Listen: WPLJ / The Mothers Of Invention
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
In the late 60’s and early 70’s, it wasn’t only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones who started their own labels, Frank Zappa did as well. In fact when he left Verve and joined Warner/Reprise, they gave him two imprints: Straight and Bizarre. I think The Mothers were one of the few west coast (LA to San Francisco) groups that interested me at the time. I was admittedly loyal to the British rock acts back then. They looked better. It may have been the beards that put me off the US bands. Blue Cheer and Big Brother & The Holding Company always looked great, and so too did Love and especially The Seeds: all coincidentally beard free. But despite the beards and various repulsive elements, I loved The Mothers Of Invention. They looked menacing, and dirty and just plain seedy. The cover of MOTHERMANIA is a particularly fantastic shot. Musically, give me WE’RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY, and many of the early singles and songs as well. ‘Wowie Zowie’ only being a let down in that it never graced a 7″. Frank Zappa’s doo wop influences always showed up – like on this track from BURNT WEENY SANDWICH, ‘WPLJ’. It makes a great single. There must have been a radio station with those call letters somewhere….if only they’d played it, could of been a hit. Frank was obviously a non sleeper, maybe even a higher form of life. I mean who has more double albums? And then to constantly tour and put together two labels….amazing. Alice Cooper debuted on Straight, Tim Buckley moved there from Elektra. Even 98.6 Keith joined the roster.
Listen: Circular Circulation / G.T.O.’s
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Two of his earliest signings (and singles featured here) were The GTO’s and Wild Man Fischer. I always got a kick out of both these tracks, hearing them initially on one of the many $2.00 Warner/Reprise samplers that were everywhere in those days. Both acts had great album sleeves too. We may want to blame The GTO’s for giving license to a whole slew of twee female singers hiding behind indie rock as an excuse for minimal vocal ability, but ‘Circular Circulation’ is an out of jail free card.
Listen: Merry Go Round / Wild Man Fischer
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Wild Man Fischer has a story and a half going on. Google him – I don’t have enough time to write it all…….but ‘Merry Go Round’ is tops. Sounds like David Byrne picked up some vocal tricks from him.
Tags: Big Brother & The Holding Company, Janis Joplin, The GTO's, The Mothers Of Invention, Wild Man Fischer