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Thread: Brothers of the Mothers (of Invention)

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    Brothers of the Mothers (of Invention)

    Sorry for the cryptic title. Working a late night and probably overposting.

    STILL, what's your favorite (or at least one of your favorites) "oh they're doing a mothers of invention thing" album? I.e., biting off/paying homage/satirizing/plain mimicking the style of early Zappa.

    I'll go first!

    A1J+QNZx0kL._SS500_.jpg

    I've really been loving Herbe Rogue's s/t (and only, afaik) album. It's got the winds, the high pitch voices, some really powerful soloing, and just overall great avant-prog-jazz-rock vibes.

  2. #2
    There are a couple parts of Kerry Livgren's Proto Kaw band's first album (Early Recordings) that sounds remarkably Mothers-ish. I don't recall the specific songs though.

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    Quote Originally Posted by offwithyerhat View Post
    I've really been loving Herbe Rogue's s/t (and only, afaik) album. It's got the winds, the high pitch voices, some really powerful soloing, and just overall great avant-prog-jazz-rock vibes.
    Here's a YT playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...UfblmAqjyqui4c

    And a line-up of the musicians:

    • Olivier Foy (guitar, vocals, bandleader),
    • Paul Yernaux (trumpet),
    • Philippe Lapeyre (trombone),
    • Richard Foy (saxophone, clarinet, bandoneon, backing vocals),
    • Luc Le Masne (saxophone, backing vocals),
    • François Craemer (saxophone, clarinet)
    • Jean-Marie Laumonier (guitar, bass, vocals),
    • Philippe Froidefond (bass),
    • Alain Broda [aka Bobs] (bass),
    • Michel Risse (drums, percussion, harmonica),


    There's definitely a Zappa thing happening, modified by being French, by probably being mostly jazzers, and being terminally goofy.
    Note that the only keyboard in the band is Richard Foy's bandoneon.
    Last edited by Baribrotzer; 09-12-2021 at 09:18 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Baribrotzer View Post
    Here's a YT playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...UfblmAqjyqui4c

    And a line-up of the musicians:

    • Olivier Foy (guitar, vocals, bandleader),
    • Paul Yernaux (trumpet),
    • Philippe Lapeyre (trombone),
    • Richard Foy (saxophone, clarinet, bandoneon, backing vocals),
    • Luc Le Masne (saxophone, backing vocals),
    • François Craemer (saxophone, clarinet)
    • Jean-Marie Laumonier (guitar, bass, vocals),
    • Philippe Froidefond (bass),
    • Alain Broda [aka Bobs] (bass),
    • Michel Risse (drums, percussion, harmonica),


    There's definitely a Zappa thing happening, modified by being French, by probably being mostly jazzers, and being terminally goofy.
    Note that the only keyboard in the band is Richard Foy's bandoneon.
    haha, the best. Thanks for sharing! Can't beat that opening track—especially with the quasi-storytime vibe of the mice & cheese (note the album was released the same year Gregory Peckory!).

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    They're really good - a sort of Gallic take on FZ crossed with Willem Breuker. Olivier Foy sings in English, at least part of the time, and employs many silly voices. But, as with FZ and WB, the playing and musical composition are dead-serious and seriously good.

  6. #6
    The U.S. band from the 70's Grits who had a couple archival CDs on Cuneiform had some Zappaesque songs.

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    Quote Originally Posted by unclemeat View Post
    The Kings Of Oblivion, Big Fish Popcorn





    https://www.discogs.com/fr/The-Kings...elease/2396320
    OH YEAH. This is the stuff! Very good. Album art even vaguely has an Uncle Meat feel.

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    David Dominique "Ritual 4 (Release)" 2013











    David Dominique "Mooey in Paradise 2" 2013



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    Quote Originally Posted by Monet View Post
    David Dominique "Ritual 4 (Release)" 2013
    Holy s**t! Buying this right now. So sick.

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    Quote Originally Posted by offwithyerhat View Post
    OH YEAH. This is the stuff! Very good. Album art even vaguely has an Uncle Meat feel.
    I now see my comment was... missing the forest for the trees. Just now finishing this album. This was somewhere between a parody of early Zappa and an homage—probably landing dead center between the two poles. Nearly everything is touched here—even conversations between the nasal-y 'singer' and a very Gail-like voice. Fun stuff.

  12. #12
    Great thread. The funny voices element plays a central role in Zappa's compositions, and one could never overstate its significance and influence on rock music in general. Nowadays we're perhaps used to all the crazy human noises that appear in contemporary music, but back in 1966 I believe it had a shocking and revolutionary effect (I love as an example Wowie Zowie).

    So on account of this I need to refer to the great Samla Mammas Manna, who used this particular trait and took it to another level, especially in an album like Schlogerns Mystik (there's no way I am spelling this right but too tired to look it up.) Here's an excerpt, that crept out from Uncle Meat before devouring the entire universe


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    Clouds On Strings "Kiwi" 2011







    Clouds On Strings "Apple" 2011










    Clouds On Strings "Banana" 2011



  14. #14
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

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    Love the Z(S)amla—not super familiar with this record for whatever reason. If it sounds like a squeaky weird voice, I'm in.

    Clouds on Strings is very nice. Totally new to me!

    And this Dr. Dopo Jam, right in the pocket. haha. Very MOI.

    A couple more submissions:




  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by offwithyerhat View Post
    Love the Z(S)amla—not super familiar with this record for whatever reason. If it sounds like a squeaky weird voice, I'm in.

    Clouds on Strings is very nice. Totally new to me!

    And this Dr. Dopo Jam, right in the pocket. haha. Very MOI.

    A couple more submissions:

    ]
    Coincidently, Hampton Grease Band had one Ruth Komanoff in their ranks...

  17. #17
    If The Mothers took a stab at Beatles' The Word, it would sound like very much like this:

    Last edited by GentleFriend; 09-15-2021 at 04:07 PM.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    A classic (both albums are). Also some spaghetti vibes on 1st track. Dannish Prog had something unique going on.

  19. #19
    The Dr Dopo Jam is fully to the point, an obvious and excellent example

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by GentleFriend View Post
    Coincidently, Hampton Grease Band had one Ruth Komanoff in their ranks...
    The Hampton Grease Band had some Zappa connections but Ruth was not one. She was in the Hamilton Face Band.


  21. #21
    These guys weren't as technically brilliant as Zappa & Co., but they have a lot of the same anarchic spirit combined with surprisingly tight arrangements... They may have influenced the Mothers; their history begins two years before (1962) the formation of the MoI (1964)...

    Here are the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, as seen on "Do Not Adjust Your Set".



    And this song is actually referenced in "Billy the Mountain":

    Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by pb2015 View Post
    The Hampton Grease Band had some Zappa connections but Ruth was not one. She was in the Hamilton Face Band.

    Of course you are right!

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    Phi Yaan-Zek "The Magnetic Victory" 2018










    Phi Yaan-Zek "Abigail's Place" 2018











    Phi Yaan-Zek "Reality Is My Strange Thing" 2018



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    Some really great examples here. Trying to go through and listen to the whole album.

    Had no idea Bonzo had such a strong connection—suspected, of course—but good to actually know!

    Another contribution (too on the nose/goatee?):

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