The band draws on influences from a number of musical traditions, from funk to Hip Hop, and is known for an unconventional style sometimes described as "avant-groove".
MMW has found moderate mainstream successāoften working with noted guitarist John Scofieldāand touring on the jam band circuit.
The band members were introduced to each other by jazz drummer Bob Moses, who had performed with Medeski and Wood , and was Martin's instructor.
Medeski Martin & Wood's first performances together were at the Village Gate, a popular New York jazz club. They were initially an acoustic jazz trio, but Medeski added a Hammond organ when the difficulties of touring with a piano became apparent. Their first album, Notes from the Underground, is a record of their entirely-acoustic era. All of their subsequent albums reveal Medeski's use of a wide variety of keyboards, including mellotron, melodica, and a clavinet. Wood entirely eschewed the electric bass for MMW's first three albums, and still relies heavily on the acoustic upright bass in recordings and during live performances. Their earlier albums reveal a Hip Hop influenced updating of classic soul jazz sounds, which is the primary theme of their well-known 1996 album, Shack-man.
The band received some of their first significant exposure outside of the New York City jazz scene by performing with Phish at their October 14, 1995 concert, which led to the association of the group as a jam band.[1] In addition, their performance on John Scofield's 1997 album A Go Go helped to further their exposure. The band collaborated further with Scofield again in 2006, releasing the album Out Louder under the name Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood. This was the first album released on MMW's own Indirecto Records.
From 1998ā2005, MMW were signed to leading jazz label Blue Note Records, and showed them delving deeper into dense, electronic funk than their earlier albums, although the band continued to experiment with free jazz and free improvisation both on their albums and in concert.
Medeski Martin & Wood's live performances are renowned for their exploratory nature. Their concerts usually involve extended improvisations, which may be both arrhythmic and atonal, an aspect of their musicianship that is rarely documented in the studio. They occasionally tour using only acoustic instruments, reverting back to the instrumentation that they began their career with. Their album Tonic is an example of these more contemporary acoustic performances. They have also done short tours of entirely improvisatory performances. These shows usually consisted of two sets of improvisation, followed by an encore of a song from an album.
Their song "End of the World Party" was featured on the show Grey's Anatomy and can be found on the show's soundtrack.
Each of the trio's three members are involved in a large music community, and have participated in numerous side projects over the years.
In 2001 John Medeski collaborated with the North Mississippi Allstars and slide-guitarist Robert Randolph; together, these five musicians formed The Word, a bluesy gospel band. They released one self-titled album and toured extensively.
Beginning around 2005 Chris Wood formed The Wood Brothers with his brother, blues guitarist Oliver Wood. They have released several albums to date and continue to tour and record together.
In 2007 John Medeski and Billy Martin released an album as a duo, called Mago. They performed that material together at the 2007 Bonnaroo Music Festival
Fuck You Guys
Medeski Martin and Wood Lyrics
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You wouldn't offer her a back seat
Just 'cause her father's a vicar who is full of pulpit
There is no one sicker, spells S.H. one T.
Well she looks real cute when she puts in the boot
A night time slicker,
An A.R licker (A.R. slicker? A.S.S. licker?)
A C.O.C. teaser, an ice cream squeezer
Her C.U.M. really do you in
So don't you try to F.U.C. her
If I wouldn't touch her with mine
Well she went to California, turned everybody off
Sure has a nice way of F'ing things up
She used to make all the guys cream
In her ice blue jeans and that jar of Vaseline
Well she looks real cute when she puts in the boot
A night time slicker, an A.R. licker,
A C.O.C. teaser, an ice cream squeezer
Her C.U.N. really do you in
That's what I say if you try this for size
So her destiny lies now in the pit of fate
One of those strange people you just love to hate
She is S.I.C., she is deranged
Even her poor old banker was short changed
She looks real cute when she puts in the boot
A night time? slicker, an A.R.? licker,
A C.O.C. teaser, an ice cream squeezer
Her C.U.N. really do you in
So don't you try to F.U.C. her
If I wouldn't touch her with mine
Well she looks real cute when she puts in the boot
A night time? slicker, an A.R licker (slicker?)
A C.O.C. teaser, an ice cream squeezer
Her C.U.N. really do you in
So don't you try to F.U.C. her
If I wouldn't touch her with mine
So don't you try to F.U.C. her
If I wouldn't touch her with mine
If you wanna risk F.U.C. her, try this for size
The lyrics of Medeski Martin and Wood's song "Fuck You Guys" tell a vivid and colorful story about a woman who is portrayed as troublesome and unappealing. The singer starts by describing her in a negative light, emphasizing how unpleasant she is and how she wouldn't be welcome in any social situation. The mention of her father being a vicar adds an ironic twist, implying that even someone with a religious background can have a dark side. The use of acronyms like S.H. and F.U.C. gives the lyrics a cryptic and mysterious tone, inviting listeners to decipher the meaning behind the letters.
As the narrative unfolds, the woman's disruptive behavior is further highlighted, with references to her causing chaos in California and alienating those around her. The imagery of her wearing ice blue jeans and carrying a jar of Vaseline adds to the offbeat and unsettling portrayal of the character. The lyrics suggest that she is someone who manipulates and takes advantage of others, leaving a trail of dissatisfaction and discomfort in her wake.
The chorus of the song reinforces the negative depiction of the woman, emphasizing her deceptive and destructive nature. The repeated refrain about not wanting to touch her with a metaphorical "mine" underscores a sense of disgust and avoidance towards her. The lyrics also suggest a sense of caution and warning to others, advising against getting involved with her and highlighting the potential harm she can cause.
Overall, the song "Fuck You Guys" paints a vivid portrait of a complicated and enigmatic character who elicits mixed emotions of fascination and repulsion. The use of provocative language and imagery adds layers of depth to the storytelling, inviting listeners to reflect on themes of manipulation, deception, and the complexities of human behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me tell you 'bout someone who's no pleasure to meet
Allow me to inform you about an individual who is not enjoyable to encounter
You wouldn't offer her a back seat
You wouldn't even offer her a ride in the back seat
Just 'cause her father's a vicar who is full of pulpit
Simply because her father is a preacher who is very outspoken
There is no one sicker, spells S.H. one T.
This person is extremely twisted, it's spelled S.H. one T.
Well she looks real cute when she puts in the boot
Despite looking attractive, she is deceptive and harmful
A night time slicker,
Someone who is manipulative under the cover of darkness
An A.R licker (A.R. slicker? A.S.S. licker?)
An individual who will flatter and deceive to take advantage
A C.O.C. teaser, an ice cream squeezer
Someone who tempts and manipulates for their own satisfaction
Her C.U.M. really do you in
Her deceitful behavior will severely harm you
So don't you try to F.U.C. her
Do not attempt to engage with her in any way
If I wouldn't touch her with mine
If I wouldn't associate myself with her in any manner
Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RON WOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind