Biography
Scott McCaughey handled vocals and bass for the Young Fresh Fellows, bringing droll humor and garage rock stylings that formed a key though frequently underappreciated part of Seattle’s early-’90s alternative upheaval. He launched the Young Fresh Fellows in 1982 alongside guitarist Chuck Carroll and drummer Tad Hutchinson. College radio embraced McCaughey’s sharp songcraft and 1960s pop melodies right away, so the Young Fresh Fellows became fixtures on student stations once The Fabulous Sounds of the Northwest appeared in 1984. Corporate-driven music dominated the mainstream, yet McCaughey helped shape a sound that eventually drew public attention toward non-corporate releases. He issued the solo album My Chartreuse Opinion in 1989. Despite Seattle rock’s visibility throughout the 1990s, the Young Fresh Fellows remained too eccentric to share in their peers’ commercial gains, prompting McCaughey to dissolve the band in 1993. He then started the Minus 5, whose lineup shifted frequently and included R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck plus members of the Posies. The Minus 5 debuted with Old Liquidator in 1995 and followed it with The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy in 1997. McCaughey also performed on tour with R.E.M. as an additional musician.
Singles
