PUDDLE OF MUDD : 2002

PUDDLE OF MUDD SLIDES THROUGH 2002

PUDDLE MAKES A BIG SPLASH

Enter Wesley Reid Scantlin – lead vocals and guitarist, Paul James Phillips – guitarist, Douglas John Ardito – vocals and bassist, and Greg David Upchurch – drummer. This Los Angeles, California based band has set the record industry on fire. A resurgence of gutsy rock and roll, that does not guild the lily with its hard punching lyrics, great guitar sounds, bass that puts the thump in your soul, and drums so powerful that your heartbeat is in the same rhythm. Classic rock and roll makes a come back - refreshing music that requires no flash, no gimmicks, and no theatrics. Four musicians with such pure raw talent, the music stands on it's own merit. Each member contributing a different musical style from all over the United States into one dynamic package.

THE ALBUM – COME CLEAN

Puddle of Mudd stormed out of the gate and hit the dirt running full speed ever since the release of their album Come Clean on August 28, 2001. Come Clean is an ironic choice for an album title, given that this band keeps the press jumping creating new "muddisms" that accompany their album reviews. Puddle of Mudd set a new record for the highest debut album for a new rock artist by debuting at #10 with first week sales of 116,097 units. Come Clean was certified Gold October 23, 2001, Platinum December 17, 2001, and Double Platinum on April 29, 2002¹. It has reached triple status but certification has not been posted to date. Gold status has been achieved for sales in New Zealand, Singapore, and Switzerland². On the International level, it has been certified Platinum in the UK, Canada and Ireland². On November 19, 2002, Come Clean was re-released with a bonus DVD. Included on the DVD are live performances of Nobody Told Me, Out of My Head, Control, Drift and Die, She Hates Me video, and candid backstage footage. As of January 4, 2003, Come Clean is on the Billboard 200 Album Chart at #40 for week ending January 11, 2003. This album has had a phenomenal run and has been on the chart for an astounding 70 weeks to date.

US Sales Per Soundscan 3,177,393

Int'l Sales: 964,700

TOTAL SALES 4,142,093

¹US: Gold–500,000 units, Platinum–1,000,000 units, Double Platinum–2,000,000 units. ²International Gold and Platinum ratings use different number values than the US.

THE MEDIA

In 2001, Wesley Scantlin and Fred Durst were on MTV's TRL Show live with the debut for the video Control, the first single from the new album. Puddle of Mudd had plenty of media exposure in 2002. They had several appearances on MTV including TRL with Carson Daly. Puddle of Mudd was the first live band to perform on Carson Daly's syndicated show The Last Call. They appeared on MadTV, MTV's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, HBO's Reverb, Conan O'Brien, MTV Sports and Music Festival 5, and Much Music Awards just to name a few. There were many UK live performances such as Top of the Pops, MTV2, and Re-Covered. They appeared in many magazines such as Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Kerrang!, Hit Parader, Metal Edge, Total Guitar as well as countless others. There were many interviews over the course of the year and many are featured on the Internet by sites such as Launch, Much Music, MTV, VH1, BBC, Dotmusic, Rockdirt, Ekmag, and Inverse-music. Local newspapers from the members' hometowns also covered their rise to fame.

THE TOUR

Their 2002 tour season kicked off on January 30, 2002 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. They continued on a full sweep of the UK and also had show stops in the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark and ending in Hamburg, Germany February 26.

Then it was back to the United States for a massive push to promote their debut album. All sizes of venues were played, from Madison Square Garden in New York City to the intimate setting of the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC. They headlined on some dates with supporting acts like Trust Co., Thirty Seconds To Mars, and Revolution Smile. Later tour dates had them paired with Deadsy as supports for the headlining Korn tour, The Tour With No Name 2002. That leg of their tour ended in Phoenix, Arizona on August 1, 2002.

Puddle of Mudd also did a surprise set of free shows for their fans. They participated in the Nissan Z-Tour doing two outdoor shows. They performed on Wednesday, October 16, 2002 in Houston, Texas to a packed crowd in a downtown area parking lot. Another performance was given in Phoenix, Arizona on October 18 near the Hard Rock Café. Once again, it was a packed audience. Concertgoers were treated to amazing performances with the up close and personal fan appreciation shows.

The closing of tour season found them once again in the United Kingdom and Europe. Some venues included the historic festivals, Leeds and Reading. Sold-out gigs followed where they headlined or other venues as supporting artists for Korn. Korn fans were not too kind on many occasions. Puddle of Mudd persevered and continued to give great performances. Whether singing on the side of a frozen mountain at Winterjam, Wesley Scantlin's memorable appearance with Jimmy Page and Fred Durst at the MTV European Music Awards (2001), the London Astoria, or One Big Sunday at Leicester, Puddle of Mudd showed the rest of the world that the Mudd had arrived.

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Puddle of Mudd's first award win was a Kerrang! Award given on August 27, 2002 for Single of the Year – Blurry, in London, England. Kerrang! is a weekly-published music magazine based in the United Kingdom.

On December 9, 2002 at the Billboard Music Awards, Puddle of Mudd received overwhelming recognition of achievement by winning four top honors by this prestigious ratings agency. Puddle of Mudd swept all four rock categories: Rock Group of the Year, Rock Single of the Year – Blurry, Modern Rock Group of the Year, and Modern Rock Single of the Year – Blurry. They were also nominated in the Group/Duo of the Year category. The award was presented by Grand Master P and Lil' Romeo, with special guest presenter Fred Durst, Flawless Records Label Executive. The last time these categories were swept away was in 1992 by rock legends U2. Celebrations after the ceremony included a congratulatory party hosted by Fred Durst at The Ghostbar in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Billboard has also released their end of the year stats for 2002. Puddle of Mudd placed consistently in their record books.

MODERN ROCK TRACKS – #1 – Blurry

MAINSTREAM ROCK TRACKS - #1 – Blurry, #7 Drift and Die

BILLBOARD HOT 100 - #10 – Blurry, (only top 50 in the Internet)

BILLBOARD 200 (Album chart) - #24 – Come Clean

HIGHEST ALBUM DEBUT BY A NEW ROCK ARTIST (to date) - #10 Come Clean (peaked #9)

Radio and Records, the industry standard that monitors radio airplay, also recognized that Puddle of Mudd had arrived on the music scene. Their Year End Review posted Puddle of Mudd as the only band to have four placements in the rock categories.

2002 ROCK CHART - #1 Blurry, #9 Drift and Die, #13 Control, #26 She Hates Me.

2002 ACTIVE ROCK - #4 Blurry, #6 Drift and Die, #24 Control, #34 She Hates Me.

2002 ALTERNATIVE - #1 Blurry, #19 Drift and Die, #31 She Hates Me, #34 Control.

2002 HOT ADULT CONTEMPORARY CHART - #13 Blurry.

OTHER MILESTONES:

MTV2 Countdown 2002 Top 40 Videos - #15 Blurry. In 2002 held the #1

          position for 5 weeks.
MTV2 Rock Countdown 2002 Videos - #2 Blurry.

VH1 Countdown 2002 Videos - #15 Blurry, with 18 weeks spent on the

          countdown.

Doobie Award Winner – 2002 Best Rock Album - New Band.

www.world-of-rock2002.com - World of Rock – Artist of the Month October.

www.989therock.com - Come Clean rated #1 Album 2002.

www.radio104.com - Year End 2002 - #4 Blurry, #11 She Hates Me, #25

          Drift & Die.

www.fnxradio.com - Year End 2002 - #3 Blurry, #15 Drift and Die, #27 She

          Hates Me.

www.thebuzz.com - Year End 2002 - #7 Control, #15 Blurry, #22 Drift and

          Die, #36 She Hates Me.

www.krockradio.com - Year End 2002 - #1 Blurry, #17 Control, #39 She

          Hates Me, #51 Drift and Die

Nominated Much Music Video Award - 2002 Best International Video –

          Blurry.

Nominated for American Music Association Award, 2002 Favorite New Artist

Nominated for Top of the Pops Award UK –2002 Top Rock Act.

