The Mammals 5619696 223996879 2008-07-06T21:42:15Z Twsx 1964288 fixing genre capitalization mistakes per [[Wikipedia:MUSTARD#Capitalization|WP:MUSTARD]] -> [[Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style_(capital_letters)#Musical_genres|MOS:CAPS]] + cleanup. {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | Name = The Mammals | Img = The_Mammals_Woodstock.jpg | Img_capt = The Mammals play [[Woodstock_(town),_New_York|Woodstock]] | Background = group_or_band | Instrument = [[Banjo]], [[Fiddle]], [[Guitar]], [[Drums]] | Genre = [[Folk music|Folk]], [[Folk rock]], [[Old-time music|old-time]], [[Americana (music)|Americana]], [[Roots music]] | Label = [[Signature Sounds]] | Associated_acts = [[Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion]]<br/>[[Jay Ungar]]<br/>[[Pete Seeger]]<br/>[[The Duhks]]<br/>[[Crooked Still]] | URL = [http://www.themammals.net/ Official Website] | Current_members = Michael Merenda, Ruth Ungar, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Chris Merenda, Jacob Silver | Past_members = Alicia Jo Rabins, Pierce Woodward, Ken Maiuri, Dan Rose | Notable_instruments = }} '''The Mammals''' are a contemporary [[folk rock]] band based in the [[Hudson Valley]], area of [[New York]], in the [[United States]]. Current band members are [[Michael J. Merenda, Jr.]], [[Chris Merenda]], [[Ruth Ungar]], [[Jacob Silver]] and [[Tao Rodriguez-Seeger]]. == Band history == After jamming together in 2000, Merenda, Ungar and Rodriguez-Seeger formed the Mammals in 2001. They first performed as a quartet with Alicia Jo Rabins on the fiddle. <ref name="Himes"> Himes, Geoffrey [http://www.citypaper.com/printstory.asp?id=9287 "Old School"] Baltimore City Paper 26 November, 2004] (Retrieved 4 September, 2007)</ref> In 2002 and 2003 they became a trio, adding bassist Pierce Woodward, and drummer Ken Maiuri on some of their performances.<ref name="Himes"> Himes, Geoffrey (Retrieved 4 September, 2007)[http://www.citypaper.com/printstory.asp?id=9287 "Old School"] Baltimore City Paper 26 November, 2004] </ref> Chris Merenda, Mike's brother, joined the band in late 2004 replacing Maiuri on the drums. Woodward left the band in 2005 and was replaced with Dan Rose, who was replaced with Jacob Silver as the Mammals current bass player. The Mammals often include guests in their live shows, such as Rosie Newton; [[Peter Siegel]]; Tao's sister, Penny Blossom Seeger; [[Jay Ungar]] and Molly Mason, and [[Pete Seeger]]. [[Aoife O'Donovan]] performs backing vocals on their CDs. [[Michael J Merenda Jr.|Mike Merenda]] is the band's main [[singer]]/[[songwriter]] and vocalist, and [[multi-instrumentalist]], playing [[guitar]], [[banjo]], [[ukulele]] and [[percussion]]. His songs often address [[political]] and [[List of environmental issues|environmental concerns]]; topics such as government upheaval, war, the environment, and presidential catastrophe. Mike's song ''The Bush Boys'' has caused The Mammals to be [[censored]] at some festival venues. His songs often tell stories drawing on personal events, such as the songs ''Haircut Money'' and ''69 Pleasant Street''. [[Ruth Ungar]] performs on vocals, [[fiddle]], and ukulele. She is a songwriter for the Mammals, and her songs center on themes of [[fair trade]] and the environment. Her song "Four Blue Walls", inspired by the play ''Danny and the Deep Blue Sea'' was featured on an album by Canadian band [[The Duhks]]. [[Tao Rodríguez-Seeger]] sings and plays guitar, banjo, and [[harmonica]]. Tao sings in both [[Spanish (language)|Spanish]] and [[English (language)|English]]; American [[folk (music)|folk songs]] such as [[Chan Chan (song)|Chan Chan]] by [[Compay Segundo]] and [[John Henry (folklore)|John Henry]]. [[Chris Merenda]] is the Mammals drummer and the younger brother of Mike. In addition to percussion he plays the guitar, banjo, [[piano]] and sings vocals. He occasionally plays the ukulele. Chris has