U-Men

Along with bands like Limp Richerds and Mr. Epp and the Calculations, the U-Men were one of the first bands to inspire and develop into what would become Seattle's grunge scene. In their seven-year career, the U-Men toured various regions of the United States, went through a succession of four bass players, and even had a song recorded in their honor by the Butthole Surfers ("The O-Men" from the album Locust Abortion Technician). The time was early 1981 in Seattle when guitarist Tom Price (aka the Prune) and friend/drummer Charlie Ryan (aka Chaz) decided to start an original hard rock band. They enlisted vocalist John Bigley and bassist Robin Buchan to round out the lineup. After a short time, Buchan grew tired of the group and decided to look for a full-time job where she could rely on a steady paycheck.