Nominated for MTV Video Music Award – 2002 Best New Artist.

Nominated for MTV European Music Award – 2002 Best Hard Rock

          Category.

Nominated for California Music Award – 2002 Outstanding Debut Album.

Guitar One – Awarded Best Guitar Riff 2002 – Blurry – Scantlin/Phillips



Many other major radio markets placed Puddle of Mudd high in their Year End Countdowns. Puddle Of Mudd is currently receiving massive nationwide radio coverage and is capturing new fans every day.

On July 24, 2002 Greg Upchurch was honored by the City of Oklahoma. At a ceremony hosted by Mayor Kirk Humphreys, the Golden Key to Oklahoma City was given to Greg Upchurch just before Puddle of Mudd took the stage for their performance at the Ford Center Arena.

"THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN," – WESLEY SCANTLIN, DECEMBER 9, 2002, BILLBOARD AWARDS

Their critics? What can one say about critics, everyone has an opinion it does not make them right or wrong. Either you like Puddle of Mudd or you don't. You like what you like. Some compare the vocals and music to the likes of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, to Layne Staley and Alice in Chains. Musicians are a mix of influences. Some critics gave outstanding concert reviews of Puddle of Mudd, their album, and the singles while the naysayers did not have anything good to say. Billboard Music Awards are one of the few award presentations that are based on sales and airplay, the legitimate gauge of a bands true success. No paid pockets, no fraudulent voting, or favoritism. The fans that buy the tickets, the albums and support the band choose the winners. During their acceptance speech at the Billboard Music Awards, I think Wesley Scantlin said it best "The public has spoken."

2003 - THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

Puddle of Mudd is currently working on their next album with a planned release in Spring 2003. Much of the material had already been written before rehearsals even started. Gifted songwriters and musicians, they were always brainstorming even while touring last year. Song titles mentioned include Spin You Around, Away From Me, Cloud Nine, and Never Coming Down. They appear ready to hit the tour scene with the same tenacity, giving it all they have to make a great show for their fans. Puddle of Mudd is one group that truly does love their fans. It is quite a change to see artists who have not forgotten their roots, and appreciate being able to make a living doing what they love to do. I for one, feel very lucky that they choose to share their gift of music with the rest of us, what a waste it would be if they kept it to themselves. I am looking forward to what Puddle of Mudd has to offer us in 2003. Do what you do best Puddle of Mudd, Rock On ~~

Copyright POMuddRockOn 01-01-2003. Thanks to the fans for their contributions to this review.

SOURCES: www.puddleofmudd.com, www.muddfetish.com, www.gregupchurch.com, www.pauljphillips.com, www.dougardito.com, www.billboard.com, www.radioandrecords.com, www.mtv.com, www.vh1.com, www.rockdirt.com, www.rollingstone.com, www.kerrang.com, www.hightimes.com, www.muchmusic.com, http://ema.mtv.co.uk, http://www.bbc.co.uk, http://launch.yahoo.com, www.bbc.co.uk/totp, http://www.nissanusa.com, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/puddleofmuddonline.

Puddle in 2002

Come Clean had peaked at #9 by March 2, 2002 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. Boosted by their second single Blurry going to radio and its heart-tugging video receiving airplay on the music channels, purchases of the debut disc remained brisk. Platinum status is great, but even better is the double Platinum club to which Puddle became a member of April 29, 2002 when sales for the week of 44,000 pushed it passed that milestone. Next week sales of 42,000 gave it a grand total of 2,081,064 at the close of May 9, 2002.

Two more singles were released in 2002, Drift & Die and She Hates Me, each complete with a music video. Concerts continued with their headlining tour followed by a support spot with heavy rockers Korn in cities in the United States and overseas. While they don’t typically have the same fan base as Korn, it was perceived as a good move by some as it allowed fans that normally wouldn’t see a Mudd concert the opportunity to see what the buzz was all about. It was a difficult tour at times, but the goal was to promote the album and sales made it evident they were gaining more fans.

On November 19, 2002, Come Clean was re-released with a bonus DVD. Included on the DVD were live performances from 2002 in Melkweg, Amsterdam of Nobody Told Me, Out of My Head, and Control. The She Hates Me music video and candid backstage footage are also on the disc. There is a secret clip of Drift & Die on this DVD that can be accessed by the following steps from the Melkweg menu: Scroll to the right to highlight Control, use the arrow up key to bring up the Puddle of Mudd icon and press enter.

At the close of 2002, Come Clean was still on the Billboard 200 Album Chart leaving its mark with a phenomenal run on the chart for an astounding 70 weeks to date. Paying homage to the new rockers, Germany’s Rock Hard magazine posted their top selling albums of 2002. Come Clean was a hit in Germany and Puddle of Mudd were one of the international bands that made the grade and came in at #32. Kansas City’s 98.9 KQRC The Rock named this album as their #1 album of 2002.

The general population, though not a fan per se, could not escape the year without hearing something from Come Clean in their everyday life. Their four hit singles were popping up on television and actively being played in the background for MTV shows, the movie trailer for A Man Apart, as well as in elevators, grocery stores and shopping malls across the country.

On the international level by the end of 2002, Come Clean had been certified Platinum in the United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland. Gold status had been achieved for sales in New Zealand, Singapore, and Switzerland. These prospective countries have differing values for their sales as compared to the RIAA in the United States, however one could see Puddle had many fans abroad. Compilation figures for 2002 Come Clean sales were United States sales per SoundScan 3,177,393, International Sales: 964,700 for an impressive total of 4,142,093 sold.

Sales added up quickly and the RIAA certified the album triple Platinum January 31, 2003. During the first half of the year, they were still riding the wave of success of their debut album. Not ready to relent any momentum it had gained since its release, Come Clean remained on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for an astounding 87 weeks before dropping off in May 2003.

Television 2002

2002 Much Music

Much Music’s George Stroumboulopoulos hosted a brief segment with Wes and Greg in the studio. Hitting on Wes’ good luck to get a demo to Fred Durst, Wes rehashes the call he got from Fred and making his way to Los Angeles.

George poses the question, “Who is Puddle of Mudd” and how do they feel about the association with Fred Durst? Greg reiterates they are just a rock band, they should be judged on their music, there aren’t any underlying favors of how they got to where they are. The grunge comparisons though they do get old, for Greg the ultimate is for those who didn’t believe, “For a shit album it did pretty well,” and he gets the last laugh towards the critics. To compare their music is to a point flattering, but would you say someone looked like Brad Pitt? Music isn’t entirely new, everyone gets something from everyone that came before them. The band appears to have been successful and George gets to hear straight from the source. Greg, who was the first one in the band to spend some hard earned cash, his purchase was a new fridge with icemaker and filtered water. Wes hasn’t spent much, he still doesn’t own a house, a car, no place to live and does the funniest, “a big rich rock star right here, man” impression complete with hand gestures. Wes gives advice to anyone listening that in regards to song writing, you can’t wait for things to happen, you have to get out there, no one is going to come to you, regardless of how talented you are.

2002 CD:UK, UNITED KINGDOM

One of the best taped for television acoustic performances of Blurry was on the show CD:UK. Hostess Cat Deely had a few words with Puddle before the band took to the softly lit stage perched on bar stools to strum out a moving rendition of this song. Concentration was intense by all of the band members, and for a switch Doug did duties on acoustic guitar while Wes took on the acoustic bass.

Since they are all so close together on stage it is easy to compare this exhibition to other performances. Paul’s rhythm is perfect, deliberately on cue, an extraordinary gift he possesses to say the very least. He is usually bouncing all over the stage and television coverage usually doesn’t capture his talent and perfectionism, this program enlightened many viewers.

Doug, who co-wrote the music for Blurry, doesn’t get to highlight his guitar skills too often to the public. The difficulty in the lead guitar parts are evident when one watches this particular performance, yet Doug is dedicated to the piece; one couldn’t help but be mesmerized by his precision. You can hear loud and clear this was the time for his light to shine, an incredible all-around musician.

Greg is a strictly disciplined percussionist and in this case, his handwork on the congas serves as the steady beat that binds the rest together; rock solid he exudes a confidence and sureness where his taps should fall.

Melancholy and passionate, sentimental yet yielding is Wes as he brings forth the lyrics… we all know the words. With eyes closed at times, one has to wonder who he is thinking about as he takes the audience into that space in his head, and soon we leave with a profound sense of walking in his shoes, one of the most exceptional performances of this song to date by far. While the band is four members as a whole, each had their own spotlight as if no one else existed.

2002 RE:COVERED, UNITED KINGDOM

This television program based in the United Kingdom carried two songs performed by Puddle, their album version of Blurry and a cover song originally done by another band. Puddle chose to do Alice In Chains’ Brother. It was a fitting tribute to Alice’s lead singer Layne Staley who had passed away earlier in the year. At the beginning of the show the host did a question and answer segment with the band. Host Dermot O’leary showed a Puddle of Mudd nylon-flying disc that he was quite impressed with and demonstrated its flying ability when he hurled it into the audience. The usual course of questions were covered including the ‘backstage pass’ story and getting signed then the segment drifted over to why they were going to cover the AIC song Brother (originally on their EP SAP), to which Paul commented – “there was no better time to do a tribute to the man, Layne Staley.” Doug added his personal perspective – “a tribute to Layne, he meant a lot to all four of us.”

On a shadowy stage under a single spotlight, Wes took on an eerie resemblance to Layne while singing lead on an acoustic version of the song. With raspy vocals – ‘you are always so far away’, some will say he didn’t do the song justice but for most of the Puddle fans that have seen the video footage, they feel it was an excellent tribute to a band that helped change the face of rock music. As the sounds of another acoustic guitar, a bass, and percussion drift from the darkness, one has to wonder if Layne was watching from above and what would he think.

Their second song Blurry was well received by the audience on a stage that was illuminated just a tad brighter where you could make out wavy industrial light tracking overhead as the band played on. After touring for so long, time was taking its toll on Wes’ voice, but he held it together. The band was on target; this song was becoming their bread and butter, yet they make it a bit different each time to keep it invigorating to the audience.

01-15-02 Carson Daly

MTV’s TRL host Carson Daly had recently launched a late-night talk show but was yet to have a live musical guest. Puddle of Mudd will go down in that show’s history as being the first live band to play on Carson’s show. Fresh for the new year, they were ready to bring forth one amazing performance of Blurry.

With this show in particular, one can see the anguish from where these lyrics were written. For whatever reason, Wes was tight as he wailed out the lyrics, you could see the angst on his face, mannerisms, and in his eyes. Almost as if he was reliving the drama of the song on stage, agony and bitterness are two words that comes to mind as he sings “This pain you gave to me…” while shaking his head as if tormented by the situation till the last note is played. We get a good sense of Greg’s dedication to his craft as we get a good close-up by the camera, keeping the tempo of the song he leaves his seat several times, this song is definitely one that showcases the drums. Paul as well was exceptional, some live performances due to stage setups seem to lose the guitar parts, as if they are in the background just a bit too much, but during this show Paul was lead front and center, with a razor-sharp skill level that cut throughout the television studio that was more reminiscent of a big city loft. Doug had just the right mix on bass, subtle, just the right mood for the night.

02-22-02 MTV Europe Winterjam, Soelden, Austria

Whoever said mountains can’t rock and roll weren’t at MTV’s Winterjam 2002 in Soelden, Austria. High atop a mountain, it wasn’t Heidi or the Sound Of Music coming down from the snowy peaks during three days of festivities in the resort town. Music fans braved the sub-zero temps at night to hear Puddle of Mudd, Alien Ant Farm, and h-Blockx piercing through the cold.

At one of the coldest shows they ever played either together as a band or individually, they sailed through the setlist of Nobody Told Me, Drift & Die, Bring Me Down, Blurry, and Control all while exhaling a frosty breath. Neck scarves and pocket hand warmers only kept the cold at bay; without gloves, Wes, Paul, and Doug’s icy fingers pulled off a fantastic feat of endurance holding their chords and notes without fail. Energy was never lacking and despite the bitter cold, they worked up a heavy sweat as witnessed by the viewers at home via close-ups by MTV. In a true test of professional showmanship, comfort took a backseat to putting on a riveting show for the fans that had braved the elements for hours to see this band called Puddle of Mudd.

Event partners Alien Ant Farm became the practical jokers behind the scenes as they transformed the Puddle dressing room into “Fort Mudd” complete with a tent and other assorted sundries of junk they could accumulate. Tagged with a sign outside the door, the members of Puddle were surprised to find their dressing room left in shambles.

02-22-02 Top Of The Pops, United Kingdom

During their stopover in Europe while touring, Puddle stopped by the Top of the Pops Show to dish out a dose of Control on the BBC. In front of a live studio audience, Puddle were still relatively new to fans in Europe but that didn’t discourage them from putting on a good show. The video for Control was getting airtime and fans across the pond were becoming familiar with the song. Wes kept their attention very well and was gritty with his “smack my ass” lyrics; everyone did their part to showcase their talents to those watching in England.

03-22-02 MTV Spring Break, Cancun, Mexico

What better way for the members of Puddle of Mudd to spend spring break than surrounded by babes in bikinis in Cancun, Mexico for MTV’s infamous week of music, crazy contests, partying, and outrageous escapades. Just a few yards from the open ocean the fans were elbow-to-elbow and shaded only by their sunglasses as Carson Daly talked-the-talk before the show asking if the band had ever experienced a spring break, to which Wes shared his story of going to Padre Island, TX and barely avoiding the law for pitching a chair into the ocean. They quickly hit on their current sold-out tour in support of Come Clean, they are giving it their all and giving to the fans, they love the fans, it’s all about the fans. Greg couldn’t believe he had the idea to wear a black shirt in the sweltering beach heat.

Witnessing the madness first hand, Puddle seemed to be enjoying the view as the beach provided the venue for their performances of Blurry and Drift & Die, which aired on MTV’s How To Live Like A Spring Breaker segment.

04-14-02 MTV Making The Video, Drift & Die

We were escorted behind the camera at the filming of the Drift & Die video thanks to MTV’s Making The Video series. Filmed over three days beginning on March 8, Fred takes on directing duties for their third video. The concept is what everyone has left behind to pursue their dream and the journey to get there. A lot of the scenes reenacted are taken from things that happened in their real lives before coming to L.A.

Paul and Greg are pleasantly pleased with the first set inside a warehouse type structure, back in their days of struggle with other bands, practice halls weren’t so nice, and to have air conditioning and a bathroom at Bill’s Place, it was a treat complete with trailers for their comfort.

The first scene shot focuses on Wes and the beginning lines of the song. The camera zeroes in and captures a hesitancy almost as if thinking, ‘what have I gotten myself into.’ Wes’ humor is quick to jump out and he reenacts a great Beavis and Butthead impression with the infamous words TP and bunghole used in the same sentence.

Doug is in for a surprise, it just happens to be his birthday on the first day of the shoot. Everyone was in on the gag except for Doug as a police officer comes in and declares there is a problem inside one of the trailers. It’s apparent it is Doug’s and he is ready to go outside to resolve the issue, till the officer has other ideas, a strip-to-the-thong dance just for the birthday guy complete with an ass smack. Surrounded in a booth, Doug tries to escape but to no avail. There is nothing left to do but take it all in and laugh as the joke is on Doug and he is a victim of a racy strip tease. The cameras catch it all on tape and the footage makes it to the final cut of the making of the video. Doug takes it all in stride but says, “You got me, baddd birthday present.” With friends like these who needs enemies!

Filming resumes and Fred has a vision to get a ‘macro special effect’ zooming into the fret board of Wes’ guitar. He has the guidance of one of his idols that worked on the film Reservoir Dogs and gets the shot he wanted.

