Tag Archives: The Mammals

Talkin’ Music, Politics and Activism With The Mammals

Mike and Ruthy of The Mammals

There’s been something gnawing at me for the past few years whenever I’ve attended a concert that I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on. With the exception of seeing Steve Earle, where it’s guaranteed you’ll hear him play ‘Copperhead Road’ as much as it is expected hearing his latest views on politics, rarely does a musician ever utter the name of the man in the House of White. What you’ll usually get from most musicians is an introduction to a song mentioning ‘these hard or troubled times that we live in’ or a passing reference often in the form of humor that allows the audience to titter quietly, and perhaps feel as if they are sitting together with an audience of fellow travelers.

Call it a form of false memory syndrome, but I had been thinking that almost every concert I attended back in the late Sixties and into the post-Watergate period was politically charged and part of the counter-culture revolution. On deeper and sober reflection, that is a falsehood. For example, I’m reminded of the Woodstock festival fifty years ago when the late Abbie Hoffman, an American anarchist and political activist who co-founded the Youth International Party (Yippies), took to the stage during a performance by The Who and attempted to talk about the unfair imprisonment of John Sinclair. While psychedelic and faded memories have altered the storyline a bit, the gist of it is that Pete Townshend threw him off the stage and likely bopped him on the head with his guitar. Music 1, Politics 0.

Trying to understand why in today’s hyper-political climate more musicians aren’t speaking out and using the stage as a platform to rally enthusiasm for protest and change, I reached out to Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar from The Mammals for their thoughts. They were described as a ‘subversive acoustic traditionalists’ and a ‘party band with a conscience’ by the Washington Post in a review of last year’s stunning album, Sunshiner. In choosing the album as one of her top ten picks of 2018 for Folk Alley, former No Depression guru Kim Ruehl wrote that every song ‘has its own little spirit, and together gives us a sense of what we’re capable of when we work together’. I’ll add that they are each good hearted intelligent and articulate souls whom I have great respect for, and are grassroots activists looking for ways to give back to their community at every chance they get.

In response to my question as to why they think its not often that you hear more political chatter from the stage, this came from Mike:

‘Many artists don’t want to mention Trump’s name at all, for fear of contaminating the room and sabotaging the spell they’re attempting to cast. One thing we discovered this year is that it’s potentially more productive to sing and talk about what we’re for, as opposed to what we’re against. Bashing Trump is almost too easy. It’s a no brainer and it almost can feel like a low blow. A sucker punch. But if you actually stand for policies that are utterly non-Trumpian (sustainability, respect for all people, equality, etc), well then you’re winning on multiple fronts and potentially even taking some knuckleheads with you!’

Ruthy recalls the band’s experience at the 2005 Festival International in Louisiana. One of their tunes prompted the festival to consider instituting a policy on restricting songs about politics, which you can read about here. At the time she could see both sides, noting that ‘Sometimes people believe that a festival is not a place to think about anything negative, it’s supposed to be a party.’ Thirteen years later, with Trump causing much divisiveness, Ruthy echoes much of what Mike feels:

‘I have definitely experienced the sudden feeling of his name fouling the air in an otherwise stunning concert setting. For real. I believe people crave spaces and experiences where his name his image and his energy are not present. I know I do! We spent the George W Bush presidency calling him out by name, specifically with a popular song of Mike’s called The Bush Boys. But as Mike says, we’ve entered a new paradigm where we sing what we’re for, not what we’re against. The current administration gets plenty of coverage. We want to expand the consciousness of healing antidotes: friendship, courage, leading with your heart, and putting Mother Earth first.’

In the spirit of their commitment to activism, this past December saw The Mammals coming up with yet another way to assist organizations that exist to help others and are in need of support to continue. Before I get into that, you need to hear Ruthy’s thoughts on the current state of earning a living as a musician, citing ownership of both physical and digital recordings as a novelty. The question is ‘Do you just stop or keep going?’

‘The monetary value of music was always secondary to the emotional value for me. If recordings are valued at zero dollars now, maybe the creators who will remain in the game have always made music for deeper reasons and are able to survive on other income streams, like touring, teaching, and direct fan patronage. We’ve discovered support from our fans via Patreon, and with their help we’d like to keep going deeper into our craft and welcoming the new technology that allows us to share songs with fans directly.’

In a press release sent out on the last day of 2018, The Mammals shared that they have made available for download five singles on their Bandcamp page. Previously unreleased and from the Sunshiner sessions, they are donating 100% of sales to specific causes that relate to the message of each song. In Mike’s words: ‘Our actual donation may be humble but we’re proud to shine a light on the good work of others, those who have inspired us and who are using their energy to effect positive change in our community and our world. These are the Sunshiners!’

Here’s a breakdown of each song and where the proceeds will go to. I’ve added links to each if you’d like more information or care to make a direct contribution. Personally, I am often trying to think of ways I can make a difference but am too successful at making up excuses why I can’t. Not enough time, not enough money, not enough strength and perhaps not enough compassion when it’s most needed. But Mike and Ruthy have inspired and made it easy…so I’m going to reach into my pocket and encourage those who read this to do the same and maybe even go one step further: share this story with someone else.

“Poison” represents a parent’s plea in the opioid crisis with proceeds going to O+ Positive Festival.

