Gannon “Supergroup” Releases Benefit CD
Posted: December 12, 2013
First there was Cream, then Crosby, Stills & Nash. And hey,
let's throw the Three Tenors in while we're at it. Supergroups have
been part of the musical landscape for decades, and now the concept
has come to Gannon University in the form of the Mullions, a group
with more than stardom on their minds.
The Mullions are Crookshanks, Haggis, Drambuie, and Drummond
Mullion. a.k.a. Steve Weiser, David Blaetz, Shawn Clerkin, and Sam
Hyman, four musicians with credits that range from punk bands to
musical theater to symphony orchestras among other stops.
The four got together to record a CD, "Live At The Schuster
Theatre," that is being sold to raise funds for Gannon University
theatre students' trip to the International Collegiate Theatre
Festival/Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, 2014.
What started as a fundraising idea ended up being a good time
for the participants. "We have these great musicians on
campus and I asked them if they'd be willing to spend Wednesday
afternoons in the studio," said the Rev. Shawn Clerkin, associate
professor of theatre, communication, and fine arts, who initiated
the project.
In addition to himself, the band includes David Blaetz,
instructor of theatre and communication arts who has been a
first-call bass player for decades who also engineered the CD, Sam
Hyman, Gannon's campus events tech director and a guitarist and
bandleader in his own right. The three called on Erie Chamber
Orchestra Executive Director Steve Weiser for some percussion
colors, and the band was formed.
"We have this incredible respect and mutual admiration," said
Clerkin. "We probably spent more time enjoying each other's company
that actual recording," he joked.
But the musicianship is serious-as serious as the purpose for
which the CD was made, even if the tone is lighthearted and
fun-filled.
"We were going to give the CD away to people who donated, but we
thought why not put it up on CD Baby and see who responds, and
within a hour, we had our first sale," Clerkin said.
The Mullions CD is available here where the songs can be
previewed.