The Mothers "Fillmore East - June 1971"
By Jim Girard
The Mothers (of Invention)
FILLMORE EAST - JUNE 1971
Reprise
MS 2042 (Bizarre Records)
For a while, it looked as though The Mothers would be a fond memory in the history of Screw Rock. It was not only a shock, but a relief, when Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman (formerly the vocalists for The Turtles) were announced to be joining ZAPPA in his reforming his notorious Mothers.
It seems that the new Mothers are more comical and less musically oriented than the old Mothers (e.g. the FREAK OUT, MONEY, ABSOLUTELY FREE and WEASEL ones). This is not to imply any sort of scorn, but it’s just that a moving oratory such as “Do You Like My New Car?” would have been as hilarious if it were not for Volman.
There is still the Zappa talent and classical charm in his unique instrumental “Peaches En Regalia.” I doubt if even Lawrence Welk is aware that he has serious competition coming in the next few years (look out if Zappa decides to have his own ‘legit’ T.V. show).
As usual, the traditional scorn for the youth culture puts a smile and some red cheeks on many faces and this time “groupies” are the subject for debate. Dig – “What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?” Being “live”, the people laugh along.
Only The Mothers could get away with being so poignant and precise in their satire of a culture which Zappa has been laughing at (in a concerned way of course) for years.
And just what do you think “Bwana Dik” is about? Guess.