“Which Road Takes Me Home” is a poetic outpouring with proceeds going to TMI Project.

“The Old Days,” was inspired in part by Ungar’s time at Bard College and will contribute to the Bard Prison Initiative.

“I’m Ready For The Industrial Revolution To Be Over” is a punk-infused song inspired by environmentalist Bill McKibben who’s group 350.org is the recipient of proceeds.

The final track is “One Vine” an ode to regeneration, hope, and unity which will contribute to indigenous-led action group Seeding Sovereignty.

Two years ago The Mammals brought together family and friends and released what is probably one of my favorite music videos of all time. It’s easy to hear why they are one of the best kick-ass party bands on the road today, never failing to give me that good time feeling and here’s a confession that I don’t share easily: when I’m alone, I like to dance to it.

This article was originally published as an Easy Ed’s Broadside column over at No Depression: The Journal of Roots Music.

Many of my past columns, articles, and essays can be accessed here at my own site, therealeasyed.com. I also aggregate news and videos on both Flipboard and Facebook as The Real Easy Ed: Americana and Roots Music Daily. My Twitter handle is @therealeasyed and my email address is easyed@therealeasyed.com.

The Mammals Return on the Ashokan Express

The last time I inhaled was 23 years ago and it didn’t take long for the cravings to fade away. My motivation coincided with the birth of my first child, and the fear we’d go to the supermarket together one day and I’d forget to bring him home along with the potatoes, bacon and eggs. The image etched inside my mind was of driving off behind the wheel as he remained strapped into the metal cart all alone in the parking lot, crying and bewildered. And so I traded smoke for fatherhood and have happily walked the peaks and valleys with a clearer head, and quickly discovered that music, art and the written word could still deliver a mountain high without an altered state of consciousness.

On the morning of April 20th – a special day of celebration for those who still appreciate the power of things green and leafy – two of my favorite musicians and storytellers released a new album featuring a group of collaborators and old friends. Minus original founding member Tao Rodriquez-Seeger, The Mammals have re-emerged from their self-described hibernation with a collection of songs that weave together and showcase a unique ability to easily slide in and out of the various nooks and crannies of roots music that expand the fluid borders of Americana.

When I posted the video of the album’s title track “Sunshiner” on my Americana Roots Music Daily Facebook page, this is what I wrote: “Lovin’ the new album from The Mammals. The title track sounds to me like this is what happens when you blend a Mazzy Star vibe with two-part harmony, and sprinkle in some cosmic country dripping with pedal steel magic.” What I didn’t share was that for a brief moment I had a strong desire to allow myself one more chance to fall under the influence, lay down in a meadow of wildflowers and float away into space. Instead, with my eyes shut and ears open, I arrived at the same place sans the four-twenty experience.

From their home base and humble abode in Woodstock, New York, Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar have raised their family in a supportive arts community steeped in history, continuing in the tradition of past folksingers who have traveled the musical ribbons of highways across America. On their Web site, this is how they describe what they do: “Woody Guthrie’s guitar killed fascists. This family carries the torch.” A Mike + Ruthy concert, now performing again as The Mammals, has always touched me as a two-foot process: one planted in the past traditions of old-time music, and the other into the yet unexplored.

No Depression‘s former editor Kim Ruehl recently posted a review ofSunshiner over at Folk Alley, and I’d be a fool to try and improve on her words:

“The Mammals are here to reorient us to the beauty of the natural world and our place in it, and the opportunities that lie therein. Nature, after all, contains plenty of reminders to slow down and step back. (Consider how many generations can come and go—with all their petty squabbles—in the lifetime of a single tree.).

Similarly, music has a practical role to play in helping us survive times such as these, whether by providing an escape route or a tool box for building a better way. Count Sunshiner among the latter.

For context, the Mammals have populated these songs with the moon and the stars, the water, the birds, and a path into the unknown. There’s a floating leaf from a maple tree, an ode on solar power and geothermal energy (the title track, of course). There’s the abundance of children, family, and friendships, graceful confrontations with mortality, and even the very human (mammalian?) desire to be alone for just a moment.”

The reference to Ashokan that I used in the headline of this column refers to the center and retreat in the Catskill Mountains, whose mission is ‘to teach, inspire and build community through shared experiences in nature, history, music and art.” Founded in 1980 by Ruthy’s father Jay Ungar and his wife Molly Mason – themselves a beloved performing duo of traditional roots music – in addition to a number of educational programs, they also run a series of popular week-long music camps “where people come together to become better fiddlers, guitarists, mandolin players, uke players, percussionists, singers, dancers and teachers.”

In 2013 Mike, Ruthy and other musicians from the area began a festival series called The Hoot, that takes place twice a year in Winter and Summer at Ashokan. Described as a “down-home, multi-generational celebration of live roots music, local food & crafts, and the joyful spirit of this amazing community where the Catskills meet the Hudson River Valley,” this summer it runs August 24th – 26th.

The Mammals have listed upcoming tour dates on their site, and the album is available either directly through them or from the usual suspects. If you get the chance to see them live – they usually do either small venues or open air festivals – it’s easy to fall under the spell of their charming observational stories that they weave with music that’s easy on the ears and gentle on the mind. Good people, good times. No need to inhale.

This article was originally published as an Easy Ed’s Broadside column over at No Depression: The Journal of Roots Music.