Difference between revisions of "The Mothers"

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The name of several different Zappa bands (and even more permutations of those different bands), loosely defined by the syntactual derivations 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!".
  
 
== The Muthers ==
 
== The Muthers ==
  
A pick-up band that FZ employed to play bar gigs in the SoCal desert from  late '62 through '64, that coincided with his playing the last incarnation of [[The Blackouts]], [[Joe Perrino & The Mellotones]], and [[The Soul Giants]]. Ostensibly, these gigs helped finance some of the work being done at this time at [[Pal Studio]], and then [[Studio Z]]. With FZ the only constant, the best known variation of this band included [[Paul Woods]]: bass / [[Les Papp]]: drums, but could also include [[Vic Mortenson]]: drums / [[Alex Snouffer]]: guitar / [[Al Surratt]]: drums. A brief sippet of the first 3 is on The [[Mystery Disc]].
+
[[The Mothers|The Muthers]] was a pick-up band that FZ employed to play bar gigs in the SoCal desert from  late '62 through '64, that coincided with his playing the last incarnation of [[The Blackouts]], [[Joe Perrino & The Mellotones]], and [[The Soul Giants]]. Ostensibly, these gigs helped finance some of the work being done at this time at [[Pal Studio]], and then [[Studio Z]]. With FZ the only constant, the best known variation of this band included [[Paul Woods]]: bass / [[Les Papp]]: drums, but could also include [[Vic Mortenson]]: drums / [[Alex Snouffer]]: guitar / [[Al Surratt]]: drums. A brief snippet of the first 3 is on The [[Mystery Disc]].
  
 
== The Mothers ==
 
== 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 May, 10, "Mothers Day" 1964, legend has it) on The Mothers. 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:
  
1) The Soul Giants/Mothers = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Frank Zappa]]: guitar.
+
1) The Soul Giants/[[The Mothers]] = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Frank Zappa]]: guitar.
  
 
2) Add [[Alice Stuart]]: guitar, vocals to the above.
 
2) Add [[Alice Stuart]]: guitar, vocals to the above.
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7) Subtract Bruce.
 
7) Subtract Bruce.
  
On March 1, 1966 The Mothers signed a two-year, five-album record deal with Verve/MGM.  MGM had the band change their name to The Mothers Of Invention and they started recording their first album.
+
On March 1, 1966 [[The Mothers]] signed a two-year, five-album, record deal with Verve/MGM (who had the band change their name to [[The Mothers|The Mothers Of Invention]] because they considered the name, commercially, too provocative without the appendage) and they started recording their first album.
  
 
== The (Original) Mothers Of Invention ==
 
== The (Original) Mothers Of Invention ==
  
1) The Mothers Of Invention (1) that recorded [[Freak Out!]] = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Elliot Ingber]]: guitar / [[Frank Zappa]]: guitar / (Van Dyke Parks,  and Del Kacher "passed through" at this time.)
+
1) [[The Mothers|The Mothers Of Invention]] (1) that recorded [[Freak Out!]] = [[Jimmy Carl Black]]: drums / [[Ray Collins]]: vocals / [[Roy Estrada]]: bass / [[Elliot Ingber]]: guitar / [[Frank Zappa]]: guitar / ([[Van Dyke Parks]],  and [[Del Kacher]] "passed through" at this time.)
  
 
2) Add [[Billy Mundi]]: drums.
 
2) Add [[Billy Mundi]]: drums.
  
3) Replace Ingber with [[Jim Fielder]]: guitar / add [[Don Preston]]: keyboards and [[Bunk Gardner]]: horns. This MOI (2) began recording [[Absolutely Free]]. (Sandy Hurvitz "passed through" at this time.)
+
3) Replace Ingber with [[Jim Fielder]]: guitar / add [[Don Preston]]: keyboards and [[Bunk Gardner]]: horns. This [[The Mothers|MOI]] (2) began recording [[Absolutely Free]]. ([[Sandy Hurvitz]] "passed through" at this time.)
  
 
4) Subtract [[Ray Collins]] / add [[Ian Underwood]]: woodwinds, keyboards for (3) and the recording of [[We're Only In It For The Money]].
 
4) Subtract [[Ray Collins]] / add [[Ian Underwood]]: woodwinds, keyboards for (3) and the recording of [[We're Only In It For The Money]].
  
5) Replace [[Billy Mundi]] with [[Arthur Tripp]] /add [[Ray Collins]] and [[Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood]] for the MOI (4) that recorded [[Cruising With Ruben & The Jets]] and [[Uncle Meat]] (some with [[Billy Mundi]] before he left).
+
5) Replace [[Billy Mundi]] with [[Arthur Tripp]] /add [[Ray Collins]] and [[Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood]] for the [[The Mothers|MOI]] (4) that recorded [[Cruising With Ruben & The Jets]] and [[Uncle Meat]] (some with [[Billy Mundi]] before he left).
  
6) Subtract [[Ray Collins]] / add [[Lowell George]] and [[Buzz Gardner]] for the MOI (5) that recorded [[Burnt Weeny Sandwich]] and [[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]]. [[Hot Rats]] was a side project that held FZ, Ian, Lowell, and several "guests": [[Ron Selico]] / [[Shuggy Otis]] / [[Captain Beefheart]] / [[Don "Sugar Cane" Harris]] / [[John Guerin]] / [[Max Bennett]] / [[Paul Humphrey]] / [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]
+
6) Subtract [[Ray Collins]] / add [[Lowell George]] and [[Buzz Gardner]] for the [[The Mothers|MOI]] (5) that recorded [[Burnt Weeny Sandwich]] and [[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]]. [[Hot Rats]] was a side project that held FZ, Underwood, George, and several "guests": [[Ron Selico]] / [[Shuggy Otis]] / [[Captain Beefheart]] / [[Don "Sugarcane" Harris]] / [[John Guerin]] / [[Max Bennett]] / [[Paul Humphrey]] / [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]
  
7) Subtract Lowell George. The MOI (6) that FZ "disbanded" = Zappa / [[Roy Estrada]] / [[Jimmy Carl Black]] / [[Arthur Tripp]] / [[Ian Underwood]] / [[Don Preston]] / [[Bunk Gardner]] / [[Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood]] / [[Buzz Gardner]].
+
7) Subtract [[Lowell George]]. The [[The Mothers|MOI]] (6) that FZ "disbanded" = Zappa / [[Roy Estrada]] / [[Jimmy Carl Black]] / [[Arthur Tripp]] / [[Ian Underwood]] / [[Don Preston]] / [[Bunk Gardner]] / [[Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood]] / [[Buzz Gardner]].
  
 
== The (Vaudeville) Mothers Of Invention ==
 
== The (Vaudeville) Mothers Of Invention ==
  
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. (Frank had help from [[Max Bennett]] / [[Ed Greene]] / [[Ian Underwood]] / [[Aynsley Dunbar]] / [[Don "Sugar Cane" Harris]] / [[Ray Collins]] / [[Jeff Simmons]] / [[Billy Mundi]] / [[Don Preston]] / [[Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood]]. Many of these assisted in the recording of [[Chunga's Revenge]].)
+
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]].)
  
1) The (Vaudeville) Mothers Of Invention = [[Howard Kaylan]]: vocals / [[Mark Volman]]: vocals / [[George Duke]]: keyboards, trombone / [[Ian Underwood]]: keyboards, alto sax / [[Jeff Simmons]]: bass, vocals / [[Aynsley Dunbar]]: drums. (Frank 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]].
+
1) [[The Mothers|The]] (Vaudeville) [[The Mothers|Mothers Of Invention]] = [[Howard Kaylan]]: vocals / [[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]].
  
 
2) Replace [[Jeff Simmons]] with [[Martin Lickert]]. This band recorded [[200 Motels]].
 
2) Replace [[Jeff Simmons]] with [[Martin Lickert]]. This band recorded [[200 Motels]].
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3) Replace [[Martin Lickert]] with [[Jim Pons]] / add [[Bob Harris I]]. This Band recorded [[Fillmore East, June 1971]].
 
3) Replace [[Martin Lickert]] with [[Jim Pons]] / add [[Bob Harris I]]. This Band recorded [[Fillmore East, June 1971]].
  
4) Replace [[Bob Harris I]] with [[Don Preston]]. This Band recorded [[Just Another Band From L.A.]] and [[Swiss Cheese/Fire! (BTB)]]. FZ never disbanded this MOI, rather he was seriously injured when pushed from the stage in London by a demented fan.
+
4) Replace [[Bob Harris I]] with [[Don Preston]]. This Band recorded [[Just Another Band From L.A.]] and [[Swiss Cheese/Fire! (BTB)]]. FZ never disbanded this [[The Mothers|MOI]], but proceedings were drastically interrupted after he was seriously injured when pushed from the stage in London by a demented fan.
  
From this point on, the "Bands" that contributed to particular "albums" become more and more convoluted - only releases dominated by a particular line-up will be listed. For more information, see the Discography section.
+
From this point on, the "Bands" that contributed to particular "albums" become more and more convoluted - only releases dominated by a particular line-up will be listed. For more information, see the [[:Category:Discography|Discography]] section.
  
 
== The (Wazoo) Mothers of Invention ==
 
== The (Wazoo) Mothers of Invention ==
  
While recovering from his injuries from the push from the stage in London, Frank mounted two studio projects: [[Waka/Jawaka]] and [[The Grand Wazoo]] (please see their respective entries for personnel). Besides Frank, the only consistant member from both recordings and the tours that ensued, was [[Tony Duran]]: slide guitar. And though FZ never used the term "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:  
+
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 McNabb]]: trumpet / [[Tom Malone]]: tuba / [[Earle Dumler]]: oboe / [[Glenn Ferris]]: trombone / [[Sal Marquez]]: trumpet / [[Ken Shroyer]]: trombone / [[Mike Altschul]]: piccolo, bass clarinet / [[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 / [[Bruce Fowler]]: trombone / [[Malcolm McNabb]]: 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 McNabb]] / [[Tom Malone]] / [[Earle Dumler]] / [[Glenn Ferris]] / [[Gary Barone]]: trumpet.
 
PW = [[Dave Parlato]] / [[Jim Gordon]] / [[Bruce Fowler]] / [[Malcolm McNabb]] / [[Tom Malone]] / [[Earle Dumler]] / [[Glenn Ferris]] / [[Gary Barone]]: trumpet.
  
== The (Discreet) Mothers of Invention ==
+
== The (DiscReet) Mothers of Invention ==
  
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 label. Besides members of the 'new' Mothers he would soon form, and some of the playes from the 'Wazoo' bands, assistance for these recordings was provided by [[Jack Bruce]]: bass / [[Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski)]]: bass / [[Aynsley Dunbar]]: drums.
+
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.
  
1) The first (Discreet) 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 (')]].  
+
1) 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 (')]].  
  
 
2) 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]].
 
2) 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]].
  
3) 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 'Panter' releases.
+
3) 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.
  
The above is affectionately known as the "Roxy" era band, and was one of the most stable line-ups FZ employed since the 'Original' MOI.
+
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]].
  
 
== The *Mothers (Bozzio) ==
 
== The *Mothers (Bozzio) ==
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== The *Mothers (Wackerman) ==
 
== The *Mothers (Wackerman) ==
[[Category:Bandmembers]]
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 +
[[Category:Bandmembers|Mothers, The]]
 +
[[Category:Rock Artists|Mothers, The]]

Revision as of 06:10, 22 February 2012

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 Muthers, The Mothers, The Mothers Of Invention, MOI, or 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 Muthers

The Muthers was a pick-up band that FZ employed to play bar gigs in the SoCal desert from late '62 through '64, that coincided with his playing the last incarnation of The Blackouts, Joe Perrino & The Mellotones, and The Soul Giants. Ostensibly, these gigs helped finance some of the work being done at this time at Pal Studio, and then Studio Z. With FZ the only constant, the best known variation of this band included Paul Woods: bass / Les Papp: drums, but could also include Vic Mortenson: drums / Alex Snouffer: guitar / Al Surratt: drums. A brief snippet of the first 3 is on The Mystery Disc.

