One of the ‘90s Most Influential Bands Has Some Good News originally appeared on Parade.
When it comes to ’90s rock, many might think of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden or any of the major Seattle bands that have come to define the decade. But many of those bands wouldn’t have found their sound—a blend of chugging metal, arena rock vocals, punk attitude and plenty of flannel—without one group: Mother Love Bone.
Fronted by charismatic singer Andrew Wood, Mother Love Bone has been cited as a “quiet influence” on the late ’80s, early ’90s Seattle rock scene, laying the foundation for the grunge and alternative metal movement.
Mother Love Bone’s debut EP, 1989’s Shine, marked them the first of these groups to sign to a major label (and thus, amplifying Seattle’s profile as the new center of rock). Sadly, their debut album, Apple, arrived five months after Wood’s death from a heroin overdose. Mother Love Bone’s career ended before it could take off, but now, fans will get a new chance to explore their legacy.
On Aug. 11, UMe announced that Mother Love Bone will reissue Apple and Shine in various formats. Apple will be released for the first time since 1990, fully remastered for the album’s 35th anniversary. The CD version of Apple includes two bonus tracks not on the LP, “Gentle Groove” and “Mr. Danny Boy.”
Similarly, the CD version of Shine will include “Capricorn Sister (Album Version),” not available on the LP. UMe also announced that a limited-edition, newly remastered Japan-exclusive Mini-LP/SHM-CD that includes both the Shine and Apple will also be available on October 10.
The LPs will come in a variety of limited-edition color variants, including an “Apple Habanero” orange, “Red Alert” crimson and the standard black vinyl. Preorder Applehere and here for Shine.
How Did Mother Love Bone Influence Grunge Music?
Mother Love Bone was a Seattle supergroup of sorts: Wood came from rock band Malfunkshun, Ten Minute Warning’s Greg Gilmore, and ex-Green River members Bruce Fairweather, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard.
Andrew Wood’s roommate—a singer named Chris Cornell—approached Ament and Gossard about recording two songs he wrote in tribute to Andrew. The songs turned into a one-off project, Temple of the Dog, featuring Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, and a singer by the name of Eddie Vedder. Afterwards, Cornell returned to Soundgarden while the remaining members went on to form Pearl Jam.
Related: Iconic ’90s Movie Soundtrack Celebrates Milestone Anniversary and Fans Are ‘Still Obsessed’
One of the ‘90s Most Influential Bands Has Some Good News first appeared on Parade on Aug 11, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