Day two of filming takes place in downtown Beverly Hills. The goal is to capture some freestyle shots, Wes and Doug cruising the streets on Harley Davidson Motorcycles and the band just hanging in town driving in a convertible with the top down. Doug says, “it is one of the funnest days at work, ever.” Paul is the one who is disappointed, he wanted to ride in a sidecar but it never worked out.

The next scene is shot at the Library Tower in Los Angeles. While they are on the rooftop to shoot a band scene complete with gear and amps, one is an awe of the scenery. At a level this high we can see the curvature of the earth, we can see how small we really are in the big scope of things. Paul isn’t so sure about being up top, he has a fear of heights but works through his phobia. The cameraman has a smart set up, to avoid using a track to get a smooth rolling shot, he has adapted a bicycle and he is the brave soul who rides the bicycle in a circle around the band as they play to film the scene. It works out great in the final editing, the scene appears as one continuous flow. A helicopter is on hand to get some overhead shots and also give the band “their second wind,” according to Wes. The sun is setting as day two wraps, they are content with the progress.

Day three is scheduled for shooting candid shots of each band member, replicating the things they used to do when they were at home. Doug and his dog Brando accompany his girlfriend in the park for a day of play; Greg is hanging on the porch barbecuing and drinking a few beers with friends. Fred takes the time to give a compliment to Greg, he really feels he is going to become one of the greatest drummers; he is a real believer in his talent. Paul, who used to do a lot of solo sports back home in Jacksonville, FL, gets in some time to do some gravity boarding in the streets. The cameraman is seated in a cart as the crew pulls him just in front of Paul to get the take. The footage is completed pretty quick, sometimes in only one take.

It’s off to Fillmore, CA to the Fillmore & Western Railway Station. The vibe is the band are loading up and leaving their hometowns and as they are filmed on the train they are reflecting on what they are leaving behind. Even as the band is on the train station platform together as Wes plays the guitar and sings, there is a feeling of isolation; they each have their own perspective to cope with. The video wraps late at night and editing begins.

Hours and hours of film have to be condensed down to four minutes and after seeing some of the takes that were more of a special effects nature, some scenes end up on the cutting room floor, the song is “classic,” said Fred and opts to keep it simple and to the point.

At the end of the show we get to see the final cut of the video, it is interesting to see how all of the pieces filmed were put together to make a fantastic video.



06-14-02 Top Of The Pops, United Kingdom

Taped while in Europe earlier this year, Top of the Pops aired Blurry during the summer months. This was a typical rendition of this song, a good performance overall.

06-16-02 Much Music Awards

At the Much Music Video Awards in Toronto, Ontario Canada, Puddle was not only a nominee but provided a live performance of Blurry on a chilly June night in the downtown streets under the stars. Standing on a clear platform, amber-colored stage lights illuminated the band from below. Spotlights encircled the intersection and the streets were packed with people, it was unmistakable many of those attending were fans of Puddle.

Aerial cameras provide a great vantage point for those viewing from home, cameramen on stage were as close as one could get without being members of the band themselves. The audience, with their hands raised high chimed in, especially during the chorus of “can you take it all away,” giving Wes a grand Canadian welcome. There was a bit of bravery on the cameraman’s part who ventured at times behind the drum kit with Greg, who was flinging arms in every direction giving an astounding performance, like a spring wound too tight that could no longer contain it’s energy. Paul’s guitar parts were precise and tight, clear and discernible. It was hard to separate Doug and his bass, they seemed to float together as one providing impressive thumps right on cue. Doug took the opportunity to mouth a ‘Happy Fathers Day’ and ‘Hi Mom’ surprising his parents back home in Bedford.

08-??-02 T4 at The Astoria, London, UK

Before Puddle’s sold-out show at The Astoria in London, T4’s hosts had a chance to ask some brief questions of Wes and Paul about the status of rock music in general and their pre-show requirements. Paul is proud to be a part of their ‘traveling circus act’ they bring to the fans. Wes gives his explanation for the pre-show venue background music before they take to the stage – “puddles of mud are created by rain and thunderstorms, so they have thunder and lightening playing before they come on, Puddle of Mudd is coming, the storm is here.” Backstage, Wes likes honey tea that includes ginger root; it’s good for you! Nothing too outrageous for Paul’s backstage requirements replying tea or beer are just fine. One amazing thing Paul loves is standing on stage and watching the fans sing the words along with him, excited about their music, “it gives them energy.” Wes agrees, “you can’t take a drug that gives you the same feeling.”

08-??-02 MTV UK, Zane Lowe Interviews POM

Well known UK MTV host Zane Lowe interviewed Wes, Paul, Doug, and Greg covering questions from the beginning of their journey together, Wes’ love of barbequing, touring, and more.

Zane is appreciative that they don’t fit the typical mold of rockstarisms, they are actually nice guys.

In a segment titled ‘Cooking with Wes,’ Wes gives up the recipe to his sacred barbeque sauce complete with visual hand gestures that make for quite a comedic interpretation of cooking –

Wes (holding up three fingers) – “Three choices of your favorite barbeque sauces, (showing a distance of about 4 inches with his fingers) get a jar of jalapeno honey… er’ jalapenos, and then you take the juice (pouring motion) and then you pour it in there, and get some Coors Light some or beer whatever kind of beer you want to use in there (pouring motion), honey, salt, pepper (waving hands), a little paprika, and uh throw some jalapenos in there anywhere (gestures with both hands in a mixing motion) mix it all around and (with a double snap of the fingers and pointing to you the listener) that’s what you call the “Jalapeno Honey ‘Kick Your Ass’ Sauce,” ending with a two-handed \m/ \m/.”

Zane couldn’t resist asking about the second ‘D’ in Mudd, to which Wes replied, “that would be for a double dose of this here pimping man,” complete with high fives afterwards. The tour is going very well, and they have not grown tired of playing songs from Come Clean. They are thankful for their luck in getting signed by someone else who is established in the industry and are willing to repay the favor should the right band come along to give them a hand. Puddle met like any other band, try to find others who you blend well with, and basically they get along great and are ‘just bunch of guys married without rings, but don’t get the groove on,’ it is a very amusing segment.

While touring they ‘kind of’ take care of themselves but they do have late nights partying at times. Greg is asked about his golfing, and replies he easy going and mellow before 3AM, but has been known to sit late at a bar and wonder what he is doing with himself sometimes.

The subject of recording their video for Drift & Die comes up and Paul doesn’t hesitate to say it wasn’t his idea of a good time, being on the rooftop of the tallest building west of the Mississippi as he doesn’t like heights said it wasn’t cool for him! Wes thought it was cool though, and Greg concurred.

Lyrically Come Clean is pretty much autobiographical diary about Wes’ life, difficult times in his life but it comes from a passionate side of him. Wes recounts a show in his hometown of Kansas City where he brought his son Jordan out on stage and before the song was over, everyone from his grandmother, family, friends, and the audience was moved to tears. The next record they will be working on soon, but it will stay along the same Puddle of Mudd style with a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude according to Wes. Everything may seem like is working out well for Wes at this time of his life but he stresses his life is still full of struggles and he has some emotional things to write about to work out the underlying confusions in his life.

Touring with Korn has been a challenge but in Paul’s opinion a smart move, it exposes them to an audience they might not have reached otherwise. Zane signs off with the compliment that they are the ‘consummate hard working band’.

08-14-02 Parades de Coura Festival, Portugal

Brought to TV by SIC Television, the Parades de Coura Festival in Portugal was a stopover for Puddle of Mudd and tour mates Korn. Abrasive, one of the lesser known songs made locally popular in Kansas City, MO by the first incarnation of Puddle of Mudd, was off the hook as the fans were treated to a hard rock version of the song.

In your face accurately describes the camera work, which gave a rare look behind the drum kit as Greg feverishly worked the skins. To describe Greg’s performance as remarkable and amazing is an understatement. In true rock and roll garb, blue jeans with knees exposed, Wes managed to keep those at eye level in kneecap range covered with his sweat with hair-flinging fervor while harping ‘hey you lose it,’ in one of the best versions of this song available. Paul was deeply immersed in the guitar licks and riffs; Doug is the king of his Warwick realm, completely absorbed into the world of his four-string bass. It is amazing to see the audience moving together as one single entity, excitedly showing their excitement towards a song that was previously unfamiliar to them.

