Milk (Garbage song)
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"Milk" was the final single released from Garbage's debut album. It was released in Autumn 1996 in various versions worldwide following an amazing performance of the track at the 1996 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Song profile
"Milk" was written and recorded by Garbage at Smart Studios during the sessions for the first album Garbage in Winter 1994–1995. It was one of the very final songs to be completed for the album.
The most electronic based song on the album, "Milk" is a slow regretful tale of loss and hope.
Garbage collaborated with UK hip-hop artist Tricky on the radio remix of "Milk" in Chicago and New York in May 1996. After initial reports that the band was unhappy with results, they went back and re-worked the track at Smart Studios and released the remix as a single.
The remix, which features acoustic guitars and electric drums in place of keyboards and synth, was issued in two forms—the Siren Mix was simply Shirley Manson solo, and the Wicked Mix was the version with both Shirley Manson and Tricky.
Mike Kashou played bass on the LP version of "Milk". Daniel Schulman played bass on the Wicked, Siren and Tricky remixes of "Milk".
Single release
"Milk" was released worldwide in November 1996. In the UK the Wicked Remix featuring Tricky was the A-side, in Europe and Australia the Siren Remix was the A-side and in the US the regular album version was the single choice.
"Milk" was Garbage's second top ten hit in the UK, peaking at the No. 10 spot itself.
"Milk" was the last of the special vinyl formats in the UK, due to rules by the UK chart compilers which would rule out chart eligibility to such packagings after January 1997. It was issued in a white card sleeve with a Videogram G on the front and was limited to 14,000 copies.
In October 1996, a month before the release of "Milk", the band's label issued a three 12" set to HMV shops as a "taster". These vinyls were limited to 500 copies each and came in a white cardboard G die-cut sleeve with a differing day-glo colour inner—one in pink, one in orange and one in yellow.
Another set of "Milk" remixes was issued as part of a 4 piece 12" set in May 1997. In plain black sleeves, this set also included remixes of singles "Queer" and "Stupid Girl".
Music video
The promo clip for "Milk" was shot in London in August 1996 by Stephane Sednaoui, featuring mainly Shirley with other members floating in and out of the shadows amongst a light display of white strobes and green spotlights. There were two versions of the video: the LP version was a fluid single cut, but the version edited for the remix was montage film.
Live performances
"Milk" was first played live on November 5th 1995 at Garbage's first gig in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was regularly performed on the 'Garbage' tour. It was rested for the first year of the 'Version 2.0' tour, but brought back in January 1999 and continued to be a part of the band's set throughout the remainder of the year and during the 'beautifulgarbage' tour. It has been performed on the 'Bleed Like Me' tour in the Live Performance 15 September 2005 at the Hard Rock Cafe, L.A .
"Milk" has also been performed acoustically in concert.
The remix of "Milk" was performed live in front of 1 billion viewers at the 1996 MTV Europe Music Awards, in London, UK. Garbage also picked up the 'Breakthrough' award on the night. "Milk" has also been performed on UK show Top Of The Pops and on Canadian music show MusiquePlus.
Remixes
Tricky also completed a remix of the track, the "Tricky Remix", in which he and Shirley Manson recorded another completely new vocal for the song.
Other remixes of the song were completed by US group Rabbit In The Moon, UK jungle DJ Goldie and by UK indie dance act Massive Attack. Of the latter's mixes, the 'D Mix' features a 22-piece live orchestra.
Trivia
"Milk" has been used (in various mixes) in UK TV shows EastEnders & Tinsel Town and on adverts for Scottish TV channel STV.
Milk quote, unquote
Shirley Manson: "It's a dichotomy, a paradox. The thing I really like about "Milk" is the fact that it's been dismissed by a lot of people as the ballad at the end of the album. But to me "Milk" is the darkest, most hopeless of all the songs. It's a very bleak song about loss, and the fear of loss".
Comprehensive charts
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Milk" | UK Singles Chart | #10 |
| 1996 | "Milk" | Australian Singles Chart | #44 |
| Garbage |
| Butch Vig | Shirley Manson | Duke Erikson | Steve Marker |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums and extended plays: Garbage | Version 2.0 | beautifulgarbage | Bleed Like Me | Absolute Garbage |
| Singles: "Vow" | "Subhuman" | "Only Happy When It Rains" | "Queer" | "Stupid Girl" | "Milk" | "Number One Crush" | "Push It" | "I Think I'm Paranoid" | "Special" | "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" | "When I Grow Up" | "You Look So Fine" | "The World Is Not Enough" | "Androgyny" | "Cherry Lips" | "Breaking Up the Girl" | "Shut Your Mouth" | "Why Do You Love Me" | "Bleed Like Me" | "Sex Is Not the Enemy" | "Run Baby Run" |
| Related articles |
| Alternative rock | Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie | Angelfish | The World Is Not Enough | Mushroom Records | Almo Sounds | Interscope Records |
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