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 (20)
Releases on file (19)
Paul Sears — Angels & Demons That Play Paul Sears — Angels & Demons That Play
(Stairway Press, 2018, TPB)
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 — Secret Signals 3 The Muffins — Secret Signals 3
(New House NH06, 1981/2019, 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)
The Muffins — Secret Signals 2 The Muffins — Secret Signals 2
(New House NH04, 1975/2018, CD)

Latest news

2020-01-21
Gong Announces UK Tour for 2020 – Having spent the last few years touring the world, including dates in Japan with psych legend Steve Hillage, multiple headline European tours and festivals, America’s Cruise to the Edge festival, a South America headline tour, and a headline performance at Tomorrow Festival in China, the band have won the hearts of both traditional and modern Gong fanbases. During this live journey, Gong has delved further into the truly psychedelic, exploratory, and mind-expanding side of the music. » Read more

2020-01-15
Carlos Alvarado RIP – Carlos Alvarado, pioneering composer, multi-instrumentalist and pioneer of progressive rock and electronic experimental music in Mexico, passed away January 14th, 2020 at age 68 after a two year battle with cancer.  » Read more

2020-01-12
Wolfgang Dauner RIP – Pianist Wolfgang Dauner, one of the pioneers of both European free jazz and jazz rock, has died at the age of 84. With his own groups and with the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble, his playing and compositions were a prominent presence in European jazz from the mid-60s until just recently. » Read more

2020-01-12
Michael Allison RIP – Michael Allison, who since 1997 has been recording as Darshan Ambient, passed away on January 9th after a long and brave battle with cancer. He has been at at the forefront of the new ambient/electronic music scene, with over eighteen releases to his credit. » Read more

2020-01-10
Neil Peart RIP – One of rock music's defining drummers has died at the age of 67. Neil Peart's work with Rush provided one of the templates for percussion in rock, and he certainly ranks in the top ten most influential drummers of the 20th Century. Peart retired from playing in 2015 due to health issues, and succumbed to brain cancer on January 7, 2020. » Read more

More news

Previously in Exposé...

Clearlight - Visions – Fourteen years after releasing the album, Cyrille Verdeaux delivers a fine remake of Visions. On first listen it is evident that Verdeaux closely involved himself with this reissue. He remixed as well...  (1994) » Read more

Oaksenham - Conquest of the Pacific – Seems like a long time since we reviewed this Armenian band’s debut live release Woden’s Eve Live; in fact it was 2002, and since then the band has been diligently working on this, their...  (2007) » Read more

Pangée - Hymnemonde – I thought this niche of the symphonic rock genre was long dead, but I'm very glad it isn't. Pangée of Quebec, Canada is strongly in the 70s French symphonic vein with heavy nods in the...  (1997) » Read more

The Reptile Palace Orchestra - Hwy X – An unusual fusion of musics from across a wide variety of influences, The Reptile Palace Orchestra seem an anomaly for an American band. They draw their repertoire of melodies and stylisms from what...  (1998) » Read more

Lito Vitale - Un Dia Antes de Ayer (Recopilación) – This is a compilation made largely redundant by the reissue of Vitale's first album, Sobre Miedos..., and although I'm not familiar with the bulk of Vitale's later work, the rest of the...  (1997) » Read more

Random review

Listen & discover

Goodbye, Lucky Man

More recommendations
Paul Sears - Angels & Demons That Play book

Print issues