Jim Hendricks and Cass Elliot, alongside Tim Rose, were members of a folk group called the Big 3, which saw some success in New York and landed several television appearances. Denny Doherty and Zal Yanovsky were members of the Halifax Three, and became acquainted with Elliot while on tour. John Sebastian was a session musician who performed in the short-lived Even Dozen Jug Band. By 1964, all three bands had dissolved. Hendricks, Elliot, Doherty, Yanovsky, and Sebastian came together to form the Mugwumps.
The origin of the band's name is unclear. One source says that it was taken from the William S. Burroughs novel The Naked Lunch.[5] The liner notes for the 2007 re-release of The Mugwumps reports Hendricks's claim that the name came from music producer Erik Jacobsen. Denny Doherty claimed that the name came from his Newfoundland grandmother. Historically, "Mugwumps" were dissident American Republicans of 1884, from Algonquianmugquomp, "important person".
The Mugwumps largely played remakes of other artists' material such as “Searchin'”, with some of their own original songs.[6] They recorded one album, which was released after the band had split up.[7]
Arthur Mogull, the head of Warner Bros. Records' Eastern operations, signed the Mugwumps to the label in August1964.[8] That same month, the group recorded an album-worth of material over two days of sessions.[9] Warner Bros. released only one single from the sessions, "I'll Remember Tonight", which failed to chart.[10][11] Sebastian joined the group too late to have contributed to the group's recordings.[12] Warner Bros. released the rest of the band's recorded material in 1967, after its former members had become famous.[3]
^Richie Unterberger and Jay Warner each indicate that "I'll Remember Tonight" was the single's A-side.[10][11]
References
^Unterberger 2002, p. 74: "The group was not so much a cross between rock and the best traits of the members' folk training as it was a second-tier rock band."