snow]]''.

Bassist Cris was arrested in December 2003 for attacking a security guard at the main post office in downtown Phoenix, Arizona with the guard's baton.  The guard shot Kirkwood in the stomach at least twice during the melee, causing serious gunshot injuries requiring major surgery.  Kirkwood was subsequently denied bail, the judge citing Kirkwood's previous drug arrests and probation violations. He eventually went to prison at the [[Arizona State Prison Complex - Florence|Arizona state prison]] in [[Florence, Arizona]] for felony assault. He was released in July 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Extreme turnaround - The Boston Globe|url=http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/09/02/extreme_turnaround/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=archive.boston.com|language=en}}</ref>

Derrick Bostrom began a web site for the band about six months before the original trio stopped working together. The site went through many different permutations before it was essentially mothballed in 2003. In late 2005, Bostrom revamped it, this time as a "[[blog]]" for his recollections and as a place to share pieces of Meat Puppets history.

===Second reunion (2006–present)===
On March 24, 2006, Curt Kirkwood polled fans at his [[MySpace]] page <ref name="myspace1">{{cite web|url=https://www.myspace.com/themeatpuppets |title=Meat Puppets &#124; Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Myspace.com |access-date=2011-07-15}}</ref> with a bulletin that asked: "Question for all ! Would the original line up of Meat Puppets interest anyone ? Feedback is good – do you want a reunion!?" The response from fans was overwhelmingly positive within a couple of hours, leading to speculation of a full-blown Meat Puppets reunion in the near future. However, a post made by Derrick Bostrom on the official Meat Puppets site dismissed the notion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://meatpuppets.com/puppets/?p=59#comments |title=The Second Year |publisher=Meatpuppets.com |date=2006-03-25 |access-date=2011-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216083547/http://meatpuppets.com/puppets/?p=59#comments |archive-date=2008-12-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In April 2006 ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' reported that the Kirkwood brothers would reunite as Meat Puppets without original drummer Derrick Bostrom.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Prato, Greg | date = April 26, 2006 | title=Kirkwood Brothers Reuniting In Meat Puppets | magazine=Billboard.com | url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58623/kirkwood-brothers-reuniting-in-meat-puppets | access-date=July 4, 2007 }}</ref> Although [[Primus (band)|Primus]] drummer [[Tim Alexander]] was announced as Bostrom's replacement, the position was later filled by [[Ted Marcus]]. The new lineup recorded a new full-length album, ''[[Rise to Your Knees]]'', in mid-to-late 2006.  The album was released by Anodyne Records on July 17, 2007.
[[File:CrisInAustin11May2007.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cris Kirkwood]]

On January 20, 2007, Meat Puppets brothers performed two songs during an [[Army of Anyone]] concert, at La Zona Rosa in [[Austin, Texas]]. The first song was played with Curt Kirkwood and Cris Kirkwood along with Army of Anyone's [[Ray Luzier]] and [[Dean DeLeo]]. Then the second song was played with original members Curt and Cris Kirkwood and new Meat Puppets drummer Ted Marcus.  This was in the middle of Army of Anyone's set, which they listed as ''Meat Puppet Theatre'' on the evening's set list. The band performed several new songs in March at the [[South by Southwest]] festival. On March 28, 2007, the band announced a West Coast tour through their [[MySpace]] page.<ref name="myspace1"/>  This is the first tour with original bassist Cris in eleven years. The tour continued into the east coast and midwest later in 2007.

In 2008 they performed their classic second album live in its entirety at the [[All Tomorrow's Parties (festival)|ATP New York]] festival.

The band parted ways with [[Anodyne Records|Anodyne]], signed to [[Megaforce Records|Megaforce]] and began recording new material in the winter of 2008. The resulting album, entitled ''[[Sewn Together]]'', was released on May 12, 2009.<ref>{{cite web | author=Stevenson, Mark | date=February 11, 2009 | title=Meat Puppets to release album of new material 'Sewn Together' | publisher=Altsounds.com | url=http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/105135-meat-puppets-to-release-album-of-new-material-sewn-together.html | access-date=February 11, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228045004/http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/105135-meat-puppets-to-release-album-of-new-material-sewn-together.html | archive-date=February 28, 2009 }}</ref>
In the summer of 2009 the band continued to tour across America. They appeared in Rochester, Minnesota outside in front of over 5,000 fans, after playing Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin the night prior. Meat Puppets performed at the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans over the Halloween weekend.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/268278/eminem-kiss-flaming-lips-to-headline-voodoo-experience |title=Information Not Found |magazine=Billboard.com |access-date=2011-07-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412180415/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/268278/eminem-kiss-flaming-lips-to-headline-voodoo-experience |archive-date=April 12, 2013 }}</ref>
[[File:Shandon Sahm.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Shandon Sahm]]

