The Mugwumps The Mugwumps LP

Mama Cass and Denny Doherty, future Lovin' Spoonful guitarist Zal Yanovsky and "Summer Rain" hit songwriter Jim Hendricks makeup this folk-pop supergroup! Before each member found their way to stardom, The Mugwumps were born — the very same Mugwumps that the Mamas & the Papas sang about in "Creeque Alley!" To flip it upside down once more, this treasure was recorded pre-Papas and pre-Spoonful, yet it didn't hit shelves until after they each found success.

"This was the first folk-rock group ever," Cass Elliot boasted to Johnny Carson about The Mugwumps. In a sense it's true. A small amount of cross-pollination occurred in the group's formation: Cass and her erstwhile husband Jim had been in Cass Elliot & the Big Three, a progressive folk outfit. Canadians Denny and Zal hailed from The Haliax Three, a more traditional folk trio. In early '64, Zal and Denny launched a rock alter ego called The Noise. Also in '64, Cass introduced Zal to John Sebastian by claiming Ringo Starr was with her. A historic connection was made as Zal and John went off to form the Lovin' Spoonful, while Cass and Denny joined John & Michelle Phillips to form The Mamas & The Papas, who pioneered rock's "California Dreamin'" era.

Unfortunately, the Mugwumps era lasted only from July through November 1964, their one album recorded August 13 and 14, 1964, produced by Alan Lorber, who'd gone to see them at the behest of managers Roy Silver and Bob Covello. Recalled Cass: "We were doing very sophisticated folksy stuff, but obviously 1964 wasn't the year for it...It was in a time warp. Just too much before its time."

— All About Jazz