Mamma Freedom were formed in Manchester by brothers Alexander and JV Johnston in late 2003.
The bands influences are as diverse as their own musical style. Classical, Soul, Funk, Rock, Hip Hop and Film score music all appear heavily in the bands music. This has led to music coming from the band and their studio being labelled ‘Grand-Sonic’ a play on the Acu-sonic sound of legendary engineer and hero of Alex’s Bruce Swedien (Michael Jackson).
With Alexander Johnston at the production helm and the brothers writing the material the band released their debut single ‘Being Good Earns You Nothing’ in 2010 with the B side a cover of Blackstreets ‘No Diggity’ that original writer Teddy Riley is alleged to have called “better than the original”.
In 2012 the band wrote and recorded the theme tune and score music to the Apple iStory ‘The Gift’.
Debut album ‘Preachers & Criminals’ named after Producer Johnston’s description of the bands contrasting dark and light sides was released in March 2013 and the Mamma Freedom cacophony of sonics was born.
In 2014 the band released their sophomore album ‘The Voodoo Suite Session’s Vol 1. The album included just the one single ‘Cast the First Stone’.
In 2015 the band released an acoustic album ‘Altered State’ which was a re-working of tracks from the bands first 2 albums and featuring one new track.
The band toured the 2 albums in 2017 and 2018 with a 50 date tour supporting the Soul Legend Alexander O’Neal.
After hearing the bands music O’Neal who was on the same management at the time expressed a desire to work with the band and in 2016 Mamma Freedom featuring Alexander O’Neal released Fake, a reworking of O’Neals classic 1988 hit. This lead to the band and O’Neal re-arranging and re-recording his most famous album Hearsay for the 30th Anniversary and the tour.
They hit it of so well that Alexander Johnston became O’Neal’s permanent Producer and both he and brother MF singer J became his writers. They Wrote the new Alexander O’Neal album Testament due for release in the summer of 2020 which the Mamma Freedom members were the band for and Alex mixed parts of and mastered the Alexander O’Neal Live at The Palladium album while J served as director and editor of the live videos.
After that Alexander Johnston went on to work with Damon Albarn of Gorillza, CASisDEAD, Robbie Williams. Sarah Harding, Leah Weller and more.
The band were set to tour with O’Neal again in 2021 on a 40 date European and UK tour but covid hit, they lost the tour and their beloved Voodoo Suite Studio of 20 years. The re-grouped together and moved homes and built a new 8 room studio up in the beautiful hills of Mossley in the UK which took 6 months.
Anthems for a Empire was the 3rd album to be released by the band In Dec of 2021. The album spawned 2 singles, the big beat, synth driven, orchestral tornado ‘Song For a Heist’, and ‘Hit it Like We Stole Something’, a P:Funk Inspired, dirty, funk romp with a smooth sultry Prince style guitar deliver from Calcott while JVJ Johnston, sings the lyrical tale of being on the road with O’Neal and his band who are close friends with the Mamma Freedom family and had even O’Neal’s live MD Billy Osborne, Uk soul Queen Innocence along with Eko on backing vocals.
In 2023 the band signed to Velmont records and are at present putting the finishing touches to the as yet untitled 4th album due for release in April 2024 and are set to release debut single ‘Seren’ sang by Alex on Sept 29th 2023.
JV Johnston – Vocals / Guitar / Keys
Alexander Johnston – Vocals / Keys / Production / Mixing
Christopher J Calcott – Lead Guitar / Bvs
Robert Marsh – Flugel / Trumpet / BVs
Dan Hudson – Drums
Richard Redfern – Keys / Bvs
Contact: Bex Hilton (Manager)
+44 788520809
management@velmontrecords.co.uk
