The Mutants (San Francisco)
Encyclopedia
The Mutants are an important band in the history of San Francisco punk rock
and new wave music
. They are known for their theatrical performances which often include elaborate props, projections, and comical antics. They are credited with being one of the first "Art-punk" bands in San Francisco, and were one of the most popular bands of the San Francisco punk scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
(aka The Fab Mab), The Savoy Tivoli, The Berkeley Square, The Deaf Club
, The Temple (aka 1839 Geary Street), The Old Waldorf, The Warfield, and other punk clubs. They were also noted for being one of the few pop bands to ever perform live at Napa State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital
. They also opened for such bands as The Ramones, Iggy Pop
, New Order
, Lene Lovich
, The Cramps
and the Talking Heads
. The Mutants were booked to open for Joy Division
's first U.S. tour which was canceled due to Ian Curtis' suicide two days before the tour was to begin.
Their first extended play single was on 415 Records
and included "Insect Lounge", "New Drug" and "The New Dark Ages". Many compilations, such as Wave Goodbye, Can You Hear Me: Live From the Deaf Cluband 415 included both live and studio recordings of The Mutants. In 1982, The Mutants' only album, Fun Terminal, was produced with the help of Snakefinger
after the first producer, Paul Wexler
, who produced their e. p., left the project and was released on MSI Quality Records.
Following the release of Fun Terminal, The Mutants embarked on another successful national tour, headlining at major punk venues such as CBGBs and Hurrah
. However, the stress encountered while recording Fun Terminal, drug abuse, alcoholism, and family commitments changed the scope of the band. By the mid-eighties many of the original musicians left the band. The three vocalists attempted to keep the band going with new musicians, and new songs were written to feature the female vocalists.
In 1989 The Mutants had a reunion show at the DNA Lounge
in San Francisco. By this time, most of the band was clean and sober. In 2002, Fun Terminal was re-released as a CD on White Noise Records
and included three additional tracks of live recordings, a 1980 4 song unreleased demo session and the 415 records released e. p.. Interest in the band re-surfaced and The Mutants began once again playing small clubs in San Francisco, such as SOMA Arts, Thee Parkside, Studio Z, and Cafe du Nord. A "Fab Mab Reunion" took place on April 8, 2006 at The Fillmore
and featured performances by The Mutants and several other notable bands from the early San Francisco punk scene. Dirk Dirksen
and Damon Malloy produced a DVD documentary of The Mutants titled Mutants: Forensic Report which was released in 2007.Mutants
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Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and new wave music
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. They are known for their theatrical performances which often include elaborate props, projections, and comical antics. They are credited with being one of the first "Art-punk" bands in San Francisco, and were one of the most popular bands of the San Francisco punk scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
History
The Mutants joined together to perform at the San Francisco Poetry Festival in 1977. They quickly became regular performers in the San Francisco punk rock scene, headlining at the Mabuhay GardensMabuhay Gardens
The Mabuhay Gardens was a San Francisco nightclub located at , on the Broadway strip of North Beach, an area best known for its strip clubs....
(aka The Fab Mab), The Savoy Tivoli, The Berkeley Square, The Deaf Club
The Deaf Club
The Deaf Club was a notable music venue located on Valencia Street in San Francisco which remained open for an 18 month period. Its main attraction was punk music...
, The Temple (aka 1839 Geary Street), The Old Waldorf, The Warfield, and other punk clubs. They were also noted for being one of the few pop bands to ever perform live at Napa State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
. They also opened for such bands as The Ramones, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, Lene Lovich
Lene Lovich
Lene Lovich is an American singer based in England, who first gained attention as part of the New Wave music scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her most popular hit single was "Lucky Number", first released in 1979.-Early years:...
, The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
and the Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
. The Mutants were booked to open for Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
's first U.S. tour which was canceled due to Ian Curtis' suicide two days before the tour was to begin.
Their first extended play single was on 415 Records
415 Records
415 Records was a San Francisco record label created in 1978. The label focused its efforts on local punk rock and new wave music acts of the late 1970s through the late 1980s, including The Offs, The Nuns, Romeo Void, and Wire Train...
and included "Insect Lounge", "New Drug" and "The New Dark Ages". Many compilations, such as Wave Goodbye, Can You Hear Me: Live From the Deaf Cluband 415 included both live and studio recordings of The Mutants. In 1982, The Mutants' only album, Fun Terminal, was produced with the help of Snakefinger
Snakefinger
Philip Charles Lithman , who performed under the stage name Snakefinger, was an English musician, singer and songwriter. A multi-instrumentalist, he was best known for his guitar and violin work and his collaborations with The Residents.-History:Lithman was born in Tooting, South London, and came...
after the first producer, Paul Wexler
Paul Wexler
Paul Wexler , was an American character actor. Tall and physically imposing with a long face and deep baritone voice, he specialized in macabre or off-beat roles....
, who produced their e. p., left the project and was released on MSI Quality Records.
Following the release of Fun Terminal, The Mutants embarked on another successful national tour, headlining at major punk venues such as CBGBs and Hurrah
Hurrah (nightclub)
Hurrah was a nightclub located at 32 West 62nd Street in New York City from 1976 until 1980. Under the management of Jim Fouratt it became known as the first rock disco in New York, and pioneered the use of music videos in nightclubs, placing video monitors around the club, over a year before the...
. However, the stress encountered while recording Fun Terminal, drug abuse, alcoholism, and family commitments changed the scope of the band. By the mid-eighties many of the original musicians left the band. The three vocalists attempted to keep the band going with new musicians, and new songs were written to feature the female vocalists.
In 1989 The Mutants had a reunion show at the DNA Lounge
DNA Lounge
DNA Lounge is a late-night, all ages nightclub in the SoMa district of San Francisco owned by Jamie Zawinski, a former Netscape programmer and open-source software hacker. The club features DJ dancing, live music, burlesque performances, and occasionally conferences, private parties, and film...
in San Francisco. By this time, most of the band was clean and sober. In 2002, Fun Terminal was re-released as a CD on White Noise Records
White Noise Records
White Noise Records was a record label founded in Los Angeles in 1978 by artists Ronn Spencer and Louise Spencer, writers Nicole Panter and Jim Bickhart, attorneys Gordon Rubin and Peter Paterno, and publicist Bob Merlis....
and included three additional tracks of live recordings, a 1980 4 song unreleased demo session and the 415 records released e. p.. Interest in the band re-surfaced and The Mutants began once again playing small clubs in San Francisco, such as SOMA Arts, Thee Parkside, Studio Z, and Cafe du Nord. A "Fab Mab Reunion" took place on April 8, 2006 at The Fillmore
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
and featured performances by The Mutants and several other notable bands from the early San Francisco punk scene. Dirk Dirksen
Dirk Dirksen
Dirk Dirksen was a music promoter and emcee of the San Francisco punk rock clubs Mabuhay Gardens and On Broadway in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Dirksen was nicknamed the "Pope of Punk"....
and Damon Malloy produced a DVD documentary of The Mutants titled Mutants: Forensic Report which was released in 2007.Mutants
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Members
Current lineup- Fritz Fox (aka Freddy Mutant) - vocals
- Sellier Webster (aka Sally Mutant) - vocals
- Sue White - vocals
- Brendan Earley - lead guitar
- John Gullak - guitar
- Jim Hrabetin - guitar
- Paul Fleming - bass
- Dave Carothers - drums
Discography
- New Dark Ages / New Drug / Insect Lounge 7" (415 Records415 Records415 Records was a San Francisco record label created in 1978. The label focused its efforts on local punk rock and new wave music acts of the late 1970s through the late 1980s, including The Offs, The Nuns, Romeo Void, and Wire Train...
, 1980) - 415 Music (415 Records415 Records415 Records was a San Francisco record label created in 1978. The label focused its efforts on local punk rock and new wave music acts of the late 1970s through the late 1980s, including The Offs, The Nuns, Romeo Void, and Wire Train...
, 1980) - Can You Hear Me? Live From the Deaf Club (Walking Dead, 1980)
- Savoy Sound — Wave Goodbye (CD Presents, 1981)
- Fun Terminal LP (Mutiny Shadow, 1981)
- The Mutants / Impatient Youth 7" (Shredder Records, 1988)
- Fun Terminal CD (White Noise, 2004)