The Muggs

“It was very liberating,” said Danny Methric, lead guitarist/singer/songwriter. “The last few records I’d worry
whether it was enough for our fans, ya know? This time, I said, ‘I’m writing the record that I wanna hear.’ It took me ‘til I was 42 to finally say that. I hope people like it, but if they don’t, that’s cool; at least we gave it our best effort. I’m so very proud of this record.”

With Boogaloo, released in late March on local label Bellyache Records, the veteran rockers finally feel they’ve forged what Methric called the “Muggs’ identity.”

The group formed back in 2000, born out of a lifelong friendship between Methric and bassist Tony DeNardo. They hit the ground running amid the Detroit scene’s musical renaissance (predominantly garage-rock, as it was) spearheaded back then by The White Stripes. Through 15 years, The Muggs have distinguished themselves by their impeccable live shows, their sustained camaraderie and a palpable loyalty to classic blues and a uniquely Detroit- flavored rock n’ roll.

Early in their career, mid-2001, a hemorrhagic stroke nearly took DeNardo’s life. Methric and their original drummer Matt Rost refused to replace him. With endearing support from the local music scene, DeNardo was able to receive crucial treatment to aid his recovery, eventually training himself to accommodate bass parts with his left hand along the keys of a Fender Rhodes. The group has since recorded four albums, with Rost’s 2009 departure filled by drummer Todd Glass.

In May, The Muggs traveled across the pond for their third European tour. “Euro kids, particularly the Spanish crowd, really love rock n’ roll; they especially love Detroit rock n’ roll, like The Detroit Cobras, Paybacks and The White Stripes,” Methric assured. “Those bands were a revelation for Spanish kids because there’s

a lot of electronic music over there while rock bands are few and far between. We were a band they really latched on to.”

Methric said the group got together last year, with producer Adam Cox, to make a strong, straight ahead rock album, no frills, yet subtly epic. “Like Led Zeppelin IV crossed with The Beatles’ Revolver, just eight great songs, more streamlined. With the songwriting, I took more chances, kinda blending pop-rock with blues rock. It was weird.”

Methric admits having felt pressure during the songwriting process for previous albums, as if compelled to constrain himself to a certain form or delivery. With stormy swagger and glorious growls of the album’s opener “Applecart Blues,” Methric surges with a throat-curdling, guitar shredding catharsis that certainly “upsets the applecart” and disrupts typical preconceptions of blues rock. “That title, the idiom, has nothing to do with the lyrics, but it’s about the attitude.”

In late 2011, after releasing the exceptional Born Ugly LP, Methric wondered aloud whether it would be their final album, much to the dismay of DeNardo, who continued to encourage him. “I can be Danny Downer,” Methric said, self- deprecatingly, chuckling at their yin-yang repartee. “And Tony Blue Skies keeps reminding me things are getting better.”

If Ugly was their magnum opus, then Boogaloo would be “…the record we could throw the kitchen sink at,” says Methric. It helps having the esteemed Glass on drums, Methric added. “So lucky to have (Glass,) we build everything from the drums up. And no matter what crazy idea for a song I threw at (DeNardo) he’d say, ‘Cool, let’s run with it.’” (Glass & DeNardo) usually acknowledge that Methric’s done well enough so far with those crazy ideas, why stop now?

“We’ll keep making albums as long as we can,” Methric assures.

There’s no wane in their enthusiasm, neither for each other’s company nor for their abilities to bust out some brisk, enlivening blues rock. Straight up, no frills: boogaloo!

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The Muggs’ Straight Up Boogaloo is available online at: http://bellyacherecords.com/store/records/ http://www.themuggs.com/news/