Mumbly was a pop band that was founded in Paris in the early 90s by Michaël Korchia, who eventually started the band Watoo Watoo a few years later.
Initially, Mumbly was thought of as a band that should sound in between The Velvet Underground and 80s guitar pop bands. Yet, quite soon, Michaël’s goal was to write a perfect pop song & to try to be as good as Felt, at least once in a lifetime.
After various band members changes, the band stabilized around Michaël, who played the bass & wrote half of the songs, & Aurore Bacmann & Pierre Boucher de Crevecoeur, who both played guitar, sung, & started writing songs. Aurore was deeply influenced by Heavenly’s Amelia Fletcher vocals & writing, while Pierre was more interested in the Smiths & Britpop.
The band released its first and only album on the German label Marsh Marigold in December 1997. Being Ernest was on ode to Ernie & Bert from Sesame Street. The album was full of references to Felt, lyrically & and musically speaking, with songs such as “Whilrpool of Pride” and “Shame has Spread its Wings on Me”. A few other songs sounded quite like the Feelies.
The band started recording new songs a few months after the release of the CD. However, soon, too much work & new jobs took Michaël to Bordeaux & Aurore to Jena, which made it difficult to rehearse.
The recordings slept in Michaël’s many computers until September 2013, when he decided to put the final touch to Mumblybule ep, which is a French pun quite impossible to translate.
It took 15 years between the time the first drums tracks were laid until the final mix was done – well worth the wait, considering the jangly, fast & bouncing songs in this CD.
One of the songs is a cover of the Australian indiepop band The Cat’s Miaow, that should have been on a tribute compilation that never saw the light. Other songs include an indiepop-folk tune written by a previous member, & songs by Michaël & Aurore, that show well & go beyond their references.
Most of Mumbly members wore glasses & held a Doctorate.
Bands that had an influence on Mumbly: Felt, the Feelies, The Velvet underground, The Smiths, Heavenly & Talulah Gosh, the Field Mice, Belle & Sebastian…
Quotes:
Mathieu (drummer): "I don't think we were playing quite together."
Michaël (bass player): "Especially you, Matthieu, you weren't really together".
Pierre, on stage, talking to the sound engineer: Clemens, are we in tune?
Clemens: No!
Me: OK, I don't mind!
Pierre: OK, let's go!
& he starts the next tune
Outtdated bio:
Who are they? You will wish you had never asked that question...
Currently, Mumbly are
Mumbly in a few words?
Well, they are cheeky, foul-mouthed, and complete nutters (the picture says it all).
There are however a few photos on which they look normal (almost).
Their story is long and tortuous. It all began at various places at different times...
"I don't think we were playing quite together."
"Especially you, Matthieu, you weren't really together".