released two solo records titled The Regimen (2003) and Hello Freedom (2005). [[Jacob Silver]] plays electric and upright bass. == Musical style == The Mammals play a style heavily influenced by traditional [[Appalachian folk music]] and their own motto is ''"Trad is Rad"''. Their influences are [[folk music|folk]], [[traditional bluegrass|traditional]] and [[progressive bluegrass]], [[old time music]], [[Celtic music|celtic]] and [[rock and roll]]. <blockquote>“Music is music. People think that The Mammals have pushed and broadened the boundaries of folk music. I think we've barely even started. There are no boundaries. There are conventions.” <ref>[http://www.signaturesounds.com/onlinestore/category.cfm?Category=61]. Retrieved [[4 September]], [[2007]]</ref></blockquote> <blockquote>"We've been called a band that takes old music and makes it sound new," Mike Merenda said. "On this album [''Departure''] we take new music and make it sound old. We play these instruments because they're the instruments we know how to play, but what's exciting is to take them out of the realm of expectation. "<ref>Himes, Geoffery, The New York Times [http://www.themammals.net/ci/1047/NY_Times/ "A New Wave of Musicians Updates That Old-Time Sound"] [[5 November]], [[2006]]. Retrieved [[14 April]], [[2007]].</ref> </blockquote> == Performances == The Mammals have performed nationally in the USA, and internationally in Canada, Australia and Denmark. In 2007 the Mammals toured Australia, including performing at the [[National Folk Festival (Australia)|National Folk Festival]] and [[Denmark]] including performances at [[Tønder Festival]]. They tour the [[United States]] on their "Western Migration Tour", visiting cities on the West coast and in the Midwest and southern United States and during the summer months they play at many folk festivals, including [[Newport Folk Festival]], [[Telluride]], [[Philadelphia Folk Festival]], and [[Magnolia Fest]] in Florida. When possible, The Mammals pair up with [[the Duhks]] to form Platypus. They have been supporting acts for [[Nickel Creek]] (2006), [[Los Lobos]] (2006), and [[Arlo Guthrie]] for [[Alice's Restaurant]] 40th Anniversary Masacree Tour. ==Side projects== Tao and Jacob also perform together in The Anarchist Orchestra with [[Laura Cortese]] and Robin McMillan. Jacob is also in the bands Wild Band of Snee and Throwing Stars. Tao recorded an album with Puerto Rican folk singer [[Roy Brown (Puerto Rican musician)|Roy Brown]] and [[Tito Auger]], lead singer for Puerto Rican rock group [[Fiel A La Vega]] "Que Vaya Bien" <ref>[http://www.quevayabien.com/ "Que Vaya Bien"]</ref>. Ruth and Mike married in October 2006 and perform together and with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason in the Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band. Ruth performs in Sometymes Why and the Wayfaring Strangers. Ruth, Mike and Chris have solo CDs. Chris also fronts an indie rock band called Chewy. == Discography == They have released four albums, and two EPs. The most recent two albums have been released on [[Signature Sounds]]: *''Born Live'' (2001) *''Evolver'' (2002) *''Migration'' (EP) (2004) *''Rock That Babe'' (2004) *''Departure'' (2006) *''Bootleg Six-Pack'' (EP) (2007) ==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == * http://www.themammals.net * [http://www.chewyrocks.com Chewy, Chris Merenda's other band] * [http://www.michaelmerenda.com Mike Merenda's personal page] * [http://www.jacobsilver.com Jacob Silver's personal page] * [http://www.ruthungar.com/ruth/index.html Ruth Ungar's personal page] * [http://www.archive.org/details/TheMammals The Mammals collection] at the [[Internet Archive]]'s live music archive * [http://www.myspace.com/themammals The Mammals on Myspace] [[Category:American folk musical groups|Mammals, The]] [[Category:New York musical groups|Mammals, The]] [[Category:Old-time bands|Mammals, The]]