Mushroom -

Mushroom was an Irish folk-rock band that released the 1973 album Early One Morning on Hawk Records.

Members: Aonghus McAnally (guitar, recorder, tin whistle, vocals), Colm Lynch (percussion, wind chimes, wood chimes, vocals), Alan Brown (bass, 12-string guitar, vocals), Michael Power (organ, harpsichord, Moog, vocals), Pat Collins (violin, electric mandolin, vocals)

Background

Mushroom emerged on the Dublin group scene in late 1972 after five months of rehearsals with guitarist John Dee Donoghue, violinist Pat Collins, bassist Alan Brown, drummer Colm Lynch, and keyboardist Michael Power. Four members worked beforehand under the name Hessuantah. Mushroom gained early notice at the Fillmore West in Bray, where promoters added the band to a free replacement bill after the English group Family missed its scheduled appearance.

Donoghue left Mushroom in February 1973 and formed Keltic Wine. Seventeen-year-old guitarist Aonghus McAnally, a son of actor Ray McAnally and Abbey Theatre actress Ronnie Masterson, replaced Donoghue on guitar. Brian Molloy of the Tom Costello Organisation managed the band by spring, when Mushroom prepared a first single for Hawk Records.

Mushroom began Irish ballroom dates on Easter Sunday 1973 with guitarist McAnally, violinist Collins, bassist Brown, drummer Lynch, and keyboardist Power. Hawk issued “Devil Among the Tailors” in June, backed with “Siuin Ni Dhuibhir” and “King of Ireland’s Daughter,” and the single reached No. 4 on the Irish chart. By summer, Mushroom played Galway, Mullingar, and other Irish dates as work commenced on their album.

Early One Morning

Mushroom released their debut album, Early One Morning, in November 1973 on Hawk.

The album contains eleven group compositions and presents Dublin electric folk-rock through reels, clipped refrains, wah-marked guitar sustain, bowed violin lines, tin-whistle figures, organ/harpsichord/Moog keyboards, bodhrán, and chimes. Morning pairs guitarist Aonghus McAnally, bassist Alan Brown, percussionist Colm Lynch, keyboardist Michael Power, and violinist Pat Collins, with all five credited for vocals.

“Early One Morning” threads reel and hornpipe turns through a compact song frame, with acid-tinged guitar slurs set against violin lines and bright keyboard figures. “The Liathdan” reels around a circular opening figure, then belts its lead line before a short solo break. “Crying” coils fretboard sustain around bowed phrases. “Johnny the Jumper” darts through a short dance-tune frame, with distorted keyboard figures cutting across the ensemble line.

“Potters Wheel” skips through a compact course keyed to brisk cadence. “Drowsey Maggie” quickens the same dance-tune treatment into tighter ensemble replies. “Devil Among the Tailors” charges over “The Devil’s Dream” reel and turns the main figure into a repeat-driven vehicle. “King of Alba” closes on fast instrumental motion, high-register lines, and a hard final cadence.

A1. “Early One Morning” (2:36)
A2. “The Liathdan” (4:20)
A3. “Crying” (3:52)
A4. “Unborn Child” (3:43)
A5. “Johnny the Jumper” (3:05)

B1. “Potters Wheel” (2:20)
B2. “Standing Alone” (5:39)
B3. “Devil Among the Tailors” (2:43)
B4. “Tenpenny Piece” (3:27)
B5. “Drowsey Maggie” (3:56)
B6. “King of Alba” (4:18)

Mushroom recorded Early One Morning at Eamonn Andrews Studios in Dublin and completed mix and remix work at AIR Studios in London with producer Martyn Ford, engineer Pat Morley, and studio technician Philip Begley.

Hawk packaged the LP in a front-laminated gatefold with a giant mushroom logo across both sides. The inside jacket shows a color-negative band image, and complete copies include a credits inner sleeve with a 24-by-17-inch color poster. Roy Esmonde photographed the album package.

Hawk lifted “Devil Among the Tailors” as a 1973 single (b/w “Siuin Ni Dhuibhir” and “King of Ireland’s Daughter”). In May 1974, “Kings & Queens” became the second Mushroom single (b/w “Met a Friend”).

Postlude

Mushroom ended in stages after the 1973–74 Hawk releases. Drummer Colm Lynch left for Denmark during the 1974 split, and keyboardist Michael Power left in the same break for study at the School of Music. Guitarist Aonghus McAnally and violinist Pat Collins continued with bassist Alan Brown, then added drummer Paul Moran and guitarist-keyboardist Harry Colley before the remaining members disbanded Mushroom in May 1975.

McAnally entered Starband in 1978 with Des Lee, Dee “Julie” MacMahon, keyboardist Adrian Mullen, bassist Stephen Travers, and drummer Ray Millar. He and Travers formed Crackers around 1980 and cut “Move On” b/w “Billies”; after McAnally left, the group continued as The Crack. McAnally also issued “I Am Allergic to Christmas” in 1981 and fronted Max Band for “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” b/w “Drowsy Maggie” in 1987, then built a long RTÉ career through Anything Goes, The Lyrics Board, radio production, and presentation work.

Collins remained active on the Irish circuit after Mushroom. He played with Hotfoot and Phantom Orchestra, then founded Café Orchestra in 1993. Collins died at home on January 7, 2020.

Lynch settled in Denmark in 1975 and maintained a solo recording path there. His later titles include Kiss Me with Your Painted Lips, Musical Affairs of the Heart, and Red Roses for a Blue Girl, with Irish sessions involving producer Declan Sinnott and Danish dates at Sweet Silence, Easy Sound, Feedback Århus, Toma, Diggit, Bløndal, and The Recording Room. He also issued the 2017 autobiography Mushroom, A Collector’s Item, built around Hessuanta/Mushroom material and later Danish life.

In 1973, pre-album guitarist John Dee Donoghue formed Keltic Wine, which cut the 1975 single “Hurricane Sailor” (b/w “An Fhuis-eog”) on Vintage Records.

Late-period member Pat Moran had subsequent stints with Bogey Boys, Jimmy MacCarthy, and Pulling Faces. Between 1985 and 1990, he orbited Clannad as a studio and road auxiliary. Near Y2K, he toured with the Riverdance pitband.

Discography: