Muff Winwood | |
|---|---|
 Muff Winwood (on left) playing bass guitar for theSpencer Davis Group in Amsterdam, 1966 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mervyn Winwood |
| Born | (1943-06-15)15 June 1943 (age 81) Erdington,Birmingham, England |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
Mervyn "Muff"Winwood (born 15 June 1943,Erdington,Birmingham, England) is an Englishsongwriter andrecord producer. The elder brother ofSteve Winwood, both were members ofThe Spencer Davis Group in the 1960s, in which Muff playedbass guitar.[1] Following his departure from the group he became anA&R man and record producer.
Winwood's father, Lawrence, was a foundryman by trade, who also playedtenor saxophone indance bands and had a collection ofjazz andbluesrecords. Winwood attended Cranbourne Road Primary School and the newGreat Barr School (one of the firstcomprehensive schools) and was a choir boy at St John's Church in thePerry Barr neighborhood of Birmingham. He first became interested in theguitar, then thebass. He was nicknamed "Muff" after the popular 1950s children's TV characterMuffin the Mule.[2]
His younger brother isSteve Winwood.
The Spencer Davis Group was formed after Davis saw the Winwood brothers (Muff andSteve) at a Birmingham pub called theGolden Eagle, performing as the Muff Woody Jazz Band.[3] The Group made their debut at the Eagle and subsequently had a Monday-night residency there.[4] The Spencer Davis Group had hits such as "Gimme Some Lovin'", "Keep On Running", and "I'm a Man".Steve Winwood left in 1967, and Muff soon followed.
After leaving the Spencer Davis Group in 1967, Winwood moved within themusic industry to a position asA&R man atIsland Records.[1] He was there until 1978, when he became an executive at the British office of CBS Records (which later becameSony Music), where he remained until well into the 1990s.[5] As part of his A&R duties, Winwood signedPrefab Sprout,Terence Trent D'Arby,Sade,Shakin' Stevens andThe Psychedelic Furs amongst others.[1]
In 1974, Winwood produced theSparks hit album,Kimono My House along with its hit singles, "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" and "Amateur Hour".[1] He also produced their other 1974 album,Propaganda (which included the "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" single). Later, he producedthe first Dire Straits album (1978).[1]
His other work included production withThe Fabulous Poodles,Marianne Faithfull,Nirvana (the UK band),Sutherland Brothers ("Sailing"),Traffic,Mott the Hoople,Love Affair,Kevin Ayers,Patto,Unicorn,[6]After the Fire andThe Noel Redding Band.
| Year | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Their First LP |
|
| 1966 | The Second Album |
|
| Autumn '66 |
|
| Year | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | You Put the Hurt on Me |
|
| Every Little Bit Hurts |
| |
| 1966 | Sittin' and Thinkin' |
|
| Year | Single |
|---|---|
| 1964 | "Dimples" |
| "I Can't Stand It" | |
| 1965 | "Every Little Bit Hurts" |
| "Strong Love" | |
| "Keep On Running" | |
| 1966 | "Somebody Help Me" |
| "This Hammer"(Norway and Sweden-only release) | |
| "Sittin' and Thinkin'"(Netherlands-only release) | |
| "When I Come Home" | |
| "Together 'Til the End of Time"(Norway-only release) | |
| "Take This Hurt Off Me"(Norway-only release) | |
| "Georgia on My Mind"(Netherlands-only release) | |
| "Gimme Some Lovin'" | |
| "Det war in Schöneberg"(Germany-only release) | |
| "High Time Baby"(Norway-only release) |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
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