jim henson

In the unlikely event that the subject of Mingo 2000 should come up in conversation, memories of this mid-'90's band would likely elicit comparisons.

'Like a west-coast version of
Combustible Edison, with maybe a dash of
Man Or Astro-Man', for instance.

From what I remember of what I could glean at the time, I'll guess they were a bay area band, or perhaps from a bit further south...? Or am I way off?

In what I recall as a casually understated manner, Mingo 2000 emerged right smack at the very beginning of the 'lounge revival' around 1994, did some touring, put out this snappy ten-inch record, and fairly quickly evaporated as the scene heated up. They may have been blind-sided by bigger bands with more calculated 'concepts'.

I saw them play once as the opening band for Combustible Edison at Bimbo's in San Francisco, and I think there was a bit of bemusement from the headliners when Mingo 2000 played a couple of tunes they'd planned on performing - - So, two versions of Nina Rota's 'Cadillac' that evening.
No problem, just like-minded spirits doing their thing.

I also have a fuzzy memory of sitting on a couch in the East Bay and watching Mingo 2000 perform in someone's living room around Halloween - - which was enchanting, but I was unfortunately pretty 'fuzzy' at the time...

From the
'Out Of Our Way' 10" LP
(Mable Label Records, 1994),
Listen to Mingo 2000:

Frankie Machine
Cadillac
Hawks and Sparrows
War of the Satellites / Let's Dance The Jet
(side one lead-out lock groove)
Beat Girl
'Brillante'
Tulan
Tesla's Menses

- - OR download all 9 tracks in one 21.7 Mb zipfile.