Jon Mueller (born 1970 in
Waukesha, Wisconsin) is an American percussionist and composer, active in experimental and rock disciplines.
Early life and education
Jon Mueller was introduced to music through his parents, and began taking guitar and piano lessons at an early age. After quitting both, he became interested in the drums after his friend inherited a drumset. The instrument appealed to him due to its focus away from melody. In an interview with Natasha Pickowicz, Mueller stated, "Hitting the drums and cymbals sounded good, no matter the combination." He then began taking snare drum lessons before moving to a full kit.[1]
In 2003, he began experimenting with vibrating drums on top of speakers. This direction is documented on his What's Lost is Something Important CD, Metals CD, Physical Changes LP/CD/DVD, and Alphabet of Movements LP.[3]
He has performed solo and in various groupings throughout North America, Europe, United Kingdom, and Japan, in venues including
New Museum (New York),
Arnolfini (Bristol, UK),
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, (Montréal, QC),
Issue Project Room (New York),
Guggenheim (New York), and Cafe OTO (London, UK). His solo and collaborative recordings have been released by labels such as
Table of the Elements,
Polyvinyl Records, Type Recordings,
Jagjaguwar, Hometapes, Important Records, Taiga Records, and many others.
In 1999, he formed the record label, magazine, and music distribution company Crouton. Crouton published over 40 releases, mostly in limited editions, featuring the work of
The Hafler Trio,
Asmus Tietchens,
Daniel Menche,
Robert Hampson,
Robert Haigh,
Jarboe,
Lionel Marchetti [
fr], Jason Kahn, Aranos, Alessandro Bosetti,
Osso Exotico,
Z'EV, Collections of Colonies of Bees, Pele, and many others, as well as his own releases. Crouton also organized events in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas. These were documented by the press and even filmed as part of a PBS documentary (on
Ken Vandermark). The business closed in 2009.[4]
In 2009, he was referred to by
Pitchfork as "an audacious ringleader for new music."[5]
In 2011, he started his Death Blues project, described by Mueller as, "a multidisciplinary project that addresses the inevitability of death as impetus to become more present in each moment." Performances for the project took place throughout the U.S., including Hopscotch Fest[6] and Alverno Presents.[7]
Public Speaking
He has spoken to audiences about creativity and new business approaches at The Music Forum:
Loyola University (NOLA),
WMSE's Radio Summercamp (Milwaukee, WI), Viva! Festival (Montreal),
Wesleyan University (Middleton, CT),
PRSA (Milwaukee, WI), and MARN (Milwaukee, WI).
Writing
He has written a novella, Pianobread (1999), a box of short stories, Endings (2004), and has contributed non-fiction writing and reviews for ChangeThis.com, Pear Noir!,
The Shepherd Express,
OnMilwaukee,
Amoeba Records Hollywood, and contributed to The 100 Best Business Books of All Time (
Penguin/Portfolio) by Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten.
Discography
Solo
Here: An Advanced Study of Death Blues CD, Rhythmplex (US), 2012
Alphabet of Movements LP, Type Records (UK), 2011
V/A – Coupling: Dedicated to the Man and Based on the Work of Stan Brakhage CD, Silent Media (US), 2011
The Whole CD/LP+bonus CD, Type Records (UK), 2010
Halves cassette, Notice Recordings (US), 2010
Physical Changes LP/CD/DVD, Radium/Table of the Elements (US), 2009
Jon Mueller/Gino Robair split – "Dot Feed" track on split 3" CD, Compost and Height (UK), 2009
Strung 12", Table of the Elements (US), 2008
Hollow Voices/Singing Hands cassette, Friends and Relatives (US), 2008
Metals CD, Table of the Elements (US), 2008
Emerson Hi-Fidelity CD, Autumn Records (US), 2005
What's Lost Is Something Important. What's Found Is Something Not Revealed. CD, Crouton (US), 2005
V/A: the audible still-life CD – "Heat", Stasisfield (US), 2003
V/A: Just Drums CD – "Pop", Fever Pitch (US), 2003
Solo Percussion For Two – "Beyond the Surface of Actions", Split 7" with Jeph Jerman, No Information Records (US), 2003
"A Wooden Bicycle" MP3 release, Stassisfield.com (US), 2002
Folktales No. 2 – "How I Learned To Breathe" 3" CD, Crouton (US), 2001