A down-and-dirty chronicle of the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene—from backyard skateboard ramps and underground hardcore clubs to worldwide phenomenon—as told by one of its founding fathers and lead guitarist of legendary alternative rock band, Mudhoney.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Steve Turner and his friends—Seattle skate punks, hardcore kids, and assorted misfits—started forming bands in each other’s basements and accidentally created a unique sound that spread far beyond their once-sleepy city. Mud Ride offers an inside look at the tight-knit grunge scene, the musical influences and experiments that shaped the grunge sound, and the story of Turner's bands, Green River and Mudhoney, which went from underground flophouse shows to selling out stadiums with Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Including stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge's beginnings to its come-down from the highs of global success and stardom, this is the first account of the musical phenomenon that took over the world from someone who was there for it all.

Written by Steve Turner, lead guitarist of Mudhoney, a foundational grunge band that inspired musical icons from Kurt Cobain to Sonic Youth, Mud Ride features a foreword by Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and never-before-seen photographs and grunge memorabilia throughout. Take a seat and ride through the messy and muddy grunge scene that grew from the basements of the Northwest and went on to circle the globe.

MUST HAVE FOR FANS: For cult fans of Mudhoney and all things Seattle grunge, this is the perfect book to add to your collection. Turner helped put Sub Pop Records on the map, a label that launched bands like Soundgarden and more. Mudhoney was also one of the first American grunge bands to tour Europe and the UK, laying the groundwork for the worldwide explosion of grunge. Learn more about the ins and outs of the birth of grunge and immerse yourself in '80s and '90s Seattle.

A GREAT GIFT FOR MUSIC LOVERS: For the aspiring musician or anyone wanting to learn more about music history, this is an illuminating look into grunge and Seattle bands that have gone on to become world-famous.

AN ESSENTIAL ROCK HISTORY BOOK: An amazing gift for readers of Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain's Please Kill Me, John Doe and Tom DeSavia's Under the Big Black Sun, and Michael Azerrad's Our Band Could Be Your Life. Anyone wanting to learn more about the history of grunge will delight in this great tell-all read.

Perfect for:

• Music lovers, history buffs, and musicians
• Fans of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Hole, Green River, and more
• Anyone nostalgic for the '80s and '90s pop culture scene
• People obsessed with grunge, rock, musical movements, or Seattle history
• Readers of Please Kill Me, Under the Big Black Sun, Our Band Could Be Your Life, Grunge Is Dead, and Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge
• Gen Z readers who have embraced all things '90s, from the decade's fashion to its music, and have sparked a resurgence in popularity of grunge bands like Nirvana

Steve Turner's profile page

Adem Tepedelen's profile page

Stone Gossard's profile page

Steve Turner is the guitarist and cofounder of seminal Seattle grunge band Mudhoney. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

“Mud Ride is an essential document—a history of the aesthetic, style, and language of what came to be known as grunge from one of its spiritual and intellectural founders.”
—Greg Vandy, KEXP Seattle host and author of 26 Songs in 30 Days

"Mud Ride is a roller coaster of a music memoir . . . An insider's account of the genesis of the Seattle sound and ethos, full of humor, pathos, and the sort of historical nuggets music fans cherish."

—Jonathan Evison, New York Times bestselling author of Small World

"Mud Ride proudly celebrates several overlooked bands and trailblazers that impacted Turner. Deviating from standard rock roll memoirs that may glorify drug abuse and irreverent self-destruction, Turner seems reluctant to step into any rock star spotlight and instead, focuses on the Seattle community's dynamics that still inspire him…Mud Ride is an engaging document of just how intimate the original Seattle music community was, and how its creativity remains impactful."

—Jeffrey Alexander for The Big Takeover

"The latest entry to the canon of grunge-era deep dives comes directly from one of the scene's founding fathers…the new book is equal parts memoir and passenger-seat ride-along with one of the genre's chief architects, chronicling his youth as a skateboarding Seattle teen and White House invitations during peak grunge mania through the making of Mudhoney's predictably ripping new album, 'Plastic Eternity.'"

—The Seattle Times

"Fully engaging at every turn, Mud Ride will take you through the rise of grunge, the ensuing Sub Pop drama, drug overdoses/deaths, the landmark Nirvana/Mudhoney tours and all the other crucial stuff you'd expect-albeit from a fresh and informed perspective. But Turner and Tepedelen also offer rare insight into the DNA of grunge beyond (but including) usual suspects like the Melvins, Malfunkshun and the U-Men."

—Decibel Magazine

"Turner's good-natured, wry sense of humor, his insider eye for detail, serves this book well...plenty of minutiae and touring anecdotes, some fascinating gems about the pre-hype years. Good stuff."

