Emin Hassini (or possibly Hussini) was born in Cyprus in 1948. In 1965 he moved to New York as a
17-year-old to join his brother, Anthony Hassini who, in 1968, would
become the founding member of the International Magicians Society. Looking alarmingly like Kevin Godley of 10CC, Emin
enrolled in the New York University, fell in love and married a woman named Hulya Aziz.
In late 1970, as Marc Mundy, Emin recorded his only,
eponymous, album. Produced by his brother, the disc is distinguished by Marc’s
rather amateurish Middle Eastern-accented vocals and the equally amateurish playing. The record
features his wife on backing vocals, but Paul and Linda McCartney they ain’t. A
vague Middle Eastern melodic flavour permeates the collection, though the
musical arrangements are fairly typical of those found on early-‘70s
singer/songwriter albums. Guitarists Robert (Peppermint) Arlin (variously known
as Bob or Bobby Arlin) and John Beck, drummer Tom Ambrose Ray and bass player
Jim Pons had all previously been members of psych-folk band The Leaves. Pons
also played with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Beck appeared on recordings by Judee
Sill. The playing on the record is mediocre at best, so I'd guess that the boys - clearly seasoned musicians - had very little rehearsal time.
Just 500 copies of the album were pressed. Called ‘a truly
unique, private-press curiosity rescued from obscurity’, Marc Mundy was reissued on CD (with historical liner notes) by
Companion in 2006. Anthony Hassini remained in New York and, as Tony Hassini,
worked as a cameraman and director, filming ads for, among others, Burger King.
Tony has also overseen the growth of the International Magicians Society, which
has since become the world's largest magic society (as recorded in the Guinness
Book of World Records) with over 37,000 members worldwide. Emin/Marc returned
to his native Cyprus to become a maths teacher in high school and vanished.
Still, he did leave us with this one album. Have a listen
for yourself and see what you think.
Enjoy!
Certainly different. I like the way that Bob Arlin cuts loose with some wah-wah guitar at the end of "Our Love Can Never Be" - maybe he was bored with the repetitive chords he was having to play?
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