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Just Another Band from L.A.

 
Album Review: Just Another Band from L.A.

  • Artist: Frank Zappa & the Mothers
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1972 04
  • Total Time: 45:18
  • Type: Live, Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Just Another Band From L.A. was recorded live at the Pauley Pavillion, UCLA (Los Angeles), on August 7, 1971. Released in early 1972, it is the last album to document the Mothers of Invention lineup that included singers Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (aka Flo & Eddie). (The other bandmembers on this particular recording are: Ian Underwood, Aynsley Dunbar, Don Preston, and Jim Pons.) A previous LP, Fillmore East, June 1971, focused on material related to life on the road that had to be dropped from the movie and album 200 Motels. This second live record presents different material, plus two old favorites completely rearranged for this version of the band: "Call Any Vegetable" and "Dog Breath." Side one of the LP was entirely comprised of "Billy the Mountain," a continuous 25-minute story-song. The piece, filled with silly (some would say childish) stage antics and simple rock riffs, foretells "The Adventures of Greggary Peccary" and follows a logic similar to the "Sofa" suite. But the inclusion in its plot of dozens of very space-and-time-specific references (to towns, TV personalities, government officials, and businesses) made it age very quickly. Fans of the Flo & Eddie period will love the improvised storyline developments. Others should approach with caution, even though this one has much better sound quality than Fillmore East, June 1971. ~ François Couture, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Billy the Mountain Frank Zappa Frank Zappa & the Mothers (24:47)
Call Any Vegetable Frank Zappa Frank Zappa & the Mothers (7:22)
Eddie, Are You Kidding? Frank Zappa, Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman Frank Zappa & the Mothers (3:10)
Magdalena Frank Zappa, Howard Kaylan Frank Zappa & the Mothers (6:24)
Dog Breath Frank Zappa Frank Zappa & the Mothers (3:39)

Credits

Paul Hof (Technician), Don Preston (Mini Moog), Bob Stone (Remastering), Frank Zappa (Producer), Don Preston (Keyboards), Jeff Simmons (Vocals), Don Preston (Bass), Cal Schenkel (Cover Design), Ian Underwood (Woodwind), Frank Zappa (Composer), Frank Zappa (Arranger), Howard Kaylan (Vocals), Jeff Simmons (Bass), Jeff Simmons (Guitar), Frank Zappa & the Mothers (Performer), Jim Pons (Vocals), Bernard Gardner (Photography), Sheila Thompson (Voices), Aynsley Dunbar (Drums), Mark Volman (Vocals), Cal Schenkel (Artwork), Frank Zappa (Guitar), Frank Zappa (Keyboards), Frank Zappa (?), Frank Zappa (Vocals), Aynsley Dunbar (Guitar), Barry Keene (Engineer), Don Preston (Moog Synthesizer), Cal Schenkel (Cover Art), Amy Bernstein (Layout Design), Ian Underwood (Keyboards), Ferenc Dobronyi (Packaging), Jim Pons (Bass), Ian Underwood (Wind), Bob Stone (Digital Remastering), Ian Underwood (Vocals)
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Wikipedia: Just Another Band from L.A.
Top
Just Another Band from L.A.
Live album by The Mothers
Released March 26, 1972
Recorded August 7, 1971
Genre Comedy rock, hard rock
Length 45:18
Label Bizarre/Reprise
Producer Frank Zappa
Professional reviews
Frank Zappa chronology
200 Motels
(1971)
Just Another Band from L.A.
(1972)
Waka/Jawaka
(1972)

Just Another Band from L.A. is a live album by The Mothers, released in 1972 (see 1972 in music). It was recorded live on August 7, 1971 in Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles. A notable inclusion on this album is Billy the Mountain, Zappa's long, narrative parody of rock operas, which were gaining popularity at that time. This particular recording had to be edited down, and full version was later released on Playground Psychotics in the early 1990s. Often overlooked by reviewers, this album marks an important period in the band's career due to the extensive use of the Turtles band, soon to be dissolved with Zappa's stage fall. The song "Eddie, Are You Kidding?" refers to Edward Nalbandian.

It was reissued in a digitally remastered version on CD by Rykodisc in 1990 and in 1995.

Contents

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Billy the Mountain" (Zappa) – 24:47

Side two

  1. "Call Any Vegetable" (Zappa) – 7:22
  2. "Eddie, Are You Kidding?" (Kaylan, Seiler, Volman, Zappa) – 3:10
  3. "Magdalena" (Kaylan, Zappa) – 6:24
  4. "Dog Breath" (Zappa) – 3:39

The missing tracks from this concert are the following ones :

  • "Peaches En Regalia"
  • "Tears Began To Fall"
  • "Shove It Right In"
  • "Sofa Suite" [incl. Divan]
  • "Little House I Used To Live In"
  • "Mud Shark, What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?"
  • "Bwana Dik, Latex Solar Beef"
  • "Willie The Pimp"
  • "Do You Like My New Car?" [incl. The Groupie Routine]
  • "Happy Together"
  • "Lonesome Cowboy Burt"
  • "200 Motels Finale"

Personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1972 Pop Albums 85[1]

References


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Just Another Band from L.A." Read more