InThe Meat Puppets and the Lyrics of Curt Kirkwood fromMeat Puppets II toNo Joke!, Matthew Smith-Lahrman sheds light on the words of Curt Kirkwood, founding member and songwriter of the Meat Puppets, a pioneering rock n roll band of the last forty years. Smith-Lahrman covers Kirkwoods lyrics on nine albums, from 1983 to 1995, when he wrote virtually every lyric for the band. A lyricist whomRolling Stone writer Kurt Loder once rated alongside Bob Dylan, Kirkwood remains an important, yet overlooked songwriter.The original Meat Puppets spent their early career releasing albums on the seminal indie rock label SST Records, moving on to the major label London Records in the early 1990s. Along the way they forged a unique blend of punk, country, psychedelic, and hard rock that paved the way for the grunge and alternative movements. As a lyricist, Kirkwood commonly addresses the individual psyche and behavioral expectations, drug use, mental illness, and Christianity. As the original Meat Puppets began to dissolve, Kirkwood turned to writing about personal issues: his frustrations with the major label industry, the death of his mother, the addictions of his brother, and the demise of the band itself.The Meat Puppets and the Lyrics of Curt Kirkwood fromMeat Puppets II toNo Joke! is the perfect work for Meat Puppets fans worldwide.

Matthew Smith-Lahrman is a professor of sociology at Utah Tech University in St. George, Utah.