As of November 2009, Shandon Sahm was back as the drummer in Meat Puppets, replacing Ted Marcus.<ref>{{cite web|last=Porks |first=Jay |url=http://jayporks.blogspot.com/2009/11/meat-puppets-bowery-ballroom-112509.html |title=The Jay Porks Experience: The Meat Puppets @ Bowery Ballroom 11/25/09 |publisher=Jayporks.blogspot.com |date=2009-11-27 |access-date=2011-07-15}}</ref> The band was chosen by [[Animal Collective]] to perform the album '[[Up on the Sun]]' live in its entirety at the [[All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)|All Tomorrow's Parties]] festival that they curated in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atpfestival.com/events/atpanimalcollective.php |title=ATP: All Tomorrow's Parties |publisher=Atpfestival.com |access-date=2011-07-15}}</ref>

The band's thirteenth studio album, entitled ''[[Lollipop (album)|Lollipop]]'', was released on April 12, 2011.<ref name="exclaim.ca">{{cite web|last=Poseur |first=Nameless |url=http://exclaim.ca/News/meat_puppets_to_return_with_lollipop |title=Meat Puppets to Return with Lollipop |publisher=Exclaim.ca |date=2011-02-11 |access-date=2011-07-15}}</ref> [[The Dandies]] supported Meat Puppets on all European dates in 2011.

Meat Puppets have played several gigs in their hometown since 2009, such as the Marquee show in June 2011 with [[Dead Confederate]].

As of early 2011 Elmo Kirkwood,<ref name="Elmo">{{cite web| author=Woodbury, Jason P.|title=Elmo Kirkwood of Meat Puppets Has Pop Ambitions|url=http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2014/11/elmo.php|website=Blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com|date=2014-11-25|access-date=2017-03-09}}</ref> son of [[Curt Kirkwood]] and nephew of [[Cris Kirkwood]], was touring regularly with the band playing rhythm guitar.

Meat Puppets also contributed to Spin Magazine's exclusive album ''[[Newermind: A Tribute to Nirvana]]'', playing Nirvana's "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]".

In June 2012, a book titled ''Too High to Die: Meet the Meat Puppets'' by author Greg Prato was released, which featured all-new interviews with band members past and present and friends of the band (including [[Peter Buck]], [[Kim Thayil]], [[Scott Asheton]], [[Mike Watt]], and [[Henry Rollins]], among others), and covered the band's entire career.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Too_High_to_Die/TyqtngEACAAJ?hl=en |title=Too High to Die: Meet the Meat Puppets |author=Greg Prato |isbn=9781105640537 |year=2012 |publisher=Greg Prato Writer Corp.}}</ref>

In October 2012, it was announced that the group had just completed recording new songs. ''[[Rat Farm]]'', the band's 14th album, was released in April 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author=Aria Davis |url=http://www.mxdwn.com/2013/02/06/news/meat-puppets-announce-new-album-rat-farm-set-for-april-2013-release/ |title=Meat Puppets Announce New Album Rat Farm Set for April 2013 Release |website=Mxdwn.com |date=6 February 2013 |access-date=2017-03-09}}</ref>

In March 2013, Meat Puppets opened for [[Dave Grohl]]'s [[Sound City Players]] at the [[SXSW Festival]] in [[Austin, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/meatpuppets/posts/546742262027366?stream_ref=10|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140411190858/https://www.facebook.com/meatpuppets/posts/546742262027366?stream_ref=10|url-status=dead|title=(1) Meat Puppets - "Gulp . . . Rat Farm pre-orders are experiencing...|date=11 April 2014|archive-date=11 April 2014|website=Archive.is|access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref>

In April 2014, Meat Puppets completed a tour with The Moistboyz,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://concertconfessions.com/2014/04/meat-puppets-the-moistboyz-fox-theater-boulder-co-040214/ |title=Meat Puppets and The Moistboyz @ Fox Theater – Boulder, CO 04/02/14 |publisher=Concertconfessions.com |access-date=2014-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904002626/http://concertconfessions.com/2014/04/meat-puppets-the-moistboyz-fox-theater-boulder-co-040214/ |archive-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in the summer of 2015, they toured with [[Soul Asylum]]. 

