and sometimes: Pat Johnson - guitar, Dan Olmsted - guitar
Influences
see "Sounds Like"
Sounds Like
Soft Machine III, early to mid period King Crimson, Miles Davis "Big Fun" album, Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East, Can, Fairport Convention, Led Zep III, Herbie Mann, Eddie Harris, German band "Embyro", early Santana, Brian Auger, Les McCann, Faust, Michael Rother, Wolfgang Dauner, Rain Parade, Kendra Smith, Television, Sonny Sharrock, Crazy Horse, the Doors,
MPS (the german jazz label), Dave Pike Set, Ginger Baker's Airforce, Bill Bruford & Jamie Muir, Traffic, Keith Tippet, Harvest & Island Records (1960's-early 1970's).
Mushroom started in 1997 with the release of a 12 inch single called "The Reeperbahn" - 25 minute epic that was described by Magnet magazine as:
"could fool a blindfolded test applicant into thinking its 25 minute psych blowout was some long lost Krautrock epic from the early '70s. Let the band's wah-wah guitar, feedback violin, volcanic bass, jazzbo percussion, and tape loops take you down the fabled motorway, never to return to the place you once knew."
"The Reeperbahn" vinyl provided the basis for CDs released in 1998 in Holland and Germany. Among the founding members of Mushroom were drummer/producer/mixer Pat Thomas aka Patrick O'Hearn and guitarist/sax/flute maverick Erik Pearson - both of which continue in Mushroom to this day. Other early members included keyboardist Graham Connah and bassist Alec Palao.
In 1999, the band released one of their best known recordings "Analog Hi-Fi Surprise" in the USA and Germany, followed by a European tour. By this point, Graham had exited and was replaced by Michael Holt (of the Mommyheads) on keyboards.
The best description we read of "Analog Hi-Fi Surprise" came from a Toronto magazine which said: " San Francisco's Mushroom dish out the tastiest psychedelic funk you're ever likely to encounter. The groove's the thang as these tasty tracks cruise on Rhodes-driven jazz, ambient beats, surf riffs, and post rock textures. The band brew all these elements into a mixture that travels the outer realms of progressive funk. Like Tortoise jamming with the Grateful Dead or Soft Machine exploring the Funkadelic catalog, these loose open-ended excursions raise the art of fusion to a new plateau. While each track works a groove toward heady epiphany, the album as a whole refuses to stay locked into any one genre. Booker T-styled organ gyrations, rock guitar virtuosity, Bootsy Collins funk ups, ambient jazz, electronic beats, and Krautrock trance all make a stand, but the bottom line is that this is music that will move you, and then some. "
On the heels of the European tour, the band recorded "Foxy Music" which saw the band use the services of trumpet man Jon Birdsong (known for his work with Beck amongst others), along with several other horn players.
Q magazine in England said
"On the Foxy Music CD, the band steer away from determined psychedelia in favor of a friendly looseness to their playing. Jabs of electro-trombone and flute cluster alongside churning organ and splintered Rhodes Piano. Beck's trumpeter Jon Birdsong also turns on a great big blubbery blast of tuba, while musical director Patrick O'Hearn's clattering drums have an automaton rotary action that sometimes recalls Can's Jaki Liebezeit."
When Jon split the Bay Area for Europe - Mushroom was lucky enough to draft in former Tom Waits sideman Ralph Carney on various horns and woodwinds.
A couple of interesting projects occured during this time, including Mushroom's on stage and/or in studio collaborations with Kevin Ayers of Soft Machine, Daevid Allen of Gong, Krautrock icons Faust, vocalist Gary Floyd (of Sister Double Happiness/The Dicks/et al), Tortoise founder Bundy K. Brown, and Pete Brown (lyricist for Cream and Jack Bruce).
In 2004 - the band pulled together it's longest running line up that continues to this day (see list of band members) and released the double CD "Glazed Popems" which saw the band interject some 1960's British folk influences into their diverse mix. Stop Smiling magazine wrote: "...analogue tape, early prog, and altered nods to other sounds...this is a group founded on beard-era vinyl sounds (Magus Miles Davis, Soft Machine's Third, and Lark's Tongues-era King Crimson) and the smoke of their heroes is all over Glazed Popems: cadenced and cascading; wet, cheesed, and delirious; misty, mountainous, and hopped-up... they concoct a prog-blaxploitation
amalgam, trading afros for beards, bitches for brews....the sound falls
somewhere between shattering glass and gooey jam...Mushroom's personal
invitation to come on home and free your mind."
