Few people know that one of the Seattle scene’s most beloved bands never got a commercial release. Most of the movement’s biggest acts, including Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Mudhoney, became enshrined in the double-platinum soundtrack to 1992’s filmic love letter to grunge, Singles, which helped catapult them on to bigger, some would say better things.
But not so for Citizen Dick, the fictitious band at the centre of the Singles universe, who were ultimately eclipsed by the success of their own real-life side project, Pearl Jam. But that’s all about to change this Record Store Day.
Citizen Dick, whose members include Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and actor Matt Dillon as frontman Cliff Poncier, will finally take their place in the grunge music canon on April 18th, with their seminal single, Touch Me I’m Dick, to receive an exclusive release on 7-inch vinyl.
The song is essentially a piss-take on Mudhoney’s classic Touch Me I’m Sick but obvs, you know, with more dick jokes.
Touch Me I’m Dick will form the disc’s A-side, while the B-side will include a quote from grunge’s own answer to Spinal Tap, explaining the meaning behind the song: “I think a lot of people might think it’s actually about, you know, ‘My name is Dick, and, you know, you can touch me,’ but, I think, you know, it can be seen either way.”
It’s bound to be a great collectors item for fans of Pearl Jam, who changed their name from Mookie Blaylock during filming. Heads up – this is unlikely to see an Australian release, so get your eBay sniping apps ready.
Watch: Citizen Dick – Interview & Touch me I’m Dick
Watch: Pearl Jam on Singles
https://youtu.be/s-j31YoEeRU