Boston-born guitarist Eddie Mottau has enjoyed a five-decade career that has carried him across a dozen or more crazes, waves, and other trends in music. From a boyhood interest in folk music, he formed a team with his friend Joe Hutchinson as Two Guys from Boston, who got to record a single for Scepter Records with Paul Stookey, of Peter, Paul Mary, as producer. The duo eventually became the psychedelic folk-rock band Bo Grumpus, who relocated to New York to be recorded by Felix Pappalardi. That group -- which for a time assumed the name Jolliver Arkansaw -- lasted until 1970.

Mottau returned to Paul Stookey's orbit, playing guitar and serving as co-producer of the latter's first post-Peter, Paul Mary solo album, Paul And. That project led to his crossing paths with John Lennon, which resulted in his working with Lennon's live band, and to a gig playing with Lower East Side music rebel David Peel. Mottau recorded and released his first solo album, No Turning Around (MCA) -- produced by Stookey -- in 1973. And he was back working again with Lennon the following year, on Walls and Bridges, and again in 1975 on Rock 'n' Roll. Another solo album, No Moulding, followed in 1977. Mottau continues to play and record, but out of New Hampshire -- where he has lived since the 1980s -- rather than New York City. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi