Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in the '60S (Review)
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention 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 1970s. While the songs are no less sad or through (more laughs).” depressing, Cohen seems to have assimi- With these words, Leonard Cohen 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 singing: 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 Roy Estrada 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 Jimmy Carl Black, chemistry, daring, theatrics and musician- and singer Ray Collins 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 Alan Clayson, author and Ruben and the Jets, 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, Don Preston, tage falsetto and bass lines are Zappa and Art Tripp. 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 blues 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 Steve Allen 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 Spike Jones 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 jazz, 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 Los Angeles 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.