08-18-02 Bizarre Fest

08-25-02 Reading Festival

At one of the biggest shows abroad, Puddle were on the schedule for Reading Festival and were looking forward to it. Of the portions broadcast on television by ITV2, notable were Blurry and Nobody Told Me. With a well-worn Les Paul guitar, Wes looked out over a sea of people, a crowd so immense you couldn’t see the back. Outdoors on a large stage as Blurry started, one could tell it was a crowd favorite. It was hot, with Wes wearing a black t-shirt, but that only fueled his fire. Paul and Doug, who were flanked on the side of the stage by panels several stories tall that declared it was ‘Carling Weekend Reading,’ were miniscule when you see them looking out over the audience, it had to be intimidating, but they were professional and didn’t let it shake them. Greg was on his drum riser and he had the best view of all, not that he had time to look. He was over the top on drums, you could hear twice as many hits on this show as you heard on the album. No filler, all kick butt drums with a specific purpose, rock Blurry, fast and furious.

Nobody Told Me rocked the massive crowd, there wasn’t a dull moment to be found. Greg stood out once again, he must have extra limbs he pulls out of a hat, it’s hard to believe that much motion comes from two drumsticks. One can see this is a favorite of the band. Paul and Doug, though they aren’t in the limelight much, really play an integral roll in this song and watching this performance you can see just how much they love what they do. This song was on the original Puddle of Mudd album Abrasive, it was a good song then and we are lucky it made the cut to Come Clean. Wes always looks like he enjoys this song, it’s been around a long time and fits in their repertoire quite nicely.

09-08-02 Leiscester, UK, One Big Sunday

Puddle took a quick detour after a previous night’s concert with Korn for the drive over to Leiscester for a performance at the One Big Sunday Festival, which aired on the BBC network in the United Kingdom. The band performed three of their hit singles Blurry, She Hates Me, and Control. Internet fans were able to watch this performance live as it happened thanks to a live webcast courtesy of the BBC Radio One Network. Puddle was fresh off of their Kerrang! win for Best Single of the Year in August and the fans were elated to sing along to Blurry.

Festivals in the United Kingdom are unique, tens of thousands of fans that flock to fields for all day events to mark the end of summer. Bands standing on stage seem entranced as they look out into a sea of people, all swaying like a wave on the ocean, it has to be intimidating but being the seasoned professionals the performance goes off unblemished. On a massive stage with a Jumbotron monitor as their backdrop, every fan had a front seat.

A pre-show interview with Wes had fans asking questions, but the main concern by the interviewer was profanity in one particular Mudd hit She Hates Me. Wes had been asked to not say the F word onstage, and had not yet decided what he would sing instead. Wes eventually settled on ‘your daughter hates me’, at least for most of the song. Those who watched live by webcast caught the last line of ‘she f’n hates me’ snuck in there, needless to say it was edited on the BBC television broadcast. As soon as their show was over they were on the road back to London for that night’s show at the Docklands Arena with tour partners Korn.

11-01-02 MTV TRL, SHM

WRITE UP

11-20-02 MTV Hall of Fame

Originally taped on July 16 in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, patient Muddfans had to wait just over four months to see the finished program Live at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (HOF) on MTV. The MTV episode featuring Puddle finally aired on November 20.

Paul’s introduction of, “We’re about to turn this mother out, word to your mom we came to drop bombs on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” followed by the venue’s marquee, ‘Live at the Rock Hall, Puddle of Mudd, Presented by AT & T Wireless,’ was just a hint that Puddle were ready to blow the roof off the joint to a standing room only crowd.

Right out of the gate, a roaring rumble rattles the glass windows and roof panes as they go full throttle into Out Of My Head and Drift & Die. Having worked up a heavy sweat, the band was ready for a mellow rendition of Blurry and was seated on stage for an acoustic set. Doing a switch on instruments, Doug took over lead guitar and Wes worked the bass. Paul was in full concentration mode keeping steady rhythm and Greg’s natural instinct on the congas rounded out the song with a perfect balance of musicianship.

Jumping back into full-rock-mode, it was on to She Hates Me complete with the appropriate bleeps for a PG-13 rating on cable; even the audience singing along to the F word were bleeped in the process.

By the time they closed with Control, everyone in the band and the audience were wringing with sweat. Fans screamed ‘I have control of you’ and every word in between. Paul was on point, taking in the crowd’s momentum and was all over the stage. Doug was stoked as well and ready to give even more to the audience. Greg had the best seat on stage, elevated and able to see over the fans as they oscillated in conjunction with the music. He was literally drenched with sweat after his astonishing display of drum work. Not to leave out Wes, his ‘Lick The Pickle’ shirt was more wet than dry by the end of the show and appeared as if he had taken a detour to a swimming pool. He delivered vocally, putting the critics on notice that they came to rock Cleveland and rock they did.

Clips of the band touring the HOF were in between songs and provided for some humorous moments and great laughs. Paul jokingly asked Wes if he wanted to check out the N’SYNC outfits and for the life of Wes he couldn’t figure out why Jordan Knight (New Kids On The Block) is in the HOF, the Backstreet Boys are in the HOF, Mandy Moore is in the HOF, but Puddle of Mudd isn’t, “Where is the Mudd bro?”   They had a great time checking out the memorabilia and kept their light-hearted nature and made it humorous to those of us watching at home.

This was a crowd who came specifically to see Puddle of Mudd, they knew the material, sang along word-for-word and had the vibe for 100% of the show, die-hard and dedicated fans unlike some concerts where some come to see the other band and just happens to stay for Puddle. Major props go out to everyone who attended this show to make it such a success and one of the best-televised shows that have spotlighted Puddle of Mudd. With arms fully extended most of the time and scores of metal horns being thrown, Cleveland shows why the HOF deserved to be in their town.

12-09-02 Billboard Music Awards

(This event covered in detail under Awards 2002)

The introduction of Puddle by Fred Durst, who were to perform She Hates Me, drew a loud crowd response, and everyone watching at home was ecstatic as well that they had won at least one award. The curtain goes up but anyone who knows Puddle of Mudd’s music had to have a puzzled look on his or her face when they launched into song. Firing off the familiar intro of Basement may have seemed to others listening that they were confused, but this writer will always think it was a thank you tribute to a very special person who had been a supporter of the band, a way to give a big thumbs up.

She Hates Me soon started with its well-known intro led by a white toboggan clad sunglassed wearing Wes. Some attendees take this event very serious when it comes to attire, but this band is one that stays very rock-and-rollish with their t-shirts and worn jeans. No false bravado, they rock like they live, without Armani and Versace.

The band was larger than life, appearing on a jumbo screen behind the stage, Greg knocking the drums to smithereens, Paul and Doug were clearly having the time of their lives, and Wes under the watchful eye of the FCC during prime-time hours airing the telecast. Fox censors had their work cut out for them as Wes performed the song uncut for the live audience leaving the home audience with the blast of bleeps during the expletives, very long bleeps at that to make sure they got it all. Most of it anyway, the ending of the song was a little different from the version usually heard but the song was definitely a crowd pleaser, but surely someone in the audience filled in the dreaded “F” word themselves.

The band made their way to the podium and it was announced by the narrator that POM was also the winner of three other Billboard Awards. POM had swept the Rock Artist of the Year, Rock Track of the Year, Modern Rock Artist of the Year, and Modern Rock Track of the Year categories.

12-14-02 MadTV

Puddle’s MadTV performance was taped November 8, 2002 at Fox Studio’s. MadTV is one of Fox Network’s premiere comedy shows that feature their musical guests in skits as well as their live performance.

