Mudvayne is a Peoria, Illinois, USA based nu-metal quartet started in 1996 which is strongly influnced by funk stylings and jazz song structures. They have become relatively well known for their previous incarnations which involved elaborate stage makeup and pseudonyms. The band often showcases Ryan Martinie's jazzy bass playing. They were introduced by Slipknot. As of 2005, the band is active.
Biography
Established in 1996, Mudvayne now consists of Chad Gray (Kud, Chüd) on vocals, Greg Tribbett (Gurrg, Güüg) on guitar, Ryan Martinie (Ryknow, R-üD) on bass, and Matthew McDonough (sPaG, Spüg) on drums.
In their biggest album, L.D. 50, "The overall theme of the album reflects and embodies ideas about the evolution of consciousness, transformation, and the risks involved in experimenting with things that can change a person's point of view, internally and externally," says drummer Spag. After the re-release of Kill I Oughta, now known as The Beginning of All Things To End, the band members changed their pseudonyms to the ones listed in the second parentheses. Since the release of Lost and found in April 2005, Mudvayne has discontinued the use of all psuedonyms and now performs under their real names.
Discography
Studio Releases
Live And Other Releases
Singles
Videos
The video for the band's first single, Dig, is set in a white room and features the band playing in different angles. At certain points, the camera will cut to scenes of the band in a black room, covered in mud and tangled in wet cables that seem to hang from the ceiling.
Death Blooms was apparently inspired by Chad Gray's grandmother, who was suffering from a terminal illness and wanted to die, but the family kept her alive against her will.
There are two versions to the Not Falling video. The first features the bands as aliens emerging from cocoons. The second is set in a snow covered field, with the four members playing in a triangle (with Chad in the center, forming their logo) and focusing on a little girl.
The World So Cold video is straightforward, showing the band playing while showing situations in which people put themselves through situations where they feel bad for doing nothing wrong. This was the first video, besides the second version of Not Falling, to include the entire band without the makeup, as this was the time that they dropped their pseudonyms.
The Determined video shows the band playing onstage at a concert. There are also some shots of the crowd singing along, with few shots of a mosh pit near the front of the crowd.
The Happy? video basically shows the band playing in an open field. Showing frequent shots of a monarch butterfly landing on various pieces of equipment, e.g the cymbals on the drumset, the microphones, etc. Near the end of the video, the butterfly is not seen again when a tornado hits. Mudvayne continues playing, until finally the storm clears up just as the song finishes, and the butterfly is seen again as it flies away.