Mustard Plug, who will leave their long time home of Hopeless Records, have announced a kickstart campaign to fund a new album.
The skapunkers are looking to raise the no-so-princely sum of $12000 for their new album. Check out the skinny on the campaign from the horse’s mouth below, and head over to kickstarter to pledge on some laregly reasonable pledge requests…
“Mustard Plug needs help funding their new record. Please help the Grand Rapids, MI band put out their 7th record!
Mustard Plug started out in the punk clubs, basements and dive bars of the Midwest, playing punk influenced ska music during a time most people in the U.S. had never even heard of ska. They clung to a DIY work ethic that had been ingrained in them from growing up in the 1980’s hardcore punk scene and applied it to everything they’d do for the next 21 years. They released their first cassette tape themselves (1992’s Skapocalypse Now!), and played constantly to earn enough money to record their first cd. 1994’s Big Daddy Mulititude was released on legendary NYC label Moon Records and with their new found national distribution and exposure, the band climbed into their van and performed their music to new fans across North America. Twenty-one years, 1500 shows and 200,000 album sales later, it can not be denied that the band has surpassed all expectations and permanently staked their claim in contemporary music.
For their upcoming album, they are returning to the DIY efforts that the band was built upon. By releasing the new record on their own, Mustard Plug have come full circle, going back to their DIY punk rock roots to bring their music to their friends and fans.
But it isn’t just the band themselves going on this journey; they are keeping the whole project ‘in the family.’ Resident bassist and electronics nerd extraordinairre, Rick Johnson, is recording the album at his Grand Rapids, MI based Cold War Studios.
“We practice here, the van lives here, and [the studio] is close enough to my house to walk to,” said Johnson. “It just made sense to record here.”
“It’s also cheaper than paying a ‘real’ engineer,” joked vocalist Dave Kirchgessner.
The Kickstarter campaign will also include artwork from Lansing based artist Craig Horky, who has made a name for himself, and his tireless work ethic, by providing designs and illustrations for bands both domestic and abroad.
The band will also be sending the record to The Blasting Room to be mixed by venerated punk rock veteran, and close friend, Bill Stevenson. Stevenson, best known for his drumming with Black Flag and The Descendants, originally worked with Mustard Plug on their 1996 album Evil Doers Beware. They returned to The Blasting Room for their follow up, 1999’s Pray For Mojo, and their last album, In Black and White. Your generous contributions will help The Plug finance the production, manufacture, and shipping of their new record.
The band invites to you join them on the next stage in their journey. It’s been 7 years since the last Mustard Plug masterpiece. If your checkered heart is racing at the thought of new yellow vinyl, clicking the link below will bring it one step closer to your door. “