We are whisked to the Green Room where the band is lounging amongst a living room type setting complete with appetizers and one of the show regulars, Ike tries to incite the band into the typical-trash-the-dressing-room mentality. What was the band up to – just talking amongst themselves about the “Dr. Phil Show,” as Greg would say, they are pretty relaxed before going on. Ike picks up a harmless sofa pillow and attempts to rip it and Doug gets this look on his face of “whoa dude!” He expects them run the bills up by calling Japan, only to be answered by Wes “We don’t really know anybody in Japan, man.”   Determined to see the dressing room trashed, Ike picks up a bowl of chips and shouts, “rock and roll,” dumping the contents on the floor just before one of the stage crew comes in to get the band for their performance. Scolding the band, the crewman makes a call for a cleanup. Paul has the best response to Ike, picking up a carrot off of the tray and flips it over at him when as he says “Thanks a lot,” and till the very end Ike blames it on the “rock stars.”

The band comes out to sing She Hates Me to a live studio audience. We are quickly greeted by the first edit of she ‘bleeping’ hates me, the song was performed as written and edited for television airing. Doug was the band member most noticeable, he was definitely a stand out. He was in the mood to entertain and that he did, bouncing and jumping all over the stage along with his signature scrunchies, just out to rock and rock he did. The band seemed to really enjoy playing this television show, there were a few familiar faces on the front row and they really fed off of their presence. After the show the band took the time to pose for pictures and sign autographs for fans in the audience.

TOUR 2002

PUDDLE OF MUDD 2002 EUROPE

NOTES: Jimmy Page saw the show at Brixton Academy, watched from backstage. Winterjam, cover event, listen to audio. Jaws music intro.

US DATES SPRING/SUMMER 2002

PUDDLE OF MUDD SPRING/SUMMER 2002 – PUDDLE HEADLINES, TRUST COMPANY, REVOLUTION SMILE AND 30 SECONDS TO MARS SUPPORT

PUDDLE OF MUDD 2002 – KORN HEADLINERS, DEADSY SUPPORT

NOTES: POM had a difficult time touring with Korn due to unruly fans. Fans forget the common interest and at times threw things on stage, boo-ed and flipped them off. July 26 show, Greg missed the show, drum tech Jack filled in. Greg had stayed over a day in OKC having received the key to the city and spending an off day with family and friends, inclement weather kept Greg from arriving on time. Green Bay fans were disappointed as they posted on the POM forum. The setlist was short, but they did the best they could without having to cancel. This was Korn’s Tour With No Name Tour in support of their new album Untouchables.

PUDDLE OF MUDD – EUROPE 2002 – MIXED HEADLINE/SUPPORT

MISC SHOWS

Puddle of Mudd also did a surprise set of free shows for their fans. They participated in the Nissan Z-Tour doing two outdoor shows going on stage with a backdrop of skyscrapers. They performed on Wednesday, October 16 in Houston, Texas where the fans were elbow-to-elbow in a downtown area parking lot. Another performance was given in Phoenix, Arizona on October 18 near the Hard Rock Café. Once again, it was a packed audience. Concertgoers were treated to amazing performances with these up close and personal fan appreciation shows.

With a bare-bones approach to performing, the band needs no gimmicks to put on an awesome performance. Armed with a no frills rock show, the music stands alone on it’s own two feet. Puddle of Mudd’s delivery concept is emotionally packed. One thing no one can deny is that Wes and his bandmates are very passionate about their music. They take the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach, no pyrotechnics, just the lead singer belting out the lyrics with a rock and roll frenzy, and the band can read ahead of time what will happen next and give an energetic show, killer drums, bad-ass bass, and guitar work that doesn’t have to be clever but has a good riff and vibe to it. By the end of touring in 2002, they had the performance aspect down pat and the fans loved it.

For a complete tour schedule, scroll to the bottom of 2002 page.

PAPER PRESS 2002

Alt Press

May 2002 – POM Cover – It Could Happen To You

Bass Player

May 2002 – Doug Thoughtful Thudd

Blender

April-May 2002 – 4 pages (need a copy)

Guitar One

February 2002 – Blurry Tabs

April 2002 – Wes/Paul In Depth Interview

September 2002 – D & D music

Guitar World

January 2002 – Blurry Tabs

April 2002 -- Unknown content

June 2002 – Drift & Die Guitar Lesson

December 2002 – She Hates Me Tabs

Hit Parader

October 2002 – POM Playing to Win

Hits

March 29, 2002 – Railroad Tracks

Kerrang!

Jan or Feb – Homeward Bound – Wes in KC

February 16, 2002 – Puddle Hit K! Club

June 12, 2002 – Fans interview POM

August 28, 2002 – Cruise Control

September 21, 2002 – need article name

October 18, 2002 – We’re Not One-Hit Wonders

October 28, 2002 – Wes Scantlin’s Band Gets Creative

November 2002 – We Were Grunge Before Nirvana

December 12, 2002 – Drift and Die Video of the Week

Yearbook – Wes

Kludge

June 2002 – is this just online magazine?

Maxim

October 2002 – Wes Scantlin’s Classic Album Pick – Pink Floyd

Metal Edge

April 2002 – POM cover, Ass Smackin’ Adventures in Barbecuing

Metal Hammer

June 2002 – POM Go Gold Grunge is Back, are there 2 June’s

June 2002, My Way or the Highway

NME

February 16, 2002 – POM (no copy)

Revolver

March 2002

July/August 2002 – Inside POM’s Tour Bus, Controlled Chaos

Rocksound

August 2002 – Issue #39

Rolling Stone

03-28-02 – Wes Scantlin Comes Clean

06-20-02 – Puddle Turn It Up For Korn

Total Guitar

May 2002 – Control Tabs

August 2002

November 2002 – Interview and She Hates Me tabs

YM

April 2002 – Band Info

Awards and Milestones Come Clean

Puddle of Mudd were one of those bands who you heard often on the radio yet their popularity flew under the radar to those who had zero expectations from this rock and roll ensemble. It was all about to change when music award time came around in 2002, they would become a household name in winner-circle-write-ups in music news, no longer creating a puzzled look when someone said Puddle of Mudd.

The band had been getting radio and television airplay of their singles and videos in other countries besides the United States and was becoming well received by audiences of all ages; sales of Come Clean continued to grow steadily.

Canada’s Much Music channel was giving the Blurry video airplay and this video became their first nomination on a major music network. At the Much Music Video Awards on June 16, 2002 Puddle was a nominee for International Video: Group category. This was a significant milestone for Puddle and they were head-to-head against NSYNC – Girlfriend, Basement Jaxx – Where’s Your Head At, Blink 182 – First Date, Korn – Here To Stay, Linkin Park – In The End, No Doubt – Hey Baby, System Of A Down – Chop Suey, Weezer – Island In The Sun, and the White Stripes – Fell In Love With A Girl, a formidable lineup with Korn taking top honors by night’s end.

At the Much Music Video Awards, Puddle was not only a nominee but provided a live performance of Blurry on a chilly June night in the downtown streets under the stars. Standing on a clear platform, amber-colored stage lights illuminated the band from below. Spotlights encircled the intersection and the streets were packed with people, it was unmistakable many of those attending were fans of Puddle.

Puddle had been on television several times since 2001 and had toured for just over a year by this time. One could see they had become very comfortable with each other on stage over time, strong and compact. They were wearing each other well, like a favorite flannel shirt, they had found their groove.

Their soaring popularity became evident at Kerrang! Magazine’s Music Awards on August 27, 2002 delivering the band their very first award win. Puddle had been nominated for the Best Single of the Year 2002 category for their hit single Blurry. Kerrang!, a weekly-published magazine based in the United Kingdom, held their awards ceremony in London, England and Puddle of Mudd were on hand for the occasion arriving. This awards show is more of a laid back production, casual attire with a jovial type atmosphere. The BBC Network was on hand for television coverage providing backstage pre-show interviews and had managed to snare Wes for a few comments before the event. Wes, who was in a rather merry mood, made an on-air promise to run through the streets naked if they won. They faced stiff competition, Nickelback – How You Remind Me, Marilyn Manson – Tainted Love, Korn – Here To Stay, and The Hives – Hate To Say I Told You So.

