History of Sub Pop

Someone is auctioning off their entire Sub Pop Singles Club collection (except for one record by Luna). The collections contain more than one-hundred 45s, including rarities from Nirvana, White Stripes, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, and, my personal favorites, the Afghan Whigs. This is really an audio encyclopedia of 1990s underground rock. Two days left in the eBay auction and it's already up to $4,500. From Sub Pop's description of the now-defunct Singles Club:

 Bands Afghanwhigs Whigs-32
The Sub Pop Singles Club was a legendary mail delivery service that provided the subscriber with one 7" single per month by one of the most talented and physically attractive bands of the day.

The madness began in November 1988 with the now mythic Nirvana 'Love Buzz' single and continued through five years of unadulterated bliss, finally reaching its end with Lou Barlow's 'I Am Not Mocking You'. Beginning in April 1998, Sub Pop Records unhesitatingly re-launched the Singles Club and once again provided a reason to live for the countless morbidly lonesome shut-ins of this generation. Since then, we have, without pause, released one magically delicious single per month to divert, delight and enjoy.

For a good indication of the caliber of music you will be receiving just take a look at some of the bands that participated in the first incarnation: Smashing Pumpkins, Fugazi, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Rapeman, Unrest, Rocket From the Crypt, Jon Spencer, Ween, Soundgarden, Afghan Whigs, Poster Children, The Muffs, Reverend Horton Heat and lots more. Subscribers to the re-launched club in April 1998 have received singles from the likes of Luna, Modest Mouse, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Team Dresch/Longstocking, Creeper Lagoon, The Get Up Kids, Beachwood Sparks, Dot Allison, Bonny Prince Billy, Pedro The Lion, Crooked Fingers, Mudhoney, Dead C, Death Cab For Cutie, To Rococco Rot, The Yo-Yo's, The Creatures, Trumans Water & Zeke among others, with many more yet-to-be announced sonic delights.

If you're saying to yourself 'I haven't even heard of any of those bands', then perhaps you would do better to join our Ass-Kick of the Month Club, in which a large, burly man will come to your home each month and give you a severe boot to the rear until you come around and start listening to some good music for a change!

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