New Jersey comedic hardcore metallists Mucky Pup paved the way for such future juvenile acts as the Bloodhound Gang (look no further than some of their song titles -- "Death by Cholesterol," "Hippies Hate Water," "She Quieffed," etc.). The group originally formed in the mid-'80s, comprised of members Dan Nastasi (guitar), John Milnes (drums), Chris Milnes (vocals), and Scott LePage (bass), which led to numerous local shows and two demos that sold well. This led to a deal with the independent Torrid label, as the group issued albums on a steady basis for nearly ten years: 1987's Can't You Take a Joke?, 1989's A Boy in a Man's World, 1991's Now, 1992's Act of Faith, 1993's Lemonade, 1995's in-concert Alive and Well, and 1996's Five Guys in a Really Hot Garage. Although Mucky Pup never broke out of the metal/hardcore underground in the U.S., they achieved much greater success overseas in Europe. The group split up by the late '90s, as founder Nastasi (who had left the group a few years prior) achieved moderate success with a similarly styled outfit, Dog Eat Dog. In February of 2000, Mucky Pup reunited for a one-off show in New Jersey. ~ Greg Prato