UMe celebrates the legacy of one of the most quietly influential bands in history, Mother Love Bone, by reissuing the Seattle, WA group’s Shine EP and seminal full-length debut Apple on September 26.
This reissue is a testament to the enduring impact of Mother Love Bone’s music and a must-have for any serious music collector. Both Shine and Apple will be available in multiple physical configurations, including CD, standard black vinyl, or limited-edition color vinyl variants. A limited-edition, newly remastered Japan-exclusive Mini-LP/SHM-CD that includes both the Shine EP, as well as the debut full-length album Apple, will also be available on October 10. You can now pre-order here.
The CD version of the Shine EP includes “Capricorn Sister” (Album Version) as a bonus track, not included on the LP. The Shine vinyl formats feature a 4-song track list repeated on both sides, and it is available in three options: a standard black vinyl, a limited-edition “Purple Haze” vinyl, and a limited-edition “Skyblue” vinyl LP.
Fully remastered for the 35th anniversary, Apple is officially being released for the first time since 1990. The CD version includes two bonus tracks not included on the vinyl format: “Gentle Groove” and “Mr. Danny Boy.” At the same time, the vinyl formats will be available in standard black vinyl, a limited-edition “Red Alert” color vinyl, or a limited-edition “Apple Habanero” color vinyl.
Mother Love Bone’s sound, a unique blend of larger-than-life rock ‘n’ roll and intense nascent alternative, was first introduced on the Shine EP on March 6, 1989. This release showcased the interplay between drummer Greg Gilmore, lead guitarist Bruce Fairweather, the late legendary frontman Andrew Wood, and the tandem of guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament, who would later co-found Pearl Jam. The band’s influence on the grunge and alternative rock scenes is undeniable, and their music continues to inspire new generations of musicians and fans.
The EP also effectively set the stage for the band to deliver a classic in the form of Apple. The latter arrived on August 14, 1990, in the wake of Wood’s untimely passing, which had occurred less than five months earlier. Despite this tragic loss, its 13 tracks stood as a testament to both the frontman’s outsized talent and the once-in-a-lifetime chemistry shared by his bandmates. The album yielded favorites such as “Crown Of Thorns” and “This Is Shangrila,” among many others. To date, it has generated tens of millions of streams.
