Garbage
Jan 2002

The radio.wazee spotlight has Garbage in it this week, thanks to the latest single from their critically acclaimed latest album "Beautifulgarbage," "Breaking Up The Girl."

Garbage was founded in 1993 by superproducer Butch Vig, and was immediately heralded in the press as a producers' supergroup. In addition to several other notable bands (Smashing Pumpkins, U2), Butch had previously produced Nirvana's influential and groundbreaking smash "Nevermind." He formed Garbage with the help of his long-standing remixing partners Steve Marker and Duke Erikson, with whom he had been involved in the bands Spooner and Firetown. Scottish singer Shirley Manson was recruited after the members saw her fronting her former unit, Angel Fish, on MTV (Shirley had previously sung with the unheralded Goodbye Mr Mackenzie). Garbage's debut single, "Vow," issued in a metal sleeve, was widely acclaimed, as was the follow-up, "Subhuman." Both borrowed from an eclectic range of influences including punk, glam rock and art rock, with Vig saying, "We want to use all these different elements like techno, punk and noise, ambient, jazz and rock, and mix them all up around a pop song."

Their self-titled debut album was a dark collection of songs, exemplified by "Only Happy When It Rains," which also reached the charts when issued as a single. Further chart success came with a remix of "Milk" (featuring Tricky as guest vocalist) and "Stupid Girl." The band's unexpected global success, especially in the U.S., delayed the recording of their follow-up as they toured the world relentlessly. When "Version 2.0" finally appeared the band gained further praise. The album topped the U.K. charts in May 1998, and the following year the band was commissioned to write the theme tune to the James Bond movie "The World Is Not Enough."

Garbage released their third offering, "Beautifulgarbage," in October 2001, and it debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard albums chart. After opening several dates on U2’s tour, they planned to tour the world beginning in November. But, they had to do it without Vig, who has been sidelined and ordered to rest since being diagnosed with hepatitis A. He’s expected to fully recover, but for now, Matt Chamberlain is filling in on the skins. Chamberlain has worked with Tori Amos and Fiona Apple, and played on some of the tracks on "Beautifulgarbage."