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Home , Frank Zappa, Jimmy Carl Black, Ray Collins (musician), Roy Estrada, The Mothers of Invention

and in the '60s (review)

Michael Ashenfelder

Notes, Volume 66, Number 3, March 2010, pp. 651-653 (Review)

Published by Music Library Association DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/not.0.0284

For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/376379

[ This content has been declared free to read by the pubisher during the COVID-19 pandemic. ] Video Reviews 651

Leonard Cohen Live in London. DVD. Recorded Live in Concert at the O2 Arena, London, England (July 17, 2008). [S.l.]: Sony BMG Music Entertainment, 2009, 2008. 88697405039. $18.98.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve stood on fortunes, there is never self pity or mawkish a stage in London . . . was about, uh, 14 or sentimentality exhibited in the twenty-six 15 years ago, I was 60 years old . . . just a kid song set on this DVD. Quite the contrary: with a crazy dream (laughs) . . . since then, he champions positive messages through- I’ve taken a lot of Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, out this program, and he seems to nurture Effexor, Ritalan . . . I’ve also, uh, studied an amicable reconciliation with the sad, de- deeply in the philosophies and the reli- pressing songs he composed during the gions, but cheerfulness kept breaking . While the songs are no less sad or through (more laughs).” depressing, Cohen seems to have assimi- With these words, sets lated the severity of his lyrics with genuine the tone for his London concert with hu- reverence for his audience, his band, and morous acknowledgment of the low points his life. Cohen’s vocal limitations are many, in his life, and uplifting hope for those is- but it is the charisma with which he delivers sues he has worked through over many his songs that is the attractor. “Hallelujah” years. Perhaps this is most clear in his lyric is the only song where Cohen’s voice ven- “Anthem” where he clearly juxtaposes posi- tures out of its very limited range. But this tive energy with negative: isn’t a DVD about : it’s a DVD about stories, people, places, things, experiences. “Ring the bells that still can ring, And, while his vocal limitations for singing forget your perfect offering, are evident, they all seem to fade when he there is a crack in everything; recites his poetry, as when he speaks “A that’s how the light gets in.” Thousand Kisses Deep.” It is difficult to approach Leonard Cohen remains a gentleman through Cohen’s art without understanding at least and through, and has since given up unpre- some aspects of his personal life. His recent dictable behaviors, formerly fueled by the tour schedule, at the age of seventy-five, has consumption of three bottles of wine be- largely been for financial reasons. As fore a performance. His genuine acknowl- Cohen retreated to a Zen monastery for edgement of the audience has kept his five years, his business manager absconded songs alive for many years, and continues with nearly all of his money. Although the to handle his emergence back on “Boogie courts sided with Cohen in a 9.5 million Street” as he would say, with dignity, grace, dollar lawsuit, it is not known if or when he and deep appreciation of his audience. will see any of that money. So Cohen re- sorted to “turning tricks” as he refers to it: Robert D. Terrio perform for money. Regardless of his mis- Westminster Choir College of Rider University

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in the ’60s. DVD. New Malden, Surrey UK: Sexy Intellectual, 2008. SIDVD545. $19.95.

In 1965, bass player invited Four years and a few added band mem- his friend Frank Zappa to join his R&B bers later, the Mothers of Invention had group, the Soul Giants. A short time after staked out their own piece of turf in the joining, Zappa convinced his new band music world, owing as much to the band’s mates Estrada, drummer , chemistry, daring, theatrics and musician- and singer to devote themselves ship as it did to Zappa’s leadership, drive instead to his own outrageous, irreverent, and creativity. The Mothers played sold-out unpredictable, flat-out weird music. He shows to a rabid following. And then Zappa promised them wealth and fame. The Soul broke up the band. Giants were game, and so began the He continued performing for another Mothers of Invention. two decades, up to his death of prostate 652 Notes, March 2010 cancer in 1993, fronting an ever-changing plexity of Zappa’s compositions, he did not lineup of stellar musicians. But the docu- want the band reading music on stage, so mentary Frank Zappa and the Mothers of the Mothers memorized everything. They Invention in the ’60s argues that the original practiced the dense music eight bars at a Mothers of Invention were the best and the time until they could nail a piece in time most memorable of all the Zappa bands. for that night’s show. The morning after a The documentary moves steadily for- show they were back at the theater rehears- ward, paced with a rich collection of pho- ing for hours. Bunk Gardner looked exas- tos, home movie footage, TV show clips perated as he said, “Whatever I learned one and audio recordings. For every anecdote day was changed the next day.” Jimmy Carl or comment there’s a corresponding image Black said, “We were certainly the most or song. Some of the narration is by on- rehearsed band in the world.” camera comments from Zappa biographer In 1968, the Mothers released a sort-of Ben Watson, music writer Richie Unter- straight-laced recording, Cruising with berger, journalist , author and , a tongue-in-cheek but sin- musician Billy James, and producer Kim cere recording of pure ’50s doo-wop. The Fowley. But the juiciest moments, though, songs were so authentic-sounding that are the recollections and anecdotes from many people thought it actually was an old some of the Mothers themselves, Jimmy album. Still, here and there amid the vin- Carl Black, Bunk Gardner, , tage falsetto and bass lines are Zappa and . touches, such as at the end of “Fountain of In high school, Zappa played drums with Love” where the wordless background vo- an R&B band and he had a passion for cals quote the oboe line from the opening and doo-wop. But when he discov- of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. ered an Edgard Varèse recording, that set By 1969, the Mothers had several record- him off on a lifelong course of experimen- ings out and they were touring worldwide. tal composition. In footage from the old Zappa had formed two record labels and Show, a young, nerdy, clean-cut he was producing other acts. Yet even Zappa in a suit and short, slicked-back hair, though the Mothers had achieved the fame grins an “aw, shucks” grin at Allen’s joshing that Zappa promised the Soul Giants, the but still exudes confidence as he directs band members weren’t taking home any Allen’s band in a piece of experimental significant amounts of money. And then chance music. Zappa plays a bicycle with Zappa fired the band. drumsticks while Allen “brapps” trumpet- The shock and betrayal is evident as like into the handlebars Black, Gardner, and Preston retell the The Mothers’ first album in 1966, Freak story. Black is clearly bitter and hurt as he Out, was a pandora’s box of odd, frag- said, “That was pretty heavy. And pretty mented music, a Dadaist con- cold, man.” In a perverse visual touch, dis- coction. Schmaltzy lounge music segued played prominently behind Black is a large into rock licks, musique concrète, surf, Sprech - oil portrait of Zappa. gesang, light teen pop, free , doo-wop, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in bebop, and beyond. the ’60s is a well-told story and a window The documentary deftly contrasts the into the Mothers’ creative process. While it Mothers’ deranged image and music with true that Zappa was a groundbreaking com- vintage ’60s footage of strobe-lit white poser and bandleader, the rest of the band kids—girls with heavy mascara and tight were groundbreakers with him. The Capri pants and boys with long bangs Mothers not only had the chops, they also and bell-bottoms—dancing in that ecstati- had a camaraderie and playfulness that fit cally herky jerky mod, “a go go” way to a the bizarre burlesque of the tunes. They soundtrack of Farfisa organs and surfy helped give birth to a sound that didn’t ex- Stratocasters. ist before. In early 1967, the Mothers—which now The documentary benefits from an abun- included keyboardist Don Preston and dance of footage and photos. There are no woodwind player Bunk Johnson—moved full performances but it is rich with snip- from to New York and landed pets of music. The focus of the film is on a steady six-month gig. Despite the com- the interviewees; the music punctuates Video Reviews 653 their statements. And while the opining gredients that each tossed into the musical and anecdotes by the critics gives the story stew. its context, it’s the Mothers’ reminiscences that add value. It’s a pleasure to hear the Michael Ashenfelder band members’ stories and to savor the in- Library of Congress

Bruce Springsteen Road Trip, 40 Years Of The Boss. DVD. [Surrey, UK]: Pride, 2009. PGDVD117. $26.95.

This 2009 DVD set from the British com- years and how it introduced him to styles as pany Pride contains two discs; the first is a varied as folk, heavy metal, and an biography concentrating on Springsteen’s array of classic performers such as Elvis early days and the second an overview of Presley, Van Morrison, and . his early recordings. The disclaimer at the John Hammond’s stewardship of his career beginning of the first disc states that the at CBS is glossed over to some degree, but documentary was not done with the coop- the focus here is clearly on the evolution of eration of the Bruce Springsteen conglom- the artist, not the businessman. The weak- erate and that it contains no original music ness of the product is in its distance from by him. its subject—not only are there no direct The first DVD is a compelling documen- words from Springsteen, there is no music tary of Springsteen’s beginning years as a at all other than some occasional back- musician in Freehold, New Jersey through ground sounds which have nothing to do his first great successes in the early 1980s. with the music being discussed. Skillfully weaving commentary and inter- The second DVD is a survey of Spring- views with numerous formative musical as- steen’s major recordings from Born to Run sociates like Richard Blackwell, Frank (1975) through Nebraska (1982). Spring - Marziotti, Vini Lopez, Robbin Thompson, steen’s growth as an artist is explored and Albee Tellone, this documentary exam- through the examination of the increasing ines many of Springsteen’s first musical in- conceptual integration (musical, lyrical, fluences while giving very little information and photographic) of each album. Darkness about his family or private life. None of his on the Edge of Town (1978) is presented as a family was interviewed, nor were some other jumping off point in this move towards early band mates such as George Thiess or concept—a technique pioneered by Frank Danny Federici. The only words spoken by Sinatra in the 1950s on his Reprise album the artist himself come from an interview series. The close attention to lyrics and done apparently in the early 1980s. lyrical progression throughout Darkness Aside from those mentioned above, the demonstrates Springsteen’s commitment to best of the interviewees are Village Voice re- the art of storytelling. The River (1980) is viewer , Carl “Tinker” seen as the next step—a ex- West (manager of Springsteen’s early ploring several different directions, while group Steel Mill), and former drummer offering conflicting opinions on its ulti- Lopez. Each of these give interesting com- mate success. Nebraska (1982) represents a mentary from some very different perspec- step back—not to his roots, but to the per- tives. No interviews with managers Mike ceptions of what his roots might have been: Appel, Jon Landau, or perennial E Street a disciple. This album put the Band members such as Clarence whole focus on Springsteen as a singer/ Clemmons, Max Weinberg, or Steve Van songwriter accompanied by nothing but his Zandt are included, suggesting perhaps own and displays the results of his that current Springsteen employees were voluntary withdrawal from the business of off limits during making of this film (Appel popular music, driven to some degree by and Springsteen had a rancorous parting in his depression over the state of society dur- the early 1980s). ing the early Reagan years. The strength of this film is in its explica- The weakness of the first DVD is some- tion of the music scene that surrounded what corrected in the second by the inclu- Springsteen during his apprenticeship sion of at least a small dose of music,