The Meat Puppets are an influential American rock band formed in 1980 by brothers Curt and Cris Kirkwood. Known for their distinctive blend of punk, country, and psychedelic rock, they played a pivotal role in the development of alternative rock, particularly through their influential 1984 album, "Meat Puppets II". Their style is marked by Curt's distinctive guitar work and the brothers' harmonized vocals. The band gained mainstream recognition when Nirvana covered their songs during an MTV Unplugged performance, underscoring their influence on the grunge movement.