Garbage – Hammering In My Head Deep Cut Friday
- Each week, SPIN digs into the catalogs of great artists and highlights songs you might not know for our Deep Cut Friday series.
- Few bands have married the harsh clang of industrial rock too sugary pop hooks quite as deftly as Garbage.
- Local police cut the recording session short after neighbors complained, but Garbage were still able to use some of those drum sounds on three songs on the album,...
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Deep Cut Friday: Garbage’s “Hammering In My head” – A Sweetly Industrial Sound
Table of Contents
Each week, SPIN digs into the catalogs of great artists and highlights songs you might not know for our Deep Cut Friday series.
The Genesis of a Standout Track
Few bands have married the harsh clang of industrial rock too sugary pop hooks quite as deftly as Garbage. So it feels appropriate that a little of one of the band’s best albums was recorded in a dilapidated building that had been a candy factory. In a piece about the making of 1998’s version 2.0 for the August 1999 issue of Keyboard magazine, drummer Butch Vig and guitarist Steve Marker revealed that they’d set up a drum kit in the vacant building in Madison, Wisconsin, to get percussion sounds with the space’s unique acoustics.
Local police cut the recording session short after neighbors complained, but Garbage were still able to use some of those drum sounds on three songs on the album, including the standout “Hammering In My Head.”
Sonic Texture and Lyrical Depth
The song features one of Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson’s most memorable vocal performances.The visceral imagery in her extended spoken outro might even contain an allusion to the track’s candy factory backstory: “Sweat it all out in our electric storms and our shifting sands / our candy jars and our sticky hands.”
A remix by Eli Janney of Girls Against Boys was never officially released, but that track, “Hammering in My Head (Americruiser Remix)” eventually leaked on the internet. This unofficial release highlights the song’s enduring appeal and the demand for alternative interpretations of Garbage’s work.
The Significance of Version 2.0
Version 2.0 was a pivotal album for Garbage, solidifying their position as a leading force in alternative rock. The album’s exploration of themes like technology,alienation,and identity resonated with audiences at the time and continues to do so today. The album’s success can be attributed to its innovative production techniques, Manson’s captivating vocals, and the band’s willingness to experiment with different sounds.
Here’s a breakdown of the album’s chart performance:
| Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | #13 |
| UK Albums Chart | #5 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | #3 |
The album spawned several triumphant singles, including “I Think I’m Paranoid” and “Special,” but “Hammering In My Head” remains a fan favorite due to its atmospheric sound and evocative lyrics.
The Candy Factory Connection: More Than Just Acoustics
The story of the candy factory recording session is more than just a quirky anecdote. It speaks to Garbage’s willingness to embrace unconventional recording environments and their commitment to finding unique sounds. The dilapidated state of the building likely contributed to the song’s raw and unsettling atmosphere, perfectly complementing Manson’s lyrics and vocal delivery.