{{Infobox musical artist
|Name = Garbage
|Background = group_or_band
|Origin = Madison, Wisconsin, USA
|Genre = Alternative rock, Electronica
|Years_active = 1994-2005, 2007-present |Label = A&E (worldwide),
Geffen (for North America)
Formerly Mushroom UK (worldwide), Almo Sounds (for North America),
|URL = http://www.garbage.com|Official site
|Current_members = Shirley Manson
Duke Erikson
Steve Marker
Butch Vig }}
Garbage is a Scottish-American rock group formed in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1994. The band consists of Scottish-born Shirley Manson and Americans Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig, and have counted worldwide album sales of over 12 million units.
Garbage released a string of increasingly successful singles in 1995–1996, including "Stupid Girl". Their debut album, Garbage, was an unexpected smash, selling over 4 million copies and certified double platinum in the UK, USA and Australia. Garbage won the Breakthrough Artist award at the 1996 MTV Europe Music Awards."Version 2.0 press release, published by Mushroom Records, dated March 30, 1998. Retrieved 2008-02-24
Garbage spent two years working on follow-up album, Version 2.0, which topped the charts in the UK upon its 1998 release and the following year was nominated for two Grammy Awards, Album of the Year and Best Rock Album. Version 2.0 went on to match the sales of its predecessor. Garbage followed this up by performing and co-producing the theme song to the nineteenth James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough.
Despite being named one of Rolling Stone's Top 10 Albums of The Year, Garbage's 2001 third album Beautiful Garbage failed to match the commercial success achieved by its predecessors. Garbage quietly disbanded in late 2003, but regrouped to complete fourth album Bleed Like Me in 2005, peaking at a career-high #4 in the U.S. The band cut short their concert tour in support of Bleed Like Me announcing an "indefinite hiatus", emphasizing that they had not broke up, but wished to pursue personal interests.
In 2006, Vig returned to producing while Manson recorded a solo album. Garbage ended their hiatus in 2007, and released greatest hits retrospective Absolute Garbage, with a view to record its fifth studio album in 2008.
Formation (1993-1994)
Erikson and Vig had been in numerous bands, including Spooner and Fire Town (with Marker as an sound engineer). During the Eighties Spooner released two albums locally while Fire Town had signed to Atlantic Records, recorded two albums and toured nationally. In 1983, Vig and Marker founded Smart Studios in Madison and Vig's production work brought him to the attention of Sub Pop. By 1993, Vig had notably produced Nirvana's Nevermind and Smashing Pumpkins' Gish and Siamese Dream, while Erikson and Marker had become known for remixing artists such as U2, House of Pain and Depeche Mode. A short-term reformation and album from Spooner inspired Erikson, Marker and Vig to form a band: tired of using their own work for remixes, they decided to keep the material for their own project. An early comment that their work sounded "like garbage" inspired the band's name.By contrast, Manson had been performing keyboards and backing vocals with Edinburgh rock band Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie since 1984. Only charting once in 1988 with "The Rattler", Goodbye Mr MacKenzie were signed and dropped from a succession of labels, but were picked up in 1991 by Radioactive Records. Radioactive's distributor, MCA, expressed interest in putting out a record with Manson on vocals. On February 23, 1993, Manson was signed as a solo artist to MCA to circumvent the Mackenzie's existing deal. Manson recorded an album, Angelfish, with the Mackenzie's as her backing band, also named Angelfish. Angelfish did not do any better than the Mackenzie's albums, selling only 10,000 copies.
Initial sessions with Vig on vocals, and the member's past work with all-male groups led to the band's desire for a woman on lead. Marker was watching 120 Minutes when he saw the music video for Angelfish's "Suffocate Me". He showed the video to Erikson and Vig while their manager Shannon O'Shea tracked Manson down. When Manson was contacted, she didn't know who Vig was and was urged to check the credits on Nevermind.
On April 8, Manson met Erikson, Marker and Vig for the first time in London. Later that evening Vig was informed of Kurt Cobain's suicide. Garbage was put on hold, until Angelfish were touring North America in support of Live. Erikson, Marker and Vig attended the Chicago Metro date; and Manson was invited to Madison to audition for the band. The audition did not go well but Manson socialized with the men while there and they found they had similar musical taste. At the end of the Live tour, Angelfish split. Manson called O'Shea and asked to audition again feeling that "it would work out".
