Mumm-Ra (band)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | early 2000s in Bexhill-on-Sea, England |
| Headquarters | Bexhill-on-Sea , United Kingdom |
| Products | Indie rock music, albums, EPs, singles |
Mumm-Ra is a British indie rock group that originated in Bexhill-on-Sea during the early 2000s. Their name is derived from the antagonist in the 1980s animated series ThunderCats. The lineup features James New on vocals and keyboards, guitarists James Arguile and Oli Frost, bassist Niall Buckler, and drummer Gareth Jennings. Tommy Bowen initially joined as a touring keyboardist in 2006 and became a permanent member when the band reunited in 2012.
Their only full-length album, These Things Move in Threes (2007), included singles such as "Out of the Question", "What Would Steve Do?", and "She's Got You High". After taking a break starting in 2008, the band regrouped for live performances in 2012 and issued an EP titled Back to the Shore (2014), which contained previously unreleased tracks including "Technicolour" and "Jeremy". Following another period of inactivity, Mumm-Ra returned in 2019 with concerts, a compilation named Rarities, and new singles "Summer" (2020) and "Washout" (2024).
2000–2006: Origins and initial releases
Mumm-Ra formed while its members were still attending school in Bexhill-on-Sea, initially as a casual endeavor before committing fully to the band instead of pursuing university education. Early personnel changes saw sitar player Carl Gent among others come and go before the core quintet was established. After distributing demo recordings to various indie labels, Mike Pickering from Deltasonic passed their material to Columbia Records, which promptly signed them.
Their first single, "What Would Steve Do?", debuted in April 2006, followed by the EP Black Hurts Day and the Night Rolls On released in July. These early works attracted significant industry interest, with NME describing them as a "hotly tipped" act.
Throughout 2006, Mumm-Ra embarked on extensive UK tours and appeared at prominent festivals including Oxegen, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park, Latitude, and Fuji Rock. Additionally, they supported The Automatic on the 2007 NME Awards Tour alongside bands such as The View and The Horrors.
2007-2008: These Things Move in Threes and break period
Their first album, These Things Move In Threes, was launched on 28 May 2007, following the release of singles "Out of the Question" and "She's Got You High".
Throughout the next year, the group supported acts like The Killers, The Kooks, and Kaiser Chiefs, while appearing at prominent festivals including The Great Escape Festival, Glastonbury Festival, and Fuji Rock Festival. Although "Starlight" was intended as a fourth single, it never saw an official release. During this time, they developed material for their sophomore album, previewing new songs during tours across Japan and the UK. Additionally, Jennings co-hosted a Mumm-Ra-focused show on Bexhill FM, promoting their music and forthcoming album.
On 17 April 2008, after nearly eight years together, the band announced their disbandment. Following the split, "She's Got You High" achieved recognition through its inclusion in the 2009 film (500) Days of Summer. Members New and Arguile went on to form a new project called Mirrors.
2012-2014: Initial reunion and Back to the Shore EP
Prior to their hiatus, the band had introduced tracks such as "Sticks and Stones", "Secrets", "Smartest Clown", and "Jeremy".
In October 2012, Mumm-Ra reunited for two sold-out performances at Flairz Retro Bar in Hastings. By February 2013, they hinted at a full comeback via Twitter and revealed plans to release fresh material beginning with the single "Technicolour". Lead vocalist James New confirmed that everything was prepared for release within a few months.
On 15 April 2013, they issued the Technicolour EP on Bandcamp, which included new songs "Technicolour" and "Your Father's Son", alongside an unreleased track from earlier sessions titled "Ho Hey!". Although originally penned in 2007, "Technicolour" was recorded in New’s home studio following renewed enthusiasm sparked by their reunion. New described this EP as a preview, with further full-band recordings slated for the future. On 20 September 2013, they unveiled "Jeremy," marking their first fully reformed band track.
Their third post-reunion gig sold out at The Barfly, Camden on 1 November 2013. Subsequently, on 17 February 2014, they released Back to the Shore, an eight-track EP featuring songs conceived before their hiatus intended for a second album. This phase culminated with a performance at Acoustic Lakeside Festival in Austria on 25 July.
2019-present: Second reunion, Rarities compilation and recent singles
In August 2019, Mumm-Ra regrouped for two sold-out shows in Brighton and London. They announced an eight-date UK tour scheduled for April 2020; however, it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
On 20 February 2020, they revealed plans for a compilation titled Rarities, which was released for streaming on March 20. This collection features b-sides and a demo from These Things Move in Threes, along with two tracks from their 2014 EP Back to The Shore, but contains no newly recorded songs.
During 2020, the band composed and recorded "Summer," which premiered on a podcast on 11 March before its official release on 3 April. The track debuted on BBC Music Introducing on March 17, with additional singles planned for June and October that year. In March 2024, they issued another single entitled "Washout."
In November 2025, both members named James appeared on the identity parade segment of Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Members
- James "Noo" New – lead vocals, synthesizers, keyboards, and guitar
- James "Tate" Arguile – guitar and vocals
- Niall Buckler – bass guitar and vocals
- Oli Frost – guitar and vocals
- Gareth "The Rock" Jennings – drums
- Matthew – duck
- Tommy Bowen – synthesizers and keyboards (session and touring member from 2006 to 2008, officially joined in 2012 and continues to present)
Discography
Albums
- These Things Move in Threes (released in 2007)
Compilations
- Rarities (2020 release)
EPs
- The Dance in France (self-released, 8-track EP, 2005)
- The Dance on the Shore (self-released, 8-track EP, 2006)
- What Would Steve Do? (self-released 7" single, April 2006)
- Black Hurts Day and the Night Rolls On (CD plus 10" vinyl, July 2006)
- Technicolour (self-released 3-track EP, April 2013)
- Back to the Shore (self-released, 8-track EP, February 2014)
Singles
| Single | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||||||||||||
| "Song B" | 2006 | — | Black Hurts Day and the Night Rolls On | ||||||||||
| "Out of the Question" | 45 | These Things Move In Threes | |||||||||||
| "What Would Steve Do?" | 2007 | 40 | |||||||||||
| "She's Got You High" | 41 | ||||||||||||
| "Technicolour" | 2013 | - | Back to the Shore | ||||||||||
| "Jeremy" | - | ||||||||||||
| "Summer" | 2020 | - | - | ||||||||||
| "Washout" | 2024 | - | - | ||||||||||
| "—" indicates singles that either did not chart or were not released. | |||||||||||||
Additional appearances
- The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show (2007, EMI) – featured track "In Between Days"
- (500) Days of Summer (Music from the Motion Picture) (2009, Sire Records) – included "She's Got You High"
- Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging soundtrack – track "She's Got You High"
- The Inbetweeners soundtrack – song "She's Got You High"