Texto. Inzona Magazine Fotografías. The Muggs Traducción. Jordana Fernández

ENGLISH VERSION BELOW

Inzona Magazine.- Para quién no os conozca, ¿como definiriais el sonido The Muggs?
The Muggs.- Los The Muggs son 3 piezas, una banda de blues rock de Detroit. Nuestro sonido viene de aquel rock de finales de los 60’ y principio de los 70’, pero con su propio sabor de blues rock

I.- No ha sido un camino facil ¿Cual creeis que ha sido el punto de inflexion en la banda?
TM.- The Muggs son grandes fans y estudiosos del Rock & Roll. Danny, Matt y yo (Tony) hemos estado siguiendo este sueño de ampliar la tradición de escribir canciones desde que nos unimos en 2000. El hecho de que Danny y Matt esperasen a que me recuperara de un golpe casi fatal en 2001 ha de su gran dedicación hacia mi como amigo. Desde 2003 ha sido todo trabajo, hemos lanzado dos discos ( The muggs & on me with the show) y un single en vinili (Bite of the weredog)

I.- ¿Que supuso The Next Great American Band?
TM.- Descubrimiento! Nosotros sabíamos que éramos una banda con pocas probabilidades de ganar ese concurso, pero lo hicimos porque era una buena oportunidad para dejarla pasar. Tocamos para 3,5 millones de espectadores durante cuatro semanas seguidas, eso es una pasada! Fuimos seleccionados de entre casi 10.000 aspirantes.
La radio americana ha ido introduciendo el rock & roll poco a poco, así que las posibilidades de impactar en la televisión eran pocas. Los americanos que nos escucharon, se enamoraron de nosotros. Otros decían que la voz de Danny era horrible pero ellos no entienden de la verdadera música rock. Por ejemplo Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger y Rod Steward habrían fracasado en este programa y son leyendas.
Lo hariamos de nuevo si tuviésemos oportunidad, pero Europa está más de moda cuando se trata de verdaderas bandas de rock.

I.- ¿Os considerais dentro del sonido Motown Records?
TM.- No. El M otown tiene sin propio sonido. Nosotros queremos tocar blues rock y emular a nuestros héroes y el estilo que nos gusta escuchar.

I.- Tengo vuestros disco y sonais muy potentes, ¿Como es el sonido en directo?
TM.- Tan potente como la vida si no más, Nos encanta tocar en vivo. Notas ese loco sentimiento de emoción y nervios que reflejamos a través de nuestros instrumentos. Entre Danny girando, saltando y dando patadas y Matt soltando ritmos brutales en la batería, hacemos un gran show en vivo. Nos encanta tocar en directo también porque llenamos al público de energía y amor por la música en vivo. ¡Es una verdadera emoción!.

I.- ¿Qué tal la experiencia de vuestra gira por España?
TM.- Nuestra gira por España fue en enero de 2007. Fue increíble. Vuestro país es magnífico. Lleno de vida, cultura, construcciones antiguas, fantástica comida y magnífica gente!.
Tocamos en ocho ciudades entre Madrid, Bilbao, Vitoria, Leganés, Valladolid, Valencia, Mucia y Barcelona.
Cada ciudad tenía su propio encanto.
Los locales variaban en tamaño, pero los fans eran impresionantes. De hecho algunos fans sabían canciones de nuestro primer disco “The Muggs!”. Estamos intentando volver en 2009.

I.- Recordais a Led Zeppelin o a los Black Crowes, ¿Cuáles son vuestras influencias?
TM.- Nos inspiramos de influencias del blues de bandas de finales de los 60’ y principios de los 70’. Por parte de blues bandas como Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Ike Turner, Buddy Guy, Ray Charles, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Otis Spann, etc.
y tirando para el rock & roll y blues rock gente como Peter Green’s, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown, Rory Gallagher, The Groundhogs, Led Zepp, James Gang, Cactus, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Humble Pie, The Beatles!, Queen, The Rolling Stones, etc.

