Exposé Online banner

The Muffins

The Muffins
Country
United States
Profile
The Muffins was a Maryland-based progressive rock / avant-jazz group initially influenced largely by Canterbury groups like Soft Machine. They were formed in Washington, DC in the early 70s by Dave Newhouse (keyboards, saxes), Michael Zentner (guitar), and Billy Swann (bass), who were soon joined by Tom Scott (saxes); Paul Sears (drums) was added in 1976. The original group, with some variations, recorded four albums before disbanding in 1981. In the late 90s, after Cuneiform had some success reissuing The Muffins' albums, the group reformed with Newhouse, Swann, Scott, and Sears, a group which returned to recording and performing, often working with other musicians. In 2016, it was announced that the band had permanently broken up, though members have continued to work together in various projects.
Website
http://www.themuffins.org
Related articles (19)
Releases on file (16)
Various Artists — Romantic Warriors III: Canterbury Tales Various Artists — Romantic Warriors III: Canterbury Tales
(Zeitgeist Media 3, 2015, DVD)
The Muffins — Mother Tongue The Muffins — Mother Tongue
(HOBART 003, 2012, CD)
Various Artists — Romantic Warriors II: About Rock in Opposition Various Artists — Romantic Warriors II: About Rock in Opposition
(Zeitgeist Media 2, 2012, DVD)
The Muffins — Palindrome The Muffins — Palindrome
(Musea FGBG 4865, 2010, CD)
Various Artists — Kinections: The ProgDay Support CD Various Artists — Kinections: The ProgDay Support CD
((Not on label) no#, 2005, CD)
The Muffins with Marshall Allen & Knoel Scott — Loveletter #2 The Muffins with Marshall Allen & Knoel Scott — Loveletter #2 "The Ra Sessions"
(HOB002, 2005, CD)
The Muffins — Double Negative The Muffins — Double Negative
(Cuneiform Rune 199, 2004, CD)
The Muffins — Bandwidth The Muffins — Bandwidth
(Cuneiform Rune 161, 2002, CD)
The Muffins — Loveletter #1 The Muffins — Loveletter #1
(CoNtOrTeD CON6, 2001, CD)
Various Artists — Unsettled Scores Various Artists — Unsettled Scores
(Cuneiform Rune 75/76, 1995, 2CD)
The Muffins — Open City The Muffins — Open City
(Cuneiform 55010, 1985/1994, CD)
Various Artists — Recommended Records Sampler Various Artists — Recommended Records Sampler
(Recommended Records (RéR) ReR 25A/B, 1982/2009, 2CD)
The Muffins — <185> The Muffins — <185>
(Cuneiform 55013, 1981/1996, CD)
The Muffins — Manna / Mirage The Muffins — Manna / Mirage
(Cuneiform 55004, 1978/1993, CD)
The Muffins — Secret Signals 1 The Muffins — Secret Signals 1
(New House NH02, 1978/2017, CD)
The Muffins — Chronometers The Muffins — Chronometers
(Cuneiform 55007, 1975/1993, CD)

Latest news

2018-11-16
The Seventeenth Dream of Dr Sardonicus Festival Tickets Now Available – Fruits de Mer Records and their merry crew of psychedelic explorers are getting set to present the next The Seventeenth Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival. The dates are set for August 2-4, 2019 at The Cellar Bar in Cardigan, Wales. They've also announced that the legendary Groundhogs will top the bill. » Read more

2018-11-02
Charles O'Meara (C.W. Vrtacek) RIP – A true musical original has left us. Charles O'Meara, who recorded under the name C.W. Vrtacek, was a wild-card musical talent, ranging from complex progressive rock to introspective modern compositions, with stops at many places inbetween. » Read more

2018-10-17
Eurock Documentary Seeks Funding – We've been fans and fellow travelers with Archie Patterson and his Eurock project on the journey to discover great music. After many years of promoting and trying to spread the word,a new phase is beginning: a documentary film. Things like this don't just happen, and money does not magically appear to make it happen, so it's up to the fans to get it done. » Read more

2018-09-29
Marty Balin RIP – One of the architects of the 60s psychedelic sound of San Francisco has died at the age of 76. Marty Balin was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was one of the founders of Jefferson Airplane. After the split of the original Airplane, Balin went on to form the highly successful Jefferson Starship. » Read more

2018-09-25
Help the Psychic Equalizer Avoid Extinction – Last year we reviewed the debut album by Psychic Equalizer, a musical project of Hugo Selles. He's now working on the ambitious follow-up to that release, and is seeking funding from listeners around the world. » Read more

More news

Previously in Exposé...

Guru Guru - Seven Reissues – Guru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer Mani Neumeier,...  (2008) » Read more

Rutherford - Mapping out Chaos – With a constant stream of me-too independently produced new releases coming in, all demanding time to be heard and reviewed, it is indeed refreshing when one among them has something genuinely...  (2007) » Read more

Stencil Forest - The Abyss – Stencil Forest is another example of “band makes an album that goes nowhere, disbands, then reforms years later to try it again.” The core of the 1983 lineup has returned — Frank...  (2007) » Read more

Hardscore - Monkey Trial – This is one of the more bizarre and intriguing things I’ve heard in quite a while. It’s set up as a kind of audio movie with a story about a woman who can talk to animals who has taken a...  (2005) » Read more

St Vincent - Actor – Imagine if Enya and Adrian Belew had produced offspring. Annie Clark (St. Vincent is essentially Clark plus guest musicians) has the former’s angelic voice and mesmerizing vocal arrangements,...  (2010) » Read more

Random review

Listen & discover

Tell Me, Maddy, Why Are You Wearing Green Willow on Your Hat?

More recommendations
The Seventeenth Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival 2019

Print issues