The U-Men - Solid Action

Ask any of the first-wave grunge rockers (Soundgarden, Green River, Melvins, etc.) who their direct competition was during their early days, and the answer is surely to be The U-men. They may not be name-checked as often as the aforementioned bands (or in Green River's case, the groups they later spawned), yet The U-men were one of the first bands of the scene to tour outside the Emerald City. Interestingly, although they are considered by many rock historians as one of the first grunge bands, The U-men had more in common with The Birthday Party than Black Sabbath, as evidenced by the exceptional 1999 compilation Solid Action. Read More