Stuck (EP)

''Stuck'' is the debut EP album by the American rock band, Puddle of Mudd. The seven-song EP was released independently on August 27, 1994, after winning free studio time from a battle of the bands contest they competed in and won the year prior in 1993. The EP marked the band's first commercial release, spawning the single "You Don’t Know" in 1994. In the years and decades to follow, the band would re-record and re-release multiple songs from ''Stuck'', most notably '' Drift & Die'', when it was released on the band's major-label debut album in 2001, ''You Don't Know'' and ''Poke Out My Eyes'' were also re-recorded and re-released on future albums.

Background and production

Puddle of Mudd formed in 1992 in Kansas City, Missouri with the original lineup consisting of lead singer and guitarist Wes Scantlin, lead guitarist Jimmy Allen, bass player Sean Sammon, and drummer Kenny Burkitt. The group came together after Allen and Burkitt first heard Scantlin at a rehearsal space in Kansas City's West Bottoms district in 1993. At the time, Allen and Burkitt were looking for new musicians to form a band and initially encountered Scantlin as a guitarist. While his guitar playing was considered adequate, Allen felt Scantlin had the look and presence of a frontman and encouraged him to try singing. During an impromptu jam, Scantlin performed vocals on an Alice in Chains cover, and his gritty, emotional delivery immediately impressed them. Allen later recalled that within minutes, it was clear Scantlin had a charismatic quality that could connect with an audience, and that moment set the foundation for the band's lineup.

Together, the band entered a local battle of the bands competition, earning studio time as the grand prize. They recorded their debut EP at Red House Studio in Lawrence, Kansas, in June 1994, working with producer E.J. Rose, the in-house producer at the studio. The EPs entire recording sessions were completed in two days, with Rose also handling mixing duties before sending the final versions to John F. Matousek at Master Work's in Hollywood, California for mastering. The EPs album cover artwork was designed by ''River City Studio'' in Kansas City.

Composition and sound

''Stuck'' blends alternative rock, grunge, and hard rock elements. The material features heavy guitar riffs, gritty vocals, and lyrics centered on personal struggles and frustration. The sound reflects the musical influences of the early 1990s, drawing comparisons to bands like Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

Release and reception

''Stuck'' was independently released on August 27, 1994, through V&R Records. The band promoted the EP through regional touring and local radio appearances. Kansas City station ''98.9 The Rock'' placed "You Don’t Know" in full rotation despite the band not having a major record label backing them at the time.

Rate Your Music noted that, compared to Puddle of Mudd's later releases, ''Stuck'' offered a heavier and rawer sound that avoided the overt commercialization of the band's subsequent work. The review described the EP as an average but more authentic grunge release for its time, highlighting that Scantlin's vocals had greater depth than in later albums and that the material reflected the band's early effort to establish a grunge identity. Sputnikmusic has given the EP an average rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars.

In a 2010 interview with Motortrend, Scantlin revealed after the release of ''Stuck'' in 1994, he was able to use the royalties from his share of the EPs sales to purchase his first car, a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, stating it was the first time he could afford to purchase his own car.

Legacy

Over the years the band has re-recorded and re-released songs that were featured on ''Stuck'' for future Puddle of Mudd albums. " Drift & Die" appeared on their major label debut '' Come Clean'' (2001) and was released as the album's third single in April 2002. "You Don’t Know" was later re-recorded then released on the album '' Welcome to Galvania'' (2019), and "Poke Out My Eyes" was re-recorded and released on their record ''Ubiquitous'' (2023).

Track listing

Personnel

''All credits sourced directly from the album's liner notes.''

* Wes Scantlin – lead vocals, guitar, songwriting
* Jimmy Allen – guitar, backing vocals
* Sean Sammon – bass
* Kenny Burkitt – drums, percussion

Technical personnel

* E.J. Rose – producer, mixing, engineering
* Doug Hudson – mastering

References

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1994 debut EPs
Puddle of Mudd albums
Alternative rock EPs
Post-grunge EPs