Cutout Classics: The Return of Mind Funk

Mind Funk: Jason Coppola, Louie Svitek, John Monte, Pat Dubar, Reed St. Mark

Iron Bird Records has reissued the debut CD from Mind Funk to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. Formed by two members of New York thrashers M.O.D., the drummer from Celtic Frost and hardcore singer Pat Dubar, Mind Funk were kind of a mini-supergroup, coming together to play hard-edged metal with lashings of Black Sabbath. Sonically, they were an East Coast version of Trouble or maybe Soundgarden.

Released in that brief period before the Red Hot Chili Peppers became really popular, Mind Funk were, not a funk band. (The confusing moniker was originally "Mind Fuck.") The decidedly un-funky debut contains a few minor classics,, including the cowbell-driven "Sugar Ain't So Sweet" and the crushing, heavy "Bring It On."

Unfortunately,the single release, "Big House Burning" fizzled, and Epic Records didn't know how to market this band. When Mind Funk went to record its follow-up, they found out that they had been dropped from the company. That album, titled dropped, was more of the same--groove metal with edgings of grunge. And it didn't go anywhere either. The band broke up after a third album which is so hard to find that even I don't have a copy. Guitarist Louie Svitek and bassist John Monte went on to play with Ministry.

I saw Mind Funk once. They played a show at the Limelight in front of maybe 12 enthusiastic fans and some martini-sipping record label types. They were a good band, but could not find a niche or get a break. So go check out this heavy first disc, and pick yourself up a cheap copy of dropped when one turns up.

Meanwhile, enjoy my favorite Mind Funk song: "Goddess" from the dropped record.