Mute Math

Infobox musical artist
Name = Mute Math

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Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Genre = Alternative rock
Indie rock
Years_active = 2003–present
Label = Teleprompt Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Music Group
URL = http://www.mutemath.com/
Associated_acts = Earthsuit
MACROSICK
Club of the Sons
Current_members = Paul Meany
Darren King
Greg Hill
Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas
Past_members = Jonathan Allen
Notable_instruments = Keytar
[http://www.electrokraft.com AxeSynth] , (a.k.a. "The Atari")
Rhodes

Mute Math is a Grammy Award nominated American rock band from New Orleans, LA that formed in 2003. Their music consists of many elements such as rock, new wave, electro, psychedelia, and jazz with ambient vocals. The group consists of Paul Meany on Rhodes piano, bass, keytar, keyboards, samples, vocals, and more recently, guitar; Darren King on drums, samples, and programming; Greg Hill on guitars and vocals; and Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas on bass guitar, upright bass, and bass drum.

History

Formation

Mute Math started in 2001 as a long distance collaboration between Paul Meany in New Orleans, Louisiana and Darren King in Springfield, Missouri. The two had known each other from their work together in Meany's previous Christian group Earthsuit. Occasionally Paul would receive instrumental demo CDs from Darren King. Fairly impressed with his efforts, Paul contacted Darren and asked if he could mess with the demos a bit, adding some ideas of his own. Darren obliged and the two would set in motion a sort of songwriting ping-pong match that would carry on for several months until Darren was asked to return and replace yet another drummer for Earthsuit as the band began to quickly dissolve. After Earthsuit finally disbanded, King moved to New Orleans and began to talk of a possible collaboration with Meany. The two worked on demos and played a handful of shows under the moniker "MATH".

With the recruiting of guitarist Greg Hill, the trio worked in their New Orleans home studio writing and recording a whole new collection of songs. Paul immediately played the demos for longtime friend and producer Tedd T, who fell in love at first listen. The trio continued to work on demos with Tedd T for a possible EP while playing shows with another Earthsuit member in Adam LaClave's art-rock group MACROSICK.

"Reset EP"

After months of considering different options for their new venture, the group decided to do things on their own and officially changed their name to "Mute Math" after discovering that "MATH" was already being used by another group. Meany recruited Tedd T and lawyer and former Earthsuit manager Kevin Kookogey to form Teleprompt Records as a way to independently control Mute Math releases. Teleprompt entered into an agreement with Warner Music Group in 2004, releasing Mute Math's debut "Reset EP" that fall. The band left MACROSICK to begin touring to promote the release, using popular social networking sites like MySpace to spread word of the group. As their fan base grew, it began to see its shows sell out in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix. They chronicled their shows and updated their video blogs on a nightly basis and finally recruited permanent bass player Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas, another Earthsuit member, in the winter of 2004. The band sold over 30,000 copies of "Reset EP" before the album went out of print in 2006.

"Mute Math"

In January 2006, the band set out on a tour in support of their self-titled debut album. It was independently released in response to Warner Music Group's decision to distribute and promote Mute Math primarily to Christian retailers through its Christian label Word Records, a breach of the contract that was forged with Teleprompt preceding the release of Reset EP. (see Teleprompt Controversy for more details).

The special edition of the album was only available as a "tour-only" release until it hit the Internet on Teleprompt's online store, selling more than 10,000 copies in its first month. Mute Math landed on the covers of "Billboard" and Pollstar [cite web|url=http://mutemath.com/presskit/_pdf/mute_math_pollstar.pdf|title=Pollstar HotStar: Mute Math|date=August 7, 2006|publisher=Pollstar] being featured in Alternative Press [cite web|url=http://mutemath.com/presskit/_pdf/mute_math_alternative_press.pdf|title=100 Bands to Watch in 2007|date=April 2007|publisher=Alternative Press] , Paste [cite web|url=http://mutemath.com/presskit/_pdf/mute_math_paste.pdf|title=4 To Watch For|date=2006|publisher=Paste Magazine] , and Spin [cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/features/band_of_the_day/2006/09/060928_mutemath/index.html|title=Mute Math: Artist Of The Day|date=September 28, 2006|publisher=Spin Magazine] as well as on the MTV News program 'You Hear It First' [cite web|url=http://mutemath.com/presskit/_pdf/mute_math_MTV.pdf|title=You Hear It First: Mute Math|date=September 2006|publisher=MTV Networks] . The group continued to tour vigorously, playing shows to crowds of thousands at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Van's Warped Tour, V Festival, CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, and Voodoo Music Experience in their hometown of New Orleans.