Entertainment celebrity Jennifer Saunders was the presenter for this award and seemed just as surprised when she announced the winner as Puddle. Commentary by two gentlemen in the audience were also caught off guard, stating they didn’t know who they were, but one was quick to point out that one of them (Wes) had on a hat that was emblazoned with the number ‘69’ on and it was risqué in his opinion. Paul, Doug, and Greg took the stage with Wes leading, and as part of their acceptance speech Wes was sure to say thank you for the award and along with a mention they were in good company with a lot of great artists. Paul made his position known; he was amazed to be nominated in the same category as The Hives, one of his favorite bands.

By September 25, 2002, Puddle was a winner of another award, though some may not consider it prestigious. High Times Magazine was pleased to announce Puddle of Mudd’s Come Clean as the Best Rock Album – New Band of 2002. At a ceremony at B.B. King’s in New York City, no one from Puddle was there to accept the honor personally, but one can be assured they were smiling at the recognition. Even cannabis smokers need to rock, and they picked Puddle of Mudd as the best new band to toke to. Replacing the stereotypical award statue was a commemorative bong, rock and roll lives on, cutting edge and blowing the legal boundaries to oblivion.

In December 2002, Puddle were one part of the weekend long celebration for the Billboard Music Awards being held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The desert city was host to several star-studded events preceding the awards show. At a special invitation only show at The Joint Nightclub at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on December 7, Puddle put on an energy filled performance for the audience which was packed to the brim with radio contest winners, special guests, and VIP’s. The show was loud and off the hook and at one point Fred Durst joined the band on stage during Control. This was just the beginning for what would become to date the most memorable achievements so far in their careers.

December 9, 2002 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena became the icing on the cake for Puddle of Mudd. Competing in five rock music categories, Puddle had some tough opponents in the following categories: Duo/Group of the Year (Creed, Linkin Park, Nickelback, Puddle of Mudd; Rock Artist of the Year (Creed, Nickelback, Puddle of Mudd, Staind); Rock Track of the Year (Default – Wasting My Time, Godsmack – I Stand Alone, Puddle of Mudd – Blurry, Staind – For You); Modern Rock Artist of the Year (Hoobastank, Incubus, POM, System of a Down); Modern Rock Track of the Year (Jimmy Eat World – The Middle, Linkin Park – In The End, Puddle of Mudd – Blurry, Red Hot Chili Peppers – By The Way).

Earlier in the live broadcast on Fox Network, the award for Duo/Group of the Year had been handed out to the band Creed. Family, friends, and fans of Puddle were anxiously waiting, hoping their favorite band would win at least one of the four remaining awards. It was now time to present Rock Artist of the Year and the presenters were rap artists Master P and Lil’ Romeo, who also happen to be father and son. After doing some self-promoting of their own, they introduced the nominees as well as a special guest presenter Fred Durst, President of Flawless Records.

Fred spoke of how important rock music is to him and he was pleased to present the award for Rock Artist of the Year, proudly announcing it goes to Puddle of Mudd whom he believed, “are truly rock and roll”. The introduction of Puddle doing She Hates Me for their appearance drew a loud crowd response, and everyone watching at home was ecstatic as well that they had won at least one award. The curtain goes up but anyone who knows Puddle of Mudd’s music had to have a puzzled look on his or her face when they launched into song. Firing off the familiar intro of Basement may have seemed to others listening that they were confused, but this writer will always think it was a thank you tribute to a very special person who had been a supporter of the band, a way to give a big thumbs up.

Finally the band launched into She Hates Me and put on a great performance. The band then made their way to the podium and it was announced by the narrator that POM was also the winner of three other Billboard Awards. POM had swept the Rock Artist of the Year, Rock Track of the Year, Modern Rock Artist of the Year, and Modern Rock Track of the Year. It was a tremendous feat; no one had won all four-rock categories since U2 in 1992.

Wes was the first to speak and it was bittersweet. People, including many critics, had belittled Puddle in the press, to their face, and any chance they could. Billboard Music Awards are one of the few award presentations that are based on sales and airplay, the legitimate gauge of a bands true success. No paid pockets, no fraudulent voting, or favoritism. The fans that buy the tickets, the albums, and support the band choose the winners. During their acceptance speech at the Billboard Music Awards, Wes said it best, “The public has spoken.” Giving thanks to the fans that have supported them, his mom, his son Jordan, his dad, and his family, it was a priceless moment of feeling accepted at his craft. Doug leaned in for a wave, and a “Hi Mom,” that had to have put a tear in one Mom’s eyes. Paul gave a shoutout to Jacksonville, Florida, which had been his home since he was 13.

It was time to let the festivities begin at a congratulatory party thrown by Durst at one of Las Vegas’ hottest nightspots, The Ghostbar at the Palms. Hollywood’s finest were in attendance while the liquor flowed; the band celebrated relishing in their hard fought battle for confirmation they had something to offer the rock community.

Billboard released their end of the year stats for 2002 and Puddle of Mudd placed consistently in their record books.

Modern Rock Tracks – #1 – Blurry
Mainstream Rock Tracks - #1 – Blurry, #7 Drift and Die
Billboard Hot 100 - #10 – Blurry
Billboard 200 (Album chart) - #24 – Come Clean
Highest Album Debut by a New Rock Artist (to date) - #10 Come Clean (peaked at #9)

2002 HIGHLIGHTS AND MILESTONES

Spring MTV All Access, spend a day with POM in NYC
01-15 Carson Daly Last Call, POM is first music guest, Blurry
02-12 POM nominated California Music Award for debut album
02-22 Winterjam MTV Europe, Soelden, Austria
03-10 First of 3 days for Drift & Die video shoot
03-22 MTV How To Live Like A Spring Breaker, POM Blurry/D & D
04-14 MTV Making of Drift & Die airs
04-18 Official premiere of Drift & Die video
04-29 Come Clean certified Double Platinum
05-09 Come Clean sales total 2,081,464
06-13 KROQ Weenie Roast webcast, POM performs
06-14 UK Top of the Pops, POM perform Blurry
06-15 Much Music Video Awards, POM nominated and perform Blurry
07-07 She Hates Me video shoots in Los Angeles
07-16 MTV tapes POM at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH
07-16 MSN live chat with Wes
07-23 MTV VMA nomination, POM for Blurry
08-xx CD:UK, POM performs Blurry acoustic
08-xx Re:Covered UK, POM performs AIC's Brother and Blurry
08-xx Zane Lowe, POM interview, Wes gives his BBQ sauce recipe
08-12 She Hates Me video airs on MTV
08-27 Kerrang! Awards, POM’s first win, Blurry Single of the Year
09-09 UK Channel 5 POP Program, POM performs She Hates Me
09-26 High Times Doobie Award, best new rock album
09-27 UK Top of the Pops, POM performs She Hates Me
10-10 She Hates Me video makes TRL countdown, #9
10-11 She Hates Me video makes TRL, #8
11-01 MTV TRL POM perform She Hates Me
11-08 Fox MADTV Taping, POM performs She Hates Me and skit
11-19 Come Clean re-release with bonus DVD
11-20 MTV airs POM at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
11-21 American Music Association, POM nominated favorite new artist
12-09 Billboard Awards, POM sweeps rock categories for Blurry
12-14 FOX MADTV airs
12-26 Nielson Ratings, POM #2 for spins for the year, Blurry