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 "Mothers Day", May 10, 1964). There were some personnel changes before they recorded their first album:

1) The Soul Giants/The Mothers = Jimmy Carl Black: drums / Ray Collins: vocals / Roy Estrada: bass / Frank Zappa: guitar.

2) Add Alice Stuart: guitar, vocals to the above.

3) Replace Stuart with Henry Vestine: guitar.

4) Replace Vestine with Steve Mann: guitar / Collins with Jim Guercio: guitar, vocals.

5) Replace Guercio with Collins / Mann with Elliot Ingber: guitar.

6) Add Denny Bruce: drums.

7) Subtract Bruce.

On March 1, 1966 The Mothers signed a two-year, five-album, record deal with Verve/MGM (who had the band change their name to The Mothers Of Invention because they considered the name, commercially, too provocative without the appendage) and they started recording their first album.

The (Original) Mothers Of Invention

1) The Mothers Of Invention (1) that recorded Freak Out! = Jimmy Carl Black: drums / Ray Collins: vocals / Roy Estrada: bass / Elliot Ingber: guitar / Frank Zappa: guitar / (Van Dyke Parks, and Del Kacher "passed through" at this time.)

2) Add Billy Mundi: drums.

3) Replace Ingber with Jim Fielder: guitar / add Don Preston: keyboards and Bunk Gardner: horns. This MOI (2) began recording Absolutely Free. (Sandy Hurvitz "passed through" at this time.)

4) Subtract Ray Collins / add Ian Underwood: woodwinds, keyboards for (3) and the recording of We're Only In It For The Money.

5) Replace Billy Mundi with Arthur Tripp /add Ray Collins and Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood for the MOI (4) that recorded Cruising With Ruben & The Jets and Uncle Meat (some with Billy Mundi before he left).

6) Subtract Ray Collins / add Lowell George and Buzz Gardner for the MOI (5) that recorded Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh. Hot Rats was a side project that held FZ, Underwood, George, and several "guests": Ron Selico / Shuggy Otis / Captain Beefheart / Don "Sugarcane" Harris / John Guerin / Max Bennett / Paul Humphrey / Jean-Luc Ponty

7) Subtract Lowell George. The MOI (6) that FZ "disbanded" = Zappa / Roy Estrada / Jimmy Carl Black / Arthur Tripp / Ian Underwood / Don Preston / Bunk Gardner / Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood / Buzz Gardner.

The (Vaudeville) Mothers Of Invention

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.)

1) The (Vaudeville) Mothers Of Invention = Howard Kaylan: vocals / 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, Tengo Na Minchia Tanta, Disconnected Synapses.

2) Replace Jeff Simmons with Martin Lickert. This band recorded 200 Motels.

3) Replace Martin Lickert with Jim Pons / add Bob Harris I. This Band recorded Fillmore East, June 1971.

4) Replace Bob Harris I with Don Preston. This Band recorded Just Another Band From L.A. and Swiss Cheese/Fire! (BTB). FZ never disbanded this MOI, but proceedings were drastically interrupted after he was seriously injured when pushed from the stage in London by a demented fan.

From this point on, the "Bands" that contributed to particular "albums" become more and more convoluted - only releases dominated by a particular line-up will be listed. For more information, see the Discography section.

The (Wazoo) Mothers of Invention

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 "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 McNabb: trumpet / Tom Malone: tuba / Earle Dumler: oboe / Glenn Ferris: trombone / Sal Marquez: trumpet / Ken Shroyer: trombone / Mike Altschul: piccolo, bass clarinet / Joanne McNabb: bassoon / Jay Migliori: flute, saxophone, clarinet / Ray Reed: saxophone, clarinet / Charles Owens: saxophone, clarinet;

PW = Dave Parlato / Jim Gordon / Bruce Fowler / Malcolm McNabb / Tom Malone / Earle Dumler / Glenn Ferris / Gary Barone: trumpet.

The (DiscReet) Mothers of Invention

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 label. Besides members of the 'new' 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.

1) The first (DiscReet) 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 (').

2) 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.

3) 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 '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 Of Invention.

The *Mothers (Bozzio)

The *Mothers (Colaiuta)

The *Mothers (Wackerman)