After months of legal wrangling with parent label Warner Bros. Records regarding marketing and representation, Teleprompt settled litigation out of court in August 2006 with a re-negotiated contract with Warner.

WBR re-released the band's debut album "Mute Math" on September 26, 2006. The fully remastered album features reworked tracks from their Reset EP [See Differences in new Mute Math album for details.] and a bonus limited-edition live EP. The album debuted at #17 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=631068&model.vnuAlbumId=799983|title=Mute Math Chart History|publisher=Billboard]

The band returned to the road in early 2007 with opening dates for The Fray, Wolfmother in various cities and a brief headlining tour in Europe. Flesh And Bones Electric Fun, an exclusive live DVD was released on March 20, 2007 with an accompanying 43-city North American tour that ran through the first of May.

The band also received some unexpected publicity on "American Idol" when contestant Chris Sligh sang "Typical" on the show's Top 24 episode.

"Typical"

Mute Math's first music video, for "Typical", premiered on YouTube on March 21, 2007. The video was directed by Israel Anthem and features the band performing the song backwards. The video made it on the "New York Post" Hot List [cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012007/entertainment/hot_list_entertainment_raakhee_mirchandani_and_maxine_shen.htm|title="HOT LIST"|publisher=New York Post|date=April 1, 2007] and registered more than 100,000 views in less than four days [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b13rc6DY74A|title="Typical"|publisher=YouTube] . It took three weeks for Mute Math to learn their parts backwards. When asked whether singing backwards or drumming backwards was more difficult, Paul Meany answered, "Darren had it the hardest."

"Typical" was also released as Mute Math's first radio single on April 10, 2007. As of late June, the single started receiving major airplay in Modern Rock and is quickly rising up the Mediabase Alternative chart jumping from #115 to #65 and was also the second most added song on Alternative stations the week of June 13, 2007. The single then jumped to #36 the first week of August 2007, a position it held for six weeks before it moved to a peak position to #35. [cite web|url=http://w2.mediabase.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Charts.asp?format=r3m&showtopn=500&cutoff=1|title=Mediabase Alternative Charts|date=June 13, 2007|publisher=Mediabase]

The group made limited appearances at various summer festivals in mid-2007 in order to work on writing and recording material for their forthcoming sophomore record. The band's debut performance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival coincided with their second appearance on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson".

The group appeared on "", released on July 3, 2007, performing the "Transformers Theme" in conjunction with the live-action film directed by Michael Bay (although the song did not appear in the film) and made a television appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on July 17. The group was in the running for MTV2 and Virgin Mobile's [http://www.virginfestival.com/mutemath Book The Band] vote to open for the US Virgin Festival in Baltimore, Maryland in August (Aiden won the Book The Band contest).

Mute Math's debut album reappeared on Billboard's Top Heatseekers Chart on August 4, 2007 at #28, while the single "Typical" debuted at #39 on Billboard's US Modern Rock Chart the same week. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=377&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Modern+Rock+Tracks&ci=3085354&cdi=9334267&cid=08%2F04%2F2007|title=Billboard Chart History|date=August 4, 2007|publisher=Billboard]

The band hit the road in support of the single in September 2007 with support Eisley, which included two television appearances. The first was September 19, their second appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The show aired a taped performance of the band recreating the video the single "Typical" that was taped in front of the studio audience and then played back in reverse for the broadcast. Their second television appearance was their debut on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien performing "Break the Same" for the first time on television on October 17.

