Biography

Singer/guitarist Ben McMillan began his career as the frontman for seminal Seattle grunge band Skin Yard, which cranked out four albums during his six-year tenure, and included future producer and alternative rock linchpin Jack Endino (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, et al.) on guitar. In 1990, he drafted ex-Skin Yard drummer Norman Scott, guitarist Tom Niemeyer, and bassist Tim Paul to form Gruntruck. The band's sound treaded much of the same post-punk/metal hybrid that was then common to the Seattle scene, and their counterpoint guitars and minor chords were reminiscent of bands like Soundgarden, Tad, Alice in Chains, and Screaming Trees. The band released its debut full-length effort, Inside Yours, via Roadrunner in 1991, with a sophomore outing, Push, arriving in 1992. A string of high-profile tours alongside Alice in Chains and Pantera followed, but by 1996 the band was hemorrhaging financially under the weight of contractual obligations to Roadrunner, and was forced to declare bankruptcy. The emotional and financial fallout from the matter -- the label sued, leading to a precedent-setting lawsuit that eventually inspired major congressional legislation -- killed some of Gruntruck's momentum, but they managed to issue a three-song EP, Shot, via Betty Records in late 1996. Over the next three years Gruntruck worked diligently on what was to be their breakout third album, but were forced to go on hiatus while McMillan dealt with some health issues -- sadly, McMillan passed away in 2008 from complications related to an ongoing eight-year battle with diabetes. The eponymous LP was eventually released in 2017 via Found Recordings, with the original members of the group reuniting for a series of live performances. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi