MU
Best Of MU
Notes
Artist: MU
Title: Best Of MU
Label: Reckless Records
Catalog: CD Reck 4
Original Release: 1971 (MU) and 1982 (The Last Album)
This release: 1988
Line-up/Musicians
Merrill Frankhauser- Guitar/Vocals/Bass
Jeff Cotton- Guitars/Sax/Vocals
Randy Wimer- Percussion/Backing Vocals
Larry Willey-Bass (tracks 1-9)/Vocals
Jeff Parker- Bass (tracks 9-18)
Mary Lee- Violin
John Golden- Engineer (1-9)
Barry Mayo- Engineer (10-18)
Tracklist
1 MU
1 Ain't No Blues
2 Blue Form
3 Too Naked For Demetrius
4 Interlude
5 Mumbella Baye Tu La
6 Eternal Thirst
7 Ballad Of Brother Lew
8 Nobody Wants To Shine
9 The Clouds Went That Way
END OF AN ERA
10 Land of Mu
11 Waiting For The Sun
12 Haleaka La
13 Children Of The Rainbow
14 Calling From A Star
15 Drink From The Fountain
16 Make A Joyful Noise
17 End Of An Era
18 Odd TV Occurrence
From Capt Beefheart Radar Station site-
MU was a band formed by Jeff Cotton (aka Antennae Jimmy Semens) after he left the Magic Band in 1969. Cotton hooked up with friends Merrell Fankhauser, Larry Willey and Randy Wimer from his old band The Exiles. The band developed a subtle and mellow sound which was lifted above the average by Cotton's fine slide work and some interesting rhythms.
Their first single and debut album were released on very small labels and were not given the distribution and advertising they deserved.
The band moved to Hawaii in 1973, Willey replaced by Jeff Parker on bass but the band fell apart the following year when Cotton and Wimer decided to follow their Christian beliefs full-time.
From the liner note
MU featured Merrill Frankhauser, composer of "Wipeout," and Jeff Cotton, a.k.a. Jimmy Semens of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. Their classic first album was released in 1971. It is included here in its entirety(tracks 1-9).
In 1973 they moved from L.A. to the Hawaiian island of Maui, the only part of the lost continent of MU to remain above sea level, and set up a banana and papaya plantation to finance their recording plans.
In their remote jungle shelter-cum-studio they began to pickup unearthly tones on their equipment, and at night saw UFOs
buzzing around the nearby crater of the mysterious volcano knowm as Haleakala. On full moons they received messages
from "The Space Brothers," through TV sets that weren't even turned on.
Inspired by these intergalactic influences and the tranquility of the unspoilt island the band adopted a softer, more acoustic approach to their music. Using Quicksilver's engineer they recorded 100 new songs, the best seventeen of which appear on
"End Of An Era" (Reck 7). Tracks 10-18 on this CD are from that LP. The remaining tracks are include on Merrill Frankhauser's Maui Album ( CD Reck 10).
Towards the end of 1974 the band broke up when Jeff Cotton and percussionist Randy Wimer moved back to California to become Christian ministers.
*1982 Italian The Last Album on Appaloosa AP 017 - 14 tracks - says Recorded 1974 on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Mixed at E.C.R. Studios, Emerald City, CaliforniaA 1981. Cover has hair flying in the wind heroic shot on front. Manufactured by IREC
Milano. For all intents and purposes this is the second MU album which didn't get released because the band had fallen apart.
*1988 UK of End Of An Era on Reckless Records RECK 7. The same tracks as The Last Album release.
*1988 UK CD of Best Of MU on Reckless Records CDRECK 4 - the first MU album complete and a selection of END OF AN ERA
|
