Puddle of Mudd

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Puddle of Mudd (often stylized as PUDDLE OF MUᗡᗡ) is an American rock band from Kansas City, Missouri. To date the band has sold over seven million albums, and have had a string of No. 1 mainstream rock singles in the United States.Their major-label debut Come Clean has sold over five million copies.They have released two independent and four major albums, with their latest being Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate in December 2009, and their latest compilation album being re:(disc)overed, released in August 2011.



Puddle of Mudd was formed on September 13, 1992 in Kansas City by Wes Scantlin (vocals/rhythm guitar), Jimmy Allen (guitar), Sean Sammon (bass), and Kenny Burkitt (drums). The name was inspired by the Missouri River flood, which inundated the band's practice space, and left the floor a big "puddle of mud". The group's first album, Stuck, was released in 1994 on V&R Records. The album was produced by the band and E.J. Rose, and was recorded at Red House Studio in Lawrence, Kansas. It spawned two radio singles (the first was "You Don't Know", the second "Drift and Die").
Minus Jimmy Allen, the group released a second album, Abrasive, in 1997 on Hardknocks Records. It had eleven tracks, all written by the band, three of which would eventually make it on to Puddle of Mudd's first major label release. Differences of opinion and other factors led to the break-up of the original Puddle of Mudd by early 1999, leaving Scantlin as the only original member. He then decided to reform the band with Jimmy Allen late in 1999 but shortly fell into differences again.


Scantlin's start in the music business came after a copy of his demo tape was delivered to Fred Durst. Durst contacted Scantlin, and after hearing that his band had broken up, decided to bring him to California to attempt to put a new band together.
One of the first people Scantlin met upon arriving in California was Doug Ardito, an intern at Interscope Records. When Scantlin found out about Ardito's bass playing, they decided to work together. They were still in need of a guitarist and drummer. Fred Durst decided to contact a guitarist he knew from his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, Paul Phillips, who had formerly played in a local band there called Happy Hour. After getting the call from Durst, Paul decided to try out for Puddle of Mudd, and was accepted, choosing to leave college in order to join. The band held auditions for a new drummer, which produced Greg Upchurch, an ex-member of Eleven who had also toured with Chris Cornell.
Puddle of Mudd released its major-label debut album Come Clean on August 28, 2001. The lead single from the album, "Control" was successful. It was also the theme song for WWE's Survivor Series 2001.

In 2009, former guitarist Paul Phillips rejoined the band after replacement Christian Stone was let go on good terms. Around this time the band recruited Famous producer Brian Howes to begin recording a new record in Vancouver.

On February 10, 2010, a new song, "Shook Up the World" was released. The song was written for Team USA, for use in the 2010 Winter Olympics. All proceeds from the song will go to TeamUSA.]Although intended for release during the Olympics, the deadline was missed.
In 2010, it was announced that Puddle of Mudd has parted ways with bassist Doug Ardito on good terms, although he rejoined the next year. At the time, Ardito had been with the band for eleven years. Jacksonville Burn Season frontman, Damien Starkey, took his place.


Ardito rejoined the band in 2011 and is presently touring with them. Ryan Yerdon has been replaced by Shannon Boone.

Due to the notoriety surrounding how the band was signed with Durst, the band is often asked regarding their relationship with him. Scantlin blasted Durst in an interview in 2004 with Canada's Chart magazine. He stated, "He doesn't write our songs, he doesn't produce our songs, he doesn't do anything for us. He doesn't do our videos anymore. He doesn't do anything for this band. I don't know what he's doing, I don't know what the guy's like. All I know is that he's like Mr. Hollywood guy, Mr. Celebrity. Like, 'I don't hang out with anybody except Hollywood celebrities'. Every single fucking interview I've ever fucking done, I get asked about that fucking guy..." He added, "And for me to do interviews all the time and be asked about this certain individual... People think he writes music with me or something. He does not do that. I just don't get it. We have nothing in common. He doesn't even call us, he has his assistant call us to congratulate us on our record. Yeah, that's how pathetic he is."
On January 6, 2011, Durst attempted to get back in touch with Scantlin via a tweet on his official Twitter page. "Who knows Wes from puddle of mudd? I wanna connect w him again. Let me know."[20] Scantlin's reaction to this is not yet known, but both Limp Bizkit and Puddle of Mudd are playing together on Epicenter 2011, along with another one of Durst's former proteges, Staind.


Members

Current
Wes Scantlin – lead vocals (1992–present)
Doug Ardito – bass guitar, backing vocals (1999–2010, 2011–present)
Christian Stone – lead guitar, backing vocals (2006–2009, 2011–present)
Shannon Boone – drums (2011–present)

Former
Mike Anthony Grajewski, Cage9 – bass guitar, backing vocals (2013)
Adam Latiff – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2011–2012)
Sean Sammon - bass (1992–2000)
Kenny Burkitt - drums (1992–2000)
Jimmy Allen – lead guitar (1992–1996, 2005–2006)
Greg Upchurch – drums, backing vocals (2000–2005, 2011 [studio only])
Paul Phillips – lead guitar (2001–2005, 2009–2011)
Ryan Yerdon – drums (2005–2011)
Damien Starkey – bass guitar, backing vocals (2010–2011)


Studio albums
Abrasive (1997)
Come Clean (2001)
Life on Display (2003)
Famous (2007)
Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate (2009)