With rock music today expanding into many strange unexplored areas, the Mothers have decided to turn the clock back to 1955 and came out with an album full of icky love songs. For years now the Mothers have been putting down the teenage idiom and its music and have now placed themselves in the middle of it. I am not certain yet if the Mothers are putting us on, but there seems to be a genuine effort in expression of music which is definitely a part of them. The album consists of a dozen short tracks of interelated songs linked back to the rock and roll music of the middle fifties, the best number being the last one called "Stuff Up the Cracks", which brings us back to 1968 with Zappa going on a Clapton trip for the last minute and a half. Mother lovers (no pun intended) may be dissapointed in the Mothers new format but any of you who can remember as far back as the pre-stereo stoned ages will certainly enjoy and relive in your head some past times and that wonderful year 1955.

Source: SDSU Library

Very brief review of the 12 April Mothers and Country Joe common concert:
The "Country Joe" and "Mothers" concert last weekend was an apt presentation of the skills of both groups, though Zappa did not feel the "mothers" had enough time. He offers more pure music than any band or individual I can think of, and, in fact, is preparing to release a five-album package titled "No Commercial Potential. "
Country Joe and the Fish included Peter Albin, formerly of the Janis Joplin-Big Brother and the Holding Company. Albin reported that Big Brother is reforming within a few weeks but there will of course be new personnel.

Source: SDSU Library

Yes, Willie has been overcome by the frenzious electric fantasy music of Frank Zappa. Wah, Wah, Wah. Chunga’s Revenge is not however by the Mothers. According to a full page ad in Rolling Stone (November 26, I970) it is a successor to Hot Rats, Zappa’s first full fledged attempt at serious jazz away from the Mothers. Satirically and musically this album comes closer to the original Mothers’ sound than Burnt Weenie Sandwich or Weasels Ripped My Flesh, the Mothers’ last two albums. Sandwich and Weasels both come closer to the sound of Hot Rats. Most all the members of what is now called the Mothers are included (here and there) on Revenge. (read more)

Source: Independent Voices

Every serious Zappa collector, of course, would be lost without 200 Motels. It did, for classical music what Hot Rats did for jazz. Besides, this concert masterpiece will never be released aboveground. (read more)

Source: Independent Voices

“Little House I Used to Live In,” the first song on the album, was a descent hand-clapping, toestomping song which pleased everyone. The needle tumbled into “The Mud Shark,” the first number to really utilize the satirical voices of Frank Zappa and two talking Turtles. The tale about making eight millimeter movies by the Vanilla Fudge with a voluptuous young lady on hand left the audience enthralled. What a catchy number! (read more)

Source: Independent Voices

It all happened at the Casino Montreux, the “Swiss Fillmore,” right in front of the Igor Stravinsky Street, afternoon, December 4, 1971. Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention did their first concert in Switzerland. With half of the Mothers’ European tour already behind them, they enjoyed themselves in the snowy mountains with cheese and all that Swiss stuff — then they came down to do the concert in that unbelievably over-decorated old-fashioned big, crazy building that was packed with a nice audience from all over Switzerland, Italy and other places. (read more)

Source: Independent Voices

Frank Zappa, whose wizardry has transcended most ordinary musical bounds and brought forth some startlingly original ideas, has now created a film, 200 Motels. Although the film is probably more a product of Zappa's inspiration than of his guiding hand, he is credited as writer and director and, therefore, must take the blame for the result. (read more)

Source: Independent Voices

Y'see around here at Door Music Headquarters, or DHQ, as the more hip faction refer to it, we're kinda excited about a relatively new band and their definitely new debut album, Geronimo Black (Uni Records).

Last Thursday night, [Jimmy Carl] Black and his manager, Ward Duffy dropped by the door to talk about a variety of things. Among them, the new album, the group, Frank Zappa, the American Indian, Jimmy Reed, and more. (read more)

Source: Independent Voices