FZ/Mothers Early Recollections
I know this is long but I encourage all FZ/Mothers Fans to read this, thank you and enjoy!
As I have mentioned before, I began listening to FZ after hearing Overnight Sensation at 14. I had listened to Mothermania at 12, but only as a curiosity since it was a banned record in most households (it would have been like getting caught with drugs back then). But I had previous knowledge of the FZ and the Mothers through my older cousins who lived and LA and saw them perform in the earliest days. I remember them being at our house in either the late 60’s or 1970 for Thanksgiving, talking about the band very enthusiastically, I was awestruck by their hippie clothes and hair, they had the Hollywood/LA seen at its prime.
I talk to my cousin via E-mail from time to time and even though she has been out of the music seen for over 30 years and a born again Christian for many years, she is still pretty hip. I mentioned to her in a correspondence that I was going to see Frank Zappa’s son in ZPZ and she said that that was a name she had not heard for long time, I briefly explained the project to her.
Well I got an idea for the forum since their probably are not that many people around who had seen those early Mothers years and asked her for her recollections, her are our correspondences’.
Request message
******* - I have a little favor to ask if it not too much, as you know I am a big fan of Frank Zappas and his son Dweezil who currently is touring with his band Zappa Plays Zappa that perform his father’s compositions. I also regularly participate in a forum dedicated to FZ musical legacy in which the early days of the Mothers is recalled. The request would be for your memories of the early years that I know you and your brother were following and fans too. I know this might conflict with your current outlook, but I was hoping that you would be comfortable with recalling those times and writing it down. I hope you and yours are doing well, thank you for hearing me out, if you would ever want to talk give me a call.
Response message
I don't mind at all, they're just memories. I wish I still had their albums, if I did I give them to you. One was called "Freak Out" I think. I had a couple and don't know what I did with them. Unusual songs to say the least. Anyway, I'll take the memory stroll and get back to you.
Response follow-up
I remember Freakout but I can't for the life of me remember the second album I got.
Anyway, the first time I saw them was at a hole in the wall kinda place over by Melrose, I think. So long ago now it's hard to remember. No seating and the lighting was pretty low. When the band first appeared they didn't come out on stage...........some of them came out of nowhere but out on the floor in an almost creepy way. Like coming from behind a curtain or through a door but in a slithery, sneaky way. Not scary though, just bizarre. I remember the guy I was dating at the time really liked them and that's why we were there, he said they came crawling out of the cracks in the wall. It did actually feel like that in a way.
It was apparent right away that they were of a menagerie variety as opposed to a main stream group. They wanted it that way and they liked it that way. Who else would write a song about urine left in a jar but them. I think they called it green numies or something like that.
crédit Wasn't that on the Freakout album?
I remember seeing Frank Zappa on the Johnny Carson show once. He came out barefoot and sat cross legged in the guest chair. Not your typical guest, that's for sure. He seemed uncomfortable to me and I think at some point he actually got up and just walked away. Never came back.
I'll write again as the memories come.
Follow-up
I will contact her brother and post in this thread whatever I receive from them.
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