The Mothers - Revision history

Jason.Kreitzer at 21:06, 3 May 2026

2026-05-03T21:06:04Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 22:20, 17 November 2025

2025-11-17T22:20:17Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 16:56, 27 December 2021

2021-12-27T16:56:50Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 17:25, 25 October 2021

2021-10-25T17:25:05Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 15:11, 25 October 2021

2021-10-25T15:11:36Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 15:31, 21 October 2021

2021-10-21T15:31:48Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 19:53, 13 September 2021

2021-09-13T19:53:47Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 20:29, 18 August 2021

2021-08-18T20:29:02Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 01:00, 9 August 2021

2021-08-09T01:00:05Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 00:59, 9 August 2021

2021-08-09T00:59:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:06, 3 May 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	[[File:Mothers.jpg\|thumb\|right]]
		+
	[[The Mothers]] was the name of several different Zappa bands (and even more permutations of those different bands), loosely defined by the syntactual derivations, [[The Mothers\|The Muthers, The Mothers, The Mothers Of Invention, MOI]], or [[The Mothers\|Mothers]], to be found below. The name Mother reportedly means "motherfucker" as applied to a musician's slang term for any musician who could really play well; i.e. "Man, that cat's a motherfucker!".		[[The Mothers]] was the name of several different Zappa bands (and even more permutations of those different bands), loosely defined by the syntactual derivations, [[The Mothers\|The Muthers, The Mothers, The Mothers Of Invention, MOI]], or [[The Mothers\|Mothers]], to be found below. The name Mother reportedly means "motherfucker" as applied to a musician's slang term for any musician who could really play well; i.e. "Man, that cat's a motherfucker!".

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 == The *Mothers (Wackerman) ==
-[[Category:Bandmembers|Mothers, The]]
+[[Category:Bandmembers|Mothers]]
-[[Category:Rock Artists|Mothers, The]]
+[[Category:Rock Artists|Mothers]]

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 ) Replace [[Jean-Luc Ponty]] and [[Sal Marquez]] with [[Napoleon Murphy Brock]]: tenor sax, vocals, flute / subtract [[Ian Underwood]] / add [[Chester Thompson]]: drums. Add, and subtract, [[Jeff Simmons]]: guitar, vocals and [[Don Preston]]: keyboards. This band, for the most part, recorded [[Roxy & Elsewhere]], [[One Size Fits All]], & [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2]].
-) Briefly replace [[The Fowler Brothers|Tom Fowler]] with [[Michael Urso]], and he with [[James Youman]]. The band begins recording what will eventually become [[Läther]], and/or the Warner Bros '[[ZINY]]' and '[[Gary Panter|Panter]]' releases.
+) Briefly replace [[The Fowler Brothers|Tom Fowler]] with [[Michael Urso]], and he with [[James Youman]]. The band begins recording what will eventually become [[Läther]], and/or the Warner Bros '[[Zappa In New York]]' and '[[Gary Panter|Panter]]' releases.
 The above is affectionately known as the "Roxy" era band, and was one of the most stable line-ups FZ employed since his Original [[The Mothers|The Mothers Of Invention]].

