Mugstar
Encyclopedia
Mugstar are a rock band, formed in England influenced by kraut/psych/space/noise rock. Mugstar hover in the realm of Oneida and Sonic Youth, fitting well beside artists such as Pink Floyd
, Neu!
and Hawkwind
. Since 2003 they have issued a few full lengths, a split with Mudhoney, an etched 10”, and—most famously—recorded the last ever Peel Session with the late John Peel
. They have released music on Agitated Records, Important Records, Lancashire & Somerset Records, Trensmat Records
, Sea Records and Critical Mass Records and have toured with Wooden Shjips
, Mogwai
, Acid Mothers Temple
, Oneida
, Clinic
, Mike Watt
amongst others. Mugstar are signed to Important Records, USA.
The debut album 'Mugstar' was released at the end of 2006 on Sea Records on CD and on Critical MASS Records on a limited run of heavy weight vinyl in 2007. The album gained the band fans across the world especially in America. Mugstar then started a productive relationship with Ireland based Trensmat Records with run of limited 7" singles from 'Bethany Heart Star' to 'Today is the Wrong Shape'. One of these releases was a split 7" with Seattle's finest Mudhoney, with both bands doing covers of Hawkwind songs. During this time Red Panda and Mugstar featured on a one sided 10" single with half of the song made famous by Fairport Convention 'Tamlin' each.
Mugstar signed to Important Records, who released "...Sun, Broken..." in March 2010. Currently the band are working on a film and have also been commissioned to write a soundtrack for a movie. Their third album "Lime" was released in November 2010 to universal positive reviews. For Record Store Day 2011 Mugstar contribute 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. "Lime" and "...Sun, Broken..." have both been released through Agitated Records on vinyl in September 2011. These were followed by a split album on Rocket Recordings with New York's finest Oneida - called "Collisions 2" and a 40 remix of 'Serra' from "Lime" by Loop's Robert Hampson, released on both vinyl and CD.
Flavin’ Hotrod 7”Critical Mass Records (05/04)
Peel Session BBC Radio 1 (10/04)
Split 7” w. Hunting Lodge Farm Girl Records (11/04)
Dark Matter Mini Album Kabukikore Records (03/05)
One Music Session BBC Radio 1 (08/05)
Trail Singles Comp. 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 Redpanda Lancashire & Somerset Records (12/08)
Technical Knowledge As A Weapon 7" Trensmat Records
(08/09)
...Sun, Broken... CD Important Records (03/10)
"'Lime'" CD Important Records (11/10) Vinyl Agitated Records (09/11)
'"Collisions 2'" Split Album with Oneida vinyl Rocket Recordings (10/11)
Neil Murphy - Guitar/noises/knowledge
Jason Stoll - Bass/sax/upper cuts
Steve Ashton - Drums
Sam Wheil - Visuals/projections
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Neu!
Neu!
Neu! was a German band formed by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother after their split from Kraftwerk in the early 1970s...
and Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
. Since 2003 they have issued a few full lengths, a split with Mudhoney, an etched 10”, and—most famously—recorded the last ever Peel Session with the late John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
. They have released music on Agitated Records, Important Records, Lancashire & Somerset Records, Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records are an Independent record label based in Ireland. They specialise in drone, noise music, krautrock and grooves. All releases are on 7" vinyl in very limited editions, sometimes utilising King Worldwide manufactured lathe records and occasionally coming with multimedia compact disks...
, Sea Records and Critical Mass Records and have toured with Wooden Shjips
Wooden Shjips
Wooden Shjips is a space rock/psychedelic rock band from San Francisco, USA.Their sound has been described as experimental, minimalist, drone rock, and "spacey psychedelic rock". They have been compared to Suicide, The Velvet Underground, The Doors, Soft Machine and Guru Guru...
, Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
, Acid Mothers Temple
Acid Mothers Temple
Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. is a Japanese psychedelic band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career featured many musicians, but by 2004 the line-up had coalesced with only a few core members and frequent guest...
