Bassist Matt Lukin has left Mudhoney, leaving the future of the raucous Seattle garage-punk band up in the air.

According to Mudhoney vocalist-guitarist Mark Arm, Lukin, who was immortalized in a Pearl Jam song of the same name, is retiring from music, and the remaining bandmembers will be taking a break from the group, which has just parted company with its label, Reprise.

Reprise Records publicist Rick Gershon confirmed both Lukin's departure as well as the Mudhoney-Reprise split, which were reported by Arm in a post to an unofficial Mudhoney Web site. He also verified that the post's writer was, indeed, Arm himself. Gershon told MTV News that the band will be sadly missed.

According to Arm, Lukin intends to "move out to the sticks and hone his hermit skills (something he's been working on for awhile)," and Lukin "hasn't enjoyed touring for the last few years and that his heart isn't into playing music anymore.

In reference to the Mudhoney-Reprise split, Arn wrote

that while he was sad to no longer be working with the label's Gershon or A&R rep David Katznelson, the rest of the company "didn't seem to give a s**t or have a clue.

Arm and lead guitarist Steve Turner also play in The Monkeywrench with Tim Kerr. According to Arm, that band is in Seattle working on new material and waiting for Kerr to come up from Austin so they can record, perhaps this summer.

Inside sources say Turner is also about to link up with the Wellwater Conspiracy, a band anchored by former Soundgarden members Ben Shepherd and Matt Cameron.

Mudhoney drummer Dan Peters, who had been playing in Valis with Van Connor of Screaming Trees fame, has now hooked up with Seattle's Mike Johnson.

According to a Sub Pop Records spokesperson, the label will be releasing a double Mudhoney CD next year. One side will be a best-of disc, while the other will consist of B-sides and rarities. The package is scheduled to be issued in January.

Mudhoney's most recent

album, "Tomorrow Hit Today," was released last year.