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 FZ put together some pick-up bands through the Winter of '69/'70, and a "Mothers Reunion" package for the Spring, before assembling this line-up. (He had help from [[Max Bennett]] / [[Ed Greene]] / [[Ian Underwood]] / [[Aynsley Dunbar]] / [[Don "Sugarcane" Harris]] / [[Ray Collins]] / [[Jeff Simmons]] / [[Billy Mundi]] / [[Don Preston]] / [[Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood]]. Many of these assisted in the recording of [[Chunga's Revenge]].)
-) [[The Mothers|The]] (Vaudeville) [[The Mothers|Mothers Of Invention]] = [[Flo & Eddie|Howard Kaylan]]: vocals / [[Flo & Eddie|Mark Volman]]: vocals / [[George Duke]]: keyboards, trombone / [[Ian Underwood]]: keyboards, alto sax / [[Jeff Simmons]]: bass, vocals / [[Aynsley Dunbar]]: drums. (FZ did make a brief stop in Europe late July/early August, where he reportedly played with [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]: violin / Alby Cullaz: bass / Aldo Roman: drums.) This line up recorded [[Chunga's Revenge]], [[Freaks & Motherfuckers (BTB)|Freaks & Motherfuckers]], [[Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (BTB)|Tengo Na Minchia Tanta]], [[Disconnected Synapses (BTB)|Disconnected Synapses]].
+) [[The Mothers|The]] (Vaudeville) [[The Mothers|Mothers Of Invention]] = [[Flo & Eddie|Howard Kaylan]]: vocals / [[Flo & Eddie|Mark Volman]]: vocals / [[George Duke]]: keyboards, trombone / [[Ian Underwood]]: keyboards, alto sax / [[Jeff Simmons]]: bass, vocals / [[Aynsley Dunbar]]: drums. (FZ did make a brief stop in Europe late July/early August, where he reportedly played with [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]: violin / Alby Cullaz: bass / Aldo Roman: drums.) This line up recorded [[Chunga's Revenge]], [[Freaks & Motherfuckers (BTB)|Freaks & Motherfuckers]], [[Tengo Ná Minchia Tanta (BTB)|Tengo Ná Minchia Tanta]], [[Disconnected Synapses (BTB)|Disconnected Synapses]].
 ) Replace [[Jeff Simmons]] with [[Martin Lickert]]. This band recorded [[200 Motels]].

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == The Mothers ==
-Once the [[Soul Giants]] started playing FZ's compositions, they needed a more appropriate name. [[The Blackouts]] was used, as was Captain Glasspack & The Magic Mufflers. They eventually settled on [[The Mothers]]. (Legend has it this was on "[[The Mothers|Mothers Day]]", May 10, 1964). There were some personnel changes before they recorded their first album:
+Once [[The Soul Giants]] started playing FZ's compositions, they needed a more appropriate name. [[The Blackouts]] was used, as was Captain Glasspack & The Magic Mufflers. They eventually settled on [[The Mothers]]. (Legend has it this was on "[[The Mothers|Mothers Day]]", May 10, 1964). There were some personnel changes before they recorded their first album:
 ) The Soul Giants/[[The Mothers]] = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Biography|Frank Zappa]]: guitar.

