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Thread: The Grandmothers of Invention

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    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    The Grandmothers of Invention

    Just saw these characters at Yoshi's Oakland. Last year it was the Roxy and Elsewhere tour. This time out they performed the entire One Size Fits All
    album, plus a few other ditties. Holiday In Berlin was especially excellent. All the musicians are top notch players. Tom Fowler was not with them this time out. Dave Johnsen played bass. He's a monster. http://davejohnsen.com/ Chris Garcia is on drums and Max Kutner on guitar. Don Preston and Napoleon Murphy Brock are the only Grandmothers this time around. Be sure and see them if they come to your town.

  2. #2
    We saw them last year and loved the show. They were in our area again this year, but we could not make it.
    We're hoping we'll get more chances to see them in the future.

  3. #3
    Caught them in Sacramento the night before the Oakland show, and yeah the Burnt Weenie Sandwich section was pretty great. Inca Roads and Andy were amazing as well. Kutner may have been the weakest link, but caught fire a couple of times when his solos went non Zappa science fiction. Napoleon Murphy Brock and Don Preston are a strong piece of the real deal. They obviously lived this music and can deliver it in a way that you will never get anywhere else. Not sure if ZFT blocks them from recording and selling stuff... would be nice to get a good disc from em'. Brock (63) and Preston (80) obviously are doing a an excellent job and probably won't be at it much longer.

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    Member Joe F.'s Avatar
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    Saw them in Seattle last Tuesday. Great show.

    Napoleon said that the next tour will feature Bongo Fury.

    Brock is 68, btw, Born 1945.

  5. #5
    Saw them at Matyrs a week ago. Just so much fun, esp considering their age. Many bands could learn how to do it right from them! Kuttner was pretty awesome on guitar, too.
    "Always ready with the ray of sunshine"

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    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    Seen them twice in Austin now. Both shows were great. Kutner - for my money - was a super addition. He tore it up at our show and was sort of shocked that I went up to him after the night and said he was impressive. More confidence and this young man will flourish. Napolean saw me in the crowd before the show and remembered me from the previous gig here since we did a hang out thing before the show last time. I was blown away. Don didnt remember me but hey... 80 and still tearin' it up. Dont miss them if they come to your town.

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    Member wideopenears's Avatar
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    Did a vehicle, from somewhere out there.....?

    That's what I want to know.

  8. #8
    Saw them in SEattle for the second nite. Loved hearing Holiday in Berlin! "Oh No" was nice to hear. Inca Roads was the most 'progressive' sounding. I really enjoyed the show. Don hung out in the club before and after the show. I talked to him briefly- I had seen him do a solo gig in the 70's in Isla Vista outside of Santa Barbara. All I could remember was his 'mad scientist' act and lots of primitive synthesizers. It was more music theater than a concert. He didn't remember it at all...

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    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wideopenears View Post
    Did a vehicle, from somewhere out there.....?

    That's what I want to know.
    Most definitely.

  10. #10
    I saw them a couple years ago, I think. Great show, really cool to hear the Burnt Weenie Sandwich material (which Napoleon said was being performed in the US for the first time on that tour). I can't even think of all of what they played, I knew they did a bunch of the Roxy And Elsewhere music, I think Inca Roads, and I vaguely remember one or two late 70's things, but I forget which ones.

    I got to talk to Chris Garcia a bit, and he was telling me about taking lessons from Ruth Underwood. He told me that though Ruth claims to be "retired from music", every so often, someone turns up on her door step, wanting marimba lessons, which she usually agrees to.

    I don't know if they have the same guitarist they had when I saw them, but the guy I saw did a great job at capturing the early 70's Frank vibe. He had the "wet cardboard" guitar tone (as I like to call it) nailed perfectly.

  11. #11
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    I saw them a couple years ago, I think. Great show, really cool to hear the Burnt Weenie Sandwich material (which Napoleon said was being performed in the US for the first time on that tour). I can't even think of all of what they played, I knew they did a bunch of the Roxy And Elsewhere music, I think Inca Roads, and I vaguely remember one or two late 70's things, but I forget which ones.

    I got to talk to Chris Garcia a bit, and he was telling me about taking lessons from Ruth Underwood. He told me that though Ruth claims to be "retired from music", every so often, someone turns up on her door step, wanting marimba lessons, which she usually agrees to.

    I don't know if they have the same guitarist they had when I saw them, but the guy I saw did a great job at capturing the early 70's Frank vibe. He had the "wet cardboard" guitar tone (as I like to call it) nailed perfectly.
    Last year they had the great Mike Miller on guitar. He said he'd be staying with the band awhile, but unfortunately not to be. I don't know who was before Mike.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by rapidfirerob View Post
    Last year they had the great Mike Miller on guitar. He said he'd be staying with the band awhile, but unfortunately not to be. I don't know who was before Mike.
    I think that might have been the guy who was playing with them when I saw them. Good player, and like all the guys in the band, very friendly and talkative after the show.

  13. #13
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    For those unfamiliar with Mike Miller: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Miller_(guitarist)

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    Member FrippWire's Avatar
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    I saw them in Detroit (actually Ferndale, MI) a couple weeks ago and they delivered a stellar show. As other posters have alluded to, NMB and Don still bring it, Garcia is a great drummer and Johnsen an excellent bassist. I thought Max was the weak link but like Bake 1 said, he caught fire a couple times. I thoroughly enjoyed them doing the whole of One Size Fits All plus numerous other gems.

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