The Meat Puppets were picked to open for an 11 show tour as support of The [[Dean Ween]] Group in October 2016 after Curt Kirkwood and drummer Chuck Treece contribute to ''The Deaner Album''. Also the same year, Cris either produced and/or played with the following artists for [[Slope Records]] - The Exterminators, the Linecutters, and Sad Kid.<ref>{{cite web|last=Prato |first=Greg |url=http://www.alternativenation.net/meat-puppets-bassist-like-christmas/ |title=Meat Puppets Bassist On What He Would Like For Christmas |website=AlternativeNation.net |date=2016-12-23 |access-date=2017-03-09}}</ref>

On August 17, 2017, original drummer Derrick Bostrom posted an update on his website derrickbostrom.net. He performed with Cris, Curt and Elmo Kirkwood at a concert honoring the Meat Puppets. It appears that, while Bostrom enjoyed himself, this was a one-off performance.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bostrom|first=Derrick|url=http://derrickbostrom.net/meat-puppets/2017/8/19/what-i-learned-at-the-puppets-show|title=Meat Puppets Original Drummer Reunites with the Kirkwoods |website=derrickbostrom.net |date=2017-08-19 |access-date=2017-08-19}}</ref>

On July 8, 2018, it was confirmed that Bostrom had replaced Sahm as the drummer for the band, and that keyboardist Ron Stabinsky had joined, as well.<ref>{{cite web|last=Prato|first=Greg|url=https://www.alternativenation.net/meat-puppets-reunite-original-drummer/|title=Meat Puppets Reunite With Original Drummer |website=Alternativenation.net |date=2018-07-08 |access-date=2018-07-08}}</ref>

The band released their 15th studio album, ''[[Dusty Notes]]'', on March 8, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/meat-puppets-reunite-original-lineup-for-new-album-dusty-notes/|title=MEAT PUPPETS Reunite Original Lineup For New Album 'Dusty Notes' |website=Blabbermouth.net |date=2018-12-12 |access-date=2019-04-11}}</ref>

==Musical style and legacy==
According to the [[Chicago Reader]], Meat Puppets "were part of a crucial group of [[Hardcore punk|hardcore]] bands bucking the conventions of a genre that had quickly become codified."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Margasak |first=Peter |date=2016-03-29 |title=Revisit a classic early Meat Puppets tune |url=https://chicagoreader.com/blogs/revisit-a-classic-early-meat-puppets-tune/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] described the Meat Puppet's style as "warped [[Psychedelic music|psychedelic]] [[country music]]".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Plagenhoef |first1=Scott |last2=Schreiber |first2=Ryan |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Pitchfork_500.html?id=CbO8PAAACAAJ |title=The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs From Punk to Present |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=59 |isbn=9781416562023}}</ref> Stephen Thomas Erlewine of [[AllMusic]] described the band's sound as "[[punk rock]] with a strong affection for '60s [[psychedelia]] and [[American folk music|American roots music]]", noting that they were one of the first bands on [[SST Records]] to "drift away from the fractured but muscular punk-oriented sound that had been SST's initial trademark." He also noted Meat Puppets' longevity compared to many other bands on the SST Records roster during the mid-1980s, saying the band "[survived] where other bands fell apart."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meat Puppets Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mor... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/meat-puppets-mn0000339577#biography |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref>

In 1985, Steve Appleford of ''[[Daily Sundial]]'' described the band's sound as a "sonic allusion to the desert of our cinematic dreams," saying that the music is "pervaded by a sense of open space, haunted by the feeling of desolation an evocative of lonely reverie." He further assessed: "This music was not brought about by any calculation of genre development or fashion. It's much too personal, heartfelt, exquisitely vulnerable for that."<ref>Appleford, Steve. ''Daily Sundial'' (March 1985). As quoted from the liner notes of ''Up On the Sun''</ref>

