Stay Golden, Smog: The Best of Golden Smog: The Ryko Years Listening Party

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Stay Golden, Smog: The Best of Golden Smog: The Ryko Years

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In the late '80s, Minneapolis was home to a tightly knit music scene that claimed its fair share of groups on college and alternative radio playlists. When they weren't playing in their own Minneapolis-based bands, singer Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run) and guitarists Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) Gary Louris (the Jayhawks) and Marc Perlman (the Jayhawks) got together as Golden Smog to play with friends and have a good time. Golden Smog, originally a cover band, went on to record a pair of albums for Rykodisc in the early '90s: Down By Old Mainstream (1996) and Weird Tales (1998), and both feature Uncle Tupelo/Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and drummers Noah Levy (Honeydogs) and Jody Stephens (Big Star).

The group's greatest strength has always been its collective songwriting prowess built on solid contributions from members writing solo and together to help the band create a lovable pastiche of soulful twang and thrilling garage bravado. Now Rhino brings together the essential tracks from both of those early releases for STAY GOLDEN, SMOG: THE BEST OF GOLDEN SMOG - THE RYKODISC YEARS (available September 23rd). This 18-song collection also features an alternate version of the fan favorite ("Until You Came Along") and an unreleased Brian Wilson cover ("Love And Mercy").