Difference between revisions of "Jeff Simmons"

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Jeff Simmons first came to the attention of Frank Zappa as a member of the Seattle-based group '''Easy Chair''' when they opened for the Mothers at the [[68/08/24 Seattle WA US Seattle Center Arena|Seattle Center]]. Zappa suggested they move to Los Angeles and they were booked for the Bizarre/Straight records show on [[68/12/06-07 Los Angeles CA US Shrine Exposition Hall|December 6 & 7, 1968  at the Shrine Exposition Hall]] in Santa Monica.  [[Jerry Yester]] and [[Zal Yanovsky]] were to produce an album by Easy Chair but disagreements and delays led to the group breaking up before any recordings were made.  
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Jeff Simmons first came to the attention of Frank Zappa as a member of the Seattle-based group '''Easy Chair''' when they opened for the Mothers at the [[68/08/24 Seattle WA US Seattle Center Arena|Seattle Center]]. Zappa suggested they move to Los Angeles and they were booked for the Bizarre/Straight records show on [[68/12/06-07 Los Angeles CA US Shrine Exposition Hall|December 6 & 7, 1968  at the Shrine Exposition Hall]] in Santa Monica.  [https://www.discogs.com/artist/303658-Jerry-Yester Jerry Yester] and [https://www.discogs.com/artist/315649-Zal-Yanovsky Zal Yanovsky] were to produce an album by Easy Chair but disagreements and delays led to the group breaking up before any recordings were made.  
  
 
Simmons was then signed to [[Straight Records]] to record two albums: one a - mostly instrumental - soundtrack for the obscure biker film ''"Naked Angels"'' and the other ''"[[Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up (The Album)|Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up]]"'' (LP, Straight STS 1057 / Straight/Reprise RS 6391, February 9, 1970). Zappa contributed generously to the second album, under the pseudonym [[LaMarr Bruister]]. (Zappa  wrote the title track - which he later recorded for ''[[Joe's Garage Act I]]'', co-produced the album - with engineer Chris Huston, played lead guitar on ''[[Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up]]'' and ''Raye'', and co-wrote ''[[Wonderful Wino]]'' with Simmons).
 
Simmons was then signed to [[Straight Records]] to record two albums: one a - mostly instrumental - soundtrack for the obscure biker film ''"Naked Angels"'' and the other ''"[[Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up (The Album)|Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up]]"'' (LP, Straight STS 1057 / Straight/Reprise RS 6391, February 9, 1970). Zappa contributed generously to the second album, under the pseudonym [[LaMarr Bruister]]. (Zappa  wrote the title track - which he later recorded for ''[[Joe's Garage Act I]]'', co-produced the album - with engineer Chris Huston, played lead guitar on ''[[Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up]]'' and ''Raye'', and co-wrote ''[[Wonderful Wino]]'' with Simmons).

Revision as of 11:53, 9 November 2021

Jeff Simmons (standing).

Jeff Simmons (May 1949, Seattle, Washington) is an American rock musician. Simmons provided bass, guitar, and backing vocals for the Mothers of Invention between 1970 and 1971, returning on rhythm guitar in 1974.


Jeff Simmons first came to the attention of Frank Zappa as a member of the Seattle-based group Easy Chair when they opened for the Mothers at the Seattle Center. Zappa suggested they move to Los Angeles and they were booked for the Bizarre/Straight records show on December 6 & 7, 1968 at the Shrine Exposition Hall in Santa Monica. Jerry Yester and Zal Yanovsky were to produce an album by Easy Chair but disagreements and delays led to the group breaking up before any recordings were made.

Simmons was then signed to Straight Records to record two albums: one a - mostly instrumental - soundtrack for the obscure biker film "Naked Angels" and the other "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" (LP, Straight STS 1057 / Straight/Reprise RS 6391, February 9, 1970). Zappa contributed generously to the second album, under the pseudonym LaMarr Bruister. (Zappa wrote the title track - which he later recorded for Joe's Garage Act I, co-produced the album - with engineer Chris Huston, played lead guitar on Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up and Raye, and co-wrote Wonderful Wino with Simmons).

Simmons played bass for a one-off "Hot Rats" concert, and soon joined The Mothers playing bass and guitar for:

Chunga's Revenge, Waka/Jawaka, Roxy & Elsewhere, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1, You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6, and Playground Psychotics; also for the Beat The Boots series discs Freaks & Motherfuckers, Unmitigated Audacity, Piquantique, Disconnected Synapses, Tengo Ná Minchia Tanta, & At The Circus.

Simmons can be seen in the Zappa movie The True Story Of 200 Motels, even though he "left the group just before the movie started|left the group just before the movie started". Zappa played "I'm In The Music Business" during the Star Special radio show.

Streams

Easy Chair first self financed album (YouTube)

Naked Angels soundtrack (Apple Music)

Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up (Apple Music)



External links