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 While recovering from the injuries sustained at the London concert Zappa mounted two studio projects: [[Waka/Jawaka]] and [[The Grand Wazoo]] (please see their respective entries for personnel). Besides FZ, the only consistant member from both recordings and the tours that ensued, was [[Tony Duran]]: slide guitar. And though FZ never used the term "[[The Mothers|Mothers]]" to title these bands, we do so here for CC's sake. The touring bands for this era, the Grand, and the Petit, Wazoo were comprised of:
-GW = [[Jerry Kessler]]: cello / [[Dave Parlato]]: bass / [[Jim Gordon]]: drums / [[Tom Raney]]: percussion / [[Ruth Underwood]]: percussion / [[Ian Underwood]]: synthesizer / [[Bruce Fowler]]: trombone / [[Malcolm McNab]]: trumpet / [[Tom Malone]]: tuba / [[Earle Dumler]]: oboe / [[Glenn Ferris]]: trombone / [[Sal Marquez]]: trumpet / [[Ken Shroyer]]: trombone / [[Mike Altschul]]: piccolo, bass clarinet / [[JoAnn Caldwell|Joanne McNabb]]: bassoon / [[Jay Migliori]]: flute, saxophone, clarinet / [[Ray Reed]]: saxophone, clarinet / [[Charles Owens]]: saxophone, clarinet;
+GW = [[Jerry Kessler]]: cello / [[Dave Parlato]]: bass / [[Jim Gordon]]: drums / [[Tom Raney]]: percussion / [[Ruth Underwood]]: percussion / [[Ian Underwood]]: synthesizer / [[The Fowler Brothers|Bruce Fowler]]: trombone / [[Malcolm McNab]]: trumpet / [[Tom Malone]]: tuba / [[Earle Dumler]]: oboe / [[Glenn Ferris]]: trombone / [[Sal Marquez]]: trumpet / [[Ken Shroyer]]: trombone / [[Mike Altschul]]: piccolo, bass clarinet / [[JoAnn Caldwell|Joanne McNabb]]: bassoon / [[Jay Migliori]]: flute, saxophone, clarinet / [[Ray Reed]]: saxophone, clarinet / [[Charles Owens]]: saxophone, clarinet;
-PW = [[Dave Parlato]] / [[Jim Gordon]] / [[Bruce Fowler]] / [[Malcolm McNab]] / [[Tom Malone]] / [[Earle Dumler]] / [[Glenn Ferris]] / [[Gary Barone]]: trumpet.
+PW = [[Dave Parlato]] / [[Jim Gordon]] / [[The Fowler Brothers|Bruce Fowler]] / [[Malcolm McNab]] / [[Tom Malone]] / [[Earle Dumler]] / [[Glenn Ferris]] / [[Gary Barone]]: trumpet.
 == The (DiscReet) Mothers of Invention ==
@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 Simultaneous with his work with the aforementioned large bands, FZ started to piece together some work for later release, that would fall under the [[DiscReet Records|DiscReet]] label. Besides members of the 'new' [[The Mothers|Mothers]] he would soon form, and some of the players from the 'Wazoo' bands, assistance for these recordings was provided by [[Jack Bruce]]: bass / [[Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski)]]: bass / [[Aynsley Dunbar]]: drums.
-) The first ([[DiscReet Records|DiscReet]]) [[The Mothers|Mothers]] = [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]: violin / [[George Duke]]: keyboards, vocals / [[Sal Marquez]]: trumpet, vocals / [[Ian Underwood]]: alto sax / [[Bruce Fowler]]: trombone / [[Ruth Underwood]]: percussion / [[Tom Fowler]]: bass / [[Ralph Humphrey]]: drums. This band, for the most part, recorded [[Over-Nite Sensation]] & [[Apostrophe (')]].
+) The first ([[DiscReet Records|DiscReet]]) [[The Mothers|Mothers]] = [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]: violin / [[George Duke]]: keyboards, vocals / [[Sal Marquez]]: trumpet, vocals / [[Ian Underwood]]: alto sax / [[The Fowler Brothers|Bruce Fowler]]: trombone / [[Ruth Underwood]]: percussion / [[The Fowler Brothers|Tom Fowler]]: bass / [[Ralph Humphrey]]: drums. This band, for the most part, recorded [[Over-Nite Sensation]] & [[Apostrophe (')]].
 ) Replace [[Jean-Luc Ponty]] and [[Sal Marquez]] with [[Napoleon Murphy Brock]]: tenor sax, vocals, flute / subtract [[Ian Underwood]] / add [[Chester Thompson]]: drums. Add, and subtract, [[Jeff Simmons]]: guitar, vocals and [[Don Preston]]: keyboards. This band, for the most part, recorded [[Roxy & Elsewhere]], [[One Size Fits All]], & [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2]].
-) Briefly replace [[Tom Fowler]] with [[Michael Urso]], and he with [[James Youman]]. The band begins recording what will eventually become [[Läther]], and/or the Warner Bros '[[ZINY]]' and '[[Gary Panter|Panter]]' releases.
+) Briefly replace [[The Fowler Brothers|Tom Fowler]] with [[Michael Urso]], and he with [[James Youman]]. The band begins recording what will eventually become [[Läther]], and/or the Warner Bros '[[ZINY]]' and '[[Gary Panter|Panter]]' releases.
 The above is affectionately known as the "Roxy" era band, and was one of the most stable line-ups FZ employed since his Original [[The Mothers|The Mothers Of Invention]].

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 == The (Original) Mothers Of Invention ==
-) [[The Mothers|The Mothers Of Invention]] (1) that recorded [[Freak Out!]] = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Elliot Ingber]]: guitar / [[Biography|Frank Zappa]]: guitar / ([[Van Dyke Parks]],  and [[Del Kacher]] "passed through" at this time.)
+) [[The Mothers|The Mothers Of Invention]] (1) that recorded [[Freak Out!]] = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Elliot Ingber]]: guitar / [[Biography|Frank Zappa]]: guitar / ([[Van Dyke Parks]],  and [Del Casher|[Del Kacher]] "passed through" at this time.)
 ) Add [[Billy Mundi]]: drums.