Mothermania
Encyclopedia
Mothermania subtitled The Best of the Mothers, is a compilation album
by The Mothers of Invention
, led by Frank Zappa
. It contains tracks personally chosen by Zappa (it is the only Mothers compilation authorized by him) that were previously released on Freak Out!
, Absolutely Free
and We're Only in It for the Money
. Certain tracks on this release are in unique mixes or edits done specifically for this compilation. This was the final Zappa/Mothers album issued on Verve
/MGM Records
as Zappa had already moved over to Reprise Records
.
Mothermania has never been officially released on compact disc
. In 2009, the compilation was officially reissued as a digital download.
The track 'Call Any Vegetable' consists of the take from Absolutely Free, 'Soft-Sell Conclusion' from the same album, and some filling material. "The Idiot Bastard Son" is a very different version than the one on "We're Only in it for the Money".
'It Can't Happen Here' is a different edit than on the Freak Out! album; this version also appears on The MOFO Project/Object.
(Note: On the album cover it indicates that these are the "Mothers Today")
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit...
, led by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
. It contains tracks personally chosen by Zappa (it is the only Mothers compilation authorized by him) that were previously released on Freak Out!
Freak Out!
Freak Out! is the debut album by American band The Mothers of Invention, released June 27, 1966 on Verve Records. Often cited as one of rock music's first concept albums, the album is a satirical expression of frontman Frank Zappa's perception of American pop culture...
, Absolutely Free
Absolutely Free
Absolutely Free is the second album by The Mothers of Invention, led by Frank Zappa. Absolutely Free is, again, a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire. The band had been augmented since Freak Out! by the addition of saxophone player Bunk Gardner, keyboardist Don...
and We're Only in It for the Money
We're Only in It for the Money
We're Only in It For the Money is the third studio album by The Mothers of Invention, released in March 1968. The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200...
. Certain tracks on this release are in unique mixes or edits done specifically for this compilation. This was the final Zappa/Mothers album issued on Verve
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
/MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
as Zappa had already moved over to Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
.
Mothermania has never been officially released on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
. In 2009, the compilation was officially reissued as a digital download.
Side one
- "Brown Shoes Don't Make ItBrown Shoes Don't Make ItBrown Shoes Don't Make It is a song from Frank Zappa's 1967 album Absolutely Free. It is one of his most widely renowned works, declared by the Allmusic as "Zappa's first real masterpiece"...
" – 7:26 - "Mother People" – 1:41
- "Duke of Prunes" – 5:09
- "Call Any Vegetable" – 4:31
- "The Idiot Bastard Son" – 2:26
The track 'Call Any Vegetable' consists of the take from Absolutely Free, 'Soft-Sell Conclusion' from the same album, and some filling material. "The Idiot Bastard Son" is a very different version than the one on "We're Only in it for the Money".
Side two
- "It Can't Happen Here" – 3:13
- "You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here" – 3:37
- "Who Are The Brain Police?" – 3:22
- "Plastic PeoplePlastic People"Plastic People" is the first track of the Frank Zappa album Absolutely Free. It also was featured on the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore compilation as Track 1 on disc 2, along with a "Louie, Louie/Plastic People"-like version entitled "Ruthie, Ruthie" as Track 10 on disc 1...
" – 3:40 - "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" – 3:27
- "America Drinks and Goes HomeAmerica Drinks and Goes Home"America Drinks and Goes Home" is a song written by Frank Zappa and recorded in 1966 for the Mothers of Invention album Absolutely Free. The song actually appears in two different versions on the album at the beginning of side 2 under the title "America Drinks" and finishing at the end of side 2...
" – 2:43
'It Can't Happen Here' is a different edit than on the Freak Out! album; this version also appears on The MOFO Project/Object.
Personnel
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, conductor, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Jimmy Carl BlackJimmy Carl BlackJimmy Carl Black , born James Inkanish, Jr., was a drummer and vocalist for The Mothers of Invention.-Career: 1960s-1990s:Born in El Paso, Texas, Black was of Cheyenne heritage...
– percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Roy EstradaRoy EstradaRoy Estrada is an American musician and backing vocalist, best known for his bass guitar work with Frank Zappa and for co-founding Little Feat.-Biography:With drummer Jimmy Carl Black and Ray Collins, Estrada was an original member of Frank Zappa's...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Bunk GardnerBunk GardnerJohn Leon "Bunk" Gardner born . Gardner is a American musician who most notably played for Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention until the group disbanded in 1969. He plays woodwinds and tenor sax....
– wind - Don PrestonDon PrestonDonald Ward Preston also known as Dom DeWilde or Biff Debrie born September 21, 1932 in Flint, Michigan. Preston is an American jazz and rock and roll musician.-Biography:Preston was born into a family of musicians and began studying music at an early age...
– bass, keyboards - Euclid James SherwoodEuclid James SherwoodJim "Motorhead" Sherwood is an American rock musician notable for playing soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, tambourine, vocals and vocal sound effects in Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention...
– guitar, vocals, wind - Arthur Tripp
- Ian UnderwoodIan UnderwoodIan Robertson Underwood is a woodwind and keyboards player. He began his career by playing San Francisco Bay Area coffeehouses and bars with his improvisational group the Jazz Mice in the mid 1960s before he became a member of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1967 for their third studio...
(Note: On the album cover it indicates that these are the "Mothers Today")
Production
- Producers: Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, Tom Wilson - Director of engineering: Val ValentineVal Valentine-Selected filmography:* The Vagabond Queen * Elstree Calling * Why Sailors Leave Home * The Rocket Bus * The Compulsory Husband * The Yellow Mask * Almost a Honeymoon...
- Engineer: Ami Hadani, Tom Hidley, Gary Kelgren and Dick Kunc.
- Arranger: Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
- Cover design: Cal SchenkelCal SchenkelCal Schenkel is an artist specialising in album cover design. He was the main visual collaborator for Frank Zappa and was responsible for the art and graphic design of many of Zappa's most well-known album covers. Schenkel's work is iconic and distinctive in style; a forerunner of punk art and...