The Muffs

The Muffs
Kim Shattuck, Roy McDonald, Ronnie Barnett
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, CA, United States
Genres	Punk rock, pop punk
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Warner Bros., Sympathy for the Record Industry, Sub Pop, Reprise, Oglio, Five Foot Two, Honest Don's
Associated acts	The Pandoras, Redd Kross, The Leaving Trains, The Beards, The Pixies
Members	Kim Shattuck Ronnie Barnett Roy McDonald
Past members	Criss Crass Melanie Vammen Jim Laspesa

The Muffs are an American punk rock band based in Southern California, formed in 1991. Led by singer and guitarist Kim Shattuck, the band released four full-length studio albums in the 1990s, as well as numerous singles including "Lucky Guy" and "Sad Tomorrow", and a cover version of "Kids in America". After a long hiatus beginning in 1999, the band released a fifth album in 2004 but thereafter effectively disbanded. Almost a decade later, the three core members of the band reunited and started performing again. An album, Whoop Dee Doo, was released in 2014.

The band started as a collaboration between guitarists Kim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen, both former members of the 1980s all-female hard rock group, The Pandoras. The Muffs started performing and recording after the addition of bassist Ronnie Barnett and drummer Criss Crass.

The Muffs released their initial 7" EPs and singles – "New Love" and "Guilty" (1991), and "I Need You" (1992) – on the West Coast independent labels Sub Pop and Sympathy for the Record Industry. Based on the public and critical response to these early releases, the band was signed to Warner Bros. Records. They established a reputation for "straightforward pop punk". In the words of musician and critic Scott Miller, the Muffs had "an uncommon flair for simple, catchy melodies" which, he noted approvingly, were always delivered in "Kim Shattuck's almost comically sneering adolescent rasp".

The band released their self-titled debut album in 1993. Crass left soon after its release, and drummer Jim Laspesa filled in during the subsequent tour, with Roy McDonald (formerly of Redd Kross) taking over the position permanently in 1994. By the time the tour was over, Vammen had decided to leave the group as well, eventually joining The Leaving Trains.