On November 12th, 2007 Atlantic Records announced that the band would join Alanis Morissette on Matchbox Twenty's Exile In America Tour which kicked off in Hollywood, FL on January 25, 2008 and ran through mid-March. [cite web|url=http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=796035&sourceType=3|title=Exile In America Press Release|date=November 26, 2007|publisher=Marketwire] On December 6, 2007, the group was nominated for a Grammy Award for their short form music video for "Typical". [cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/50th_Show/list.aspx#31|title=50th Annual Grammy Award Nominees|date=December 6, 2007|publisher=Grammy.com] "Control", the second and final radio single from "Mute Math" was released January 15, 2008. The music video for the single was filmed in Nashville in January, but its distribution was halted due to copyright issues in regards to a previously released clip from a European group. Fact|date=May 2008 The band also released the companion album to their 2007 live dvd, "Flesh And Bones Electric Fun: Mute Math Live", via iTunes on January 29, 2008.

Current Status

The group is currently writing and recording their second full length record in their home studios in Nashville and New Orleans. Their second album is tentatively scheduled for release sometime after the first quarter of 2009, a little over two years after the release of "Mute Math" and four years after the release of "Reset EP".

Recently short videos have been posted to the band's Youtube profile. These videos document the work going on in the studio, including street interviews where New Orleans locals are shown samples of the album (which cannot be heard in the video), recording their reactions. Any clips of actual music from the new album is presented in such a way that it only hints at what the album will eventually sound like. [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/mutemath|title=Mute Math's Youtube profile|date=July, 2008]

On February 19, in an interview with Rider University's television show "Music and Interview Affairs", Paul Meany said they have been 'writing feverishly'.

A March 13, 2008 interview with the OC Register quotes Paul Meany in reference to their new album, saying 'Our goal is to embarrass the first record, that's what we're trying to do here, and I think we're on point to pull it off'. [cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/band-meany-first-1997771-mute-video|title=Mute Math gives concert-goers a reason to arrive early|date=March 13, 2008|publisher=OC Register]

On April 4, 2008, Goodwin Films announced they were working on a documentary film about the making of Mute Math's new record. No further details have been announced regarding the release of the film. [cite web|url=http://goodwinfilms.blogspot.com/2008/04/shooting-mute-math-in-nashville.html|title=Shooting Mute Math in Nashville|date=April 4, 2008|publisher=Goodwin Films]

The new CD, Meany says, likely will be released early next year [2009] "We want to keep it in the oven and make sure things are ready to go," says Meany. "Anyone who thinks first album is perfect will hate this [new] record. If you heard the first record and liked some stuff about it [but] think things could improve, you may like it. It's important for us to change up the formula. We thought we were writing [the new album] for the last 2½ years on the road, but found out we weren't. We just started three months ago." [cite web|url=http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/music/all-mutemath.6527027aug02,0,6040949.story|title=Buzz grows louder for Mute Math|date=August 2, 2008|publisher=The Morning Call]

Discography

EPs and albums

*"Reset EP" - 2004 - Teleprompt/WEA
*"Mute Math" - 2006 - Teleprompt/WBR
*"Live at the El Rey EP" - 2006 - Teleprompt/WBR
*"" - 2008 - Teleprompt/WBR
*"Time & Space" - Spring 2009 - Teleprompt/WBR

ingles

* "Typical" (Teleprompt/WBR, 2007)
* "Control" (Teleprompt/WBR, 2008) [cite web|url=http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=796035&sourceType=3|title=Exile In America Press Release|date=November 26, 2007|publisher=Marketwire]

Compilations

*"Chaos" "Aware 11" -Aware Records
*"Transformers Theme" "" - Warner Bros. Records
*"You Are Mine" appeared in the 2008 movies "Never Back Down" and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2".
*"Spotlight (Twilight Remix)" - Twilight Soundtrack

Charts

Albums

ingles

"NOTE: "Control" and "Peculiar People" appeared on CCR formats and charted for a short time before they were pulled from the CCM market."

Awards and Nominations

Awards

*Dove Award 2005 Best Modern Rock Song - "Control". [cite web|url=http://www.doveawards.com/newsroom/article.cfm?NewsID=71|title=GMA 2005 Press Release|date=April 13, 2005|publisher=Gospel Music Association]

Nominations

*Grammy Award 2008 Best Short Form Music Video- "Typical".

