News

Well, now I’m tackling another Zappa record. And instead of an obvious classic, I’m doing the Fillmore East album as it’s one that isn’t talked about as much. This was released August 2, 1971 on Bizarre/Reprise and derived from shows at The Fillmore East on June 5-6, 1971. The record is the second of the Flo And Eddie period with Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan from The Turtles on lead vocals; the remaining band members are Ian Underwood on winds and keyboards, Bob Harris on keyboards and vocals, ex-Turtles bassist Jim Pons, drummer Aynsley Dunbar, and guesting is Mother Don Preston in the Mini-Moog.

The album is largely a concept album poking fun at life in a rock and roll band, with many concepts that couldn’t make 200 Motels due to budget constraints. Also having taken place at these shows was a guest appearance by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, which would appear on Some Time In New York City, which would cause friction as the track “Jamrag” was derived from the performance of “King Kong” without crediting Frank.

So now we procede with the album, which begins with….

1. “The Little House I Used To Live In” (Frank Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrDL6rqhMM

We open with “The Little House I Used To Live In”, which comes from Burnt Weeny Sandwich, though this time the track is condensed to four minutes.

While I would still take the original version (just for Sugarcane fucking Harris), this is still a very commendable performance by the band. First off, even though Bob Harris #1 was very short lived, he shows himself a very good Blues/Soul based keyboardist on here, with some really nice licks on the organ and electric piano all throughout. And of course, let’s give it up for the fantastic Aynsley Dunbar on drums, what an awesome drummer, easily one of the best parts of the Flo and Eddie era, and also kicked all sorts of ass on Waka/Jawaka and Grand Wazoo. And of course Mark and Howard come in to do some vocalizations over the band as the song leads into “The Mud Shark”…

2. “The Mud Shark” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DRtINlcIw0c

“The Mud Shark”, which is based upon the legend of when Led Zeppelin and Vanilla Fudge were touring together and while they were at the Edgewater Inn and while with a groupie, someone fished a Mud Shark and used the fin to fuck the groupie with while Mark Stein from the Fudge filmed it.

And true to the nature of this song, what a dirty, nasty, stinky groove this song has, it just so perfectly nails the sort of soul-rock sound that the Fudge were known for.

3. “What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zgWIsroYEOQ

And now Howard has an encounter with a groupie, played by Mark.

I will say this….this song fucking rules. Goddamn, Mark and Howard are such a treat on here, there’s such an infectious energy about them anytime they’re behind the mic that I certainly can’t help but love them.

I want to say this; a lot of people give the Flo And Eddie era shit for being raunchy and it kind of feeds into the whole misogyny accusation against Frank. I want to say that though lowbrow humor isn’t anything new to Frank’s writing (it certainly would show up more in later works), I don’t get the sense this is just raunchy just to be raunchy like some of Frank’s later stuff, it’s more South Park raunch used to illustrate how ridiculous the whole thing is.

This song is a real keeper, especially the Philly version with Lady Bianca on vocals, and holy shit does she sell it in a way that Mark Volman couldn’t. It nevertheless, still a great version.

4. “Bwana Dik” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdzOwab_4Po

Now for “Bwana Dik”, which came from the name that the guy in the band would give themselves if they had the biggest dick.

This song, I love it. It’s dumb, but it’s the kind of dumb I can get behind. Mark and Howard just nail the timing and delivery, and the band is perfect on here. And to me, the reason this doesn’t fall into the Frat Zappa category, which is the Zappa category I don’t like, is that the joke is very much on the rockstar as much as it is on the groupie. The rockstar for being treated like they are these gods when they’re clearly not. These groupies also look ridiculous not for being groupies, but more for denying that they are, in fact, groupies. I also get the impression that by extension, the song is also making fun of the act of slut-shaming. And I say…down with slut-shaming! It should be slut-celebrating!!!!

This song is major righteousness!

5. “Latex Solar Beef” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=87oeOtx4Bt4

And now some “Latex Solar Beef”, with its nasty groove. Awesome drumming by Aynsley Dunbar and also, some really cool bass playing by Jim Pons. It’s not super complicated or anything, but it really locks in well with the drums and does a great job of setting the mood. I like Jeff Simmons well enough, he helped write some pretty killer tunes with Frank and I love his solo album that Frank produced, but as far as bass playing, it’s very much a guitar player picking up the bass, just very stock stuff. That said, Pons is a really good groove player, as was Estrada quite honestly. And he’s a great backing vocalist, really helped in the harmonies (which, giving his time with Mark and Howard in The Turtles, makes sense).

This is an awesome track, and a great way to lead into….

6-7. “Willie The Pimp Parts One And Two” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Klske_EMA

And now some “Willie The Pimp”, originally off Hot Rats with Captain Beefheart on vocals.

What a nasty sounding track this is. I will stay the original, especially vocally, but I certainly won’t bitch about this one.

8. “Do You Like My New Car?”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hTqb8ndLe0k

Here’s the Vaudeville bit with “Do You Like My New Car?”.

Mark and Howard are such a treat on here, with Mark as the groupie. And the little tidbit of the groupie who gets off on Howard singing his hit? That was something that actually happened to him and Mark during their Turtles days.

And the shoutout to all the different artists, with a tape of CSNY fighting backstage, the reference to Elton John (admittedly more amusing in hindsight), that shit is awesome, and it leads into….

9. “Happy Together” (Gary Bonner/Alan Gordon):

“Happy Together”, the signature song of Mark, Howard, and Jim Pons’ previous band The Turtles.

I might end up doing a Turtles album at some point as I do love The Turtles, they had some really good stuff. “It Ain’t Me Babe” is pretty good and Happy Together, Battle Of The Bands, and Turtle Soup are all very solid records that I recommend.

Also, when you go through their output, you notice an irreverent humor that often runs through as well as a habit of dabbling in different styles, Battle Of The Bands being a particular example. Hear that album and you’ll see exactly why they and Frank joined forces. Not to mention, the Flo and Eddie Band was deliberately a big, dumb rock band and needed stars to front the band, and of course Mark and Howard had both had success on the charts, so they fit the mold perfectly.

Here, the band delivers the song perfectly.

10. “Lonesome Electric Turkey” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MmdnTSbRrHs

And now Mother Don takes a synth solo, which is derived from the band’s performance of “King Kong” that John and Yoko were involved with.

Man, what a kooky ass solo, so sci-fi and futuristic in its sound and texture. Let’s talk about Mother Don Preston, shall we? What a fantastic keyboardist and synth player, doesn’t get talked about enough. And actually, for those who don’t know/remember, he was one of the first guys in rock to use a synthesizer, and he even built his own. He played in the 5th Army Band for a time, sat in with Elvin Jones, was composing avant garde music of his own well before even meeting Frank, he’s had a very interesting life and career to say the least, and this solo is definitely interesting to say the least.

11. “Peaches Em Regalia” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pgYj2eNGvEs

Another Hot Rats track and it’s the ever famous “Peaches En Regalia”.

I think this is a very strong performance of this song, not my favorite, but very good overall.

12. “Tears Began To Fall” (Zappa):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=05Cd2o7XzhE

We close out the album with a little pop ditty known as “Tears Begin To Fall”.

It’s a decent track overall, not a favorite by any means, but I won’t skip it if it comes on.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

This is an album that I think gets overlooked quite a bit, hence why I reviewed it. Not a perfect album, all the Mothers albums and Hot Rats are better, se with everything from Wazoo through I’d say Bongo Fury, but this is one where if you like a laugh or if you like some straight up rock, then give this a listen. If you’re a Zappa fan who maybe kind of looked away from the Flo And Eddie era, then give this another chance, I think you’ll find some good stuff on here as well.

So yes, I give this a solid recommendation.