Manson began to work on the then-skeletal "Stupid Girl", "Queer" and "Vow" (ad-libbing the line "I can't use what I can't abuse"). Despite never having written a song before this session, Manson was invited to join the band. Lyrics were penned at a cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin, while the batch of songs were recorded at Smart Studios. Conscious of the grunge genre that had made their names, particularly Vig's, the band made every effort to avoid sounding similar, deliberately striving to make a pop record.
Garbage sent out demo tapes with no bio, to avoid a bidding war over Vig's production history. Garbage signed with Mushroom U.K. worldwide (excluding North America) and secured the band a Volume magazine compilation inclusion. The only song the band had finished in any shape or form was "Vow". When released in December, "Vow" began to receive radio airplay on XFM and from Radio 1 DJs Steve Lamacq, John Peel and Johnnie Walker. Word-of-mouth on "Vow" took the track back to the U.S. On December 21, Garbage signed to Jerry Moss's label Almo Sounds for North America. Manson was licensed to both Mushroom and Almo by Radioactive Records for a single album, with no compensation from any of Garbage's labels.
Garbage hadn't even considered "Vow" for inclusion on the album or even as a single. Due to the exclusive licensing to Volume preventing a full commercial single release, on March 20, 1995, Mushroom issued "Vow" in a limited 7" vinyl format through Discordant, a label set up just to launch Garbage.""Only Happy When It Rains" sell-in sheet (issued Sept 1995)" Retrieved 2008-02-24 By May, commercial alternative radio in the U.S. had picked up on the track, and it began to receive heavy rotation nationwide. "Vow" debuted on Hot Modern Rock Tracks at #39, where it climbed over the following weeks peaking at #26 twice. "Vow" bubbled under for two weeks before it spent two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 staying at #97 both weeks.
Garbage (1995-1997)
In August 1995, Garbage debuted on the Billboard 200 at #193. Over the following months Garbage was released worldwide. In the United Kingdom, its release was preceded by non-album track "Subhuman" and "Only Happy When It Rains" as singles to promote the album instead of "Queer". Garbage debuted on the U.K. album chart at #12. In Australia, the album debuted at #5."Version 2.0 Repackage'' Mushroom Records Point-of-Sale brochure" (Retrieved - 2008-02-24) "Queer" was quickly released in the U.K. and Europe, while Garbage began their first tour. Garbage are nominated for Brit Awards for Best New Band and Best International Newcomer.In 1996, Garbage toured Garbage for the entire year. "Only Happy When It Rains" was released as a single in North America; "Stupid Girl" was released to promote European dates. MTV announced that "Only Happy When It Rains" was certified a "Buzz clip", guaranteeing heavy rotation on its network from February 13. "Only Happy" peaked at #55 on the Hot 100. "Stupid Girl" received massive video and radio airplay in the U.K. and peaked at #4, becoming the band's first UK top 10 hit and elevatining the album to #6.
In May, Garbage reworked "Milk" with Tricky in a Chicago recording studio before supporting Smashing Pumpkins on their arena tour until the overdose of their keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin. "Stupid Girl" had debuted on the Hot 100 on June 22, eventually reaching #24. A Top 40 radio remix of "Stupid Girl" by Todd Terry also received massive airplay.
Worldwide, the final single release from the album was the reworked version of "Milk", which became the band's second UK top 10 hit and which the band performed live at the MTV Europe Music Awards in London on November 14; Garbage won the Breakthrough award at the event. In North America, Almo Sounds released album track "Supervixen" to Modern Rock radio, while Capitol Records released a remix of "#1 Crush" from the soundtrack to Romeo + Juliet, which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks from the end of the year. "#1 Crush" is later nominated for Best Song From a Movie at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards.
