Golden Smog is a loosely connected group of musicians comprised, at various times, of members of Soul Asylum, The Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star. Golden Smog's lineup has often changed, but relative constants who appear on all the recordings are guitarists Kraig Johnson , Dan Murphy and Gary Louris , along with bassist Marc Perlman . The group took their name from a nickname given to Fred Flintstone, which, in turn, was a parody of singer Mel Tormé's nickname . The definitive beginning of Golden Smog is hard to pinpoint given the mercurial... nature of the band's lineup. However, some claim that the group that would evolve into Golden Smog debuted in January 1987, when a band billed as 'The Take It To The Limit Band' played an all-Eagles cover show at the Uptown Bar in Minneapolis. This band consisted of Dan Murphy and Dave Pirner , Jim Boquist , and Martin Zellar . The show ended with a cover of then Bangles hit song "Walk Like an Egyptian.
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