Matt Mundy

[hieronymous]

I just found this thread. I hadn't thought of Matt Mundy in a long time. I was fortunate enough to catch a bunch of Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit shows in, let's see, it must have been 1992-1993. I also managed to hang out with the band here and there. Matt was an incredibly sweet guy. I saw both the tours just before and after he left. I think the whole band was kind of frustrated - they just kept touring and touring, but it was always in small clubs. The Col. told me that he would love to be playing small theaters, but the ARU just never bumped up to that level. I think I remember Matt also expressing frustration with the whole "hurry up and wait" thing with touring - drivedrivedrive, show up, set up, then sit around for several hours waiting to play for an hour and a half, and then drivedrivedrive all over again...

Sorry, these memories are kind of scattered. I just remembered that the first time I saw them Matt was playing an electric (pretty sure it was a 4-string) - I think he plays electric on the live album, the first album that came out - but he also switched to playing acoustic for a while before he quit. I'm sorry I don't know what he was playing - this was long before my interest in mandolin - I can tell you what basses Oteil played though!

Anyway, although it's a shame that such a wonderful player stopped playing, I have to respect his decision.

[jan281969]

Thaks folks.I am Matthew Mundy------I don't know if you are supposed to reveal your username/person or not------Anyway I have not picked much since 1996 or so.I felt I should lay it down to pursue other interests and or get a job! Music has still been a large part of my life VIA Sawnee Mountain Music in Cumming Ga.Although it was under a different name,it was my first job right out of high school. My first line of work is at a Bookbindery in Roswell Ga.
Memories of picking with family and such great players down through the years after a while begins to creep back up on you so I have to pick up the Mandolin all along.A wonderful thing to do as many folks here on the cafe' will agree.The classifieds keep my wishes flowing(ha ha ha).Take care and you can get a hold of me through Facebook!!!!!!
Matthew Mundy

[mandolirius]

Thaks folks.I am Matthew Mundy------I don't know if you are supposed to reveal your username/person or not------Anyway I have not picked much since 1996 or so.I felt I should lay it down to pursue other interests and or get a job! Music has still been a large part of my life VIA Sawnee Mountain Music in Cumming Ga.Although it was under a different name,it was my first job right out of high school. My first line of work is at a Bookbindery in Roswell Ga.
Memories of picking with family and such great players down through the years after a while begins to creep back up on you so I have to pick up the Mandolin all along.A wonderful thing to do as many folks here on the cafe' will agree.The classifieds keep my wishes flowing(ha ha ha).Take care and you can get a hold of me through Facebook!!!!!!
Matthew Mundy

Hi Matt. Many years ago a guy turned me on to the ARU. He made me tapes of "Mirrors of Embarrassment" and the Live one. I loved the music and the whole band, killer rhythm, wonderful guitar playing and the most amazing mandolin work. I guarded those tapes with my life until I was finally able to source out the CD's.

I don't know what to say other than this....I think your playing on those albums is benchmark material, right up there with some of Andy Statman's (who is a hero to me) music. You have an amazing harmonic sense, fantastic tone and enviable technique. I've had many a pleasant hour listening the whole band, but especially your playing. Some of my favourite recorded mandolin work.

Anyway, glad to get the chance to tell you that and also to ask what sort of acoustic mandolin you used on those sessions?

[Paul Merlo]

I just want to give a quick "thanx, you're great" high five out to you Matt.

I don't have as many ARU tapes as I do Widespread Panic bootlegs, but one of my favorite studio tracks is Pickin' Up The Pieces off the WSP album Everyday. I've been trying to figure out the mando parts by ear for a while now and hopefully someday I'll get it all down... What a great mando track.

Paul

[Bigtuna]

Thaks folks.I am Matthew Mundy------I don't know if you are supposed to reveal your username/person or not------Anyway I have not picked much since 1996 or so.I felt I should lay it down to pursue other interests and or get a job! Music has still been a large part of my life VIA Sawnee Mountain Music in Cumming Ga.Although it was under a different name,it was my first job right out of high school. My first line of work is at a Bookbindery in Roswell Ga.
Memories of picking with family and such great players down through the years after a while begins to creep back up on you so I have to pick up the Mandolin all along.A wonderful thing to do as many folks here on the cafe' will agree.The classifieds keep my wishes flowing(ha ha ha).Take care and you can get a hold of me through Facebook!!!!!!
Matthew Mundy

Glad to here you are doing well, and still picking on the side. I wore out some bootlegs of you playing with the ARU and as many have said, your playing on "Pickin' up the Pieces" inspired me to play the mandolin. That was one of the first times I really heard a mandolin outside of bluegrass at the time that really spoke to me. Thanks for all the tunes!

