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MU330 is an American ska punk band from St. Louis, Missouri. Formed by students of St. Louis University High School in 1988, MU330 played a self-described brand of music called “psycho ska“, high energy ska punk marked by manic performances and humorous, often strange lyricism.

MU330
Clark County, Nevada.
Background information
OriginSt. Louis, Missouri, United States
GenresSka punk, punk rock, indie rock
Years active1988–present
LabelsAsian Man Records
MembersDan Potthast
Ted Moll
Chris Diebold
Robert Bell
Gerry Lundquist
Websitewww.mu330.com

Since 1997, the band’s musical direction has changed towards a more melodic and lyric-driven ska/indie rock sound, a combination that has been described as “Weezer meets The Specials“.[1]

Dan Potthast (guitar/vocals), Ted Moll (drums), Chris Diebold (bass guitar), and Robert Bell (trombone) have remained with MU330 since the band’s inception, and the trombonist Gerry Lundquist has been a member for over two decades. There have been several different frontmen in the past, but Potthast has always been the band’s principal songwriter and lyricist.[2]

Biography

The original members met in St. Louis University High School music class 330, hence the band’s name.[3]

Potthast has released solo work and has also started a second band, The Stitch Up, with the former Slow Gherkin frontman, James Rickman. He also started a ska/rocksteady group called Dan P and the Bricks with former the MU330 saxophonist, Matt Knobbe.

In 2018, Potthast was part of Jeff Rosenstock‘s touring band. Moll, the drummer, has a side project band called Bagheera. Most members of MU330 have performed with Mike Park’s Bruce Lee Band throughout the band’s history, although Potthast is the only member who has played live with The Bruce Lee Band in the past few years.[when?] MU330 continues to perform live sporadically across the United States.

Band members

Discography

Albums

YearTitleLabel
1991Salamander StewSelf-released
1994Press[4]Moon Ska Records / Asian Man Records
1996Chumps on ParadeDill Records / Asian Man Records
1997Crab RangoonAsian Man Records
1999MU330[5]Asian Man Records
1999Winter Wonderland![6]Asian Man Records
2002Ultra Panic[7]Asian Man Records

Live albums

YearTitleLabel
2001“Oh Yeah!” Live[8]Asian Man Records

Compilations

YearTitleLabelNotes
1998Best of MU330California RollJapan-only compilation with four unreleased songs

Singles, demos and non-album tracks

YearTitleLabelFormatsNotes/Track(s)
1991Salamander StewSelf-releasedCassetteDemo recorded and mixed at Profound Sound
1996“Jason” b/w “Now” 7″Moon Ska Records“Jason”, “Now”
1997MU330 / Blue Meanies Split 7″Asian Man RecordsVacation” (Caffey, Valentine, Wiedlin)
1998Time Bomb EP 7″H.Y.R.“Hoosier Love”, “LA”, “Ireland”
Split with Punishment Park. Released only in Norway.
2000Doppel Pack soundtrack“Better Than Pork” (Potthast)
2000Metalliska: A Ska Tribute to 80’s MetalToo Hep“Motorbreath” (Hetfield)
2007Ska Is Dead Compilation CDAsian Man Records“Please Don’t Run”
2017Don’t Worry Don’t Stress[9]Asian Man RecordsDigital“Don’t Worry Don’t Stress”

References

  1. ^ “MU330 “Crab Rangoon” CD/LP”. Asian Man Records. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
    “MU 330”. MTV. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  2. ^ “mu330”. VH1. Archived from the original on April 26, 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  3. ^ “Biography MU330”. AllMusic.
  4. ^ Greene, Jo-Anne. “Press Review”. AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  5. ^ “MU330 – MU330”. AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  6. ^ Phares, Heather. “Winter Wonderland Review”. AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  7. ^ Anderson, Rick. “Ultra Panic Review”. AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  8. ^ Wiznitzer, Ari. “Live Oh Yeah! Review”. AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  9. ^ “Don’t Worry Don’t Stress by MU330”. Bandcamp. Asian Man Records. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2020.

Source: en.wikipedia.org