Mother May I (band)

Mother May I
Origin	Washington, DC
Genres	Alternative Pop/Rock, Power pop
Years active	1990–2001

Mother May I was an alternative pop/rock band formed in 1990, best known for their songs "Birthday Wish" and "Meet You There".

Formation and early success

Mother May I was formed in 1990 by two former members of the Washington, DC band The Wolves.^[1]^[2] With the addition of bassist Graham McCulloch, formerly of Negative Approach and The Meatmen, the band released a 7" Single featuring the tracks "Birthday Wish" and "In A Box", both of which would later be re-recorded for their debut album.

The inclusion of "Birthday Wish" on a New Music Seminar 1992 sampler cassette got the then-unsigned band an early mention in Billboard Magazine.^[3]^[4]

Rise and fall

In September 1994, the band released Use Your Appetite For Spaghetti, an EP including "Meet You There", a track which would become their signature song, and a cover version of The Association's "Never My Love". Soon after, the band was picked up by Columbia Records, signed by the same man who also discovered Soul Asylum, Chalk Farm and Primitive Radio Gods.^[5] Before the group entered the studio to record their debut album, bassist Graham McCulloch left the group and joined Earth 18. He was replaced by David Swafford of Best Kissers in the World.^[6]

In late 1994, Columbia issued a 4-track CD single featuring 3 songs from the upcoming album plus the holiday song "Breaking Up At X-Mas". A promotional CD featuring "Meet You There" was also released. Bassist David Swafford left the band after only for a few months, returning to Best Kissers in the World.^[7] Mother May I's debut album Splitsville was released on Valentine's Day of 1995. The album includes "Teenage Jesus", a song originally written by The Wolves but not included on that band's sole release.^[8] The band relocated to Marion, NY and toured with Soul Asylum, Sponge and Judybats.^[9]^[10]^[11]

By the end of 1995, the band had been dropped by Columbia.^[12] The band continued to do occasional shows over the next few years while writing songs for their next album.^[2] Original bassist Graham McCulloch rejoined the band during this time. The band's sophomore album 33 1/3 was released in 1999 by a small record label from Baltimore, Maryland. It includes a different version of the band's 1994 holiday single "Breaking Up At X-Mas".

In addition to gigging with Mother May I in support of their second album in 2000,^[13] both Hennessey and LeBourdais contributed to Dana Cerick's album My Heart You Break It You Buy It, with Hennessey performing guitar, piano and bass, and LeBourdais performing drums, percussion and background vocals.^[14] Hennessey also provided vocals for the alternative country band Red Star Brigade's album Telescope^[15]

By 2001 the band was dormant,^[16] with frontman Damon Hennessey having relocated to Chicago, Illinois.^[17] An album of old recordings, Demos 1990-1996, was released that year.^[16]

Post-breakup and reunion show

After the dissolution of the band, Damon Hennessey relocated to Chicago.^[17] He has worked for over 20 years in the film/video production field, serving as director of photography on many projects for several broadcast and cable networks including National Geographic, Hulu, CBS, ESPN, MSNBC, History Channel among many others.^[18]^[19]^[20]

Rob LeBourdais has been a member of the Washington, DC area bands Sweetpie Jones and Timothy Bracken Complex.^[21]^[22]

On October 2, 2010, Damon and Rob were joined by bassist Lars Gustaffson to play a reunion show at one of their old familiar stomping grounds, the Iota Club & Cafe in Arlington, Virginia.^[23]^[24]

Discography

Albums/EPs

Use Your Appetite For Spaghetti (1994)
Splitsville (1995)
33 1/3 (1999)
Demos 1990-1996 (2001)

Singles

"Nothing To Do" (1990)
"Birthday Wish" (1992)
"Breaking Up At X-Mas" (1994)
"Meet You There" (1994)

Members

Core members

Damon Hennessey - Guitar, Vocals (1990-2001, 2010 reunion show)
Rob LeBourdais - Drums, Vocals (1990-2001, 2010 reunion show)
Graham McCulloch - Bass (1991-1993, 1998-2001)

Other members

Peter Gilstrap - Bass (1990)
David O'Brien - Bass (1993-1994)
David Swafford - Bass (1994-1995)
Lars Gustaffson - Bass (1995, 2010 reunion show)

Mike Harvey - Guitar (1994, 1999)
Les Doerfler - Guitar (1999)

Other bands named Mother May I

In 1983, a lo-fi darkwave band named Mother May I from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania released a song "When Children Play" on a WXPN FM compilation album titled I'd Rather Be In Philadelphia.^[25] The group also released an undated self-titled 3-track 7" record. The members were Lisa Cortes and Sean Radcliffe. Coincidentally, the engineer for this 7" release, John Wicks, was the opening act for Mother May I (the one that this article is written about) on April 21, 1995.^[9]^[26]^[27]
In 1986, a band named Mother May I from New York City, New York released an eponymous 5-track vinyl EP. The members were Josh Costanzo, Charles Piston, Cesare Costanzo, Charles Marcus and Bob Leploy.^[28]
In 2005, a dance/funk band named Mother May I from Buffalo, New York released a CD named Chokin' The Doggie.^[29]

External links

References

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