Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band. The band was formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington by guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy.

Brock came up with the name "Modest Mouse" when he read a Virginia Woolf novel in which the author described the working middle class as "modest, mouse-like people."

In 1994 the band recorded their self-titled debut EP at Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios , which was then released on Calvin's record label K Records. After moving to Up Records Modest Mouse put out two releases, 1996's This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About and The Lonesome Crowded West, which turned out to be the band's breakthrough album. In 2000 Up released a singles and rarities collection entitled Building Nothing Out of Something.

Also in 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon And Antarctica, their first album on a major label (Epic Records). The band enjoyed some success on alternative radio with the singles "3rd Planet" and "Gravity Rides Everything." Lead singer Isaac Brock has since put out an album with his side project Ugly Casanova.

Since 2000, Modest Mouse has put out several releases, including the EP Everywhere & His Nasty Parlour Tricks and Sad Sappy Sucker, a collection of songs Modest Mouse recorded in 1994, originally intended to be their debut album, but shelved in favor of This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About.

In 2003, drummer Jeremiah Green quit the band to pursue his side project, The Vells . He was replaced with two new members, drummer Benjamin Weikel (who also drummed for The Helio Sequence ) and guitarist Dann Gallucci . On April 6, 2004, Modest Mouse released their most recent album, Good News For People Who Love Bad News, which scored two hits with "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty". In 2004 Jeremiah Green returned to the band, and Benjamin Weikel now drums exclusively for The Helio Sequence.

Personnel/Associations

Isaac Brock - Vocals/Guitar - Ugly Casanova
Eric Judy - Bass
Jeremiah Green - Drums/Percussion - The Vells , Red Stars Theory
Dann Gallucci - Guitar/Keyboards/Synthesizers - Murder City Devils
Benjamin Weikel (former member) - Drums/Percussion - The Helio Sequence

Discography

• Albums
  • This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About (Up, 1996)
  • The Lonesome Crowded West (Up, 1997)
  • The Moon And Antarctica (Epic, 2000)
  • Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic, 2004)

• EPs and other collections
  • Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect? (K, 1994)
  • Interstate 8 (Up, 1996)
  • The Fruit That Ate Itself (K, 1997)
  • Night On the Sun (Up, 1999)
  • Building Nothing Out of Something (Up, 2000)
  • Sad Sappy Sucker (K, 2001)
  • Everywhere & His Nasty Parlour Tricks (Epic, 2001)

• Singles
  • Broke (Sub Pop, 1996)
  • Life of Arctic Sounds (Suicide Squeeze , 1997)
  • Birds vs. Worms (Hit or Miss, 1997)
  • Other People's Lives (Up, 1998)
  • Neverending Math Equation (Sub Pop, 1998)
  • Whenever You See Fit (with 764-Hero) (Up/Suicide Squeeze 1998)
  • Float On (Epic, 2004)
  • Ocean Breathes Salty (Epic, 2004, first played by KROQ in June 2004)

External links

• Official Modest Mouse Website
• Epic Records' Modest Mouse Site
• Modest Mouse Lyrics & Tabs