Garbage Video, a compilation of the album's promotional videos, was released on November 12. Garbage were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, while "Stupid Girl" received two nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group
Version 2.0 (1997-2000)
Garbage relocated to Friday Harbor, Washington on March 1, 1997 to write songs for their second album. Returning to Smart Studios a short while later, the band found themselves under intense pressure to repeat the success of Garbage. The band decided not to change their formula, but progress musically by pushing their sound as far as it could go - hence the album's eventual title Version 2.0, which was completed by February 15, 1998. First single "Push It" debuted on radio in the U.K. on March 16 and in the U.S. on March 30 becoming the #1 most added record at Alternative Radio. "Push It" debuted at #52 on the May 9 Hot 100 chart and became their third consecutive U.K. top ten hit at #9.Version 2.0 was released worldwide on May 11, 1998. It debuted at #1 in the UK and at #13 in the Billboard 200. Garbage began touring Version 2.0 on May 15, a tour which lasted until the end of 1999.
"I Think I'm Paranoid" was released worldwide on July 6, while the music video for "Push It" received eight nominations at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards. By October 12, "Special" was released and Garbage was nominated for three MTV Europe Music Awards: "Best Group," "Best Rock Act" and "Best Video" for "Push It".
In early 1999, Version 2.0 received two Grammy Award nominations: Album of the Year and Best Rock Album "Special" was #1 most added single at the Top 40 radio. In Europe, Garbage began their biggest headline tour, releasing singles for "When I Grow Up" and "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing". On April 12, "When I Grow Up" is released to Modern Rock radio while "Special" reaches #54 on the Hot 100. "When I Grow Up" is then featured on the movie Big Daddy.
Version 2.0 is awarded the European Platinum Award by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for 1 million sales across Europe and U.S. "You Look So Fine" is released as the final single from Version 2.0 worldwide, as Garbage tour Europe, including headlining in Edinburgh to mark the opening of the Scottish Parliament.
On August 4, Garbage are officially confirmed performing the theme for James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough and Garbage work with composer David Arnold in London and Vancouver on the title theme. Garbage tour co-headline an Australian tour with Alanis Morissette, while "When I Grow Up" spends three months in the Australian chart, becoming the band's most successful single there. "The World Is Not Enough" reaches the top 10s in Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Finland, as well as the top 40 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the U.K. "Special" received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Song and for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group, while "When I Grow Up" is re-issued in Europe.
Beautiful Garbage (2000-2002)
Garbage regrouped on April 10, 2001 to begin work on their third record, putting a planned B-sides album on the back-burner, mainly due to the sale of Almo Sounds to UMG. Manson ran an online blog throughout the recording of the album named Beautiful Garbage after a lyric in Hole's "Celebrity Skin". During the recording of the album, Garbage invoke a key man clause to leave their Almo contract, and sue UMG when they refuse to terminate their contract. UMG threaten to uphold Manson's 1993 solo contract to tie Garbage to the label. The suit was settled on July 29, 2001, and Garbage are moved to Interscope. Garbage was sued for copyright infringement over "I Think I'm Paranoid". Lead single "Androgyny" was released to radio by the end of August, and its video on September 10. The following day, due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C., the promotional schedule for the album was put on hold.In October, Beautiful Garbage achieved a #13 debut on the Billboard 200, as well as reaching #6 on the Top Internet Albums chart and topping the Electronic Albums chart for seven weeks. In its first three months on sale, Beautiful Garbage sells 1.2 million copies.
Garbage supported U2 on the third leg of their Elevation Tour. After the last show, Vig contracted Hepatitis A and is replaced by Matthew Chamberlain for European dates. On December 8, "Breaking Up The Girl" was released as a single and the theme song to the Daria telemovie Is It College Yet?. On December 27, Rolling Stone's US and Australian editions named Beautiful Garbage as one of their critics "Top 10 Albums of the Year".
"Cherry Lips" is released at the beginning of 2002 where becomes Garbage's biggest hit in Australia, debuted at #7 staying in the Top Ten for 4 weeks. Sony Music Japan released an exclusive E.P. of rare tracks titled Special Collection. "Breaking Up The Girl" is then released worldwide. Garbage tour the U.K., Europe and North America, but some final dates are cancelled when Manson loses her voice, and Vig is diagnosed with Bell's palsy (he is replaced by Chamberlain, then Matt Walker).
