The Mundanes

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Mundanes promo photo, 1980 (Left to right: Jonathan Gregg, Marsha Armitage, John Linnell, Kevin Tooley, John Andrews, and Dean Lozow)
Mundanes promotional photo, 1980

The Mundanes was a Rhode Island-based new wave band that formed in 1978, in which John Linnell played keyboards and saxophone prior to the formation of They Might Be Giants. The band released one 7" single and disbanded in 1983.

History[edit]

The Mundanes formed in Providence, Rhode Island in late 1978. The band was assembled out of the remains of Johnny & The Luncheonettes, a seven-piece swing/rock band established by John Andrews, Marsha Armitage and Dean Lozow. That band was reworked and in 1978 took the name Johnny Mundane and the Tyranny of Everyday Life.[1] In November they placed a classified advertisement in the Boston Phoenix that read "Luncheonettes form mundanes. Band seeks keyboards, drums, sax. Original repertoire and work."[2] John Linnell was living in Boston at the time and either joined the band because of this want ad,[3] or via a friend that knew Andrews.[4] Linnell was 19 years old when he joined the band. By January 1979 the group had settled on the name Mundanes, and in February they made their live debut under the new name.[5] The band played mostly in the New England region, especially in Providence and Boston. They won the WBRU 1980 Rock Hunt competition and appeared several times on local Boston TV.[6] The defining lineup of the band was Marsha Armitage (vocals), John Andrews (guitar, vocals), Dean Lozow (bass, vocals), Jonathan Gregg (guitar, vocals), Kevin Tooley (drums), and John Linnell (keyboards, saxophone).

In October 1980 the Mundanes self-released Make It The Same, a three-song 7" single. It is their only official release. The single got significant airplay on Boston radio stations WBCN and WBRU, and appeared on some local most-played singles charts. In early 1981 Dean Lozow was kicked out of the group, and the band stopped performing his songs. In or around April 1981 they recorded a lengthy demo tape at Normandy Sound. This demo was specifically recorded to give to out record labels in the hopes of landing a deal. Kevin Tooley departed the band at some point after this. The band relocated to New York in the fall of 1981. Linnell left the band soon after they moved to New York, and by 1982 he had started working on music with John Flansburgh.[7] The Mundanes continued to perform without him, playing clubs in New York including CBGB and Dr. B's.[8] By September 1982 the band had changed its name (possibly temporarily) to Dancette Major and signed with a new manager, David Hemming. They brought in a new drummer (Peter Clemente) and keyboardist (Jim Gillson), and recorded some demos produced by Mick Ronson at RCA Studios. The group broke up in mid-1983.

Linnell spoke about his time in the Mundanes in a 2018 interview:

I was a teenager who wasn't from that scene and I didn't know anybody from Providence. I played keyboard and saxophone in The Mundanes and the nice thing about the band was at that time, in 1978, there weren't really any new-wave bands in Providence, none that had a foothold. We were playing at Lupo's and places like that. We were the band that was appropriate to put on as an opening act for the big touring bands that came around, like the Talking Heads and the Ramones. [...] I learned a lot about songwriting from playing in that band. It was my first real professional experience, so I learned a lot from Andrews and his partner Dean Lozow. They were really creative and interesting songwriters who were very engaged in what they were doing. There were a bunch of other great musicians in the band, so it was a really great thing for me starting out.

During his time with The Mundanes, John Linnell wrote and rehearsed "Now That I Have Everything", but was not comfortable performing it.[9] Other members of the band later went on to collaborate with They Might Be Giants: Jim Gillson wrote the song "Kings Of The Cave" for TMBG, and Jonathan Gregg played guitar on the 1983 demo of "Hell Hotel". In 1984 Gregg formed the Lonesome Debonaires, a rock band that featured Linnell on accordion and clavinet. They played a few shows and recorded some demos before disbanding, after which Gregg assembled a new lineup of the band. Linnell played on their 1991 album Blue On Blonde.

James McIntyre, childhood friend of Linnell and Flansburgh, reviewed the Mundanes' single for the Boston Phoenix, describing it as "an auspicious debut, and great live." McIntyre also mentioned Linnell and the Mundanes in his 1980 review of The Shaggs. John Flansburgh often saw the Mundanes perform, and he designed one of their show posters in 1979. He has said that Linnell's experience of playing in the Mundanes influenced their decision to start They Might Be Giants, stating that TMBG was initially "just for fun," and that it acted as a "way to get away from the seriousness" of the Mundanes.[10] The Mundanes weren't finding success in obtaining a record deal at the time, and Linnell didn't have much creative freedom as a sideman in the band. Flansburgh spoke of the Mundanes, and its impact on They Might Be Giants, in a 2011 interview:

They were the big band out of Brown University and they played a lot, they were very professional. I think from the very beginning, we (They Might Be Giants) sort of set our sights kind of low as a band because The Mundanes had been such a powerful live outfit, they really had a great sound as a band, and they were successful – but they weren't super successful. They definitely hit some roadblocks professionally. Considering what a competent band they were, it seemed strange that in an era where every new wave band was getting signed, they didn't get signed. And I think people didn’t understand, you know, they had a great guitar player, they had great songs, they had a female singer who was very charismatic. It just seemed strange that a band that sort of had it all wouldn't get a major label deal. So when we started the band, I think our sort of natural thought was like: well, if they can't break into something more professional, let's just do this for fun. It just seemed like, how far can you get in a band if a band like The Mundanes can't get a deal?

The Mundanes briefly reunited for a private concert in 2008,[11] celebrating 30 years since the band was founded. The band possibly reunited again in 2013.[12]

Discography[edit]

Songs[edit]

The band's original material was initially written by the songwriting partnership of John Andrews and Dean Lozow. Later Jonathan Gregg started to contribute to the songwriting as well. John Linnell is not known to have written any songs for the Mundanes. The band only officially released three songs while they were together, and the majority of their work exists only as unreleased demo or live recordings. The band's live show included many covers, typically of '60s pop and rock songs.

Original songs[edit]

Live covers[edit]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

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