Mertyl

The inception of Mertyl began as an intensely strange, avante guard musical experiment: LPX3 (1992c.). The founder of LPX3 was Luther (last name is unknown). Luther, and this can only be understated, was-when I knew him, an odd bird. At that time, LPX3 specialized in "recording art." There exists a good 10 hours of recorded material ranging from backwards loops of himself say "mmm" to poly-tempo jazz impromptus strangely titled after Wagnerian heroes and demigods.

Rufus Brown joined Luther in an attempt to forge a real-time "Luther Live" experience. It failed. Instead of interesting the audience, "Luther Live" revolted and angered the audience. In despair, "Luther Live" dissolved, but the spirit of success did not, enter Brett Vandonsel.
Brett's experience with actual music-having written and co-produced his Trouser funk CD-brought a more marketable flair to the trio, re-titled "Bowel." The music was still awful by most standards, but it had somewhat of an understandable pulse nonetheless and the tunes were under 20 minutes long, but not by much. In 1999 Luther suffered a severe nervous breakdown; a believed undiagnosed schizophrenia is to blame. Since 1999 nothing has been seen nor heard of Luther with the exception of a postcard every six months from some remote location around the world saying nothing but L = (p^2-p)/ 2. After a couple of years of "off-time"-Rufus becoming Director of Music at some obscure college in Northern Illinois (Kishwaukee College) and becoming Ostrogothic King of the World, Brett and Rufus rejoined to work on a purely "sell-out" pop / electronica music project with high hopes of making it BIG and FAMOUS.
By chance, the inspired Johanna McKenzie Miller, after hearing the phrase "Big and Famous," said, "I want in! But, ah, I, not to be rude or anything, do not, ah, how shall I put this without hurting your [Rufus'] feelings, like the name BOWEL. I mean, do you think that someone as sweet and nice and pretty as me could sing for a band called BOWEL, I mean, what the hell is wrong with you people." After much heartache and pain; after much soul searching and experimentation; after much meditation and tears; after much committee work and marketing, the band's name became MERTYL. And everyone was very happy.

Almost Present State of Mertyl:

Mertyl is a reasonably new band, conceived in Spring of 2003. It's an odd collection of talent; made up of singer / songwriter, Rufus Brown, Johanna McKenzie Miller, Brett Vandonsel and percussionist, Joe Bianco. All the musicians are active in the Chicago area: Johanna McKenzie Miller is never not in some show or another-whether it be acting for the Shakespeare theatre company on Navy Pier or singing opera at Ravinia. Joe's always producing or recording some band or another and Brett sits patiently at home designing some strange musical oddity such as a banjello or a guitariolin or a hammerclavatuba or an austrolopithicus afarensis. Rufus Brown, self-proclaimed ostrogothic king of the world, while not busy writing pseudo-fictitious band bios, focuses mainly on Mertyl. He loves Mertyl, it is his pride and Joy.
While it seems to be a bit of a challenge to get all the members of this band together to rehearse, Mertyl can manifest itself as a solo act with Rufus and his guitar, a duet with either Johanna and Brett; a trio with any of the members including Rufus (so, Rufus and 2 of the other 3 . . . oh the math, oh my head, oh this bio) or, if a dream comes true, the whole quartet.
Through the Colors of Time is Mertyl's first "release," but they've recorded hours of material. Having ready access to recording studios in the Chicago area allows Mertyl to release only what they consider to be the very best of their Material. Mertyl is presently in production on "Sweet Little" their second CD.

[Rufus Brown died in February of 2005]