The Muffins
Encyclopedia
The Muffins are an American Maryland
-based progressive rock
/avant-jazz
group. They were formed in Washington, DC in the early 1970s and recorded four albums before disbanding in 1981. In 1998 the group reformed and recorded a further five albums and a DVD. The Muffins played at Symphony Space on Broadway in NYC with Marion Brown in 1979, and also performed at a number of festivals, starting with the ZU Manifestival in New York City in 1978, The Villa Celimontana festival in Rome, Italy in 2000, two appearances at Progday in 2001 and 2002, NEARfest in 2005, and the "Rock in Opposition
" festival in France in 2009. In 2010, The Muffins headlined at Progday, making a third appearance at this long running festival.
The Muffins are largely an instrumental
band inspired and influenced by avant-garde jazz, progressive rock, 20th century music, and the English Canterbury scene
. They work in an "underground genre" Perfect Sound Forever
called "the avant-garde side of latter-day US progressive jazz-rock", and place "the joy of creation over commercial concerns". The Rolling Stone Record Guide
called them the "spiritual American cousins of Henry Cow
and Soft Machine
", and Allmusic described their music as a "unique blend of Canterbury progressive, fusion, improvisation and much more."
they called the Buba Flirf house, and turned for inspiration to a new "Canterbury
" style of music (Soft Machine
, Caravan
and others) that was coming out of England at the time. In 1974, saxophonist Thomas Scott joined the group. Although Scott came from a classical
and big-band jazz background, he also had an affinity for Soft Machine and other British progressive rock groups like Gentle Giant
. After a succession of drummers, Stuart Abramowitz joined on drums in 1975, but left in July 1976, along with guitarist Zentner. The remaining trio decided to continue without a guitarist and drummer, and started exploring improvisation
. In late 1976 they found an "adventurous" drummer Paul Sears, who not only relieved the other members from shared percussion duties, but also, according to Scott, "open[ed] the Muffins up."
With its membership now stable, The Muffins as a quartet began exploring "a unique sound in an instrumental setting", mixing improvisation with composed pieces. They drew on several styles, including the Canterbury scene and the experimental sound of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow
. Henry Cow had a big impact on the band – Newhouse said that "Living in the Heart of the Beast
" from their album In Praise of Learning
"had a tremendous influence on me." During late 1975 and early 1976 the Muffins made a number of studio and home demos, but did not release them. Many, however, were later released on an album Chronometers by Cuneiform Records
in 1993.
But the price for putting "the joy of creation over commercial concerns" made it difficult for the band to fit into the local Maryland
/Virginia
/D.C. music scene. Reaction to their performances was often indifferent, but they did slowly start to build up a "small-but-rabid cult following". In the 1977 The Muffins moved to a new house in Rockville, Maryland
, which they converted into a recording studio. They also established their own independent record label
, Random Radar Records to release their own music and that of other "like-minded locals". In 1978 The Muffins released their first official album, Manna/Mirage, which received college radio
airplay and generally "positive press". The New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock
called the album an American approach to the style of Henry Cow, and Chris Cutler
and Fred Frith
of Henry Cow apparently "liked it a lot". After Henry Cow disbanded in August 1978, Frith moved to New York City
and later performed with The Muffins in Washington, D.C.. In November 1979 Frith recorded with them as his backing band in their Rockville studio for his 1980 solo album, Gravity
. He also produced and played on their next album, <185> in September 1980, which, Scott said, "[gave] us some new and interesting sounds, [and] a bit of credibility and international recognition that we were missing."
But after the luke-warm reaction <185> received, The Muffins decided to split up and go their own ways. Swann went on to play with a D.C.-based new wave
act called Urban Verbs, and Sears formed a progressive rock
band, Chainsaw Jazz. Newhouse went on a European tour with Frith's new band Skeleton Crew, and Scott ran a recording studio.
and recorded a track for a new Cuneiform Records sampler, Unsettled Scores, where Cuneiform artists performed each other's music. Newhouse said "The chemistry was unbelievable. It was as if we had never stopped playing." They went on to record a new album, Bandwidth, followed two years later by another album, Double Negative. In 2002 The Muffins played at a progressive rock showcase at Orion Sound Studios in Baltimore
, and the event was filmed and later released by the band on DVD as Live at Orion in 2003.
The Muffins also returned to performing live, including at the Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival in Rome
in 2000, the Knitting Factory
in New York City in 2001, NEARfest
in Pennsylvania
in 2005, and the "Rock in Opposition
" festival in France in 2009.
, a friend arrived with a tray of blueberry
muffin
s as a housewarming gift and shouted "The muffins are here!" Sounding like they were being introduced, the band adopted the name "The Muffins".
