L O N G article about Martha and the Muffins

[hall%beta.DEC@decwrl.DEC.COM (Dan Hall)]

>> Really-From: Bob Knight <KNIGHT@SRI-NIC.ARPA>
>>
>> Aha!  Dan, we seem to have a lot of likes in common.  M+M is one of my faves
>> and has been for years.  Danseparc is great, but Metro Music and This Is The
>> Ice Age are real fine, too.  It's been about 1.5 years since Mystery Walk,
>> are they still together and recording?  

> Really-From: Jordan Hayes <jordan@ames.ARPA>
>
> Yow! Great band -- get Metro Music; it's better than Danseparc

I have all five albums by Martha and the Muffins, and consider _Danseparc_
to be far and away the best of the lot.  It's one of those records where
everything is right, from the tunes themselves to their order on the record
and the segueing between some of them.  _Mystery Walk_ was number two by
my rating but _This is the Ice Age_ is quickly replacing it.  _Metro Music_
is just ok by me, and _Trance and Dance_ doesn't do a thing for me.

What follows is a complete discography of M+M's LPs for those like me who 
enjoy reading such things.  I'm not sending it to net.music because I don't 
want to read two month's worth of discussion about my spelling errors or 
bickering about my poor taste in music or any of the other net.music drivel 
that's causing me to be about this --> <-- close to de-subscribing.  Sorry for 
the flaming.  On with the show, this is it...
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

_Metro Music_ 1980 (recorded 1979) Dindisc/Dinsong Ltd, Virgin Records
Mark Gane;  guitar,synth on Echo Beach
Tim Gane;  drums
Andy Haas;  sax
Martha Johnson;  vocals,keyboards
Martha Ladly;  vocals,keyboards,trombone
Carl Finkle;  bass
Produced by Mike Howlett  (sequencer on Terminal Twilight)

Echo Beach
Paint by Number Heart
Saigon
Indecision
Terminal Twilight
Hide and Seek
Monotone
Sinking Land
Revenge(Against the World)
Cheesies and Gum


_Trance And Dance_  1980  Dindisc Ltd.  
Mark Gane;  guitar,vocals,synthetics
Tim Gane;  drums,percussion
Andy Haas;  sax
Martha Johnson;  vocals,keyboards
Martha Ladly;  vocals,keyboards,trombone
Carl Finkle;  bass
Produced by Mike Howlett

Luna Park
Suburban Dream
Was Ezo
Teddy the Dink
Symptomatic Love
Primal Weekend
Halfway Through the Week
Am I On?
Motorbikin'
About Insomnia
Be Blase
Trance and Dance


_This Is The Ice Age_  1981 Dindisc/Dinsong Ltd.
Mark Gane;  guitar,vocals,keyboards,treatments,percussion
Tim Gane;  drum kit,percussion
Andy Haas;  alto sax,trombone
Martha Johnson;  vocals,keyboards,percussion
Jocelyne Lanois;  bass,backing vocals,percussion,keyboards
with Daniel Lanois;  additional backing vocals,percussion,treatments
Nick Gane;  casiotone M10,noise generator
and others
Produced by Martha and the Muffins and Daniel Lanois

Swimming
Women Around the World at Work
Casualties of Glass
Boy Without Filters
Jets Seem Slower in London Skies
This is the Ice Age
One Day in Paris
You Sold the Cottage
Three Hundred Years/Chemistry


_Danseparc_ 1983 RCA INC. on Current Records/Current Sounds Ltd.
Mark Gane;  guitars,vocals,keyboards,percussion,treatments
Martha Johnson;  vocals,inverse guitar,keyboards,percussion
Nick Kent;  drum kit,percussion
Jocelyne Lanois;  bass,backing vocals,percussion
with Daniel Lanois;  engineer,percussion,backing vocals,treatments
Nick Gane;  acoustic piano
and others
Produced by Daniel Lanois,with Mark Gane and Martha Johnson

Obedience
World Without Borders
Walking Into Walls
Danseparc(Every day it's tomorrow)
Sins of Children
Several Styles of Blonde Girls Dancing
Boys in the Bushes
What People Do For Fun
Whatever Happened to Radio Valve Road?


_Mystery Walk_  1984  RCA INC.  on Current Records/Current Sounds Ltd.
Mark Gane;  guitars,vocals,keyboards,percussion.treatments
Martha Johnson;  vocals,keyboards,percussion
with Daniel Lanois;  rhythm guitar,pedal steel guitar,treatments
and others
Produced by Daniel Lanois, Mark Gane and Martha Johnson

Black Stations/White Stations
Cooling the Medium
Come Out and Dance
I Start to Stop
Big Trees
In Between Sleep and Reason
Garden in the Sky
Nation of Followers
Alibi Room
Rhythm of Life

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It's interesting to note that the band personnel and producer stayed the same 
for the first two records, then on number three Martha Johnson left and the 
Lanois' appeared.  Daniel Lanois' co-production and treatments seem to be what 
starts to make M+M's sound appeal to me.  Also note that on number three, Mark
Gane's other brother Nick appears.  On number four Tim Gane leaves and is re-
placed by Nick Kent on drums.  Also, Daniel Lanois is given first billing on
production, WITH M. Gane and M. Johnson.  This is also the first place where
there is reference to "M+M" in addition to "Martha and the Muffins" (on the 
back cover only).  On number five the band permanently becomes M+M, which I feel
is refering to Mark + Martha, versus "Martha and the Muffins".  In fact, they
are the only original members, with Daniel Lanois still getting a "with" bill-
ing.  The production credits now go to Lanois, Gane AND Johnson.

I don't know what Gane and Johnson are up to these days, but Lanois is starting
to produce for other folks.  He co-produced U2's _The Unforgettable Fire_ along
with Brian Eno, and I've seen his name elsewhere recently.  I'd love an album
from Mark Gane;  his guitar work and treatments are very tasty.

There you have it.  Everything you ever wanted to know about M+M, and never
asked for.

Dan


"I am using you - am I amusing you?
 I am using you - am I amusing you?"  -- What People Do For Fun, M+M