Biography
The Wylde Ratttz assembled an all-star lineup drawn from the upper ranks of punk and alternative rock, featuring guitarists Ron Asheton of the Stooges, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, and Don Fleming of Gumball, along with bassist Mike Watt of the Minutemen, drummer Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth, and vocalist Mark Arm of Mudhoney. Director Todd Haynes recruited the musicians in 1998 to record a version of the Stooges classic “T.V. Eye” for his film Velvet Goldmine, which purportedly drew loose inspiration from the early-’70s glam-era relationship between David Bowie and Iggy Pop. Although the track surfaced on the movie’s soundtrack, Arm’s lead vocals were ultimately swapped out for those of actor Ewan McGregor. Conceived as a one-time endeavor, the hastily formed collective soon wrote and tracked enough garage-rock material to fill an entire album, yet contractual complications kept the recordings from ever seeing release.