I.- ¿Cuales son vuestros planes de futuro?
TM.- The Muggs estamos actualmente intentando conseguir discográfica y mánager. Con esto decir que queremos hacer una gira extensa por Europa. Nos sentimos como en casa en España y sentimos que fue una gira muy corta.
También estamos escribiendo canciones para nuestro tercer disco que saldrá en la primavera de 2010 si tenemos suerte.
Puedes seguirnos en www.themuggs.com

I.- ¿Cual es el futuro de Detroit sin General Motors?
TM.- ¡Películas de Hollywood! Un montón de películas de Hollywood se han grabado aquí en Michigan y en el metro de Detroit. ¡esperamos que se hagan más!

I.- Muchas gracias

ENGLISH VERSION

The Muggs are a three piece blues rock band hailing from Detroit, Michigan. The Muggs formed in 2000 with all three members: Danny Methric on guitar & lead vox, Tony DeNardo on bass guitar & backing vox and Matt Rost on drums. From February 2000 through September 2001, the Muggs enjoyed playing many shows and gaining the hearts of fans throughout metro Detroit. However, this was short lived after DeNardo suffered a stroke at 28 years old which nearly ended his young life. As fairy tales go, DeNardo was able to rejoin the band almost exactly two years from that fateful day in September 2003. This time, he was playing his bass lines on a Fender Rhodes piano through a bass amplifier. The result……..the Muggs are back in business!
In August 2004, the Muggs were signed to indie label Times Beach Records and in July 2005, the Muggs released their self titled LP, “the Muggs”. The Muggs worked with Dodge in 2005 and 2006 sponsoring their Charger on line with three songs, “Need Ya Baby”, “Gonna Need My Help” and “Rollin’ B-Side Blues”. In January 2007, the Muggs were on PBS(aired in the entire nation of Canada & all of Michigan) for a one hour live concert and documentary as part of a rock and roll series, “Rock n’ Roll Safari”. Also, in January 2007, the Muggs toured in Spain for two weeks.

Later that year in August 2007, the Muggs were selected to audition for the Fox T.V. show, “The Next Great American Band” and were selected to the Top 12 out of 10,000+ applicants. The Muggs were on “The Next Great American Band” for four episodes and got to play two originals for the entire nation to see. “Should’ve Learned My Lesson” off the Muggs first LP, and “Slow Curve” off their “yet to be released” 2nd LP. The Muggs won Riff 2’s(local WRIF on line radio) “Best Rock Band of the Year 2007”
award in February 2008 and will release their 2nd LP, entitled “On With The Show” on May 9th 2008. The Muggs have teamed up with Dodge in 2008 yet again for a promotional comp cd entitled, “Out of Detroit & into Dodge”. “Need Ya Baby” off the Muggs 1st LP, is the song Dodge selected to be on the compilation. Dodge is pressing 100,000 cd’s to go over to Europe and into Dodge Dealerships. Lucky, new EU buyers of Dodge automobiles get the comp cd!
At the 2008 Detroit Music Awards, the Muggs won “Outstanding Rock Artist/Group” and Danny Methric, guitarist/lead singer of the Muggs won “Outstanding Rock/Pop Instrumentalist” for his electric guitar playing! On May 9th, 2008 the Muggs released their 2nd LP entitled, “On With The Show”! The Muggs currently have 68,000+ fans on www.myspace.com. In the August 2008 issue of Classic Rock Magazine,the Muggs review of “On With The Show” received an 8/10! The Muggs have opened for countless classic rock and various national acts including Jack Bruce of Cream, Mountain, Robin Trower, Cactus, Savoy Brown,Ten Years After, Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple/Black Sabbath, Johnny Lang, Candlebox, Ian McLagan of Small Faces & Faces,North Mississippi Allstars, the Verve Pipe, Electric Six, & the Detroit Cobras.