Musician [[Lou Barlow]], member of the bands [[Dinosaur Jr.]] and [[Sebadoh]], said, "Meat Puppets are the singularly most influential band on both Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh. I kick myself for not ever emphasizing this enough."<ref>{{cite web |last=Cohan |first=Brad |date=November 11, 2011 |title=Q&A: Sebadoh & Dinosaur Jr.'s Lou Barlow On '80s Hardcore, Signing With SST Records And How Evil J Mascis Used To Be |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2011/11/11/qa-sebadoh-dinosaur-jr-s-lou-barlow-on-80s-hardcore-signing-with-sst-records-and-how-evil-j-mascis-used-to-be/ |access-date=May 8, 2021 |work=[[The Village Voice]]}}</ref> Dinosaur Jr. frontman [[J Mascis]] recalled that listeners construed his band as "a Meat Puppets rip-off at first."<ref name="reardon">{{cite web |last=Reardon |first=Tom |date=December 29, 2014 |title=The Most Influential Arizona Punk Records: #5 - Meat Puppets, Untitled Seven-Inch EP |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/the-most-influential-arizona-punk-records-5-meat-puppets-untitled-seven-inch-ep-6592353 |access-date=May 8, 2021 |work=[[Phoenix New Times]]}}</ref> In addition to Dinosaur Jr.<ref name="dinosaurjr">{{cite web |title=Dinosaur Jr at Allmusic.com |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4096|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=November 9, 2007 |work=Allmusic.com}}</ref> and Sebadoh,<ref name="rollingstone.com">{{cite magazine |date=June 2012 |title=Book Excerpt: 'Too High to Die: Meet the Meat Puppets' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/exclusive-book-excerpt-too-high-to-die-meet-the-meat-puppets-125865/ |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> Meat Puppets have been cited as an influence by numerous commercially successful [[Rock music|rock]] bands, including [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]],<ref name="nirvana">{{cite web | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5034|pure_url=yes}} | title = Nirvana at Allmusic.com | work = Allmusic.com | access-date = November 9, 2007 }}</ref> [[Soundgarden]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Warren|first=Bruce|title=Meat Puppets Come Galloping Out Of The Stable With 'Warranty' |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2018/12/11/675267511/meat-puppets-come-galloping-out-of-a-stable-with-warranty|work=[[NPR]]|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=May 8, 2021}}</ref>  [[Pavement (band)|Pavement]],<ref name="pavement">{{cite web | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p23382|pure_url=yes}} | title = Pavement at Allmusic.com | work = Allmusic.com | access-date = November 9, 2007 }}</ref> [[Jawbreaker (band)|Jawbreaker]],<ref name="brooklynvegan.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/jawbreakers-blake-schwarzenbach-on-10-albums-that-impacted-his-life/|title=Jawbreaker's Blake Schwarzenbach on 10 albums that impacted his life|work=Brooklyn Vegan}}</ref> and [[Sublime (band)|Sublime]].<ref name="songfacts.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/eric-wilson-of-sublime|title=Eric Wilson of Sublime|work=Songfacts}}</ref>

In 2014, ''[[Phoenix New Times]]'' named the band's [[Meat Puppets (album)|self-titled debut album]] one of "The Most Influential Arizona Punk Records".<ref name="reardon" />

Meat Puppets were inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Meat Puppets|url=https://first-avenue.com/performer/meat-puppets/|work=first-avenue.com|date=|access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Inductee Biography for MEAT PUPPETS|url=http://www.azmusichalloffame.org/inductees/meat-puppets/|work=azmusichalloffame.org|date=|access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref>

==Members==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Current members
*[[Curt Kirkwood]] – [[lead vocals]], [[guitar]] (1980–1996, 1999–2002, 2006–present)
*[[Cris Kirkwood]] – [[bass guitar|bass]], [[backing vocals]] (1980–1996, 2006–present)
*[[Derrick Bostrom]] – [[drum kit|drums]] (1980–1996, 2018–present)
*Elmo Kirkwood – guitar (2018–present) <small>(touring member 2011–2017)</small>
*Ron Stabinsky – keyboards (2018–present) <small>(touring member 2017)</small>
;Touring members
*Troy Meiss – guitar (1994)

{{col-2}}
;Former members
*[[Shandon Sahm]] – drums (1999–2002, 2009–2018)
*Andrew Duplantis – bass (1999–2002)
*Kyle Ellison – guitar (1999–2002)
*[[Ted Marcus]] – drums (2006–2009)
{{col-end}}

;Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|
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PlotArea   = left:120 bottom:100 top:10 right:10
Alignbars  = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/06/1980 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
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ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1981

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  id:guitar    value:green      legend:Guitar
  id:bass      value:blue       legend:Bass
  id:drums     value:orange     legend:Drums
  id:keys      value:purple     legend:Keyboards
  id:Lines     value:black      legend:Studio_album
  id:Lines2    value:gray(0.5)     legend:Studio_EP

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 at:01/01/1981 color:Lines2    layer:back
 at:01/01/1982 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/04/1984 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/03/1985 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/03/1986 color:Lines2     layer:back
 at:01/04/1987 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/10/1987 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/10/1989 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/07/1991 color:black       layer:back
 at:25/01/1994 color:black       layer:back
 at:03/10/1995 color:black       layer:back
 at:01/11/1999 color:Lines2     layer:back
 at:26/09/2000 color:black       layer:back
 at:18/06/2007 color:black       layer:back
 at:12/05/2009 color:black       layer:back
 at:12/04/2011 color:black       layer:back
 at:16/04/2013 color:black       layer:back
 at:08/03/2019 color:black       layer:back
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  bar:Curt     text:"Curt Kirkwood"
  bar:Kyle     text:"Kyle Ellison"
  bar:Elmo     text:"Elmo Kirkwood"
  bar:Cris     text:"Cris Kirkwood"
  bar:Andrew   text:"Andrew Duplantis"
  bar:Derrick  text:"Derrick Bostrom"
  bar:Shandon  text:"Shandon Sahm"
  bar:Ted      text:"Ted Marcus"
  bar:Ron      text:"Ron Stabinsky"

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  width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
  
  bar:Curt     from:01/06/1980 till:01/01/1996 color:voc
  bar:Curt     from:01/06/1980 till:01/01/1996 color:guitar width:3
  bar:Curt     from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2002 color:voc
  bar:Curt     from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2002 color:guitar width:3
  bar:Curt     from:24/03/2006 till:end        color:voc
  bar:Curt     from:24/03/2006 till:end        color:guitar width:3

  bar:Cris     from:01/06/1980 till:01/01/1996 color:voc width:3
  bar:Cris     from:01/06/1980 till:01/01/1996 color:bass
  bar:Cris     from:24/03/2006 till:end        color:voc width:3
  bar:Cris     from:24/03/2006 till:end        color:bass

  bar:Andrew   from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2002 color:bass

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  bar:Shandon  from:27/11/2009 till:08/06/2018 color:drums

  bar:Ted      from:24/03/2006 till:26/11/2009 color:drums

  bar:Kyle     from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2002 color:guitar

  bar:Elmo     from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2018 color:guitar width:3
  bar:Elmo     from:01/01/2018 till:end        color:guitar

  bar:Ron      from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2018 color:keys width:3
  bar:Ron      from:01/01/2018 till:end        color:keys
}}

==Discography==
{{Main|Meat Puppets discography}}
* ''[[Meat Puppets (album)|Meat Puppets]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Meat Puppets II]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Up on the Sun]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Mirage (Meat Puppets album)|Mirage]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Huevos (album)|Huevos]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Monsters (Meat Puppets album)|Monsters]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Forbidden Places]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Too High to Die]]'' (1994)
* ''[[No Joke!]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Golden Lies]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Rise to Your Knees]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Sewn Together]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Lollipop (album)|Lollipop]]'' (2011)
* ''[[Rat Farm]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Dusty Notes]]'' (2019)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2018/12/11/675267511/meat-puppets-come-galloping-out-of-a-stable-with-warranty|title=Meat Puppets Come Galloping Out Of The Stable With 'Warranty'|website=Npr.org|date=11 December 2018|access-date=9 March 2019|last1=Warren|first1=Bruce}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of alternative rock artists]]
*[[List of musicians in the second wave of punk music]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*{{official website|themeatpuppets.com}}

{{Meat Puppets}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Meat Puppets| ]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1980]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Phoenix, Arizona]]
[[Category:Cowpunk musical groups]]
[[Category:SST Records artists]]
[[Category:Rykodisc artists]]
[[Category:Hardcore punk groups from Arizona]]
[[Category:American neo-psychedelia groups]]
[[Category:Sibling musical groups]]
[[Category:1980 establishments in Arizona]]