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Muffin Men Press Release
The Muffin Men play Frank Zappa
Music,
...with some Captain Beefheart and stuff thrown in.
They perform their own arrangements of Zappa songs and instrumentals
with precision, wit
and conviction.
Originally formed in 1990 to play a one off show to celebrate
the 50th birthday of their
favourite composer, the Muffin Men have gone on to play more
than 400 shows in 10
countries. They have recorded 10 CDs and had 4 original members
of the Mothers of Invention/Zappa bands in their line-up. Their
line-up and flavour have changed somewhat
over the years - just as Zappa himself evolved his bands and
repertoire, allowing the
music to grow.
Jimmy Carl Black, original drummer and vocalist with The Mothers
Of Invention is special
guest for these dates. Jimmy not only appeared on more than
15 of the original
Zappa/Mothers albums, he also starred in the movie "200
Motels" with Ringo Starr and
Keith Moon, played drums with Captain Beefheart and His Magic
Band and recorded
countless albums around the States and Europe.
Jimmy had been performing with The Muffin Men on and off since
1993 - "The Muffins are
the best band I've ever played with, they take the music and
turn it into something else,
something new!"
Founder member and Muffinz leader Roddie Gilliard is a tutor
at the world famous
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) founded by Sir
Paul McCartney. The other
band members also work within LIPA and other university colleges,
some write for the
theatre. The brass and horn players are often called upon by
various other Liverpool
based bands to supply lines to their albums and performances,
most recently they could
be seen on Jools Hollands "Later" TV show with new
Liverpool band The Coral, and expect
to hear them on the forthcoming recordings.
The Muffin Men also collaborate with members of Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra
to perform "When Worlds Collide" - project that fuses
rock band and classical musicians
together to perform Zappa compositions. Conductor Clarke Rundell
admits
"most rock/classical collaborations only work on a cosmetic
level, but these people
manage to play together in a way that seems so natural"
Although The Muffin Men were formed some years before the term
"tribute band" was
invented, they are unfortunately often placed in that category.
Granted, the band do play
tribute to Frank Zappa, his Music and his heritage, but take
it further - adding their own
edge to the whole. Don't expect a "look-a-like-sound-a-like"
affair - expect fine musicians
playing fine music. From complex rock to jazz styling, boogie
blues to avant-garde,
chamber music to silly doo-wop, the band take on anything -
always with eyebrows raised -
just how Frank would have wanted it. |
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