Filmography

* "Flesh And Bones Electric Fun" (Teleprompt/WBR, 2007) — DVD Release
* "Upcoming Documentary" (Teleprompt/WBR/Goodwin Films, 2008) — Release details TBA

Tours

* Spring 2005 - SXSW & The Reset Tour with Mat Kearney
* Fall 2005 - The Music Is Much Too Loud Tour with Mae and Circa Survive
* Winter 2005 - The Album Release Tour with Vedera
* Spring 2006 - The Album Release Tour (Second Leg) with The Working Title
* May 2006 - The Album Release Encore Tour featuring Under The Influence of Giants, Lovedrug, and other guests
* Summer 2006 - Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Vans Warped Tour, V Festival
* Fall 2006 - Fall Tour with Shiny Toy Guns, The Whigs, Jonezetta, and Club Of The Sons [cite web|url=http://birminghamweekly.com/archived/pages/20061026_picks.php|title=Review of Mute Math show|publisher=Birmingham Weekly|date=October 26, 2006]
* Fall 2006 - Voodoo Music Experience & CMJ Music Marathon
* January 2007 - Winter College Tour opening for The Fray
* February 2007 - Headlining European Tour
* Spring 2007 - SXSW & Flesh And Bones Electric Fun Tour with The Cinematics, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Club Of The Sons, and one show with Wolfmother
* June 2007 - Headlining European Tour
* Summer 2007 - Street Scene, Bluesfest, Bonnaroo, Virgin Festival (Toronto & Vancouver) & Reading Festival (United Kingdom)
* Fall 2007 - Headlining Tour with Eisley, Pilot Speed, Voodoo Music Experience & CMJ Music Marathon
* Winter 2007 (late 2007 - early 2008) - Exile In America Tour with Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette
* Summer 2008 - Download 2008 in the US & Summer Sonic 2008 in Japan.
* Winter 2008/Spring 2009 - TBA Headlining Tour

Television appearances

* February 3, 2006 - CBS - "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"
**"Notes: Television debut. Performed "Chaos"."

* "'September 19, 2006 - MTV News - "You Hear It First""'
* November 9, 2006 - MTV Canada - "MTV Live"
**"Notes: Live show was only broadcast in Canada."

* December 1, 2006 - ABC - "Jimmy Kimmel Live"
**"Notes: Performed "Typical" and "Chaos". Paul snaps the neck of the red keytar later featured in the music video for "Typical". [cite web|url=http://www.rockinsider.com/2006/12/it-takes-secure-man-to-destroy-stage.html|title=It Takes A Secure Man To Destroy A Stage With A Keytar|publisher=Rock Insider|date=December 6, 2006] [cite web|url=http://abc.go.com/primetime/jimmykimmel/garage.html|title=Mute Math performs "Typical" on Jimmy Kimmel Live|date=December 1, 2006|publisher=ABC] "

* June 14, 2007 - CBS - "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"
**"Notes: Performed "Typical". (2nd appearance)"
* "'July 2007 - MTV - "Discover and Download""'
* July 17, 2007 - CBS - "The Late Show with David Letterman"
**"Notes: Performed "Typical"."
* September 18, 2007 - ABC - "Jimmy Kimmel Live"
**"Notes: Live "backwards" performance of "Typical". (2nd appearance)"

* October 17, 2007 - NBC - "Late Night with Conan O'Brien
**"Notes: Performed "Break The Same".

References

External links

* [http://www.mutemath.com/ Official website]
*myspace|mutemath
* [http://www.youtube.com/mutemath Youtube Channel]
* [http://www.thelandsalmon.com/interview-with/interview-with-mute-math.html Interview at The Land Salmon, April 2008]
* [http://roymitchellcardenas.blogspot.com Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas' Personal Blog]
* [http://www.mutemath.com/MuteMathOnTV Official Flesh And Bones Electric Fun Tour/DVD Mini Site]
* [http://www.ishotyourband.com/w/mutemath.html Live photos of Mute Math]
*allmusicguide|id=11:zyb8b5p4zsq0~T0|name=Mute Math
* [http://www.last.fm/music/Mute+Math Mute Math] at Last.fm (song popularity graphs and music samples)
* [http://www.redefinemag.com/music/interviews_music_2.php?artist=Mute-Math&id=92 Mute Math Interview at REDEFINE Magazine, October 2007]
* [http://www.downloadfestival.com/home/ Official Download 2008 Festival Website]