The Mental Hygiene League
Space Music pioneers Welcome all MHL. Your numbers are finite, but they grow infinitely.
7
songs
42
plays
Fire In Soweto Fire In Soweto
Originally recorded by Sonny Okosun in 1978. MHL version recorded in 1985.
Edhead Jam Edhead Jam
Retreat Of The Martians Retreat Of The Martians
Recorded March 2007 at The Noisehouse in Charlotte Court House, VA
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the name chosen to represent this group of artistic friends and fellow seekers of truth and beauty. We seek to better understand the sciences, the arts, the many cultures and people of the world; and to express this understanding as art and in the sharing of our love.
Our performances are usually composed of several veteran or old timer MHLers, often along with several guest artists. We use new and old technologies in new ways, to create unusual sound combinations and moments in sound. These are often an expression of improvisational music, but always with a certain edge which is indescribably mentally hygienic.Band/artist history
Around 1975 a group of high school friends started calling themselves the Mental Hygiene League. The name was chosen to represent the gathering together and sharing of their artistic musings and wistful discoveries. One of the first recorded moments of these musings was what is referred to as the Church Tapes. These tapes are thought to be lost, their sounds never to be heard again (perhaps for the best). But in as much as they represented a wistful beginning, they also represented the determined idea that the pieces could be recorded and preserved for future presentation.
Several gatherings of the MHL have been taped, but preservation still remained the problem. Prepubescent Tunes for Tumescent Teens is one memorable one, which last time it was checked, still survives. Yet officially, it remains unreleased. During the 80s a portion of the MHL recorded several pieces of music collectively under the name, The Spanish Apes. Some of this music survives on cassette tape today.
In the middle to late 80s several pieces were put together as a double album (on the two sides of a cassette tape). They were presented as the rare, unreleased cassette tape, produced just for friends, titled House by the Railroad Tracks (side A), and The Roadhouse Sessions (side B). Some copies of this tape may still exist.
The 1989 MHL Space Music Summit in Charlottesville, Virginia was recorded, parts of which survive to this day. In 1991 several members of the MHL recorded the piece, A Singular Existence. This piece survives in fair condition today, and hopefully will be presented in the near future. During the early 90s several MHL members participated in jam sessions in a building called the Bottle, as it had a larger than life bottle built into the face of it. Even later, when other jams were held in a different building, they were still referred to as The Bottle Jams. Some of these sessions survive on cassette tape and may be offered at a future date.
In 2004 the Mental Hygiene League performed at the Shenandoah Space Music Symposium, in Edinburgh, Virginia. Early 2005 several members of the MHL went for a recording retreat to the beach, creating the tape/CD known as the Duck Tapes. which will be issued by 434 Noise. In October of 2005 the MHL performed at the 804noise Festival in Richmond,Virginia. Other than a short video clip, most of this performance may not have been recorded.
In 2006 the MHL performed at Art Space in Richmond, Virginia. From 2005 through to the present (2007), the MHL has performed several times at the 434noise House in Charlotte Court House, Virginia. Several of these events were recorded and may be presented.Have you performed in front of an audience?The Mental Hygiene League has performed as a live act, usually composed of two to five members, and often including one or more guest artists. This collage of unrehearsed performers helps add to the element of innovation. You cant predict or preconceive of the material, if you dont even know who might be performing. Some control is good, is desired, is maintained. But often it is when there is the least amount of planning or control, that a beautiful moment will occur. We call the genre of sound that we create, Space Music. One particular performance was compared to the music in a 60s drug
Your musical influences
The MHL has as many influences as there are different or new members and guests playing with the group. Improv jazz may be considered similar in context or process. But often the pieces create a more caustic or scrambled sound, more alike a train wreck or a noise performance.
Over the years bands such as Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, Philip Glass, Brian Eno, Pink Floyd have all had their influence. But more modern groups such as the Boards of Canada or Air might also be said to have had an influence.What equipment do you use?
The Mental Hygiene League uses whatever the participants bring to the performance, but this often includes: electric guitar, and various effects pedals, bass guitar, various keyboards, including synthesizers and other electronic instruments including effects processors, a Theremin, kaoss pads, and various samplers, various wind instruments including a flute, a trumpet, more than one saxophone, a clarinet, recorders, harmonicas, kazoos, whistles, a bagpipe, and various drums, cymbals and percussive instruments, occasionally including a whole drum kit.
Charlotte Court House, VA
USA
ID
703917
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