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
-based progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
/avant-jazz
Avant-garde jazz
Avant-garde jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. Avant-jazz often sounds very similar to free jazz, but differs in that, despite its distinct departure from traditional harmony, it has a predetermined structure over which ...
group. They were formed in Washington, DC in the early 1970s and recorded four albums before disbanding in 1981. In 1998 the group reformed and recorded a further five albums and a DVD. The Muffins played at Symphony Space on Broadway in NYC with Marion Brown in 1979, and also performed at a number of festivals, starting with the ZU Manifestival in New York City in 1978, The Villa Celimontana festival in Rome, Italy in 2000, two appearances at Progday in 2001 and 2002, NEARfest in 2005, and the "Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition or RIO was a movement representing a collective of progressive bands in the late 1970s united in their opposition to the music industry that refused to recognise their music...
" festival in France in 2009. In 2010, The Muffins headlined at Progday, making a third appearance at this long running festival.
The Muffins are largely an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
band inspired and influenced by avant-garde jazz, progressive rock, 20th century music, and the English Canterbury scene
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
. They work in an "underground genre" Perfect Sound Forever
Perfect Sound Forever (magazine)
Perfect Sound Forever is one of the longest-running online-only music magazines . Along with Michael Goldberg's Addicted to Noise Perfect Sound Forever (est. 1995) is one of the longest-running online-only music magazines . Along with Michael Goldberg's Addicted to Noise Perfect Sound Forever...
called "the avant-garde side of latter-day US progressive jazz-rock", and place "the joy of creation over commercial concerns". The Rolling Stone Record Guide
Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Rolling Stone Album Guide, previously known as The Rolling Stone Record Guide, is a book that, along with its sister publication Rolling Stone magazine, contains professional reviews of popular music...
called them the "spiritual American cousins of Henry Cow
Henry Cow
Henry Cow were an English avant-rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler and bassoonist/oboist Lindsay Cooper were important long-term members...
and Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
", and Allmusic described their music as a "unique blend of Canterbury progressive, fusion, improvisation and much more."
History
In 1973, keyboardist and saxophonist Dave Newhouse, guitarist Michael Zentner and bassist Billy Swann, disillusioned with the state of American rock music at the time, decided to form their own group. They moved into a large farmhouse in Gaithersburg, MarylandGaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
they called the Buba Flirf house, and turned for inspiration to a new "Canterbury
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
" style of music (Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
, Caravan
Caravan (band)
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
and others) that was coming out of England at the time. In 1974, saxophonist Thomas Scott joined the group. Although Scott came from a classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and big-band jazz background, he also had an affinity for Soft Machine and other British progressive rock groups like Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members. All of the band members, except the first two drummers, were multi-instrumentalists...
. After a succession of drummers, Stuart Abramowitz joined on drums in 1975, but left in July 1976, along with guitarist Zentner. The remaining trio decided to continue without a guitarist and drummer, and started exploring improvisation
Musical improvisation
Musical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...
. In late 1976 they found an "adventurous" drummer Paul Sears, who not only relieved the other members from shared percussion duties, but also, according to Scott, "open[ed] the Muffins up."
With its membership now stable, The Muffins as a quartet began exploring "a unique sound in an instrumental setting", mixing improvisation with composed pieces. They drew on several styles, including the Canterbury scene and the experimental sound of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow
Henry Cow
Henry Cow were an English avant-rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler and bassoonist/oboist Lindsay Cooper were important long-term members...
. Henry Cow had a big impact on the band – Newhouse said that "Living in the Heart of the Beast
Living in the Heart of the Beast
"Living in the Heart of the Beast" is the title of an extended song written and composed by Tim Hodgkinson in 1975 for the English avant-rock group Henry Cow...
" from their album In Praise of Learning
In Praise of Learning
In Praise of Learning is an album by British avant-rock groups Henry Cow and Slapp Happy, recorded at Virgin Records' Manor studios in February and March 1975...
"had a tremendous influence on me." During late 1975 and early 1976 the Muffins made a number of studio and home demos, but did not release them. Many, however, were later released on an album Chronometers by Cuneiform Records
Cuneiform Records
Cuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
in 1993.
But the price for putting "the joy of creation over commercial concerns" made it difficult for the band to fit into the local Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
/Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
/D.C. music scene. Reaction to their performances was often indifferent, but they did slowly start to build up a "small-but-rabid cult following". In the 1977 The Muffins moved to a new house in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
, which they converted into a recording studio. They also established their own independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, Random Radar Records to release their own music and that of other "like-minded locals". In 1978 The Muffins released their first official album, Manna/Mirage, which received college radio
Campus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
airplay and generally "positive press". The New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock
Gibraltar (web site)
Gibraltar, also called The New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock, is a web site devoted to presenting news and reviews in the world of progressive rock. It was started originally as a mailing list — Gibraltar - The Electronic Magazine For Progressive Rock And Related Music — by...
called the album an American approach to the style of Henry Cow, and Chris Cutler
Chris Cutler
Chris Cutler is an English percussionist, composer, lyricist and music theorist. Best known for his work with English avant-rock group Henry Cow, Cutler was also a member and drummer of a number of other bands, including Art Bears, News from Babel, Pere Ubu and Gong/Mothergong...
and Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
of Henry Cow apparently "liked it a lot". After Henry Cow disbanded in August 1978, Frith moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and later performed with The Muffins in Washington, D.C.. In November 1979 Frith recorded with them as his backing band in their Rockville studio for his 1980 solo album, Gravity
Gravity (Fred Frith album)
Gravity is a 1980 solo album by English guitarist, composer and improviser Fred Frith from Henry Cow and Art Bears. It was Frith's second solo album and his first since the demise of Henry Cow in 1978...
