Little Muddy

With a combination of evocative and rocking original instrumentals, and great interpretations of classic movie themes, R+B, country and rock classics, Little Muddy has forged a unique niche in instrumental roots-music. Starting with the first cd release in 1999 entitled Little Muddy, through 2003's Mayan Mud, 2008's solo release The Road to Bodie, and December 2009's Door 15- a mix of gritty 'crime-rock' original instrumentals, with some great classics that the band reinterprets in a striking way.

www.littlemuddy.com
www.myspace.com/littlemuddyinstrumentals
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Soundtrack placements include: The History Channel movie 'Jesse James Hidden Treasure'; VH-1's Behind The Music, episode featuring Pink (1st aired Sept. 2009)- 2 songs from The Road to Bodie (Our Things are Gone #2, and Attack of the Mud Daubers) ; VH-1's Celebrity and Sex Rehab w/ Dr. Drew (episode #303,and #103), first aired early Jan/Feb. 2010, use instrumentals from The Road to Bodie in their soundtracks as well.The band has also contributed music to the soundtracks of Camerado film
productions: the award winning documentary Book Wars, and 2007's Lost in New Mexico. Guitarist and founder Rich Goldstein has been a part of the Bay Area's music scene since 1990. Having spent his early years in rural southern illinois, he was exposed to the best music of the 50's, 60's, and 70's, especially the country music of the day. The daily bus ride home on gravel roads was often accompanied to whatever was playing on driver's Bud Hiller or Norris Haglers 8-track player. As well as with Little Muddy, Goldstein has toured and recorded 4 albums with Jeffrey Halford and the Healers, and is a current member of The Fall Risk (as lead/rhythm guitarist for this new band with singer/songwriter Jeff Pehrson, a member of Further w/Bob Weir and Phil Lesh).

Little Muddy music is available at: Itunes, littlemuddy.com, Amazon, CD Baby, Rhapsody, Digstation, and many other retailers.

Door 15 (December 2009 release)

"You know something special is going on when a grizzled, jaded rock
critic is introduced to a band and immediately seeks out it's back catalog-
even going online to buy its out-of-print debut.
San Francisco's Little Muddy centers on guitarist Rich Goldstein, the only member still onboard from its self-titled 1999 debut. The instrumentalists' current cd Door 15 returns to a trio format, after 2008's The Road to Bodie- a solo collection of Goldstein's atmospheric vignettes.
On outings one and two (the second titled Mayan Mud), the group tackled covers from such varied sources as Stevie Wonder, AC/DC, Charlie Rich, Jimmy Webb ("Wichita Lineman, cut around the same time as Friends Of Dean Martinez's similar version), and film scorers Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, and Lalo Schifrin. This time, the eclectics tap soundtracks by Nino Rota, ("The Godfather"), Quincy Jones ("Sanford and Son"), and John Barry ("Midnight Cowboy"), as well as tunes by Van Halen ("Jamie's Cryin'"), Lulu ("To Sir With Love"), and Neil Diamond ("GIrl, You'll Be A Woman Soon").
But the covers are like familiar little oases in between Goldstein's noir-ish compositions. His playing reveals influences from nearly every
corner of the stylistic spectrum-from country to blues, rock, jazz, funk,
and folk. Utilizing a '69 Telecaster or a late 50's "Jimmy Page" model Danelectro (for open tunings and slide) through a '65 blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb, his tone typically has some distortion, but also plenty of definition.
Martinez friends (and fans of other surf-noir artists like John Blakely and
Terry "Buffalo " Ware) should gravitate to this, but so should followers of tone masters like Buchanan, Beck and Santana."
Vintage Guitar Magazine (Dan Forte) May 2010



"Door 15, the latest release from ?Little Muddy, arrived in the?mail a few days ago.? Americana Daily reviewed their?third album, Road to Bodie, last year around this time and found it to be a pleasant surprise.
As?mentioned in that review, Little Muddy's music is moody, mysterious and cinematic.? After reading through the song selections on?Door 15, I wasn't sure what to expect, but received a whole other kind of?surprise this time.

Door 15, the title track and first cut on the album, could easily be the theme from a 1960's secret agent film. The entire?album plays like the?soundtrack? to a film about soundtracks,?their cover of Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon would have been the perfect choice for Pulp Fiction if they had been around at the time. Tarantino should take note of these guys for his next film.

There are several other theme covers?including a?funky Isaac Hayes wah-wah take on the theme from Sanford and Son, a haunting version?of?Midnight Cowboy and sandwiched in between is a complete instrumental overhaul of Lulu's To Sir With Love.?

Mixed in among the covers are songs?like Caveman Radio, the possible theme to a movie about pre-historic dee-jays, Daktari Safari, the perfect title, as well as?the perfect concept, for Tarantino's?next project; and?What Was Isn't There,?the?theme song to your life.??Primitive Channel, the final cut, could easily be the FADE TO BLACK - CREDITS ROLL background music?for just about any film.????

While their name and image conjures up rural Americana, Little Muddy's sound is?more Cinemacana (I think I just coined a term) music inspired by movie music?- instrumental roots-music for movie?music lovers.???Close your eyes and give Door 15 a listen, the movie will unfold in your mind."
Americana Daily Nov.09

The Road to Bodie (2008)

"...Such knowledge, though, goes nowhere near describing the audio experience of The Road to Bodie. Imagine, if you will, the spoken word bits on Richmond Fontaine's ?Post To Wire' and reinvent them in your mind as musical pieces. These aren't songs in any sensible definition of the word but ?interludes' set to music, each looking perhaps for a visual home or accompaniment. Its no surprise to learn that the band's music has been used on several soundtracks , or that the press release slips in a word or two about being available for hire (presumably aimed at film and TV producers). The feel is undeniably ?western/americana' ? there are lots of guitars ? acoustic/slide/resonator/electric ? but each is used incredibly sparsely...
...As stated, this record is pretty much like a shop window for those looking for someone to soundtrack their movie, but it can be listened to in its own right; the lack of vocals sends one to the record sleeve to hunt down the names of the tracks, and its here that one begins to compose ones own story to try and tie the music together. A cursory glance at those titles (examples: ?Its Up Above Us Now?, ?I Have To Leave At Three a.m.?, ?There's Still Too Much Radiation Outside?, ?Fall Leaves With Murder?) should tell you the kind of territory to go down."
Americana UK, March 08


Mayan Mud (2003)

"The most effective instrumentals don't just convey rhythm and melody, they evoke sonic landscapes with near cinematic clarity. That every cut of Mayan Mud (Shoeless Records) transports listeners to exotic places speaks to the expertise of San Francisco's Little Muddy. Rich
Goldstein(guitars), Scott Shaw(bass and keyboards), Vince Littleton (drums),are masters of mood, hooks, tone, and dramatic effect. "Dark Alley Swing" and "Nitro-Burnin and Modified" are the nearest to blues, but an adventurous nature is hinted at by upside-down photographs, country twanging and bends, jazzy chording, bluesy snarls,and splashes of surf abound. They cover Floyd Cramer, Elmer Bernstein , Henry Mancini, and put AC/DC on the open range- is compelling and rewarding.," --Blues Revue Magazine, Dec/Jan 2004


Little Muddy (1999)

"Guitar and Drums Mojo- Making diverse instrumental recordings of blues with jazz, these San Francisco musicians have just as much rock in the blood, for all intents and purposes. Dig their funky instrumental of Dusty's "Preacher Man",Lalo Schifrin's "Mission Accomplished"; Stevie Wonder's "I Wish", and Jimmy Webb's immortal "Wichita Lineman" Comprised of Rich Goldstein on guitars, Scott Shaw on bass guitar, and Josh Wheeler on the big drums, Little Muddy effortlessly greases the large soul of grungy blues."--Hear Music Stores Featured Artist, Spring 2000