"Negasonic Teenage Warhead"
Single by Monster Magnet
from the album Dopes to Infinity
Released1995
Recorded
Genre
Length
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Dave Wyndorf
Producer(s)Dave Wyndorf, Steve Rosenthal
Monster Magnet singles chronology
"Cage Around the Sun"
(1993)		 "Negasonic Teenage Warhead"
(1995)		 "Dopes to Infinity"
(1995)

"Negasonic Teenage Warhead" is the second track on Monster Magnet's 1995 album, Dopes to Infinity. It became the band's first successful single.

History

"Negasonic Teenage Warhead" was the first song recorded by Monster Magnet after the release of their previous album Superjudge because a five-minute version of it had to appear in the 1994 movie S.F.W.[3][4] The version of the song which appeared on the album was recorded at The Magic Shop, in New York City.[5] It was released in its album, Dopes to Infinity, and as a single, the first one of the album,[6] (with a version of 4:23 minutes) in 1995.[7] The song would become the band's first hit single,[3] garnering play on modern rock radio and MTV.[3] The 1999 Japanese reissue of Dopes to Infinity includes a live version of the song.[6]

The track was later included on the two Monster Magnet's greatest hits albums: Greatest Hits[8] and 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Monster Magnet. It was also featured in a CD which includes an interview of Dave Wyndorf by Sean Yseult.[6] S.F.W.'s soundtrack album also has the song. The compilation album Unstoppable 90's: Alternative also featured the song.[7]

Title and meaning of the lyrics

According to Dave Wyndorf, the writer,[9] he chose such a curious title for the song because it deals with those rock stars who, from his point of view, always seem to be negative (hence the word "negasonic" in the title) and apparently hate being what they are; more specifically, grunge musicians. He wanted to show with the song that he doesn't like artists whose lyrics always deal with depression, unhappiness, and such things. However, he doesn't see the song as a manifesto.[10]

Video

The video of the song, which featured the work of director Gore Verbinski and film editor Craig Wood[11] shows all members of Monster Magnet performing ordinary activities on asteroids while they are being watched by an enormous woman. As the clip goes on, the members of the band begin trashing the things on their asteroids, whose stability begins to wane. Then, Dave Wyndorf is shown moving his hands around the Earth. At the end all members are seen riding a car through space.

It was featured on MTV's Beavis & Butt-head and was included on the first volume of the three-DVD sets called Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection.[12] The single for "I Talk to Planets" features it as well.[6]

Single

The song had several releases as a single. A live version of the song was also released as a B-side for "Dead Christmas".[6]

LabelYearFormatB-sidesNotesSource
A&M Records1994CD single—S.F.W. version[6]
A&M Records1995CD single"Eclipse This"
"Third Alternative"
"Look to Your Orb for the Warning"		The song "Eclipse This" hadn't been available previously.[6]
A&M Records19957" vinyl picture disc"Eclipse This"—[6]
A&M Records1995CD single"Murder" (live BBC)
"Superjudge" (live BBC)
"Blow 'em Off" (spaghetti western mix)
"Eclipse This"
"Third Alternative" (edit)
"Look to Your Orb for the Warning"		Double CD single; the song is featured in both discs.[6]

Chart performance

Released during the era of grunge, when Monster Magnet's retro-rock style was highly unfashionable,[3] the song didn't attract enough attention of radio stations so it was only a moderate hit. It charted in the United States.

Year Chart Position
1995 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] 19
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[14] 26

The X-Men character who shares a name with this song was named after this song.[15][16] Her creator, Grant Morrison, has admitted being indebted to Monster Magnet.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Kogod, Theo (January 24, 2021). "Negasonic Teenage Warhead: How Deadpool's BFF Really Entered the X-Men's World". CBR. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  2. ↑ Leas, Ryan (August 1, 2018). "30 Essential Grunge Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Monster Magnet". AllMusic. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Media section". Monster Magnet. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
  5. ↑ Monster Magnet. Dopes to Infinity. A&M Records. Album credits.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Dopes to Infinity". Monster Magnet. Archived from the original on May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
  7. 1 2 "Monster Magnet - "Negasonic Teenage Warhead"". AllMusic. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  8. ↑ Prato, Greg. "Monster Magnet - Greatest Hits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  9. ↑ Raggett, Ned. "Monster Magnet - Dopes to Infinity". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Audio interview with Monster Magnet (Part 1)". Toazted. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
  11. ↑ "Monster Magnet - Negasonic Teenage Warhead". YouTube. Universal Music Group. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  12. ↑ Klaner, Tom. "Review: Beavis and Butthead - The Mike Judge Collection - Volume 1 (DVD)". Bright Eyes Germany. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Monster Magnet Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  14. ↑ "Monster Magnet Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  15. ↑ Perry, Spencer (March 30, 2015). "Newcomer Brianna Hildebrand Joins Deadpool as Negasonic Teenage Warhead". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ Anderson, Ethan (April 12, 2015). "Ryan Reynolds Reveals Negasonic Teenage Warhead in 'Deadpool'". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  17. ↑ Ness, Alex. "A Chat about Craft with Grant Morrison". Pop Thought. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
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