Marc Hansen wrote Electric Mud’s first song during one of their early jam sessions, which happened to be with rock virtuoso Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones guitarist got very into their jams in the studio, and he started singing With the band. He then wanted to smoke, and he sang a nice tune about needing a light for his cigarette. “Give me some fire,” He hummed, “I need some fire!” It inspired Marc, and it eventually catapulted the band’s first album, “Dangerous Promises,” to spring out of that Portland studio. Their cohesion goes back long enough that they can step in the studio like that and jam their way to a soulful rock and roll album. To get from humble beginnings to opening for The Rolling Stones, they had to get hooked on making music together.
Marc and Matty Hansen, the songwriter/vocalist and drummer of Electric Mud, grew up together in Staten Island. They played gigs in New York, enjoying the seedy bars and late nights out on the city. Eventually, they both wanted to serve in the military, so they enlisted in the Navy and got transferred to a Navy base in San Diego, where they would play gigs as a full band. Matty was the catalyst; he was the one who got everyone together for the first time in the same room. During the early days before developing a fanbase and reputation among nicer clubs, they picked up as many small gigs as they could, which every band looks back on fondly—despite the cramped and inglorious quality of early stage venues. In these gigs, they brought in Colton Cori on the guitar because some members could not move to California with the brothers. A founding member and keys/guitar player, David Stagno, was able to rejoin the band years later, and they finalized their lineup with Marc and Matty’s cousin Matthew Sorena on the bass. Electric Mud’s deep rock and roll influence is shared by all members. They love the early 20th century artists like Muddy Waters and Hank Williams, and they’re proud to contribute to the legacy of their genre. They’d rather keep the wheel turning than reinvent it, so they keep their studio sessions organic and inspired by the flow state induced by rock sounds.
The brothers have a Navy background, and Marc was a SEAL. They were in boot camp together, and Matty and Colton were on a ship together doing grunt work. With the blood ties between brothers and cousins, as well as the bonding that comes from shared labor under service together, Electric Mud has an undeniable bond. Unfortunately, the Navy inevitably made it much more difficult to organize gigs, rehearsals, and general time together. The brothers often found themselves juggling their duties with rehearsals and performances. When they got leave, they’d play anything they could, including makeshift gigs in parking lots, or returning to New York to perform. The Navy discipline instilled adaptability, perseverance, and resilience in the band that kept them together through the years.
If you ask them, no one in the band is worried about being extra unique in order to become the next big thing. “It seems like everyone always wants to know ‘what makes you unique?’ and ‘What do you do differently?’ And that’s all good,” Marc says, “But it’s not what I ever thought about when I played music when I was younger. The music just touched me and I lived for that feeling.” Electric Mud is proud of their rock and roll connection, yet they are humble and refuse to sell out or put on shows that don’t match their musical passions. Besides, balancing the utmost commitment of being a Navy SEAL and the intrinsic love for self-discovery that all successful creatives have is very different from other bands. Audiences in general feel more from a well-connected band than a project struggling to develop any real identity.
Electric Mud is the first to arrive at a venue and the last to leave. When reputation has to be built up, professionalism is key, and they never let venues down. This dedication has paid off in tangible ways. They’ve garnered immense recognition over the years, including multiple San Diego Music Awards and the International Singer-Songwriter Association’s Band of the Year. In May 2023, Electric Mud opened for The Rolling Stones during the Hackney Diamonds Tour in Glendale, Arizona. These men can all scratch a gargantuan item off of their bucket lists! They want to keep this momentum rolling as they continue to strive towards bigger and bigger venues. Electric Mud will keep collaborating, keep jamming in the studio together as long as they still inspire others to make music just like they were influenced to be creative from rockstars of their youth. The band’s message is simple: work hard, and get creative together. Live a lifestyle of closeness by elevating your creativity and realizing great things together as a collective unit. Check them out going forward for an old-fashioned and passionate rock and roll night out.
Published by: Khy Talara
