"Lynn Minmay" by Mahogany

Who is Lynn Minmay and why is she the subject of a Mahogany song from the late 90s?

Minmay refers to the anime character, confirmed Andrew.

“Always loved ‘space opera’ anime like Macross and Space Cruiser Yamato,” he told me.

“The debut Mahogany EP on Burnt Hair was thematically concerned with Amelia Earheart, Nelly van Doesburg and Lynn Minmay, each important as multifaceted adventurer, leader, and muse, but all quite individual in those representations. 

At the time, I was corresponding by mail with Gunther Stuhlmann, editor to Anaïs Nin — part of a continuing inquiry into progenitors and pioneers of modern perspectives. I was also surely influenced by Mark Robinson of Teen-Beat, with Unrest’s “Isabel Bishop” addressing the life and work of the painter. 

"Lynn Minmay” was composed in a drop-D tuning using a Framus offset on loan from Auburn Lull, whom I also recorded for the EP (a split 12”).

An oddly-tuned, bubbling drum synth at the intro gives way to surf-like rhythm with cymbal washes. Our Arp String Ensemble, overdriven through spring reverb, provides most of the structure for the vocal, which is in fact distilled from readings of Nin’s early journals.

The summery lightness of the arrangement, sans bass guitar, counters a plaintive query in the melody, laden with saudade: “Are we prey to life’s energies? Crying, laughing, weeping endlessly? Ink-spots wash on blue; memories abounding in your head, heard from your heart.”

- Andrew Prinz, Mahogany

You'll find "Lynn Minmay" tucked between tracks by Scanner / Robin Rimbaud and Landing on episode 14 of _____ mood.

Thanks for the history, AP!