Watch Modest Mouse play ‘Out of Gas’ in 1997
The Modest Mouse of the late 1990s was miles away from the mainstream-adjacent indie rock titans that would emerge in the 2000s. From the new millennium onward, it wasn’t unusual to see up to eight musicians on stage bringing the sounds of Isaac Brock’s wild songwriting to life. But in 1997, it was just Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy.
Brock was careful to avoid the stigma that surrounded other bands popping out of the Seattle metropolitan area in the mid-90s, but that didn’t stop some crossover in sound and style. Specifically, Brock took in the DIY hardcore punk scene around the Seattle area, sharing more than a few similar traits with emo upstarts like Sunny Day Real Estate and fellow Washington state agitators Karp.
For their initial releases, Modest Mouse jumped between influential Washington independent labels like Up Records, K Records, and Sub Pop. For a brief period of time, Brock was even employed as an A&R representative for Sub Pop, helping to sign Canadian indie rockers Wolf Parade to the label. Modest Mouse largely fit the sound of Sub Pop – barebones, angular, and uncompromising.
Live, the band kept this philosophy in check. Brock and Judy had few effects outside of distortion, and even that was used sparingly. Green’s drum kit was stripped back, and he often used the rims of his drums to add alternative sounds to songs. The compositions themselves were in a constant state of flux, with Brock frequently making adjustments or improvising new words as they came to him.
The trio lineup of Modest Mouse stayed together long enough to record three massively influential LPs: 1996’s This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, 1997’s The Lonesome Crowded West, and 2000’s The Moon & Antarctica. By 2004’s Good News For People Who Love Bad News, the lineup had expanded and Green briefly departed after suffering a nervous breakdown. The humble beginnings of Modest Mouse were now permanently in the rearview mirror, but Brock’s ambitions could be felt from the very beginning of the band’s existence.
Check out Modest Mouse playing ‘Out of Gas’ from 1997 down below.
