Idolator

I really want to like Jellyfish more than I do, but I still can't help but think that Sturmer actually got "Joining a Fan Club" right when he did it with Puffy Amiyumi.

Damn. For someone who's first two rock obsessions were Def Leppard and Queen, this is right in my wheelhouse. Sweet.

Was there some sort of mandate in the early '90s that stated bands must have little girls dressed in costume ballerina outfits present and nearby at all times? Maybe it was called 'The Blind Melon Law' or something.

"He's My Best Friend" was the single they ran on WHTG back in the day, the one that made me pick up the record. Maybe they just picked the wrong single off that record?

I was pretty sure "Ghost of Number One" and "New Mistake" were the radio tracks, and Wikipedia seems to agree.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish_%28band%29

I think this record's floppage was due to three factors:

1. The change in musical climate between 1990-1991 and 1993.

2. The band spent something like $250,000 recording it.

3. Poor promotion by a failing record label (Charisma).

I was pretty sure "Ghost at Number One" and "New Mistake" were the radio tracks, and Wikipedia seems to agree.

This record was a flop for three main reasons, I think:

1. Big huge changes in the musical climate between 1990/1991 and 1993.

2. The band spent over a quarter-million dollars making the album, in part due to the whole hemorrhaging-bandmembers thing.

3. Failing record label (Charisma) that went out of business within a couple years.

This is honestly my favorite record of all time. Jellyfish is definitely the "indie" sounding band of that time that comes to mind. If it were released today, it would be on every blog on the web. I was 11 when Spilt Milk was released and it's as essential to my love of music as anything.

"Spilt Milk" was a great album. Admittedly, I dug the one previous as well.

Eric Dover can TOTALLY bring it onstage, too! I've seen him several times with the Starf*ckers, and it's like he is Mick Jagger, Jr. (The good Mick, not the crappy one)

i love Jellyfish!

i didn't know, however, that this album cost more than half as much as Loveless to make...

"even the critics can't outrun the ghost at number one."

noooooooooooo! i never thought i'd have to see this album again. back when i was a teenager, i tried so hard to like indie, street-cred bands, like pavement. i was always, always disappointed. this album is really mediocre at best

Well...power pop just doesn't sell. For every Fountains of Wayne there are dozens of power pop bands that got signed to a major label and didn't break through. (Jason Falkner, who left Jellyfish, put out two great major label albums. Neither did much.)

I really love Jellyfish. Immensely. This is a great album, better than their first. I saw them three times. Twice touring for the first album. Once for this album. They were rocking harder/louder on the Spilt Milk tour.

.....Not bad at all. I too, loved Def Leppard and Queen. The singer's no Freddy Mercury, though. And there's not enough heavy guitar for me, either. Either do that, or go total syrup, like ELO, I sez.

.....There are a lot of clever ideas here. Nice post, Idolator!

First Angel Dust, now Spilt Milk? We are so totally the same age. Let's hang out.

Jellyfish's live performances for this album were out-freakin'-standing. Four guys, left to right, every one as good a musician as the guy next to him. And all four could sing. Does anybody have video from that tour?

Tigerpop, I wish I did. Non-musical detail from the one time i saw them--when they played with Antenna at the Academy: John Stamos was up in VIP.

Awww, Jellyfish! They definitely never got the recognition they deserved. I always preferred Bellybutton though.

Jon Brion must really wish Jellyfish blew up so that he couldv'e become famous for being a sweet guitar player in a power pop band that wore bizarre hats, rather than a guy who produces artists that freak out on MTV awards shows, here or abroad.

I spent more of the '90s than I care to admit listening to this album.