PUDDLE OF MUDD TOUR SCHEDULE 2002

2002 Europe – POM Headline

01-30    Nottingham Arena/Nottingham, UK

01-31    Brixton Academy/London, UK

02-01    Brixton Academy/London, UK

02-06    Winterjam/Soelden, Austria

02-08    Mean Fiddler/London, UK

02-10    The Cathouse/Glasgow, UK

02-11    MDH/Manchester, UK

02-13    Melweg/Amsterdam, Netherlands

02-14    La Mutualite/Paris, France

02-15    013/Tilburg, Netherlands

02-17    Palladium/Cologne, Germany

02-18    Offenbacher Stadthalle/Offenbach, Germany

02-19    Columbiahalle/Berlin, Germany

02-21    Metropolis/Munich, Germany

02-24    Annex/Stockholm, Sweden

02-25    Vega Musikkenshus/Copenhagen, Denmark

02-26    Schlachthof/Hamburg, Germany

2002 United States – POM Headline, Revolution Smile (RS), 30 Seconds To Mars (30STM), Trust Company (TC) Support

03-12    Stubb’s BBQ/Austin, TX            /30STM/TC

03-13    Schlitterbahn Waterpark/South Padre Island, TX/30STM/TC

03-14    Bronco Bowl/Dallas, TX/30STM/TC

03-16    Coca Cola Roxy Theatre/Atlanta, GA/30STM/TC

03-17    House of Blues/Myrtle Beach, SC/30STM/TC

03-18    The Norva/Norfolk, VA/30STM/TC

03-19    Bohanger’s/Baltimore, MD/30STM/TC

03-21    Electric Factory/Philadelphia, PA/30STM/TC

03-22    Roseland/New York, NY/30STM/TC

03-23    The Palladium/Worcester, MA/30STM/TC

03-24    Le Spectrum/Montreal, Quebec/30STM/TC

03-26    Kool Haus/Toronto, Ontario/30STM/TC

03-27    Metropol/Pittsburgh, PA/30STM/TC

03-28    Agora Theatre/Cleveland, OH/30STM/TC

03-29    State Theatre/Detroit, MI/30STM/TC

03-30    Riviera Theatre/Chicago, IL/30STM/TC

04-01    Newport Music Hall/Columbus, OH/RS/30STM

04-02    Murat Egyptian Room/Indianapolis, IN/RS/30STM

04-03    Orbit Room/Grand Rapids, MI/RS/30STM

04-05    7 Flags Center/Clive, IA/RS/30STM

04-06    Memorial Hall/Kansas City, KS/RS/30STM

04-07    The Pageant/St. Louis, MO/RS/30STM

04-09    Fillmore Auditorium/Denver, CO/RS/30STM

04-10    SaltAir Pavilion/Salt Lake City, UT/RS/30STM

04-12    Paramount Theatre/Seattle, WA/RS/30STM

04-13    Salem Armory/Salem, OR/RS/30STM

04-15    The Warfield/San Francisco, CA/RS/30STM

04-16    Hollywood Palladium/Hollywood, CA/RS/30STM

04-18    Web Theatre/Phoenix, AZ/RS/30STM

04-21    C.W. Mitchell Pavilion/Woodlands/Spring, TX/RS/30STM

04-22    House of Blues/New Orleans, LA/RS/30STM

04-23    Oak Mountain Amphitheater/Pelham, AL/RS/30STM/TC

04-25    Stephen C. O’Connell Center/Gainesville, FL/RS/30STM/TC

04-26    Bicentennial Park/Miami, FL/94.9 Zeta Bonzai

04-27    Festival Park/Zephyrhills, FL/WXTB 98 Livestock 12

04-28    Lee Vista Center/Orlando, FL/Real Rock 101 Earthday Birthday 8

04-30    Univ. of Central Arkansas/Conway, AR/RS/30STM/TC

05-01    SIU Arena/Carbondale, IL/RS/30STM/TC.

05-03    MS Coast Col WCPR-Fest/Biloxi, MS/RS/30STM/TC/Various

05-04    Beale St. Music Festival/Memphis, TN/RS/30STM/TC

05-05    Music Midtown Festival/Atlanta, GA/RS/30STM/TC

05-17    Post Gazette Pavilion at Starlake/Burgettstown, PA/WXDX X-Fest

05-18        DC 101 Chili Cook-off/Washington, DC/Various

05-19        WAAF Big Field Day/Brockton, MA/Various

06-15    KROQ Weenie Roast/Los Angeles, CA/Various

2002 United States – Korn Headline, POM, Deadsy Support

06-20    First Union Arena/Wilkes-Barre, PA/Korn/Deadsy

06-21    Hartford Civic Center/Hartford, CT/Korn/Deadsy

06-23    Pepsi Arena/Albany, NY/Korn/Deadsy

06-24    Madison Square Garden/New York, NY/Korn/Deadsy

06-29    Mellon Arena/Pittsburgh, PA/Korn/Deadsy

06-30    CSU Convention Center/Cleveland, OH/Korn/Deadsy

07-02    Van Andel Arena/Grand Rapids, MI/Korn/Deadsy

07-03    Palace of Auburn Hills/Auburn Hills, MI/Korn/Deadsy

07-05    Allstate Arena/Rosemont, IL/Korn/Deadsy

07-06    US Cellular Center/Cedar Rapids, IA/Korn/Deadsy

07-08    Civic Center Arena/Peoria, IL/Korn/Deadsy

07-09    Alliant Energy Center/Madison, WI/Korn/Deadsy

07-11    Conseco Fieldhouse/Indianapolis, IN/Korn/Deadsy

07-12    Schottenstein Center/Columbus, OH/Korn/Deadsy

07-13    Ervin J. Nutter Center/Dayton, OH/Korn/Deadsy

07-14    Oswego Speedway/Oswego, NY/Krockathon Locabazooka

07-16    MTV Hall of Fame/Cleveland, OH/Taped Hall of Fame MTV

07-17    Roanoke Civic Center/Roanoke, VA/Korn/Deadsy

07-18    Bi-Lo Center/Greenville, SC/Korn/Deadsy

07-20    Savvis Center/St. Louis, MO/Korn/Deadsy

07-21    Kemper Arena/Kansas City, MO/Korn/Deadsy

07-23    Omaha Civic Auditorium/Omaha, NE/Korn/Deadsy

07-24    Ford Center Arena/Oklahoma City, OK/Korn/Deadsy

07-26    Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena/Green Bay, WI/Korn/Deadsy

07-27    Target Center/Minneapolis, MN/Korn/Deadsy

07-29    Denver Coliseum/Denver, CO/Korn/Deadsy

07-31    Tingley Coliseum/Albuquerque, NM/Korn/Deadsy

08-01    America West Arena/Phoenix, AZ//Korn/Deadsy

2002 Europe – Mixed Headline Korn & POM, Trust Company (TC) Support

08-14    Paredes De Coura Festival/Portugal/Korn

08-18    Bizarre Fest/Weeze, Germany/Bizarre Festival/Korn

08-19    Arena/Berlin, Germany/Korn/TC

08-20    Zenith/Munich, Germany/Korn/TC

08-23    Temple Newsam Park/Leeds, UK/Leeds Festival/Various

08-24    Lowlands Festival/Dronten, Netherlands/Various

08-25    Richfield Avenue/Reading, UK/Reading Festival/Various

08-26    Stockholm Globe Arena/Stockholm, Sweden/Korn/TC

08-27    Valby Hallen/Copenhagen, Denmark/Korn/TC

08-28    The Astoria/London, UK

08-29    Ahoy/Rotterdam, Netherlands/Korn/TC

08-30    Rock AM/Amsterdam/Various

09-01    Festa Dell Unita/Reggio Emilia, Italy/Korn/TC

09-03    Hallenstadion Zurich/Zurich, Switzerland/Korn/TC

09-04    Jahrhunderthalle Hoechst/Frankfurt, Germany/Korn/TC

09-05    Sporthalle/Hamburg, Germany/Korn/TC

09-07    Docklands Arena/London, UK/Korn/TC

09-08    One Big Sunday/Leicester, UK/Day trip then back to London

09-08    Docklands Arena/London, UK/Korn/TC

09-10    RDS Arena/Dublin, Ireland/Korn/TC

09-11    S.E.C.C./Glasgow, UK/Korn/TC

09-12    Manchester Evening News Arena/Manchester, UK/Korn/TC

09-14    Palais Omnisports/Paris, France/Korn/TC

10-16    Downtown Houston/Houston, TX/Nissan Z-Tour Free Show

10-18    Downtown Phoenix/Phoenix, AZ/Nissan Z-Tour Free Show

12-07    The Joint/Las Vegas, NV/Billboard Pre-event Performance