[jan281969]

Not to over-take over AussieRogers thread(ha ha) but on many a show and recordings I used an Buddy Davis F-5 that I bought in 1985 at Jemison Alabama from Larry Stephenson who was sellin it for an associate.They were at the time made in Sterling Va.He does have a web-site and there is an interesting story in Dec.2009 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited about how he was the the 1st person to complete a copy of an the Gibson F-5.I have seen several of his mandolins come through the classifieds here.And they are great instruments.As far as WP goes they are tremendous influences on everyone that hears them and I enjoyed picking with them on a couple of occasions.
And by the way Andy Statman rules-----------

[Jim MacDaniel]

Hi Matthew, another fan here, and I'm glad you're doing well. I frequently reference your mandolin work on Pickin' up the Pieces as the penultimate example of just how well an acoustic mandolin can work in a rock or jam-band format -- plus this track is at the top of my favorite rock songs featuring mandolin.

I too have listened some of your work on ARU & Bela's CD referenced above, and I think I heard a track with you on it by The Count M'Butu Orchestra, but I'm sure I missed others. By any chance do you have a discography posted anywhere that you can point us towards?

[jan281969]

I played on a couple of other things down through the years.A bluegrass c.d w/ Kevin Williamson on pinecastle records with a few great players(The late great Randy Howard among others ).And my Grandfather is a seasoned Dobro player of 50 years or so,and we recorded a project of Dobro tunes with him around 1995.

[mandolirius]

[QUOTE=jan281969;741482]Not to over-take over AussieRogers thread(ha ha) but on many a show and recordings I used an Buddy Davis F-5 that I bought in 1985 at Jemison Alabama from Larry Stephenson who was sellin it for an associate.QUOTE]

Man, I would have sworn you were playing an oval hole.

[jan281969]

I have played an A-4 and a couple of f-2s and f-4s but have never owed one.They are nice nice instruments however didn't work for what I was after in a mandolin.I prefer the F-hole sound for they seem to belt out a bit more.
The oval hole mandolin would lend itself to certain things and of course the f-holes would do their job as well----------All in what you are after.

[mandolirius]

So Matt, just to be clear, the ARU stuff was recorded with the Davis mandolin?

[jan281969]

The live project was with a 5-string electric made by Jim Bickerstaff that had the low-C string set up.The studio recording I did indeed use the Davis on.There are a couple of nice Davis F-5s for sale in the classifieds. Thanks for Asking!

[mandolirius]

The live project was with a 5-string electric made by Jim Bickerstaff that had the low-C string set up.The studio recording I did indeed use the Davis on.There are a couple of nice Davis F-5s for sale in the classifieds. Thanks for Asking!

On the contrary, thanks for answering. And thanks for the many hours of pleasure I've had from listening to your great playing! I also credit you for proving what I've always thought, namely that mandolin and electric guitar work really well together. What's Jimmy Herring doing these days?

[Paul Merlo]

On the contrary, thanks for answering. And thanks for the many hours of pleasure I've had from listening to your great playing! I also credit you for proving what I've always thought, namely that mandolin and electric guitar work really well together. What's Jimmy Herring doing these days?

Jimmy Herring is now the lead guitar in Widespread Panic (since Fall 2006)

[jan281969]

I am sure the electric mandolin/electric guitar combo has been used in many outfits befor.Most notably in Bob Wills music.It makes for great tonal harmony.To play with a musician as well-versed as Jimmy Herring was a pleasure,he can play anything asked of him and make it his own.He plays with WP and also heads his own contemporary Jazz band with what little time he has off from the Widespread Panic Show!

[riverbum]

Matt, i always enjoyed visiting the music store and playing bass there with Raven Welch. Wayne, as you know, is her hero lol. thanks for always doing a great job with the sound when we played there and for allowing small bands like hers to play on the same stage as the biggest names in bluegrass. take care and hope to make it back up that way soon. rhett dennis

[riverbum]

hey matt, hope you don't mind me posting this vid. it's way cool. rhett

[Tripp Johnson]

Nice!

[Fusionhead69]

Well here he is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-XDP...eature=related

[mandolirius]

Ha! That was fun. They got themselves in a bit of a tight corner there and whatdayaknow, it's ol' Bill to the rescue! I know they could have bailed themselves out in lots of ways but it was interesting they chose "Big Mon". Pretty tasty version, too. Matt & Jimmy, two of my faves right there.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Wish I could find a live version of this one, one of my favorite rock tracks with mandolin...

[Buddy Grizzard]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-ClUELhvOYA

A forgotten gem.

https://www.amazon.com/Sounds-Both-Sides/dp/B00000G1M7