, Oneida
Oneida (band)
Oneida is a rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their influences include psychedelic rock, krautrock, electronic, noise rock, and minimalism, but the overall structure and intent of their music cannot be easily traced to any of these styles...
, Clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
, Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
amongst others. Mugstar are signed to Important Records, USA.
History
Mugstar formed in Liverpool, England and immediately set about recording their first single Spotlight Over Memphis which drew attention from John Peel, who played the 7" a number of times. It was after the next 7" 'Flavin' Hotrod' that John Peel offered the band a Peel Session. A split 7" with Hunting Lodge followed. Although the first three 7"s are more noisy garage rock than the music they became known for, they laid the foundations for the sound they would later produce. A mini album on Kabukikore Records 'Dark Matter' come next which was closely followed by a session for BBC Radio One's Huw Stephens. January 2006 saw the release of "My Baby Skull Has Not Yet Flowered" hailed in some quarters as psych classic and featured in magazines as diverse as Mix Mag, The Wire, Kerrang and The Times.The debut album 'Mugstar' was released at the end of 2006 on Sea Records on CD and on Critical MASS Records on a limited run of heavy weight vinyl in 2007. The album gained the band fans across the world especially in America. Mugstar then started a productive relationship with Ireland based Trensmat Records with run of limited 7" singles from 'Bethany Heart Star' to 'Today is the Wrong Shape'. One of these releases was a split 7" with Seattle's finest Mudhoney, with both bands doing covers of Hawkwind songs. During this time Red Panda and Mugstar featured on a one sided 10" single with half of the song made famous by Fairport Convention 'Tamlin' each.
Mugstar signed to Important Records, who released "...Sun, Broken..." in March 2010. Currently the band are working on a film and have also been commissioned to write a soundtrack for a movie. Their third album "Lime" was released in November 2010 to universal positive reviews. For Record Store Day 2011 Mugstar contribute 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. "Lime" and "...Sun, Broken..." have both been released through Agitated Records on vinyl in September 2011. These were followed by a split album on Rocket Recordings with New York's finest Oneida - called "Collisions 2" and a 40 remix of 'Serra' from "Lime" by Loop's Robert Hampson, released on both vinyl and CD.
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” w. Hunting Lodge Farm Girl Records (11/04)
Dark Matter Mini Album Kabukikore Records (03/05)
One Music Session BBC Radio 1 (08/05)
Trail Singles Comp. 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
Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records are an Independent record label based in Ireland. They specialise in drone, noise music, krautrock and grooves. All releases are on 7" vinyl in very limited editions, sometimes utilising King Worldwide manufactured lathe records and occasionally coming with multimedia compact disks...
(01/07)
Born To Go 7" Split with Mudhoney Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records are an Independent record label based in Ireland. They specialise in drone, noise music, krautrock and grooves. All releases are on 7" vinyl in very limited editions, sometimes utilising King Worldwide manufactured lathe records and occasionally coming with multimedia compact disks...
(11/08)
Tam Lin 10" Split with Redpanda Lancashire & Somerset Records (12/08)
Technical Knowledge As A Weapon 7" Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records
Trensmat Records are an Independent record label based in Ireland. They specialise in drone, noise music, krautrock and grooves. All releases are on 7" vinyl in very limited editions, sometimes utilising King Worldwide manufactured lathe records and occasionally coming with multimedia compact disks...
(08/09)
...Sun, Broken... CD Important Records (03/10)
"'Lime'" CD Important Records (11/10) Vinyl Agitated Records (09/11)
'"Collisions 2'" Split Album with Oneida vinyl Rocket Recordings (10/11)
Band members
Pete Smyth - Guitar/vocals/keyboardsNeil Murphy - Guitar/noises/knowledge
Jason Stoll - Bass/sax/upper cuts
Steve Ashton - Drums
Sam Wheil - Visuals/projections