A limited release of "Shut Your Mouth" in the U.K. gives the band their first Top 20 hit from the album, and Garbage co-headline a tour with No Doubt and The Distillers taking them to the end of the year.
Bleed Like Me (2003-2005)
Garbage started proper work on their fourth record in March 2003, writing "Right Between the Eyes" in 30 minutes. It was a false start. Recording for the album was halted during the summer when singer Shirley Manson underwent surgery on her right vocal cord and was not given the all clear to sing again until August. By October, due to rising tension within the band and a breakdown in communication Vig relocated to Los Angeles while Manson returned to Scotland. During the Christmas period Vig encountered excited Garbage fans eager to hear how the album was going. Not having the heart to tell them Garbage had effectively split he name-dropped titles to them. After this encounter he realised there was still something left in the band.In January 2004 Garbage reconvened in Los Angeles with Dust Brother John King, drummer Matt Chamberlain, bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen, and on February 6, Dave Grohl performed drums on "Bad Boyfriend". His performance was regarded by the band as "raising the bar" for the record. Following the John King sessions, the band formally relocated to Los Angeles and wrote two new songs, "Metal Heart" and "Boys Wanna Fight", which were more energetic songs than the band had been writing as well as lyrically more "overtly political" both songs referencing the U.S. and U.K. led 2003 Invasion of Iraq.
On February 23, 2005, lead single "Why Do You Love Me" debuts on the Modern Rock Tracks chart at #39 and is the 'Greatest Gainer' with the largest increase in detections. "Why Do You Love Me" debuts at #97 and #81 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop 100 charts respectively, becoming the band's most successful single for six years. Bleed Like Me entered Top 10 in U.S.
On August 25, Garbage cancel their scheduled October tour dates in France, Belgium and United Kingdom and release a statement that the band had "somewhat overextended themselves" and had decided to conclude their tour in Australia on October 1. Upfront of the band's Australian tour, "Sex Is Not The Enemy" was released to Australian radio. The end of the Australian tour also marks the end of active band promotion for Bleed Like Me. The band confirm that they are going "on indefinite hiatus" to dispel reports of a band split.
Hiatus, comeback and Future (2006-2008)
Manson confirmed in March 2006 that she had begun work on a solo album, adding that she had "no timetable" for completing the project. Manson has worked with a number of people on the project including Scottish songwriter Paul Buchanan, US rock musicians Jack White, Billy Corgan and Beck,, producer and keyboardist Greg Kurstin and David Arnold. Garbage drummer Vig is also co-writing and producing for her album. Much of the work on the album has taken place in Manson's Los Angeles base. Manson is reluctant to talk about her album, preferring to wait until it is released in early 2008. Manson was scheduled to finish recording the album in September 2007.Manson recorded a duet with Eric Avery for his album Help Wanted, and with Debbie Harry, which was not finished. Manson also made low key appearances in She Wants Revenge's "These Things" music video, and self-abuse documentary "CUT: Teens and Self Injury"
Butch Vig produced albums for Jimmy Eat World, Against Me! and The Subways, and scored music for two films. Erikson is working with the BBC an American folk music anthology, whilst Marker has also been involved with a film score.
Garbage ended their eighteen-month hiatus on January 31, 2007, at a benefit show in Glendale, California, organised by Vig to help pay musician Wally Ingram's medical care following treatment for throat cancer. Prior to this, Garbage had been sharing song ideas via the internet and were keen on getting into the recording studio to complete them. Garbage began work on the new songs in earnest during February and March at Vig's home studio, completing four tracks including "Tell Me Where It Hurts", which was released as the album's lead single.
Absolute Garbage was released on July 23, remastered and including a special edition bonus remix package. A DVD format rounded out the package; among the fifteen Garbage music videos included was an hour-long documentary film titled "Thanks For Your, Uhhh Support" featuring footage filmed backstage and behind-the-scenes, and archive live performances and interviews spanning the band's entire career. The album also includes a brand new remix of non-single "It's All Over But the Crying".
Vig stated that Garbage is considering mid-2008 to begin making a fifth album, saying, "We're thinking about it...I think we're more interested in making something that's much more primal and stripped down. Absolute Garbage is the postscript to chapter one. Whatever we do next will definitely be chapter two."