—Classic Rock Magazine (UK)

"[MudHoney's Steve] Turner, the noise-pedal stomping guitarist - whose lo-fi garage-rock-meets-punk sound helped define the grunge phenomenon - has written the definitive tell-all of that time…he delves into his personal and artistic struggles, solo and side projects and the inevitable slowdown of Mudhoney as each member juggles day jobs and family life. With a healthy dose of wit and wisdom, soul-baring honesty and a riffing style that invokes his slash-and-burn guitar playing, Mud Ride offers something for record-collecting music geeks, skateboarder punk crews, grunge history heads, Nirvana and Pearl Jam fans, and Mudhoney buffs alike."

—Spin Magazine

"Mud Ride is a fun, funny, and insightful look at the genre, the times, and the history of [Mudhoney] from [Steve Turner's] point of view."

—The Recoup

"Mud Ride is a roller coaster of a music memoir . . . An insider's account of the genesis of the Seattle sound and ethos, full of humor, pathos, and the sort of historical nuggets music fans cherish."

—Jonathan Evison, New York Times bestselling author of Small World

“Honest, smart, wry, and filled with a deep musical detail and analysis you won’t get from anyone else.”

—Charles R. Cross, New York Times bestselling author of Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain

“Mud Ride is an essential document—a history of the aesthetic, style, and language of what came to be known as grunge from one of its spiritual and intellectural founders.”

—Greg Vandy, KEXP Seattle host and author of 26 Songs in 30 Days

“Steve Turner's book will touch you, but not make you sick.”

—The Stranger

"A standout [for Father's Day]"

—New York Amsterdam News

“Part memoir. Part blueprint. All heart. Mud Ride is a doozy.”

—Louder than War

“[Mud Ride], with its insider’s perspective, takes music fanatics on an enjoyable romp through the grunge heyday.”

—Library Journal

“If you’re a musician or love the grunge scene, then Mud Ride is the book for you…a music memoir full of humor and history, this is a one-of-a-kind insider’s perspective on the heyday of grunge music.”

—BN.com, Most Anticipated List, June 2023

"Mud Ride proudly celebrates several overlooked bands and trailblazers that impacted Turner. Deviating from standard rock roll memoirs that may glorify drug abuse and irreverent self-destruction, Turner seems reluctant to step into any rock star spotlight and instead, focuses on the Seattle community's dynamics that still inspire him…Mud Ride is an engaging document of just how intimate the original Seattle music community was, and how its creativity remains impactful."

—Jeffrey Alexander for The Big Takeover

“From the outset, [Mud Ride] flies by like Steve [Turner] is hanging out with you, regaling you about his upbringing, passion for skateboarding, discovery of punk rock, family life, and his fascinating role in the development of the Seattle sound. It's a punchy, breezy tale…straightforward, to-the-point, easy to follow, and bears a hint of snarky humor throughout…. I highly recommend this book. Put on some of the band's gnarly turns while reading it.… By the end, you'll want to hang out with Steve and jam with him.”

—Metal Injection

"The latest entry to the canon of grunge-era deep dives comes directly from one of the scene's founding fathers…the new book is equal parts memoir and passenger-seat ride-along with one of the genre's chief architects, chronicling his youth as a skateboarding Seattle teen and White House invitations during peak grunge mania through the making of Mudhoney's predictably ripping new album, 'Plastic Eternity.'"

—The Seattle Times

"Fully engaging at every turn, Mud Ride will take you through the rise of grunge, the ensuing Sub Pop drama, drug overdoses/deaths, the landmark Nirvana/Mudhoney tours and all the other crucial stuff you'd expect-albeit from a fresh and informed perspective. But Turner and Tepedelen also offer rare insight into the DNA of grunge beyond (but including) usual suspects like the Melvins, Malfunkshun and the U-Men."

—Decibel Magazine

"Turner's good-natured, wry sense of humor, his insider eye for detail, serves this book well...plenty of minutiae and touring anecdotes, some fascinating gems about the pre-hype years. Good stuff."

—Classic Rock Magazine (UK)

"[MudHoney's Steve] Turner, the noise-pedal stomping guitarist - whose lo-fi garage-rock-meets-punk sound helped define the grunge phenomenon - has written the definitive tell-all of that time…he delves into his personal and artistic struggles, solo and side projects and the inevitable slowdown of Mudhoney as each member juggles day jobs and family life. With a healthy dose of wit and wisdom, soul-baring honesty and a riffing style that invokes his slash-and-burn guitar playing, Mud Ride offers something for record-collecting music geeks, skateboarder punk crews, grunge history heads, Nirvana and Pearl Jam fans, and Mudhoney buffs alike."

—Spin Magazine

"Mud Ride is a fun, funny, and insightful look at the genre, the times, and the history of [Mudhoney] from [Steve Turner's] point of view."

—The Recoup

“[Mud Ride], with its insider’s perspective, takes music fanatics on an enjoyable romp through the grunge heyday.”
—Library Journal

“Honest, smart, wry, and filled with a deep musical detail and analysis you won’t get from anyone else.”
—Charles R. Cross, New York Times bestselling author of Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain