Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band. They were formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band. They were formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, bassist John Wickhart, and guitarist Dann Gallucci . However, since their 1996 debut album This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, their lineup has been centered around guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy. Since being signed to Sony's Epic Records in 2000, the band has attained significant popular success. Elements of Modest Mouse's sound have been likened to or have been inspired by those of Elliott Smith, Pixies, Built to Spill, and numerous other alternative rock bands. Their name derives from a passage from the Virginia Woolf story "The Mark on the Wall".

In 1994, Isaac Brock, Jeremiah Green, John Wickhart, and Dann Gallucci recorded their debut EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?, at Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios, which was then released on Calvin's record label K Records. Then followed a single with Sub-Pop that was recorded by Steve Wold at Moon Studios. During this time, Modest Mouse also recorded their "would-be" debut album Sad Sappy Sucker, but constant delays caused the album to be shelved and forgotten (it was officially released in 2001). After moving to Up Records, losing bassist John Wickhart, temporarily losing guitarist Dann Gallucci, and gaining bassist Eric Judy , Modest Mouse put out several releases recorded at Moon Studios, including 1996's This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. This double LP was produced and recorded by Steve Wold (at this time Steve Wold was a member of the band as well). The next offering on UP was Interstate 8, also produced by Steve Wold. 1997's The Lonesome Crowded West, (also recorded at Moon Studios, by Scott Swayze) turned out to be the band's breakthrough album. The Lonesome Crowded West gained the band a cult following and is now widely considered by many critics to be one of the defining albums of mid-90s indie-rock. In 2000, Up released a singles and rarities collection entitled Building Nothing Out of Something, which included the entirety of Interstate 8 except for the songs "Edit the Sad Parts" and "Buttons to Push Buttons".