Puddle Of Mudd

Puddle Of Mudd is an American rock band from Kansas City, United States. The group forms in 1993 and remains active, and its sound is associated with alternative rock, post-grunge and grunge. It signs to Flawless Records.

History

The original version of the band starts in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1992, and releases the debut album Stuck in 1993, followed by Abrasive in 1996. That early line-up does not gain much commercial success. After that first incarnation breaks up, a new version of Puddle Of Mudd forms in Los Angeles around vocalist Wes Scantlin.

Scantlin grows up in Kansas City after being born in St. Joseph, Missouri, and attends Park Hill High School. After school he begins developing Puddle Of Mudd, with his demo later reaching Fred Durst. Durst responds positively and helps bring Scantlin to California to assemble a new line-up. In California, Scantlin meets Doug Ardito, then an intern at Interscope Records, and they begin working together after Ardito's bass playing becomes known. Fred Durst then contacts guitarist Paul Phillips from Jacksonville, Florida, who auditions for the band and leaves college to join full time. A drummer from Jacksonville is also recruited, but leaves before the band gains wider attention.

Success and releases

The band achieves success on rock radio and some mainstream success. Its major-label debut, Come Clean, sells more than 5 million copies and produces a run of major rock singles in the United States. Across its career, the band sells more than 7 million albums. Songs including "Control", "She Hates Me" and "Blurry" become closely associated with the group. "Control" is used as the official theme song for WWE's Survivor Series event in November 2001, and "Nothing Left to Lose" is used as the official theme song for WWE's Royal Rumble event in January 2004.

The follow-up album, Life on Display, produces one hit single and sells 600,000 copies. In 2007 the band releases Famous, which takes a general rock and nu-grunge approach. The band also releases Songs in the Key of Love and Hate, and plans a live album in the period described in the biography.

Membership

Members associated with the group include Wes Scantlin, Doug Ardito, Paul Phillips, Ryan Yerdon, Mika Fineo, Greg Upchurch, Adam Latiff, Christian Stone and Jimmy Allen. Paul Phillips and Greg Upchurch leave the band in 2005.

Name

The band name comes from an image linked to flooding on the Missouri River, when the group practices and performs in its early days and the pressure from equipment leaves a floor looking like a puddle of mud.