The short-lived era of Frank Zappa‘s 1970 lineup with The Mothers will be highlighted in a new box set. The collection, dubbed The Mothers 1970, mixes live recordings from that era with studio outtakes from the recording of Chunga’s Revenge.
The band, born out of 1960’s mainstay The Mothers of Invention, featured a fan-favorite lineup at this time. The Mothers 1970 captures Zappa performing with drummer Aynsley Dunbar, keyboardist George Duke, organist Ian Underwood, bassist Jeff Simmons, and Flo & Eddie, which was comprised of Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman of The Turtles who were performing under an alias due to contractual difficulties.
The 70-track, four disc collection features 12 recordings from the band’s two-day June 1970 session at Trident Studios in London, where the band created its lone album, Chunga’s Revenge. Only one song from these sessions (“Sharleena”) has been previously released. The other three discs contain an audible highlight reel from throughout the band’s summer tour. Disc two features the fan-favorite June 18th, 1970″Piknik” show from Dutch radio, as well as the band’s September 26th, 1970 show at Pepperland in San Rafael. The third disc strings together choice live cuts from a pair of shows in Santa Monica, CA and Spokane, WA that same summer.
The final disc comes from Zappa’s personal tape recorder. These 20 tracks feature live selections hand-picked by the man himself. As a preview for The Mothers 1970, The Zappa Trust has released “Portuguese Fenders”, which comes from the CD of Zappa’s personal stash from this touring year. The instrumental tune highlights the band’s illustrious 1970 lineup in all of its psych-drenched glory, topped off with a searing solo from Zappa.
Listen to “Portuguese Fenders” from the forthcoming The Mothers 1970 box set, available on June 26th.
Disc 2 – Live Highlights Part 1 – “Piknik” VPRO June 18, 1970 / Pepperland September 26, 1970
1. Introducing…The Mothers (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
2. Wonderful Wino (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
3. Concentration Moon (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
4. Mom & Dad (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
5. The Air (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
6. Dog Breath (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
7. Mother People (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
8. You Didn’t Try to Call Me (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
9. Agon (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
10. Call Any Vegetable (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
11. King Kong Pt. I (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
12. Igor’s Boogie (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
13. King Kong Pt. II (Live on “Piknik” June 18, 1970)
14. What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are? (Live at Pepperland September 26, 1970)
15. Bwana Dik (Live at Pepperland September 26, 1970)
16. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (Live at Pepperland September 26, 1970)
17. Do You Like My New Car? (Live at Pepperland September 26, 1970)
18. Happy Together (Live at Pepperland September 26, 1970)
Disc 3 – Live Highlights Part 2 – Hybrid Concert: Santa Monica August 21, 1970 / Spokane September 17, 1970
1. “Welcome to El Monte Legion Stadium!” (Live)
2. Agon (Live)
3. Call Any Vegetable (Live)
4. Pound for a Brown (Live)
5. Sleeping in a Jar (Live)
6. Sharleena (Live)
7. The Air (Live)
8. Dog Breath (Live)
9. Mother People (Live)
10. You Didn’t Try to Call Me (Live)
11. King Kong Pt. I (Live)
12. Igor’s Boogie (Live)
13. King Kong Pt. II (Live)
14. “Eat It Yourself…” (Live)
15. Trouble Every Day (Live)
16. “A Series of Musical Episodes” (Live)
17. Road Ladies (Live)
18. “The Holiday Inn Motel Chain” (Live)
19. What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening? (Live)
20. What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are? (Live)
Disc 4 – Live Highlights Part 3 – FZ Tour Tape Recordings
1. “What’s The Deal, Dick?”
2. Another M.O.I. Anti-Smut Loyalty Oath (Live)
3. Paladin Routine #1 (Live)
4. Portuguese Fenders (Live)
5. The Sanzini Brothers (Live)
6. Guitar Build ’70 (Live)
7. Would You Go All The Way? (Live)
8. Easy Meat (Live)
9. “Who Did It?”
10. Turn It Down! (Live)
11. A Chance Encounter in Cincinnati
12. Pound for a Brown (Live)
13. Sleeping in a Jar (Live)
14. Beloit Sword Trick (Live)
15. Kong Solos Pt. I (Live)
16. Igor’s Boogie (Live)
17. Kong Solos Pt. II (Live)
18. Gris Gris (Live)
19. Paladin Routine #2 (Live)
20. King Kong – Outro (Live)