In recent years, Mushroom has enjoyed a relationship with vocalist Alison Faith Levy (known for her own recordings with members of Camper Van Beethoven) and her work with Game Theory's Scott Miller in the Loud Family.
The UK label 4 Zero has released an album of recordings with Alison and Mushroom titled "Yesterday, I saw you kissing tiny flowers......"
Most recently - Mushroom has now joined forces with legendary Blue Note recording artist Eddie Gale (1969's "Black Rhythm Happening" album). Eddie Gale also played on Cecil Taylor's "Unit Structures," Larry Young's "Of Peace And Love" and various albums with Sun Ra's Arkestra including "Secrets of the Sun" and "On Jupiter".
They have penned a deal with Joel Dorn's Hyena Records label and Mushroom with Eddie Gale will be releasing their album together this summer.
it's titled "Joint Happening" and can best be described as "freak jazz"
Come celebrate America's birthday with a little Peace Love and ROCK N ROLL!!
The Marina Music Festival honors the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock featuring a live musical tribute to Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, The Who, and Creedence Clearwater Revival .
Hosted by Music Source at the luxurious Waterfront Marina Concert Hall, 4211 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 featuring live performances, BBQ, art, and of course a stellar Fourth of July fireworks display. Show starts at 8PM
Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Artistspalooza organization for the arts.
David Lockhart's painfully excessive capturing of the booze-swilling and constantly concupiscent Jim Morrison is an encyclopedic homage to the ethos of rock. Boudeeka's haunting accurate portrayal of Janis Joplin is a tribute to women in rock and the raw emotion that was so much a part of the scene. Carlton Poward is an almost frightening replica with his spot-on Jimi Hendrix characterization and inspired guitar playing. Pat Craig Contra Costa Times
DEADHEADS GET READY TO PARTY HEARTY WITH FAMILY GROOVE COMPANY~ROOTSTAND~IFDAKAR,AND MORE! Hey now! The 3Gs ('aka Grateful Garcia Gathering), is returning back to the Camp NCN Venue in beautiful Black River Falls Wisconsin July 30th though August 2nd 2009 where it all began over 6 years ago! A grateful place where Garcia fans will be gathering! It also marks the celebration of Jerry Garcia's 67th Birthday, plus the 14th Anniversary of Jerry's untimely passing. We have leased the campground venue for July 30th though August 3rd 2009 for our 6th annual music festival.
Other great music festivals have hosted at this venue such as Weedstock, Farmapalooza, Big Wu Family Reunion, Campout Roots Festival,just to name a few!
Artists included: Family Groove Company, Rootstand, Ifdakar, Boney Fingers, Baghdad SCUBA Review, Fungus Garden Reverb, Jam and the Playground Kids, In the Dark, MMC Trio, Elf Lettuce, Vinny Weible & Soul Logic, Groovitational Pull, The Reggie, Grateful Beth and the Volunteers, The Bar Tab Band, John Statz, Mr. Cab Driver, Brok'n Arrow, Greyleaf, and more Jambands to be added soon!
Our friends at Mystix Toyz will be on board at the 3G's for tons of family fun with juggling demonstrations, including juggling workshops, face painting, kids parades, plus drum circles and fire dance jams every night
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey returns to the Bay Area for 3 shows this week!
Wed. 6/17 - Elbo Room - SF,CA
Thurs. 6/18 - Starry Plough - Berkeley,CA
Fri. 6/19 - Starry Plough - Berkeley,CA (w/Antioquia!)
We've got a great show coming up at the Boom Boom room SF this Friday April 10th with Nucleus ,if you like what we do you should come by and check it out .Psych Prog Funk fusion all in one show .Peace .
My pleasure. I am very sad to have missed all of you but hope to see you all live and hopfully sit in /jam one day. The Who were gods in the Bay Area when I was little and I'm so glad their are talenteed folks keeping that spirit alive.
Thanks for being a friend of the Mike Elrington Band. It is nice to be a part of your friend list. Please check our tour dates for both Australia and the USA. All the very best.
DVB will be in San Francisco Thur April 17 performing at the Otis Lounge in downtown SF. We are very excited to be working with the folks at Otis in creating what looks to be an intimate night of music. Hopefully you will be able to join us.
Otis Lounge
25 Maiden Lane
Thur April 17 9pm
$5 cover
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