. He also produced and played on their next album, <185> in September 1980, which, Scott said, "[gave] us some new and interesting sounds, [and] a bit of credibility and international recognition that we were missing."
But after the luke-warm reaction <185> received, The Muffins decided to split up and go their own ways. Swann went on to play with a D.C.-based new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
act called Urban Verbs, and Sears formed a progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band, Chainsaw Jazz. Newhouse went on a European tour with Frith's new band Skeleton Crew, and Scott ran a recording studio.
Reunion
In the early 1990s The Muffins got back together briefly to play at a private party, and a recorded extract from their performance appeared on a 1995 Cuneiform Records compilation, Unsettled Scores. In 1998, realising that there was still a demand for their music, Newhouse, Swann, Scott and Sears decided to officially reform The Muffins. Cuneiform Records had already re-issued all their old albums on CDs, and released a collection of unreleased tracks on Open City, and their early studio and home demos on Chronometers. The band assembled at Sears's house and jammedJam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
and recorded a track for a new Cuneiform Records sampler, Unsettled Scores, where Cuneiform artists performed each other's music. Newhouse said "The chemistry was unbelievable. It was as if we had never stopped playing." They went on to record a new album, Bandwidth, followed two years later by another album, Double Negative. In 2002 The Muffins played at a progressive rock showcase at Orion Sound Studios in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, and the event was filmed and later released by the band on DVD as Live at Orion in 2003.
The Muffins also returned to performing live, including at the Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 2000, the Knitting Factory
Knitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
in New York City in 2001, NEARfest
NEARfest
The North East Art Rock Festival, or NEARfest for short, is a multi-day event celebrating the resurgence of progressive and eclectic music in the United States and around the world. The event is held annually in early summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, approximately one hour north of Philadelphia...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 2005, and the "Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition or RIO was a movement representing a collective of progressive bands in the late 1970s united in their opposition to the music industry that refused to recognise their music...
" festival in France in 2009.
Name
In 1973, soon after the band, at the time unnamed, had moved into the large farmhouse in Gaithersburg, MarylandGaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
, a friend arrived with a tray of blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
muffin
Muffin
A muffin is an American English name for a type of quick bread that is baked in small portions. Many forms are somewhat like small cakes or cupcakes in shape, although they usually are not as sweet as cupcakes and generally lack frosting. Savory varieties, such as cornbread muffins, also exist...
s as a housewarming gift and shouted "The muffins are here!" Sounding like they were being introduced, the band adopted the name "The Muffins".
Members
- Dave Newhouse – piano, organ, baritone, alto and soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, percussion
- Billy Swann – electric bass guitar, guitar, percussion, vocals
- Michael Zentner (1973–1976) – guitar, violin
- Thomas Scott (1974-) – alto and soprano saxophone, bass and alto clarinet, oboe, flute, percussion
- Stuart Abramowitz (1975–1976) – drums
- Paul Sears (1976-) – drums, percussion, guitar, trombone
Albums
- Secret Signals II (1975, privately distributed cassette)
- Manna/Mirage (1978, LP, Random Radar Records, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Air Fiction (1979, LP) – live and home studio recordings of improvisations
- <185> (1981, LP, Random Radar Records, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Open City (1985, LP, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – a collection of unreleased tracks - Chronometers (1993, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – studio and home demos recorded in 1975 and 1976 - Loveletter #1 (2001, CD, Contorted Records, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – outtakes and live performances (1999–2001) - Bandwidth (2002, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Air Live (2002, CD)
- Double Negative (2004, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Loveletter #2 (2005, CD, Hobart Films & Records, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – outtakes and live performances
Appears on
- Various artists: A Random Sampler (1977, LP, Random Radar Records, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – includes one Muffins track - Fred FrithFred FrithFred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
: GravityGravity (Fred Frith album)Gravity is a 1980 solo album by English guitarist, composer and improviser Fred Frith from Henry Cow and Art Bears. It was Frith's second solo album and his first since the demise of Henry Cow in 1978...
(1980, LP Ralph RecordsRalph RecordsRalph Records was The Residents' original record label, the name coming from the somewhat colorful phrase "calling Ralph on the porcelain telephone."...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – The Muffins feature on side two of the LP - Various artists: Recommended Records SamplerRecommended Records SamplerThe Recommended Records Sampler is a sampler double album by various artists released by English independent record label Recommended Records on LP in 1982...
(1982, 2xLP, Recommended Records) – includes two extracts from Chronometers - Various artists: Unsettled Scores (1995, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – includes one Muffins track - Various artists: Cuneiform Progressive II (2002, CD Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) – includes one Muffins track
External links
- Paul Sears official website.
- The Muffins official website.
- The Muffins at Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
...