Martha and the Muffins **UPDATED AGAIN**

The worst band name in music history could have been an understandable nomination for this Toronto-based band if there ever were such an award. But this group of Ontario College of Art (and Design) students originating out of Newmarket, Ontario centered around the nucleus of Mark Gane and Martha Johnson were talented enough to not be defined by any of the many monikers they dreamed up and made an impression on the Canadian music scene that, sadly, has drifted far away in time. Formed in 1977 in the height of Toronto's own 'Queen Street West' punk scene, Mark, with fellow art student David Millar joined with singer and keyboardist Martha Johnson who brought in Carl Finkle, a friend of hers, on bass. Shortly after, Tim Gane, brother of Mark completed the original lineup to become their drummer. When their first single, 'Insect Love', recorded in 1978 and re-recorded in 1979, was released, saxophonist Andy Haas had already been recruited. Shortly after, with guitarist David quitting to become their sound engineer, auditions took place for the second 'Martha', Martha Ladly, a friend of Mark's, to join in on keyboards. This was the lineup that would taste their short and bitter but strong flavour of success with their hit single 'Echo Beach' in 1980.

TV appearances, interviews, extensive tours and the pressures of instant stardom followed, leaving a crippling effect on the band with the departures of Matha Ladly and Carl. After only two albums, 'Metro Music' and 'Trance and Dance', the remaining Martha Johnson, Mark, Andy and Tim were left to decide the Muffins' future.



1981 found the Muffins carrying on with a new found sense of enthusiasm and musical freedom expressed in their breakaway album 'This is the Ice Age'. Encouraged by their manager Gerry Young and their new bass player, Jocelyne Lanois, sister of their soon-to-be-legend-in-himself producer Daniel, it was a complete departure from the naivety of their previous offerings.

A few more additions and subtractions to the groups personnel, including that of Andy led to the release of 'Danceparc' in 1983 earning them concert dates for an international tour of Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. which included a large concert at the Ontario Place Forum. It was soon after this that the band splintered again leaving only Martha and Mark after a much overdue name change to the more simplified 'M+M'. With the band now slimmed down to the two, they were free to experiment further and recruit additional hands to weave the tapestry of 'Mystery Walk' that would spawn another big hit 'Black Stations-White Stations', a response to racially segregated radio practices still present at that time. A couple of artistic and inventive music videos accompanied this and 'Cooling the Medium', another hit track off the album.

As the interest in 'Mystery Walk' started to diminish they recorded 'The World is a Ball' a difficult to find release of more experimentation and freedom which would offer another strong afro-funk tinged gem, 'Song in my Head'.

Returning to their original public-favoured moniker, 1992's 'Modern Lullaby' and its single 'Rainbow Sign' would be their last submission to the pop music world only to go completely unnoticed by the record buying public. The music scene had changed. By this time Mark and Martha (who at this point were married) focused more on parenthood with the arrival of their daughter and focused on behind the scenes, soundtrack work. Martha, solo, would release an acclaimed, Juno award winning children's album in 1996, while the echoes of their past glory were reflected in their retrospective 'Then Again' release of 1998.

Since then, with the world becoming increasingly interconnected, they have regained a strong following which led to reissues of their past albums including a long-awaited re-release of 'Danseparc' and a new album in the works as of 2009. It is anticipated that after a career of over thirty years and a subsequent drought of new material in seventeen years that their unquenchable creativity ( in spite of their name) will garner enough recognition and new interest to see them touring once again rather than a nostalgic gimmick trip that many other talented acts of their day had reduced themselves to.


Martha and the Muffins
Singles:
Martha and the Muffins - Echo Beach b/w Teddy The Dink (Dindisc 1111)
Martha and the Muffins - Paint By Number Heart b/w Copacabana (Dindisc 1115)
M+M - Black Stations/White Stations b/w XOA OHO (Current 7)
M+M - Song In My Head b/w Riverine (Current 14)






LP's:
Martha and the Muffins - Trance and Dance (Dindisc 2207)
Part 1|Part 2|Part 3

Martha and the Muffins - This is the Ice Age (Dindisc 2228)
Part 1|Part 2|Part 3

M + M (o.k.a. Martha and the Muffins) - Mystery Walk (Current 3)
Part 1|Part 2|Part 3

*all files hosted via Rapidshare