Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Maimone.
Mike, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Mutts started in 2009 when Bob Buckstaff and I were touring in the band Company of Thieves on bass and keyboards, respectively. The idea was initially to record a follow-up to my first solo record. We booked a few studio days with Chris Faller on drums and Jon Alvin engineering and banged out 4 tracks real fast in between tours. We did that two more times and it became clear this was something different than my solo music.
We played local shows whenever we were home, and just gave the EPs away for free. By 2011 it seemed like we were on to something so Bob and I decided to make Mutts our main project. Over the next four years, we played 100 – 150 shows across 30 states and independently put out four full-length albums called Pray for Rain, Separation Anxiety, Object Permanence, and Fuel Yer Delusion vol. 4.
Through touring we managed to sell out of 4 pressings of vinyl and 3 pressings of CDs. We were named one of the top local bands by WXRT twice and the Red Eye, CHIRP Radio, and others. We played Riot Fest and headlined the Metro. We had a song on a TV show called Banshee on Cinemax and had our song “Let’s Go” played in Wrigley Field during their World Series playoff run.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Hell no. We’re broke. Every time we put out a record we go further into debt. We’re in our mid-30’s now and it’s getting harder to make time to write and record music while also paying bills. We sell music when we’re on the road, but fewer people are buying CDs and vinyl, and it’s harder to bring people out to shows. We’ve had to replace our drummer a few times, our tour van died… it’s an endless struggle to put out music. But that’s not unique to us; pretty much any musician will have the same story.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We’re musicians. We write, record, and perform music. We’re known for being relatively eclectic. Our records play like mixtapes rather than keep a concise vibe from front to back, and we like it that way. I think we also have a reputation for being energetic on stage. I’m proud that we have made friends with a lot of creative musicians that we really respect in Chicago and elsewhere.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up outside Cleveland in a small town called Ashtabula. I was into music, sports, video games, and reading. I didn’t feel like I fit into any particular group but didn’t feel outcast by any of them, either. I was kind of a lucky loner like that.
Contact Info:
- Website: muttsmusic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/wearemutts
- Facebook: facebook.com/wearemutts
- Twitter: twitter.com/wearemutts
- Other: youtube.com/wearemutts
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