The Mooney Suzuki

The Mooney Suzuki

The Mooney Suzuki is a NYC rock and roll band formed in 1996 by Sammy James, Jr. (guitar/vocals), John Paul Ribas (bass), Graham Tyler (guitar) and Will Rockwell-Scott (drums). They have released five albums, The Mooney Suzuki, People Get Ready, Electric Sweat, Alive & Amplified, and Have Mercy. The band's sound can be described as high-energy rock'n'roll, drawing heavily from mod, soul, garage, and British Invasion influences. Their name is taken from the first two singers of the 1970s German Krautrock band Can: Malcolm Mooney and Damo Suzuki.

The band was featured in the Madden 2005 soundtrack and in the ATV Offroad Fury 3 soundtrack, with their song "Alive and Amplified", as well as the Burnout 3 soundtrack, with "Shake that Bush Again." They appeared again in a video game, NHL 08, with "99%" from the album Have Mercy. The band has also appeared on the popular BBC 1 programme Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, as well as Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Ironic or not, the band is now the signature artist for the Suzuki brand (the automaker) and an edited version of "Alive and Amplified" appears on all Suzuki commercials.

"Alive and Amplified", which broke into the UK Top 40 chart at #38, was featured once again in the 2005 remake of Fun with Dick and Jane, as well as the 2006 film Grandma's Boy. The band composed, as well as providing backing guitar for, the original songs performed by Jack Black and the Kids for the movie School of Rock.

The band's latest album "Have Mercy" was to have been released on V2 Records in summer 2007 (originally set for January 2007, and then spring, according to V2 marketing materials). Due to the reorganization of V2 announced in January 2007, the album was not released on that label, but instead came out on June 19th on indie label Elixia Records[1].

In 2007, the band recorded a cover version of Cher's "Just like Jesse James" for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt By Association, set to be released this September. Around this time, they also recorded the "summer soundtrack" for DKNY jeans.

Discography

Albums

• People Get Ready (5 September 2000)
• Electric Sweat (12 May 2003)
• Alive & Amplified (20 September 2004)
• Have Mercy (19 June 2007)

EPs

• The Mooney Suzuki (August 1999)
• Maximum Black (18 September 2006)

Singles

• Taking Me Apart (1998)
• Love Is Everywhere (1998)
• Turn My Blue Sky Black (1999)
• Your Love Is a Gentle Whip (2000)
• Hot Shitter (2002)
• Oh Sweet Susanna (29 April 2002)
• Hey Joe (2003)
• In a Young Man's Mind (14 July 2003)
• Shake That Bush Again (2004)
• Alive & Amplified (17 January 2005)

Compilations

• Now We Are 5 (1998, Sonic Unyon Records)
• New Wave Explosion (1999, Super 8)
• A Fistful of Rock 'n' Roll (2000, Tee-Pee)
• Estrus 100% Apeshit Rock Sampler Vol. 2 (2000, Estrus)
• Fields and Streams (2002, Kill Rock Stars)
• New Blood the New Rock and Roll Vol. 2 (2002, Artrocker)
• School of Rock Soundtrack (2003, Atlantic Records)
• The New Indie Alive and Amplified For 2005 (2005, Universal)

Trivia

• In "School of Rock" you can see Sammy James Jr and Graham Tyler tuning up their guitars backstage when the band "School of Rock" are about to go on stage.
• The Mooney Suzuki contributed to the School of Rock's song and played the rhythm guitar.
• Sammy James Jr plays on Albert Hammond, Jr.'s solo release "Yours to Keep" and Nikolai Fraiture of The Strokes, as well as Ryan Gentles, their manager, once played on a tour with Mooney Suzuki.

External links

• The Mooney Suzuki website ::Note:: not updated regularly, Augie Wilson is still quoted as their drummer::
• Mooney's myspace
• interview with The Mooney Suzuki at Gearwire.com
• PUNKCAST#179 Live vid from Siren Festival, Brooklyn. July 20, 2002 (RealPlayer)
• The Mooney Suzuki's "Have Mercy" to Include 4 Bonus Tracks on Digital Version of New Album!