Song of the Day: Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick (Live on KEXP)

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Touch Me I'm Sick” by Mudhoney from the 2014 album Mudhoney On Top! KEXP Presents Mudhoney Live on Top of the Space Needle on Sub Pop.

Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick (MP3)

Although Seattle's rich musical history has given it plenty of elder statesmen, very few are still kicking as hard as Mudhoney. As their latest album, 2013's Vanishing Point, proves, singer Mark Arm, guitarist Steve Turner, drummer Dan Peters, and bassist Guy Maddison remain as energetic and furious as ever, raging against douchebags, large venues, and, uh, chardonnay with the same reckless abandon that fueled their initial rise to local notoriety. As part of their longtime label Sub Pop's Silver Jubilee celebration, KEXP broadcast the quartet live from the top of the Space Needle and recently joined with Sub Pop to release that performance on vinyl for Record Store Day 2014. When the band actually finished setting up 605 feet above ground, they wasted no time kicking off their set with "Touch Me I'm Sick". For those of us who were watching the band on the livestream, there was a slight worry about a band as energetic as Mudhoney playing in such a small space atop such a high structure, but falling concerns aside, there was a punkish majesty to the performance. In 1988 (the year "Touch Me I'm Sick" was released), the thought of a local band playing a three minute punk song on top of the Space Needle would've been unimaginable. But independent music is bigger than ever now, and if there was only going to be one band screaming its victory cry over one of its defining cities, Mark Arm and co. screeching "I'm diseased, I don't mind" was a pretty great choice.

Mudhoney just returned from South America and will be playing intermittent North American shows throughout the rest of the year, including spots at Muddy Roots Festival and Riot Fest. Keep up with the band on their website and Facebook, and below, watch video of the band playing "Touch Me I'm Sick" atop the Space Needle.