Mugstar
Mugstar are an English rock band, influenced by kraut/psych/space/noise rock such as Oneida, Sonic Youth, Neu! and Hawkwind. Since 2003 they have issued several full-length albums, a split release with Mudhoney and a live album performing on stage together with Damo Suzuki. Mugstar recorded one of the last-ever Peel Sessions with the late John Peel on 5 May 2004.[1] Mugstar are currently signed to Rock Action Records in the United Kingdom and to Important Records in the United States.
History
Mugstar formed in Liverpool. Their first single, "Spotlight Over Memphis", drew attention from John Peel, who played the 7" on his radio show. It was after the next 7", "Flavin' HotRod", that Peel offered the band a Peel Session. A split 7" with Hunting Lodge followed. A mini-album on Kabukikore Records, "Dark Matter", came next, closely followed by a session for BBC Radio One's Huw Stephens. In January 2006 the band released "My Baby Skull Has Not Yet Flowered".
The band's self-titled debut album was released on CD at the end of 2006 on Sea Records, and on Critical MASS Records as a limited run of heavy weight vinyl in 2007. Mugstar then started a productive relationship with Ireland-based Trensmat Records with a run of limited 7" singles. One of these releases was a split 7" with Seattle's Mudhoney, with both bands doing covers of Hawkwind songs. During this time Red Panda and Mugstar featured on a one-sided 10" single, each performing half of "Tam Lin", a song made famous by Fairport Convention.
Mugstar signed to Important Records, who then released "...Sun, Broken..." CD in March 2010 and their third album, "Lime", was released also on CD in November 2010. For Record Store Day 2011 Mugstar contributed a cover of "I Got the Six" by ZZ Top for "I'm So Agitated", a 12" also featuring Carlton Melton, The Heads and Kool Aid, on Agitated Records. The "Lime" album got it's vinyl release through Agitated Records in September 2011. These were followed by a split album on Rocket Recordings with New York's Oneida - called "Collisions 2" - and a 40 minute remix of "Serra" (from "Lime") by Loop's Robert Hampson.
"Ad Marginem" - Original Film Soundtrack. Vinyl album with DVD, was released in September 2012. The film / album launch was celebrated with Mugstar performing the soundtrack live to film screenings, at Liverpool's Bluecoat and Rough Trade East in London.
The release of the band's fifth album, "Axis", followed in late 2012.
In April 2013 they performed a radio session for Marc Riley on his BBC 6 Music evening show.[2]
For Record Store Day 2013 Mugstar released "Centralia" their sixth album on the Cardinal Fuzz label.
Mugstar released "Start from Zero" a live album - recorded with Damo Suzuki in Liverpool, summer 2012 - on Important Records in January 2015.
The double album: "Magnetic Seasons" was released in 2016 on Rock Action Records.
Discography
- Spotlight Over Memphis 7" - critical MASS Records (10/03)
- Flavin HotRod 7" - critical MASS Records (05/04)
- Peel Session BBC Radio 1 (10/04)
- Split 7" with Hunting Lodge - Farm Girl Records (11/04)
- Dark Matter Mini-Album CD - Kabukikore Records (03/05)
- Trail Singles Comp. CD - critical MASS Records (10/05)
- My Baby Skull Has Not Yet Flowered 7" - Lancashire & Somerset Records (01/06)
- MUGSTAR Album - CD Sea Records / Vinyl critical MASS Records (11/06)
- Bethany Heart Star 7" - Trensmat Records (01/07)
- Born To Go 7" Split with Mudhoney - Trensmat Records (11/08)
- Tam Lin 10" Split with Red Panda - Lancashire & Somerset Records (12/08)
- Technical Knowledge As A Weapon 7" - Trensmat Records (08/09)
- ...SUN, BROKEN... Album. CD Important Records (03/10) Vinyl re-issue Cardinal Fuzz Records (2014)
- In Search of Hawkwind Tribute Album with Kinski, Magoo, Bardo Pond, Mudhoney, Acid Mothers Temple, Moon Duo & White Hills. CD - critical MASS records (2010)
- LIME Album. CD Important Records (11/10) Vinyl Agitated Records (09/11)
- Collisions 2 Split album with Oneida vinyl - Rocket Recordings (10/11)
- Distant Sun Serra Remix by Robert Hampson Vinyl album / CD - Agitated Records (11/11)
- Black Fountain Split 7" with Carlton Melton - Trensmat Records (12/11)
- AD MARGINEM Original Film Soundtrack. Vinyl album with DVD - Agitated Records (09/12)
- AXIS Album. Vinyl / CD - Agitated Records (10/12)
- CENTRALIA Album. Vinyl - Cardinal Fuzz Records (04/13)
- Travel Expop Series #2: Great Britain split album with The Oscillation / Ben Nash / Listening Mirror Hands In The Dark / All Time Low Records (08/13)
- START FROM ZERO Album. Recorded live with Damo Suzuki. Vinyl only - Important Records (01/15)
- MAGNETIC SEASONS Album. Double Vinyl LP with download / CD - Rock Action Records (2016)
Band members
- Pete Smyth - Guitar/vocals/keyboards
- Neil Murphy - Guitar
- Jason Stoll - Bass
- Steve Ashton - Drums