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The Mooney Suzuki

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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 four albums and one EP, 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.

History

The band formed in 1996, after Graham Tyler responded to an ad that Sammy James Jr. posted in a guitar store. According to James, Tyler couldn't play guitar when he joined the band. After adding Will Rockwell-Scott and John Paul Ribas to the lineup, they played their first gig in December 1996. The band honed their live skills over 1997, before releasing their first two singles, "Taking Me Apart" and "Love is Everywhere," in 1998. These singles showed a strong Velvet Underground influence, which later became less evident in the band's music.

After releasing another single, the band came out with their first EP in 1999, followed by their first album, People Get Ready in 2000 on the legendary label, Estrus. The band broke up shortly afterwards, but soon reunited at the behest of the Donnas who wanted to tour with the band. After more shows with the White Stripes and the Greenhornes, the band decided to record another record with Jim Diamond. Electric Sweat came out in 2002 and the band toured with longtime friends the Strokes and Swedish garage rockers the Hives. This tour led to their signing with Columbia Records and soon the band appeared on the Conan O'Brien show, in the movie School of Rock, and the Lollapalooza tour. On the festival tour, the band began playing such new songs as "Primitive Condition," which would appear on the Matrix-produced album, Alive and Amplified. The song became the band's biggest hit, appearing in the Madden 2005 soundtrack and in the ATV Offroad Fury 3 soundtrack. "Alive and Amplified" broke into the UK Top 40 chart at #38, and appeared 2005 remake of Fun with Dick and Jane, as well as the 2006 film Grandma's Boy. They also contributed to the Burnout 3 soundtrack, with another single from that album, "Shake that Bush Again." Soon the band toured with Kings of Leon.

The band traded labels for V2 Records in 2005. 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, which appeared in September 2007. Around this time, they also recorded the "spring soundtrack" for DKNY jeans. Currently the band is in the studio recording their fifth album and will make a cameo in Ben Stiller's film Tropic Thunder in summer of 2008. They are also contributing covers of I Just Want to Celebrate and All Along the Watchtower to the film's soundtrack. Sammy James Jr. mentored a young rocker for an episode of the award-winning MTV series MADE in 2008.[2] Currently, guitarist Chris Isom is focusing on his own band, Loud Owls, while bassist Reno Bo is currently playing bass with Albert Hammond, Jr. and putting his solo album on hold. Sammy James Jr. is playing around New York City with such bands as Men Without Pants and Native Korean Rock featuring members of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, respectively. Sammy is also working on new songs for the band.

Discography

Albums

EPs

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)
  • 99% (2007)

The band has also appeared on many compilations including Fields and Streams (2002, Kill Rock Stars) with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many soundtracks including School of Rock Soundtrack (2003, Atlantic Records) and 'Fun with Dick & Jane Soundtrack (2005, Varese Saranbande).

Members

Sammy James Jr has claimed that the band has had over 30 members, and that he wasn't intending to be like Spinal Tap. Notable past members include Nikolai Fraiture of the Strokes, Ryan Gentles (the Strokes manager), Jay Braun of the Negatones, Steven Mertens of Adam Green's band, plus Reno Bo and Marc Phillipe Eskenazi of Albert Hammond, Jr.'s band and many others. Members of The Strokes have claimed to be heavily influenced by the Mooney Suzuki in their early days. Sammy James Jr. also played guitar on Men Without Pants' debut album (featuring Russell Simins of Blues Explosion and Dan the Automator). Sammy James Jr. also played with Russell Simins in Karen O's sideproject Native Korean Rock. He appeared with Simins and O in Tiny Masters of Today's Hologram World music video. Founding member Graham Tyler has since left the band to become a graphic designer, while other founding member Will Scott has rejoined the band for their Have Mercy tour after leaving when the band completed Electric Sweat. Scott has also played drums for Apes & Androids. New guitarist Chris Isom has played with members of the Fiery Fernaces, Only Son, the Negatones, and currently fronts his own band, Loud Owls. Bass player Reno Bo is well known for his solo work along with playing with NYC band the Fame and now also plays bass with Albert Hammond, Jr..

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