In December 2008, the Muggs were listed as ‘the 100 HOT Unsigned Bands’ in Music Connection. January 2009, USA Today selected the Muggs sophomore LP, “On With The Show” as #5 record of the year for 2008 via the Nightwatchers House Of Rock. In April 2009, during the NCAA Final Four Men’s Basketball Tournament,Fox Sports Radio played the Muggs on national radio from Boston to L.A. On Friday, April 17th the Muggs were nominated and won Outstanding Rock/Pop Recording 2009 for the album ‘On With The Show’ at the 2009 Detroit Music Awards .

Inzona Magazine.- For those people who doesn´t know you, How would you defined The Muggs´s sound?
The Muggs.- The Muggs are a three piece, blues rock band hailing from Detroit. Our sound harkens back to that of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s rock prowess but has a unique blues rock flavor of its’ own.

I.- It wasn´t an easy road for the band, Whch do you think is the band´s point of inflexion?
TM.- The Muggs are all great fans and students of rock n roll music. Danny, Matt and myself (Tony) have been chasing this dream of adding to that tradition of song writing since we formed in 2000. The fact that Danny and Matt waited for me to recover from a nearly fatal stroke in 2001 speaks volumes of their dedication to me as a friend. Since 2003, it has been all business as we have released two full length lp’s (The Muggs & On with the show) and a single released on vinyl (Bite of the weredog).

I.- What was the significance of The Next Great American Band?
TM.- Exposure! We knew we were an unlikely band to win that show, but we did it because we knew that the exposure was too great to pass up. We played to 3.5 million viewers for four weeks straight. that’s huge! we were selected from over 10,000 applicants. American radio has phased out rock n roll so we knew our chances were slim to make an impact on tv. Americans who ‘got’ us, loved us. Others said danny’s voice was awful but they don’t understand real rock music. For instance Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart would have failed on that show and they’re legends.
We would do it again if given the chance, but Europe is much hipper when it comes to real rock bands.

I.- Do you think you are into the Motown Records sound?
TM.- No. Motown Records has it’s own special sound. We want to play blues rock and emulate our heroes and the style that we love to listen to.

I.- I have your discs and your sound is very powerful, How is your live show?
TM.- Just as powerful live if not more so. We love performing our songs live. You get that crazy feeling of excitement and nerves. We channel both those feelings through our instruments. Between Danny twirling around, jumping and kicking to matt dropping bombastic rhythms on drums, we put on a great live show. We love playing live also because we feed off the crowds sheer energy and love for live music. It’s a real thrill!

I.- How was your Spanish´s Tour? Spain is different, isn´t it?
TM.- Our tour of Spain was back in january 2007. It was incredible. Your country is so beautiful. Full of life, culture, old buildings, great foods, beautiful people!. We played eight different cities including Madrid, Bilbao, Vitoria, Leganés, Valladolid, Valencia, Murcia and Barcelona. Each city had it’s own charm. The venues varied in size, but the fans were awesome. Some fans actually knew some lyrics to our songs off the first lp entitled, the muggs!. We are trying so hard to get back to spain in 2009.

I.- Your sound is like Led Zeppelin or Black Crowes or maybe the singer is like the first ACDC singer, what was yours influences?
TM.- We draw influences from the blues and those late 60’s/early 70’s bands. On the blues side of things: Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Ike Turner, Buddy Guy, Ray Charles, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Otis Spann, etc.
On the rock n roll/blues rock side: Peter Green’s, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown, Rory Gallagher, The Groundhogs, Led Zepp, James Gang, Cactus, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Humble Pie, The Beatles!, Queen, The Rolling Stones, etc.

I.- What are your future plans?
TM.- The Muggs are currently trying to get a label, management, and a booking agent. With that said, we want to tour Europe extensively. We felt at home in Spain on our first tour and feel that was a bit too short. We are also writing songs for our third lp which could be out by spring 2010 if we’re lucky. www.themuggs.com please check us out!

I.- Wich is the future of Detroit whitout General Motors?
TM.- Hollywood films!. There has been a number of Hollywood films being shot here in michigan, and metro detroit. Let’s hope more will come!

I.- Thank you very much
TM.- Thank you

www.themuggs.com
www.myspace.com/themuggs