Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tony Muggs. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tony , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was 24 years old and in college at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. I was in my seventh year having entered college at 17 years old. You see, I fell in love with music at the age of 19 and I have been obsessed about it ever since. Even now at the age of 50! Although I wasn’t a professional just yet, I threw myself at music. I dropped out of college, got labor intensive job to pay the bills and got in a blues band and an original rock band. I knew I could make it! I just needed more time and to delve into my songwriting and practicing my instruments, which at the time were acoustic guitar, electric and bass guitar.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I go by Tony Muggs around Metro Detroit and pockets of the world. I made my bones in a blues rock band called The Muggs. Danny Muggs, who is my musical partner and best friend is the lead singer, guitar player and main songwriter of The Muggs. I play the Fender Rhodes bass in The Muggs and several other bands including my songwriting project and band, DUDE.

The Muggs are a power trio. We came up in the early 2000’s but not without some unnecessary, unforeseen drama. You see, I had a hemorrhagic stroke on Sept. 4th 2001 which nearly ended my life. The Muggs were making waves on the Detroit music scene at the time. Through it all, instead of giving up on me, Danny Muggs decided to put The Muggs on permanent hiatus until, if or when, I’d ever rehab enough to return to the band. Previous to my stroke, I played the bass guitar, which requires two good arms and hands. After suffering my stroke, I was completely paralyzed on my right side and unable to speak.

Through sheer determination and lots of rehab, within two years I was able to return to The Muggs although not on bass guitar but on the Fender Rhodes piano. I never got the use of my right hand back so I taught myself how to play the piano as a bass instrument and transcribed all my bass guitar lines to the piano, solely with my left hand.

By 2005, The Muggs had released our first professional musical recording, simply titled, The Muggs. Since then, The Muggs have released 6 full length albums in total, have had 6 tours of Europe, been awarded several Detroit Music Awards, made national TV in 2007 on FOX’s American Idol spin off reality TV show called The Next Great American Band and have several licensing/publishing opportunities with our original songs including movies like The Purge: Election Year and car companies like Chevy and Dodge.

I started my original power pop/rock band called DUDE in 2015. I am the songwriter and bassist of DUDE and have one album out now called Kid Gloves and an upcoming album called Autobiograffitti (the album) due to release on Sat. April 15th 2023.

I’m also an author now! I released Autobiograffitti, (the book) an autobiographical book about my life coming up in the Detroit music scene, my friendship with Danny Muggs, having survived a stroke, coming back to The Muggs as a musician after my stroke and other harrowing stories life has thrown my way.

Please visit, tonymuggs.com for more info. about my life, my book, all of my bands (with photo galleries, links to get music/merchandise), news about Autobiograffitti – the book (local publications), and contact info.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As a stroke survivor, I want to get my book, Autobiograffitti out to every person who has suffered a stroke to let them know they are not alone AND that they can still be a creative force in the world if they believe in themselves.

I want this book to be successful so I can use it as a spring board for stroke advocacy. I have contacted the Stroke Association of America and would like to be more active in the Detroit community and the world. This book is and should be important to everyone because it’s a message of hope and perseverance.

If anyone has any more insight towards helping me reach my goals, please visit: tonymuggs.com and contact me personally via email!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

That would have to be when I taught myself the bass on a Fender Rhodes piano. You see, I was devastated having been completely paralyzed on my right side after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke (9.4.2001). September and October of 2001 were very dark months for me while in hospitals and a rehab center in Detroit, MI. Especially because months prior, my blues rock band, The Muggs were becoming extremely popular and successful around Detroit, which is arguably the most fickle and competitive city for music in America.

All my dreams were coming true. I was the bass player in an upcoming blues rock band and then, all of the sudden, I was laying paralyzed in a hospital, unable to speak and essentially trapped in my own body! I made promises to myself back then that if I ever figured out how to get out of this bleak situation, I would give all I had to rehab and music, and life in general.

After I started to get more mobile in terms of my walking, I threw everything I had towards more rehab. I was getting stronger but my right hand wasn’t healing. It was and is the same since day 1 of my stroke unfortunately. Thankfully, I have great friends, one of whom suggested that I could possibly play the Fender Rhodes piano like a bass guitar. It never occurred to me! I thought my career was over as a bass guitar player and performer. He explained that it’s not too common but musicians like Ray Manzerak of the classic rock band, The Doors have performed bass lines on a Fender Rhodes.

After a year and 3 months, I was in Southern California for some alternative therapy and that’s when I borrowed my Aunt Marie’s Casio keyboard and started transcribing my bass guitar lines. I never learned piano so I had a big task in front of me insofar as getting familiar with my new instrument. I just threw myself at it! It was frustrating at first but I was tenacious and kept at it having practiced 3 to 4 hours a day for 5 months straight! I loved music so much and wanted to be back on stage with my band so badly that I could not be denied!

On September 2nd, 2003 I performed my first show back with my band The Muggs at the world famous Belgian bar and restaurant, Cadieux Cafe for their annual Labor Day Festival called Mussel Beach Party! I’m here as an example to us all, it’s never too late to follow AND succeed in making your dreams come true. All you have to do is put in the hard work and truly believe in yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: tonymuggs.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/tony_muggs
• Facebook: facebook.com/tonymuggs
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-muggs-8a2a087/
• Twitter: twitter.com/themuggs
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dudedetroit

Image Credits
Patrick Minjeur (personal photo & couch photo), Jason Seaman (Autobiograffitti album cover), CJ Carpenter (Autobiograffitti book cover)