The Mummies

The once and future kings of budget rock, the Mummies did for garage rock what the New Bomb Turks did for punk: stripped it to the frame, made it as raunchy as it deserved to be, and reminded everyone what was cool and crazy about the stuff in the first place. Of course, while the New Bomb Turks were able to build a career out of their roots punk cross-breed, the Mummies achieved their greatest notoriety after they broke up, but it's difficult to imagine the rawest edge of the garage revival bands existing without the guiding influence of the gauze-wrapped foursome. Formed in San Francisco, CA, in late 1988, the Mummies consisted of Larry Winther on guitar, Maz Kattuah on bass, Trent Ruane on organ and sax, and Russell Quan on drums; though it was sometimes difficult to tell just who was who since the band performed in mummy suits that made them appear to be wrapped from head to toe in Ace bandages. While the band found a home in the West Coast garage/surf revival scene alongside like-minded bands such as the Phantom Surfers and the Untamed Youth, the Mummies set out to be louder, cruder, and more obnoxious than anyone; bashing out frantic and primitive versions of such classics as "Justine" and "Shot Down" alongside middle-finger originals like "Your Ass (Is Next in Line)," "The Thing From Venus," and "Shut Yer Mouth" on cheap vintage gear rescued from pawn shops and garage sales. In 1990, the Mummies' first single appeared (on the band's own Pre-B.S. label), as did several 7"s on other labels followed, including Estrus, Planet Pimp, and Rekkids; eventually, the band's early singles were compiled on the LP The Mummies Play Their Own Records. (The album appeared on LP only; the Mummies made no secret of their antipathy for digital technology, emblazoning their slogan,...